# Unofficial "National" songs that young and old know **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 18, 2021, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143 "2021-03-18T02:49:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/21 "2021-03-18T07:40:43Z")
The American Civil War produced a whole slew of songs. This is one of the best known, though I prefer the Confederate parody: _Just before the battle, Mother,_ _I was drinking mountain dew._\* _And when we saw the Rebs, dear Mother,_ _to the rear I quickly flew!_ _Farewell, Mother, for you’ll never_ _see my name among the slain,_ _for he who runs away, dear Mother,_ _lives to fight another day!_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/3EBL-zTQeeY/maxresdefault.jpg "Just Before The Battle Mother") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EBL-zTQeeY) \*Moonshine, not soda pop. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/22 "2021-03-18T07:44:32Z")
That’s very nice, but in terms of “unofficial national songs”, it can’t beat Katusha: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/MLg83QMmlGs/maxresdefault.jpg "Red Army Choir Katusha") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLg83QMmlGs) Or Kalinka: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/m8m2BYv02Nw/maxresdefault.jpg ""Kalinka"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8m2BYv02Nw) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/23 "2021-03-18T08:04:01Z")
Kids of my generation (and before) might remember this one from singing around the campfire at summer camp or as Scouts, but I don’t know how many would recognize it today: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bI67rO2zdC4/hqdefault.jpg "American Civil War Song: Tenting Tonight") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI67rO2zdC4) ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/24 "2021-03-18T08:12:25Z")
For Russia, I would think _ **Stenka Razin** _ would come high on the list: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/44wzqWQxHpQ/hqdefault.jpg "Stenka Razin (Volga Volga ) Russian Red Army Choir") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44wzqWQxHpQ) It was repurposed by the Seekers as _The Carnival is Over_: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Kb5V7MHFJXI/hqdefault.jpg "The Seekers - The Carnival is Over (HQ Stereo, 1965/'68)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb5V7MHFJXI) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/25 "2021-03-18T08:20:15Z")
Speaking of The Seekers: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZOlPCmFG2pc/hqdefault.jpg "The Seekers - I Am Australian (Live, 2000 - HQ Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOlPCmFG2pc) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/26 "2021-03-18T08:32:27Z")
When it comes to “national” songs of Canada, it’s hard to beat Gordon Lightfoot: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Yzo6Otpgj-E/hqdefault.jpg "Gordon Lightfoot - Canadian Railroad Trilogy (Lyrics )") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzo6Otpgj-E) ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/27 "2021-03-18T09:48:18Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > There’s always “Jerusalem”. I’m not even British, and “Jerusalem” is first song I thought of when I saw the thread title! ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/28 "2021-03-18T10:43:10Z")
Land of Hope and Glory sprung to my mind (for the English). ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/29 "2021-03-18T11:10:17Z")
Actually, Jerusalem’s the one that mentions England specifically (though it could be generalised with just a minor adjustment of the words). Land of Hope and Glory is just generally imperial. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/30 "2021-03-18T11:50:20Z")
I like Jerusalem - I’m not religious, and, despite mentioning the word ENG-ER-LAND, it actually isn’t very nationalistic. More a desire to create a better society. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/31 "2021-03-18T11:53:08Z")
As a Canadian, I’ve never heard that G Lightfoot song, so I don’t think it’s the one! I was thinking more of this one, [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/i3C_XH4Bu88/hqdefault.jpg "Canada Vignettes - Log Driver's Waltz (1979)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3C_XH4Bu88) Or this one, [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZIwzRkjn86w/hqdefault.jpg "Stan Rogers - Barrett's Privateers") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIwzRkjn86w) ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/32 "2021-03-18T11:55:02Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > Strictly speaking we have no “official” national anthems or songs - it’s all just custom and practice. But Scotland and Wales have several alternatives used by different organisations for different purposes at different times, either “national” or (especially in Wales) familiar hymns: “Scots Wha Hae”, “Flower of Scotland”, “Cwm Rhondda”, “Calon Lân”. Come to think of it, the English FA Cup Final used to have community singing which always included “Abide With Me”. You missed out the national anthem of Wales, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. Best sung by a large rugby crowd. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aVZHklqNGoo/hqdefault.jpg "The pure emotion of the Welsh national anthem | Guinness Six Nations 2020") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVZHklqNGoo) ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/33 "2021-03-18T12:02:09Z")
Sticking with a Welsh theme (my wife is Welsh so have been subjected to many of these, and the Welsh do love a sing song), there’s Sosban Fach, which they like to sing VERY loudly at parties while banging the tables to the beat of the chorus… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cilThfDX66A/maxresdefault.jpg ""Sosban Fach" - Welsh Folk Song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cilThfDX66A) And my personal favourite, International Velvet, by Catatonia, which has the immortal chorus ‘everyday, when I wake up, I thank the Lord I’m Welsh’ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_uOwYl2bXOY/hqdefault.jpg "Bonnie Tyler and other Welsh stars - International Velvet by Catatonia") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uOwYl2bXOY) Oh, forgot one. Tom Jones, green Green Grass of Home. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u81CTfbc99c) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/34 "2021-03-18T16:16:17Z")
I wonder how many people realize this anthem’s melody is actually the bridge in the middle of “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity” in Holst’s _ **The Planets** _: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/o6ZvylOSy5A/maxresdefault.jpg "English Patriotic Song - I Vow to Thee, My Country") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6ZvylOSy5A) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/35 "2021-03-18T17:45:52Z")
And not this one? 😉 [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pfRdur8GLBM/hqdefault.jpg "The Lumberjack Song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfRdur8GLBM) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/36 "2021-03-18T17:49:16Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Oh, forgot one. Tom Jones, green Green Grass of Home. It’s not unusual. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/37 "2021-03-18T17:57:44Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > > [@terentii](#): > > > > I also wonder how many Brits can sing anything other than the chorus to “Rule, Britannia!” > > Damn difficult to sing the verse, though many will recognise it. I know one verse, but I cannot sing it with the proper operatic aplomb: _To thee belongs the rural reign,_ _thy cities shall with commerce shine,_ _and lands far o’er the spreading main_ _shall stretch a hand to grasp with thine!_ Phew! It’s exhausting to just type it! 😓 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/38 "2021-03-18T18:39:16Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > For Scotland, “Scotland the Brave” likely qualifies. I have been ruined by ren fairs. Every time I hear this, I now think of Scotland’s Depraved [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZiOBuukjkpQ/hqdefault.jpg "Tartan Terrors -- Scotland Depraved 2005") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiOBuukjkpQ) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/39 "2021-03-18T18:44:14Z")
I have been ruined by the videogame _Mafia II_. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Pbvpa3is5sU/hqdefault.jpg "The Ames Brothers - My Bonnie Lassie (1953).") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbvpa3is5sU) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/40 "2021-03-18T18:47:58Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > I have been ruined by ren fairs. Every time I hear this, I now think of Scotland’s Depraved Same here (I spent my summer weekends in the '90s working at our local fair). “Bring me a sheep, for I am lonely tonight.” 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143.md?page=3)