Best National Anthem?

[Kyriakos]

Kyriakos, the only anthem with ">" in lyrics that I recall is "Deutschlandlied".

And they stole the music from Austria's anthem too

 

[Domen]

And they stole the music from Austria's anthem too

True, true. Deutschland seems to be the Pan-Germanic equivalent of Yugoslavia.

BTW - isn't the Italian anthem nice?:


Link to video.

 

[Tee Kay]

Might've gotten the march-hate from my dad, who disparagingly says both the Vietnamese/South Vietnamese sound like stupid French songs with Vietnamese words tacked on them

Here's a fun fact: the South Vietnamese anthem was composed by a communist who later went on to serve high positions after unification, while the North Vietnamese anthem was composed by a dissident all of whose music (except for the national anthem and a few patriotic songs) was banned from the mid-1950s to the mid-1980s.

 

[Tahuti]

Deutschland seems to be the Pan-Germanic equivalent of Yugoslavia.

Quite true. The reason why Germany never teared itself apart seems to be that it never was Ottoman territory (which Millet system rather strengthened separate communal identities). The religious distribution in Yugoslavia was also more uneven than in Germany, and Germany arguably had its peak in interreligious violence after the 30-year war.

I've always liked Israel and Japan's because they don't sound like those 19th century French marches that a lot of anthems are, to me. Israel's is haunting and emotional, and sounds appropriately Jewish in a good way (even though its origins are Italian); while Japan's captures the nation's cultural flavor better than most anthems (which is unsurprising given that the song was written by a classical court musician, who thus hailed from an extremely conservative musical lineage dating back more than a millennia (actually I'm not sure, but I think Kimigayo might even be an actual ancient song just re-adapted)).

Then you will like Bulgaria and Hungary's too. The Dutch Wilhelmus too, probably. All these are slow and not really march like and not overly bombastic either and thus pretty much like Israel and Japan's in that regard.

Btw, I always thought Israel's anthem was inspired by the Romanian national anthem. Some bars in Hatikva sound conspiciously similar to Destapta-te, Romane.

 

[cybrxkhan]

Japans is best because it's short. If you can't get the point across in 11 measures, you're doing something wrong.

Yeah, that's also another good point about the Japanese anthem. KISS and all that.

Here's a fun fact: the South Vietnamese anthem was composed by a communist who later went on to serve high positions after unification, while the North Vietnamese anthem was composed by a dissident all of whose music (except for the national anthem and a few patriotic songs) was banned from the mid-1950s to the mid-1980s.

We Vietnamese can be so silly sometimes.

Then you will like Bulgaria and Hungary's too. The Dutch Wilhelmus too, probably. All these are slow and not really march like and not overly bombastic either and thus pretty much like Israel and Japan's in that regard.

Looked 'em up on youtube - the Bulgarian and Dutch one isn't too bad, and certainly better to a lot of those bombastic marches (to me of course), and the Hungarian really has that slow sort of move, definitely great.

Btw, I always thought Israel's anthem was inspired by the Romanian national anthem. Some bars in Hatikva sound conspiciously similar to Destapta-te, Romane.

Listening to the Romanian anthem I do hear the exact same progression of notes for the first few bars.

Anyways, Hatvika was apparently based on a Renaissance-era Italian song called La Mantovana, though elsewhere I've seen it called "Fuggi, Fuggi, Fuggi da questo cielo". The Wikipedia article is here, and, interestingly, the article mentions that the song was very popular across Europe (even Eastern Europe), and Hatikva was based on a Romanian version of the song, so you might not be too far off there. It's kinda difficult to find a decent version of La Mantovana/Fuggi, Fuggi, Fuggi on Youtube, but here's a couple to compare to Hatikva - it's interesting seeing how a rather jolly Renaissance dance piece was turned into the slow, moving Hatikva. As someone who loves European Renaissance-era music, this makes me like Havitka even more.


Link to video.


Link to video.

 

[gay_Aleks]

Then again, you haven't heard the original anthem which our dear monarchy sported up until some Russians decided to cross the Danube.


Link to video.

Yes, can you imagine a bunch of nationalists singing this in a darkly lit basement?

Bonus: Dear countrymen squabbling about the hymn! In English, too, because, well, the entire world needs to know.

 

[Tahuti]

Yeah, that's also another good point about the Japanese anthem. KISS and all that.

In that case, Michigan's anthem ought to be Detroit Rock City.

 

[gay_Aleks]

Wait, separate states have anthems? Or has Michigan seceded to Canada?

 

[Tahuti]

Wait, separate states have anthems? Or has Michigan seceded to Canada?

All our provinces have separate anthems! My native province of Friesland has De Alde Friezen (Ye olde Frisians), for instance. The anthem of my current province of residence is called Ik houd van al dat groen in je wei (I love all the green of your farmlands). And so on. So frankly, I do not see why US states should not have seperate anthems.

 

[gay_Aleks]

Curious. We have one anthem, one nation, and one buffoon that shall lead us into the darkness.

 

[cybrxkhan]

Apparently a lot of US states have so-called state songs which are basically anthems more or less: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_songs

 

[Domen]

and one buffoon that shall lead us into the darkness.

Don't blame one person for collective failures. Who elected him ??? Certainly not himself.

 

[gay_Aleks]

Election, in the place where I am born, means that you buy enough voters to win by a landslide.

 

[Domen]

Then I suggest a popular revolution.

Or, alternatively, being born somewhere else. Can you fix it ???

 

[gay_Aleks]

Well, theoretically, according to Buddhism, it is possible. However, even in my rather tender age, I have managed to accumulate plenty of bad karma to be stuck as an ant.

Better an ant in Germany than a human in my country, eh?

 

[Domen]

Well, theoretically, according to Buddhism, it is possible.

But first you need to live through your life as a good person, because otherwise you will be born as some rat or mouse.

Better an ant in Germany than a human in my country, eh?

Maybe after corrupted Bulgarians immigrate en masse to Germany, they will bring corruption to Germany and then it will be better in Bulgaria, where only non-corrupted ones stay. So they will go back to Bulgaria, and then corruption will decrease in Germany, so they will return to Germany.

And so on, and so forth...

Therefore, try to "encourage" your corrupted government to emigrate to Germany! And here we come back to popular revolution.

 

[gay_Aleks]

Don't be stupid. There's no such thing as a non-corrupted citizen here.

 

[Tahuti]

Don't be stupid. There's no such thing as a non-corrupted citizen here.

This is especially true for Tolni. Never encountered a more indulgent person, let alone a more indulgent Bulgarian than Tolni.

 

[Domen]

Don't be stupid. There's no such thing as a non-corrupted citizen here.

Then I see no hope.

Or, wait, maybe... invite someone less corrupted to rule over you and to enforce law and order in the Land of Bulgaria, Where the Shadows Lie ???

Actually, the Shadows Lie in the Land of Mordor. In the Land of Bulgaria perhaps Not Only the Shadows Lie.

 

[gay_Aleks]

Then I see no hope.

Or, wait, maybe... invite someone less corrupted to rule over you and to enforce law and order in the Land of Bulgaria, Where the Shadows Lie ???

Actually, the Shadows Lie in the Land of Mordor. In the Land of Bulgaria perhaps Not Only the Shadows Lie.

Well, in the Land of Bulgaria, there's Bulgarians, and the results of the inhabitation of Bulgarians for the last say, 300 years?

Man, I'm slowly starting to get why Macedonians want to be a separate entity. If fictional.

This is especially true for Tolni. Never encountered a more indulgent person, let alone a more indulgent Bulgarian than Tolni.

In that case, I would like a monetary grant from the corrupt government for a better gaming rig. It's about bloody time I play Crusader Kings 2.