# The basic gist of your national anthem **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 28, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716 "2010-02-28T02:34:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Cassio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@Cassio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cassio)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/81 "2010-03-13T06:55:05Z")
> [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](#): > > Singapore’s one basically means “onward to excellence…” with the implication we should do it as one people. Of course, whether this means unity in spirit, or quashing all dissenssions, depends on the person’s personal experiences with the dominating government. I would put Singapore’s anthem more succinctly as: Never stop movin’ ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/82 "2010-03-14T04:23:13Z")
“Here we are, the British be damned.” - U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/83 "2010-03-15T01:15:18Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Israel: > > “Us Jews really really want a country.” This is a stupid hijack of a fun thread.:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/84 "2010-03-15T02:57:27Z")
Peru Chorus: We’re free forevah!! Verse 1: We used to suck dick but now we kick serious ass (esp. Spain’s). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/85 "2010-03-15T03:40:17Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > This is a stupid hijack of a fun thread.:mad: You may not be aware of the fact that **Alessan** is an Israeli. It seems to me to be a joke, and in keeping with the rest of the thread. It also seems to be a pretty succinct summary of the [Israeli national anthem:](http://www.science.co.il/Israel-anthem.asp) > [@](#): > > As long as deep in the heart, > The soul of a Jew yearns, > And forward to the East > To Zion, an eye looks > Our hope will not be lost, > The hope of two thousand years, > To be a free nation in our land, > The land of Zion and Jerusalem. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/86 "2010-03-15T03:48:33Z")
Israel: You’ve been fucked for an absurdly long time, and by keeping this thought around just maybe you’ll think about getting with the goddamn program; The hell with all the Jews from the Arabic countries and Persia, Because this song is written where all the good places are due East. ---
**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:** [March 15, 2010, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/87 "2010-03-15T04:11:13Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > Are Quebecers the only ones whose [unofficial anthem](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gens_du_pays) doubles as a birthday song? Now I have the quoted words to _Gens du pays_ going through my head to the tune of _A Place to Stand_. The effect is not as funny as singing _Advance Australia Fair_ to the tune of the _Gilligan’s Island_ these song. > [@matt\_mcl](#): > > Fun tip! If you sing the first two lines in French, the next four in English, and the last two in French, you neatly skip the God-bothering and those troublesome “native land” and “sons command” bits. Cool! (Plus the French equivalent) ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/88 "2010-03-15T04:32:52Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > You may not be aware of the fact that **Alessan** is an Israeli. It seems to me to be a joke, and in keeping with the rest of the thread. > > It also seems to be a pretty succinct summary of the [Israeli national anthem:](http://www.science.co.il/Israel-anthem.asp) I just realized I misread **Alessan** ’s post. I read “Us” as US --as in USA-- rather than “Us” as in “we.” :smack:☹ I honestly, honestly am sorry. :smack:☹ Of course **Alessan** is on topic and succinct and funny, and didn’t make a comment on international relations. ---
**Author:** ![ajdebosco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@ajdebosco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajdebosco)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/89 "2010-03-15T14:02:46Z")
Jamaica’s national anthem is way cool. It is often played during the summer olympics, but the instrumental orchestral version is a mere shadow of the sounds of many island voices accompanied by a steel drum band and guitars. 🆒 Jamaica, Land We Love: God bless us, our leaders, wisdom, truth, strength, vision, knowledge, forever. Love, Love Jamaica, Jamaica Love, Love. On a side note, Leo B, and Alessan might be interested to know that Jamaica is actively pursuing more tourist visits and dollars from the international Jewish community. If you’ve never heard the Hava Nagila on steel drums, you don’t know what you’re missing. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![History\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b19c9b/32.png) [@History\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/History_Geek)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/90 "2010-03-15T19:44:25Z")
The full-length Star Spangled Banner seems to be saying, “Whew, that was close.” Given the way the War of 1812 started, was conducted, and ended up… I’d say it’s right on. Now, if Key had been present at the Battle of New Orleans, it might be saying something entirely different. ---
**Author:** ![snowmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@snowmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowmaster)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/91 "2010-03-17T14:00:32Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > The first verse of the SSB – the chunk that everybody knows, and that’s sung at football games – is one long question. There’s only one bit of ending punctuation in the whole thing, and it’s the question mark at the end. I’d say it could be summarized thus: > > _Shit – where’s the flag??_ Yes, Shit, where’s the flag? Damn, we’re getting our asses kicked. No, wait, there it is. We won? Really? oh, ok, uh, AWESOME! ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/92 "2010-03-17T14:37:49Z")
“The Missouri Waltz” - We miss Mommy. And banjos will get into your head and _never leave!_ :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/93 "2010-03-17T15:00:18Z")
I miss my mom, and I miss my dead girlfriend, and I can’t handle the grief. Indiana’s state song “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away.” ---
**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/94 "2010-03-17T16:27:48Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > Being from Texas, our [state song](http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/statesong.html) might as well be a national anthem. It pretty much just says Texans are the best and screw you if you aren’t from here. The Texas state song fulfills two purposes: 1). First graders can sing it. When the parents come to see their kids perform in a school play, you can bet all the kids will march up on stage and sing this song. That’s the whole purpose of a state song. 2). It keeps Texas from attempting Succession. If Texas becomes an independent country, this would be its national anthem. Texans have too much pride to ever let that happen. Considering all the great musicians in Austin, Texas, you’d think they could come up with a better anthem. I’d personally vote for Bob Will and His Texas Playboy’s “Miles and Miles of Texas” or “You’re from Texas Too”. ---
**Author:** ![Torpor\_Beast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71e660/32.png) [@Torpor\_Beast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torpor_Beast)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/95 "2010-03-17T22:19:43Z")
> [@auRa](#): > > The Finnish national anthem basically goes “There’s this country up north and we’re really rather fond of it. Go Finland, we’re all rooting for you!” Yep, the verses that are usually sung pretty much amount to that. The full lyrics are much more in the vein of “This patch of land might not be much, but we fought and suffered for it, so it’s ours, buggrit.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/96 "2010-03-17T23:31:20Z")
> [@qazwart](#): > > It keeps Texas from attempting Succession. Are you saying that the mighty state of Texas is a failure? :mad: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mississippienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mississippienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mississippienne)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716/97 "2010-03-17T23:39:45Z")
> [@qazwart](#): > > 2). It keeps Texas from attempting Succession. Uh, you do mean Secession, right? Because Succession makes me think of Texas creeping up behind America in a dark alley, cracking him over the head with a leap pipe while screaming, “I’m the new America now, asshole!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-basic-gist-of-your-national-anthem/530716.md?page=4)