# Best and worst National Anthems **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635 "2007-10-05T14:20:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/21 "2007-10-05T18:37:15Z")
[QUOTE=Peter Morris] Second worst : American. Nice tune, even if notoriously difficult to sing well. But the sentiments expressed are not so great. It commemorates the war of 1812, which America lost. And takes its tune from the country that defeated them. And it celebrates a flag that is no longer in use, both the name and the design have changed since then. Oh, and considering that Slavery was abolished in the British Empire a few years previously, who was the real “Land of The Free” then? [/QUOTE] Funny, I was under the impression that the War of 1812 was a draw. As for that “Land of the Free” bit, there’s a line later on that actually taunts the British for using radical cases of conscription: _No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave._ ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/22 "2007-10-05T18:50:55Z")
[QUOTE=Scuba\_Ben] Funny, I was under the impression that the War of 1812 was a draw. [/quote] [Cecil Adams doesn’t agree.](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mwar1812.htm) > [@](#): > > As for that “Land of the Free” bit, there’s a line later on that actually taunts the British for using radical cases of conscription: > > _No refuge could save the hireling and slave > From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave._ Hang on, one of the reasons for the war was because Britain impressed Americans into naval service, right? So, your national anthem describes your own citizens are “hireling and slave?” Even worse. ---
**Author:** ![Nuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea666f/32.png) [@Nuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nuke)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/23 "2007-10-05T19:02:16Z")
Longest and most boring: Peru This thing just keeps going on and on…slams Spain, too! Chorus We are free, may we always be so, and let the sun rather deny its light Than that we should be absent to the solemn vote that elevated the motherland to Eternity. I For a long time the oppressed Peruvian dragged the ominous chain; sentenced to a cruel servitude for a long time in silence he moaned. But as soon as the sacred yell of “Liberty!” was heard on its coasts, he shook off the indolence of slavery, he raised the humiliated neck. II Now the roar of rough chains that we had heard for three centuries of horror from the freed, at the sacred yell that the world heard astonished, stopped. Everywhere the inflamed San Martín “Liberty”, “Liberty” pronounced; and the Andes, rocking their base, announced it as well, in unison. III With its influx the peoples woke up, and like lighting ran the opinion; from the Isthmus to Tierra del Fuego, and from Tierra del Fuego to the icy region. Everyone vowed to break the link that Nature denied to both worlds, and break the sceptre that Spain had reclined, proud, on both. IV Lima fulfilled this solemn vow, and, severe, her anger showed by throwing out the powerless tyrant, who had been trying to extend his oppression. To join her effort jumped in the crickets, and the furrows that she had repaired in herself stirred up her hatred and vengeance, inherited from her Inca and Lord. V Countrymen, may we see her a slave no more. If for three centuries she moaned, humiliated, forever may we vow that she be free, maintaining her own splendor. Our arms, until today unarmed, be they always readying the cannon, that some day the beaches of Iberia will feel the horror of its roar. VI May we excite the jealously of Spain since it has a premonition, with want and furor, that in a contest of great nations our country will enter in comparison. On the list formed by these we shall fill the line first, ahead of the ambitious Iberian tyrant, who devastated all of America. VII On its summit may the Andes sustain the two-color flag or standard, may it announce to the centuries the effort that gave us being free forever. Under its shadow may we live calmly and, at the sun’s birth over its summits, may we renew the great oath we rendered to the God of Jacob. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/24 "2007-10-05T19:51:29Z")
[QUOTE=Peter Morris] [Cecil Adams doesn’t agree.](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mwar1812.htm) [/QUOTE] You mean GFactor, who I’m sure is flattered. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/25 "2007-10-05T20:05:56Z")
Yeah, guess so. (Wait, they got the science board to advise on a matter of history?) ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/26 "2007-10-05T20:16:25Z")
[QUOTE=Peter Morris] Hang on, one of the reasons for the war was because Britain impressed Americans into naval service, right? So, your national anthem describes your own citizens are “hireling and slave?” Even worse. [/QUOTE] The “hireling” probably refers to mercenaries. And in the middle of battle how do you distinguish between the impressed and others? In any case, the death of the impressed would ultimately be the responsibility of the British. End of chorus of Marseillaise: “May tainted blood / Water our fields!” Rather bloodthirsty, don’t you think? Can that be an unalloyed good? Especially when the bloodshed of the Revolution went beyond the nobles and caught up with people like Robespierre. I have a feeling that you’d object to those lines if they were in the US anthem. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/27 "2007-10-05T20:49:05Z")
Well, there \*\*are \*\*similar words in the US National anthem. Did you see me object to them? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/28 "2007-10-05T20:51:01Z")
[QUOTE=Polycarp] Not a national anthem, but Ontario’s provincial anthem, “A Place to Stand,” is rather intriguing. [/QUOTE] Thanks, **Polycarp**. That song is now stuck in my brain for the whole weekend. (For the uninitiated, it has an earworm factor only a little less than Disney’s “Small Small World”.) ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/29 "2007-10-05T21:10:27Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] Thanks, **Polycarp**. That song is now stuck in my brain for the whole weekend. (For the uninitiated, it has an earworm factor only a little less than Disney’s “Small Small World”.) [/QUOTE] You want **annoying**? Maryland, my home state, uses the melody to “O Tannenbaum” (Oh Christmas Tree) for its state anthem. Here, let me start you off: _Oh Maryland, my Maryland, dum dah dah dee dum dah dah…_ 😛 :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/30 "2007-10-05T21:17:40Z")
[QUOTE=Peter Morris] [Cecil Adams doesn’t agree.](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mwar1812.htm) [/QUOTE] He’s also wrong on at least two accounts. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/31 "2007-10-05T21:25:24Z")
Do tell. But do it in the Staff Reports forum, though. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/32 "2007-10-05T22:02:17Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] You want **annoying**? Maryland, my home state, uses the melody to “O Tannenbaum” (Oh Christmas Tree) for its state anthem. [/QUOTE] That’s the _least_ annoying thing about the Maryland state song. The most annoying thing is that it’s a Confederate civil war song! ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/33 "2007-10-05T22:09:01Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] Thanks, **Polycarp**. That song is now stuck in my brain for the whole weekend. (For the uninitiated, it has an earworm factor only a little less than Disney’s “Small Small World”.) [/QUOTE] I tend to associate the Ontario and Marine Land commercials, so reading the lyrics to _A Place to Grow_ has led my brain to start singing… \*In Niagara Falls, Ontario Marine Land is the place to go! (dadada I’m not typing it all out) Everyone LOVES **MARINE LAND** \* (Haha, now it’s in your head too!) ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/34 "2007-10-05T22:32:02Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] You want **annoying**? Maryland, my home state, uses the melody to “O Tannenbaum” (Oh Christmas Tree) for its state anthem. [/QUOTE] You should just sing the alternative lyrics: The people’s flag is deepest red, It shrouded oft our martyr’d dead And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold, Their hearts’ blood dyed its ev’ry fold. \*Then raise the scarlet standard high, Within its shade we’ll live and die, Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer, We’ll keep the red flag flying here. \* Look round, the Frenchman loves its blaze, The sturdy German chants its praise, In Moscow’s vaults its hymns are sung, Chicago swells the surging throng. With heads uncovered swear we all To bear it onward till we fall. Come dungeon dark or gallows grim, This song shall be our parting hymn. Is Maryland a Red state by any chance? If it is you might not want to sing it too loudly. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2007, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/35 "2007-10-06T10:37:48Z")
I’m rather partial to Britain’s alternative anthem: Land of Hope and Glory. But there’s nothing wrong with God Save The Queen: the vast majority of Brits are theists, and the vast majority of Brits favour Queen Elizabeth. Now, when Charles ascends the throne… ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2007, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/36 "2007-10-06T10:55:11Z")
There are only four national anthems anyway: God bless the King of Freedonia; How beautiful are the hills and forests of Freedonia; People of Freedonia, take your place among the nations of the world; and Arise, downtrodden workers of Freedonia and throw off your shackles. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2007, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/37 "2007-10-06T13:11:44Z")
[QUOTE=Scissorjack] There are only four national anthems anyway: God bless the King of Freedonia; How beautiful are the hills and forests of Freedonia; People of Freedonia, take your place among the nations of the world; and Arise, downtrodden workers of Freedonia and throw off your shackles. [/QUOTE] The only question, then, is which one **RTFirefly** endorses! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2007, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/38 "2007-10-06T14:42:22Z")
[QUOTE=TheLoadedDog] The Australian one is pretty dreary. On the other hand, it’s much better if sung to the Gilligan’s Island theme. Try it: [/QUOTE] I think the words to the Oz anthem are bloody good (though you are right about the Gilligan’s Island theme tune!) it sounds upbeat and hopeful and full of “new world” vigour and zest. When New Zealand decided on an anthem it decided to do without vigour and zest and went with making an anthem that makes “God save the Queen” sound uplifting. I present the Godly dirge that represents NZ. New Zealand English: God of nations! at Thy feet In the bonds of love we meet, Hear our voices, we entreat, God defend our Free Land. Guard Pacific’s triple star, From the shafts of strife and war, Make her praises heard afar, God defend New Zealand Men of ev’ry creed and race Gather here before Thy face, Asking Thee to bless this place, God defend our Free Land. From dissension, envy, hate, And corruption guard our State, Make our country good and great, God defend New Zealand. (I shall spare you several verses but this next one is amusing) Guide her in the nations’ van, Preaching love and truth to man, Working out Thy Glorious plan, God defend New Zealand. … I never realised God knew his vehicles, let alone spared the time to give NZ a van! Though it does sound like NZ was a travelling preacher so a van was probably a good thing. The saving grace for NZ is that we always use both the English and Maori versions Maori Words E Ihoa Atua, O nga Iwi Matoura, Ata whaka rongona; Me aroha noa. Kia hua ko te pai; Kia tau to atawhai; Manaakitia mai Aotearoa Because I am completely immature, it always makes me giggle that “Ata whaka” is prounounced (almost) utter fucker. The only redeeming feature in a dreadful dirge. Is it any wonder we always do the Haka after the anthem! We need something to inspire us after that! ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/39 "2007-10-06T18:36:52Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] I’m rather partial to Britain’s alternative anthem: Land of Hope and Glory. [/QUOTE] That’s more of an English than a British one, I thinkt. I like _Jerusalem_ for another English alternative. It’s a nice tune. I can’t stand the de facto Scottish anthem, _Flower of Scotland_, another dirge, with trite lyrics and worst of all one that appears to be impossible to play on bagpipes at sporting events. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635/40 "2007-10-06T21:05:19Z")
[QUOTE=Struan] That’s more of an English than a British one, I thinkt. I like _Jerusalem_ for another English alternative. It’s a nice tune. [/QUOTE] Might be a bit awkward when England play Israel though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-national-anthems/421635.md?page=3)