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Best National Anthem?

Best National Anthem

  • La Marseillaise (France)

    Votes: 10 22.7%
  • God Save the Queen (UK)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • The Star Spangled Banner (USA)

    Votes: 11 25.0%
  • Hymn of Russia (Russia)

    Votes: 6 13.6%
  • O Canada (Canada)

    Votes: 2 4.5%
  • Deutschland Über Alles (Germany)

    Votes: 3 6.8%
  • Hatikvah (Israel)

    Votes: 2 4.5%
  • Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika (South Africa)

    Votes: 2 4.5%
  • March of the Volunteers (China)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other (Which?)

    Votes: 8 18.2%

  • Total voters
    44

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Just a relatively harmless poll to see which anthem everyone likes the best. Inspired from the other thread about anthems.

I would urge everyone not to simply vote for their own country's anthem out of patriotic pride, because then the poll will be very, very boring.

We can all agree that there are some pretty cool anthems out there, at least give it some real thought -- and if for some reason, you haven't heard the Marseillaise or the Star Spangled Banner, at least check them out before voting.

Also, please explain why you chose which anthem you chose -- do you like the historical context, the musical piece, the inspiring lyrics, what? I'll freely admit I'll be disappointed if every American chooses the American anthem because it's American, or every Brit chooses the British anthem because it's British.

There's no national pride at stake here -- feel free to vote however you like (or, write in an answer if you don't like the options).
 
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Pull up the national anthem of Montenegro on youtube. It sounds like the soundtrack to a gothic vampire movie.

I like Ireland's, it is beautiful, and Canada has a fantastic anthem.

The worst ones are central and S American countries, they all sound like something from a cheesy military junta.
 
Sorry, I've heard the others and still prefer the US anthem.
 
Pull up the national anthem of Montenegro on youtube. It sounds like the soundtrack to a gothic vampire movie.

I like Ireland's, it is beautiful, and Canada has a fantastic anthem.

The worst ones are central and S American countries, they all sound like something from a cheesy military junta.


I was expecting something like the Russian anthem (which I think is really powerful and inspiring), so I was gonna give you an earful for saying any East European anthem sounded gothic, dark and scary.

But you're actually totally right. That's some Bram Stoker stuff right there. Jesus.
 
I was expecting something like the Russian anthem (which I think is really powerful and inspiring), so I was gonna give you an earful for saying any East European anthem sounded gothic, dark and scary.

But you're actually totally right. That's some Bram Stoker stuff right there. Jesus.

Yeah, it sounds like some serious evil count in a castle with an army of the undead. If Montenegro ever played New Zealand in rugby, this could actually unnerve you more than the Maori Haka...
 
Yeah, it sounds like some serious evil count in a castle with an army of the undead. If Montenegro ever played New Zealand in rugby, this could actually unnerve you more than the Maori Haka...

I imagine the lyrics are all just:

Did you see what we did to the Turks?
We put them all on giant spikes
Through their anuses, out their mouths
That's right, we did that

Balkaaaania, Balkania!
Your bloodshed knows no bounds!
But at least it tastes great
Seriously, try it sometime.

x2
 
Ach'imŭn pinnara, "Let Morning Shine"

North Korea is best Korea!
 
O Canada is somewhat boring and repetitive, but it's ours and that makes it special. Being a sports fan I hear lots of national anthems and I do like the Star Spangled Banner when sung with passion and a good voice - and not bastardized by someone trying to be "unique" - and I really loved when Kate Smith sang God Bless America at Philadelphia Flyers playoff games.

For what it's worth, this non-American thinks God Bless America would be a better anthem choice, but then all the atheists would be on the warpath - sorry, bad Indian reference, right? - oops, I mean bad Native America reference, right - not that there's anything bad about Native Americans - oh hell, never mind.
 
I imagine the lyrics are all just:

Did you see what we did to the Turks?
We put them all on giant spikes
Through their anuses, out their mouths
That's right, we did that

Balkaaaania, Balkania!
Your bloodshed knows no bounds!
But at least it tastes great
Seriously, try it sometime.

x2

There is a youtube with english lyrics on it, I'd post it, but I'm on a tablet right now.
 
Actually, I like the national anthems of the former Eastern block countries.

Most of them sound like there's a tuba player being chased by a bear in a fur hat.
 
Who is the fantastic fellow that knows that the french have a fantastic anthem !?
 
O Canada is somewhat boring and repetitive, but it's ours and that makes it special. Being a sports fan I hear lots of national anthems and I do like the Star Spangled Banner when sung with passion and a good voice - and not bastardized by someone trying to be "unique" - and I really loved when Kate Smith sang God Bless America at Philadelphia Flyers playoff games.

For what it's worth, this non-American thinks God Bless America would be a better anthem choice, but then all the atheists would be on the warpath - sorry, bad Indian reference, right? - oops, I mean bad Native America reference, right - not that there's anything bad about Native Americans - oh hell, never mind.

I like O Canada. Especially in French "O Canada. Terre de nos ailleurs..."

"America the Beautiful" should be ours.
 
OK, so I've reviewed them all and I have to say that South Africa's is by favorite, by far:



Lord bless our nation,
Stop wars and sufferings,
Save it, save our nation,
The nation of South Africa — South Africa.
From the blue of our heavens,
From the depths of our seas,
Over our everlasting mountains,
Where the cliffs give answer,
Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom
In South Africa our land.
 
Sorry, but these polls even if they had honest intentions will result in nothing but proud dick-waving.
In addition, I doubt that most can speak even one foreign language in this forum, and relying on Internet translation is a poor substitute for the original. Like how you can't understand translated humor, you can't understand those lyrics. Ours may sound ridiculous when translated but it means an entirely different thing in Korean.

That being said, the Russian anthem is absolutely epic. (Trivia, it's a slightly modified version of the Soviet one)
 
I'm surprised Australia wasn't on the list.



I mean, who doesn't love the Safety Dance?
 
I'm not going to lie, Israel's Havitkah has this dark, powerful vibe and I like it.
 
Who is the fantastic fellow that knows that the french have a fantastic anthem !?

I agree, the French have the best. Of course you almost never hear it at the Olympics!

Best use of an anthem in a movie. British in "Chariots of Fire" when Harold Abrahams' Coach is in the hotel and hears God Save the King and knows Abrahams has won the Gold Medal
 
Who is the fantastic fellow that knows that the french have a fantastic anthem !?

Multiple people, apparently.

Anyway, I think most people know the French anthem, regardless of their feelings towards France, and anyone who has heard it knows how epic it is.

Easily the most 'bad-ass' anthem in the world, and definitely the most bloody.

There's a line in the Marseillaise about slitting foreigners' throats and using their blood to water French fields.
 
If it counts as one, Waltzing Matilda gets my vote. If not, the former Soviet Union's was pretty badass.

America has the absolute worst. It's so dissonant and disjunct that you have to be an incredibly talented musician to not butcher it.
 
Soviet, for sure.

Not the revisionist Russian version. :mrgreen:
 


It's hard to beat La Marseillaise. I've also always found the anthem of the former German Democratic Republic, aka East Germany, to be quite beautiful.
 
I'm not all that fond of the Star Spangled Banner. It's too hard to sing. But it's very nice when done right.

France, England, Russia, and Germany all have nice anthems too. They're kind of all cut from the same cloth. Old-school choral/orchestral songs.
 
OK, here is Montenegro with english lyrics...Damien, the Anti-Christ!!!!



And here is one for a former country, the beloved Tannu Tuva, their national anthem sounds like the soundtrack to some sprawling cinematic work of yesteryear:

 
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National anthem's?

Nationalistic, nonsensical, propaganda designed to evoke loyalty from the masses.

If political leaders could put subliminal messages in them without being caught, they obviously would.
 
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