What is the best patriotic song? It doesn’t necessarily have to be a national anthem (but they’re not excluded, either), and it doesn’t have to be about your home country, either.
I’m an American, but I think Rule, Britannia! wins hands down. It’s hard to find a good sung version of it on Youtube, though, so I just went with an instrumental. Plus you gottta love the fascistic comments below all the videos.
Valete,
Vox Imperatoris
My first thought is Ray Charles’ version of “America the Beautiful”.
Not many beat the Red Army Choir singing the Soviet* National Anthem
*I know Russia has it now as well, but to me, it’s the Soviet
Sing to the tune of Jesus Loves Me:
“Lily-skinned feller across the sea,
I’ll eat you or you’ll eat me.”
– The Pacific islands of Omo Lau and Omo Levi
I always liked the Finlandia hymn. Unlike most patriotic songs, it’s not about superiority over other nations, but of a deep longing for freedom.
Always brings a tear to my eyes.
HaTikvah, Israel’s National Anthem.
It’s a tie between the Chinese National Anthem and the Star-Spangled Banner, both sung by some Canadian guy.
His rendition of the Chinese Anthem wins for being the most passionate, and his performance of the Star-Spangled Banner always brings tears to my eyes.
The Marse…uh, no clue how to spell if, but the French one. Especially as done in Casablanca
Exactly what I wanted to say.
That one (spelled La Marseillaise) is good (Casablanca version); it also wins for most gruesome lyrics. 
Valete,
Vox Imperatoris
Came in to post this very thing – and I have the same reaction to it.
This was my exact thought.
Now see, I always like the “Woo, us!” or “Let’s go kick some a**!” anthems better than the more solemn ones. 
Valete,
Vox Imperatoris
We’re all part of Jackie’s army,
we’re all off to Italy,
and we’ll really shake them up,
when we win the world cup,
cos Ireland are the greatest football team!!!
Olé, Olé,Olé,Olé,Olé,Olé,Olé,Olé,Olé,Olé etc.
Another vote for La Marseillaise, especially in Casablanca (actually, that’s about the only time I’ve found the song to be badass, when used to beat Nazis into submission. :D)
Also, the Star Spangled Banner, which, as was once pointed out, is about nothing less than the survival of the US in its early days (why, if Fort McHenry hadn’t successfully been defended, we’d all be speaking English now, and I hate the Germanic languages!:p)
Oh, and Proud to Be An American is always fun. 
B… B!
B… B!
B… B!
Let me suggest the March of the Pori Regiment.
“Our boys, members of the heroic people,
Which gave their blood at the battlefields of
Poland, Lütz, Leipzig and Narva,
Still Finland has its forces,
And one can cover the grounds of
the land with the blood of the enemies.
Away, away is left the peaceful work,
The sword is flaming fire
And the bullet is whistling by.
Come together,
The spirits of our heroic fathers are greeting us.”
For the imagery in the lyrics, I have to go with the Ode to Newfoundland. (Not my favourite rendition - fairly lame, in fact, but the first I found.)
For stirring music…I have to agree with the Marseillaise.
If you like that you might like the Corries’ “Flower of Scotland”, the closest Scotland has to a formal national anthem. Sung wherever the Scottish soccer team plays.
Speaking of Scotland, “Scots Wha Hae” has excellent lyrics (by Robert Burns no less); pity the traditional tune makes it sound like a dirge.
Other candidates already mentioned: “The Marseillaise” and the Soviet/Russian National Anthem.
Two fine stirring tunes, sadly tainted by clumsy lyrics and association with bad causes: “The Internationale” and “Dixie”. Lincoln asked a band to play “Dixie” after Lee’s surrender in an effort to rehabilitate (or recapture) the music; too bad it didn’t work.
Speaking of the Civil War, I’ve always liked “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”. But is it a patriotic song or a religious one?
I always found The Bonnie Blue flag to be a catchy tune