The greatest national anthem ever

[Jay Ess 15]

I've listened to alot of national anthems in the past, but this is the best:

EDIT: SRANJE! The code didnt work... here's a link:

[Duke87 1,070]

Still not better than Kazakhstan's national anthem.

[Explodingsims 3]

I prefer the Soviet Union anthem above all else.

[LironTheChick 20]

I prefer these anthems: Die Stem Van Suid-Afrika(R.I.P)(But the new South African Anthem is also good), God Defend New Zealand, Lupang Hinirang(of course, it is where I am from!), and Meni

[csgcseri 0]

I prefer the Hungarian anthem. It's one of the most pessimist national anthem in the world.

[EmergentFungus 29]

English of course.

[Joe 90 358]

Originally posted by: noypi07

...God Defend New Zealand...quote>

Seriously? Ours is like a funeral dirge...

I'd go for Flower of Scotland, which I don't think is technically an anthem but is used when the Scots don't want to sing God Save the (English) Queen.

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: EmergentFungus

English of course.quote>

"English".

Not "British"?

[Odainsaker 2,134]

I've always been partial to "Highland Cathedral"

So uplifting, it always brings tears to the eyes--no doubt why it is often played at police and firefighter funerals. I, however, fell in love with it during the handover of Hong Kong, as it was played while the car carrying the last British governor circled the yard of the governor's residence three times to the cheers of the farewell crowds. 99 years of British colonial rule was over, and a uniquely cross-cultural and nostalgic era of grand drama was fading away with the song's last notes. Hehe, I personally associate this song more with Hong Kong than with Scotland!

Another nostalgic song is "Hawai'i Pono'i," the old national anthem of the formerly sovereign Kingdom of Hawai'i and now the island's State anthem:

Sounds like "God Save the Queen" or "Let Freedom Ring," though it was actually borrowed by Hawaii's imported Prussian bandmaster from Germany's old Kaiserhymne to Wilhelm II, "Hiel Dir im Siegerkranz"

Gosh, it makes me want to grow a mustache with waxed and pointed ends. Amusingly, even "Highland Cathedral" was also written by Scotland-loving Germans, but I guess that should be no surprise, as it was in the German states that Joseph Haydn composed an opera tune representing Austria that would later with added lyrics become one of the world's great anthems, the "Deutschlandlied"

Of course, World War II radically overlapped both bombastic and haunting meanings and associations with that song. A similar shadow forever hangs over Japan's "Kimigayo," an ode to the Emperor despised in much of East Asia, many of whom had to sing it a bayonet point.

Still, it is very moving, especially in the mellow orchestral version broadcast at the end of the day by NHK:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L4C4b0RitY

Yeah, some shades of "2001: A Space Odyssey" towards the end, and yet somehow that is quite fitting. The brutal war brought another snappy one, "March of the Volunteers," the powerful anthem of the People's Republic of China:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TbA1L6xqkQ

Always love the tall PLA ceremonial guardsman casting out the giant red banner for the heroic flag raising. Thankfully, that CCTV version with it dancing Chinese crowd is definitely far superior to the substitute anthem "Song of Civil Revolution" once used in the old Republic of China of 1926, when the nation was wracked by such civil upheaval, warlord states, and colonial occupation that the rival Communists and Nationalists joined together in one of the their brief odd marriages of convenience. The sentiment of revolutionary struggle may be genuine, but the Western children's lullabye to which the lyrics were set just makes the entire thing ridiculously absurd:

How can you not help but smile at that over-the-top one?!

[Jezus53 18]

Originally posted by: Explodingsims

I prefer the Soviet Union anthem above all else.quote>

I think you can find out which one I like from my profile pic.

I make an effort to listen to it at least once a week because it motivates me. Don't know why, but it's just so much better than ours.

[EmergentFungus 29]

Originally posted by: Duke87

Originally posted by: EmergentFungus

English of course.quote>

"English".

Not "British"?

quote>

What is this 'British' you speak of?

I am English as is the English national anthem.

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: EmergentFungus

What is this 'British' you speak of?

I am English as is the English national anthem.quote>

Okay, now you're confusing the hell out of me.

Don't you guys over there usually get really annoyed when we refer to your country as "England"?

[Meg 368]

Originally posted by: Duke87

Originally posted by: EmergentFungus

What is this 'British' you speak of?

I am English as is the English national anthem.quote>

Okay, now you're confusing the hell out of me.

Don't you guys over there usually get really annoyed when we refer to your country as "England"?

quote>

Depends on who you are talking to.

EmergentFungus lives in England, which is part of the United Kingdom

Belfastuniguy lives in Northern Ireland, which is also part of the United Kingdom.

"British" can refer to anyone living in Great Britian or the United Kingdom (which aren't quite the same thing).

So, yeah, it can be confusing.

If it helps any, think of it as being like the guy who says he is a Texan instead of saying he is an American.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: SkiGeek

Originally posted by: Duke87

Originally posted by: EmergentFungus

What is this 'British' you speak of?

I am English as is the English national anthem.quote>

Okay, now you're confusing the hell out of me.

Don't you guys over there usually get really annoyed when we refer to your country as "England"?

quote>

Depends on who you are talking to.

EmergentFungus lives in England, which is part of the United Kingdom

Belfastuniguy lives in Northern Ireland, which is also part of the United Kingdom.

"British" can refer to anyone living in Great Britian or the United Kingdom (which aren't quite the same thing).

So, yeah, it can be confusing.

If it helps any, think of it as being like the guy who says he is a Texan instead of saying he is an American.

quote>

Yea. We dont have an antherm in Texas, Just a State Song, Texas, Our Texas.

[BurroDiablo 222]

Originally posted by: Explodingsims

I prefer the Soviet Union anthem above all else.quote>

Read my mind. Ideaology aside, it is a wonderful piece of music.

Originally posted by: Duke87

Originally posted by: EmergentFungus

What is this 'British' you speak of?

I am English as is the English national anthem.quote>

Okay, now you're confusing the hell out of me.

Don't you guys over there usually get really annoyed when we refer to your country as "England"?

quote>

We can be confusing, yeah. It just depends on somebodys personal level of Patriotism. But no matter what somebody says their Nationality is, English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish - their still British, their still part of the United Kingdom of Great Britian and Northern Ireland (to give it its full name) and theres not much they can do about it until the entire country is forced into a devolutionary spiral.

You just have to remember that refering to England as an individual country doesn't annoy us, but referring to the entire UK as "England" annoys us. Saying "Edinburgh is in England" annoys us Scots, but saying "Edinburgh is in Britain" doesn't, unless your a rabid claymore-weilding nationalist.

The English and British/UK national Anthem are the same - God Save the Queen - But the English have been calling for a seperate one, leaving 'God Save the Queen' for a joint function where we acctually compete together, like the Olympics. During the Commonwealth games, the English team uses "Land of Hope and Glory" as their national anthem, which it probably is Unofficially.

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

No one likes "Oh, Canada" or "The Star Spangled Banner"?

I suppose I'll be the only patriot (well, I guess technically expat) to say the Star Spangled Banner makes me the happiest. I'll admit to a strong American bias, though. The big strike against it is that it's impossible to march to (stinkin' 3:4 time), which, having spent high school in marching band, puts it at a slight disadvantage. Even so, a particularly good rendition of it brings a small tear to my eyes.

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: NMUSpidey

I suppose I'll be the only patriot (well, I guess technically expat) to say the Star Spangled Banner makes me the happiest. I'll admit to a strong American bias, though. The big strike against it is that it's impossible to march to (stinkin' 3:4 time), which, having spent high school in marching band, puts it at a slight disadvantage. Even so, a particularly good rendition of it brings a small tear to my eyes.quote>

Well, here's the thing: Francis Scott Key did not write the music to The Star Spangled Banner. He wrote it as a poem, not a song. It was then put to the lyrics to the song of the British Anacheronic Society (which has come to be known as a drinking song, interestingly enough).

It also didn't become the national anthem until over a century after it was written.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: NMUSpidey

No one likes "Oh, Canada" or "The Star Spangled Banner"?

I suppose I'll be the only patriot (well, I guess technically expat) to say the Star Spangled Banner makes me the happiest. I'll admit to a strong American bias, though. The big strike against it is that it's impossible to march to (stinkin' 3:4 time), which, having spent high school in marching band, puts it at a slight disadvantage. Even so, a particularly good rendition of it brings a small tear to my eyes.quote>

I like Oh Canada, you dont hear many of the other except during the olympics.

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Originally posted by: Joe 90

Originally posted by: noypi07

...God Defend New Zealand...quote>

Seriously? Ours is like a funeral dirge...

I'd go for Flower of Scotland, which I don't think is technically an anthem but is used when the Scots don't want to sing God Save the (English) Queen.

quote>

She's a Scotish Queen as well.

James 6th of Scotland became James 1st of England

Anyway Land of Hope and Glory is best!

(English and proud of it)!

Kentishman and proud of it!

[Jezus53 18]

Originally posted by: Duke87

(which has come to be known as a drinking song, interestingly enough).

quote>

Beat me to it!

The only reason I do not care for The Star Spangled Banner is because so many pop stars and "singers" have messed it up trying to make their own and even when they do a good job, I still don't like it. I just feel a whole bunch of "look at me" and "I'm better than everyone else" and "check out my ego."

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: Jezus53

The only reason I do not care for The Star Spangled Banner is because so many pop stars and "singers" have messed it up trying to make their own and even when they do a good job, I still don't like it. I just feel a whole bunch of "look at me" and "I'm better than everyone else" and "check out my ego." quote>

True.

Of all the "patriotic" American songs out there though, I think my favorite woud have to be one which doesn't seem to get much love: Yankee Doodle.

The irony there, of course, being that it was originally sung by British soldiers in the revolutionary war, mocking the minutemen. Actually, I think that's a large part of why I love it.

The Battle Hymn of the Republic ("Glory Glory Hallelujah") is also a nice one.

I'll take either of those to all the more commonly played (and thus, played to death) songs like "America" (commonly but incorrectly known as "My Country 'tis of Thee"), "America the Beautiful", or "God Bless America".

[SC4 meister 7]

Originally posted by: Duke87

Originally posted by: Jezus53

The only reason I do not care for The Star Spangled Banner is because so many pop stars and "singers" have messed it up trying to make their own and even when they do a good job, I still don't like it. I just feel a whole bunch of "look at me" and "I'm better than everyone else" and "check out my ego." quote>

True.

Of all the "patriotic" American songs out there though, I think my favorite woud have to be one which doesn't seem to get much love: Yankee Doodle.

The irony there, of course, being that it was originally sung by British soldiers in the revolutionary war, mocking the minutemen. Actually, I think that's a large part of why I love it.

The Battle Hymn of the Republic ("Glory Glory Hallelujah&quot is also a nice one.

I'll take either of those to all the more commonly played (and thus, played to death) songs like "America" (commonly but incorrectly known as "My Country 'tis of Thee&quot, "America the Beautiful", or "God Bless America".

quote>

Being rather patriotic, The Star Spangled banner is the best anthem ever. To continue off of duke's post though, the one song that gets me the most emotional/patriotic other than our anthem is "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" (The Angry American) by Toby Keith.

[BurroDiablo 222]

Originally posted by: Merlin of Flyote

Originally posted by: Joe 90

Originally posted by: noypi07

...God Defend New Zealand...quote>

Seriously? Ours is like a funeral dirge...

I'd go for Flower of Scotland, which I don't think is technically an anthem but is used when the Scots don't want to sing God Save the (English) Queen.

quote>

She's a Scotish Queen as well.

James 6th of Scotland became James 1st of England

Anyway Land of Hope and Glory is best!

(English and proud of it)!

Kentishman and proud of it!quote>

Whatever she is, the facts are she's an unelected sponge, kept in power to sustain some kind of outdated national pride.

Personally, 'God Save the Queen' is a horrible song, Land of Hope and Glory is much better. 'Flower of Scotland' is also nice, if abit random... honestly, I'd like to hear a Jazz version.

One of my most vivid memories was at Primary School when we were taught it. I exchanged the line "Fought and Died for, yer wee bit hill and Glen" for "Fought and Died for, yer wee bit hill and Sheep"... the Teacher exclaimed "Oh, Its okay, everybody makes mistakes..." hah.

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: SC4 meister

the one song that gets me the most emotional/patriotic other than our anthem is "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" (The Angry American) by Toby Keith.quote>

Eeew, country music.

Country music RULES! -SC4M

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Whatever she is, the facts are she's an unelected sponge, kept in power to sustain some kind of outdated national pride.

Personally, 'God Save the Queen' is a horrible song, Land of Hope and Glory is much better. 'Flower of Scotland' is also nice, if abit random... honestly, I'd like to hear a Jazz version.

One of my most vivid memories was at Primary School when we were taught it. I exchanged the line "Fought and Died for, yer wee bit hill and Glen" for "Fought and Died for, yer wee bit hill and Sheep"... the Teacher exclaimed "Oh, Its okay, everybody makes mistakes..." hah.quote>

[astronelson 339]

Originally posted by: NMUSpidey

The big strike against it is that it's impossible to march to (stinkin' 3:4 time)

quote>

Ah, well. Waltz, anyone?

For worst, the Australian national anthem. Who uses the word "girt" anymore?

[Fraghawk444 3]

Does fictional anthems count:

My estovackian anthem is EPIC, if a little long

ps, the song is important, not the picture

[timmie 988]

The Belgian is best!

Because it exists in three languages (but that is because Belgium has three official languages).

Anyway: here it is, all the diferent versions in one video.