# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/41 "2021-03-18T19:00:05Z")
For France, “La Vie en Rose” would have to qualify. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/42 "2021-03-18T19:03:37Z")
A very recognizable Canadian tune: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/iDznyVgr9lE/hqdefault.jpg "Hockey Night In Canada Theme Song Original") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDznyVgr9lE) ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/43 "2021-03-18T19:19:14Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean I’ve never heard the tune or lyrics of Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean. This is the fist time I’ve ever been aware of it. I’d think the Battle Hymn of the Republic fits a lot better. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/44 "2021-03-18T19:22:21Z")
How about “Yankee Doodle”? ---
**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, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/45 "2021-03-18T19:30:13Z")
It dates back to the turn of the 20th century. It should not be confused (like they did in the 1984 TV miniseries _ **The First Olympics** _) with “Hail Columbia,” which has been an unofficial anthem since the birth of the Republic: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wRKXBvJODIM/maxresdefault.jpg "Columbia, The Gem Of The Ocean") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRKXBvJODIM) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hKWIOmqdZP8/maxresdefault.jpg ""Hail Columbia" - Unofficial National Anthem of The USA [1789-1931]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKWIOmqdZP8) When I was teaching English in Czechoslovakia 30 (yeesh!) years ago, I had to explain that “Columbia” is a poetic name for the United States, and that the country in South America is “Colombia.” ---
**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, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/46 "2021-03-18T19:45:56Z")
Here’s a brief version with lyrics. Holy crap, I see now it was composed in 1843! I’ve always associated it with the McKinley/Roosevelt/Souza era. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/IQc9vz2DUPM/maxresdefault.jpg "Columbia The Gem of the Ocean w Lyrics") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQc9vz2DUPM) I think they mean “borne,” not “born.” ---
**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, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/47 "2021-03-18T19:58:03Z")
In Italy, I believe Verdi’s Va Pensiero (the Slaves’ Chorus from Nabucco) serves as an unofficial national anthem. ---
**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, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/48 "2021-03-18T20:15:24Z")
The brass band version we know today dates back to around the Civil War. The original fife and drum tune was much slower, and the “Yankee Doodle, keep it up” part was different. (Unfortunately, I can’t find an authentic version of it on YouTube.) When the British surrendered at Yorktown, their musicians played “The World Turned Upside Down” as they stacked their arms. In response, the Americans struck up “Yankee Doodle,” which was originally intended to mock the Colonial bumpkins (in the 18th century, it had audiences rolling in the aisles). If you look at the videos of the US Army fife and drum corps, you’ll see they’re wearing red uniforms instead of blue; this is because they had to be visible to the rest of the American troops through the smoke on a battlefield. (I used to be fifer at a historic site.) ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/49 "2021-03-18T20:26:47Z")
A couple for Mexico: Cielito Lindo [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/U5RC3BJ2PMo/hqdefault.jpg "Pedro Infante - Cielito Lindo") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5RC3BJ2PMo) El Jarabe Tapatio [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-x0vKSO29N4/maxresdefault.jpg "Tradicional baile del Jarabe Tapatio") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x0vKSO29N4) Several Russian ones that haven’t been mentioned yet: Moscow Nights [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uqccaYkr0E8/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGH8gFSgTMA8=&rs=AOn4CLD4mtgFbUy8e9uRx05O45xt4wY4MA "Red Army Choir: Moscow Nights.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqccaYkr0E8) The Volga Boatmen [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hKOUt2v3tPE/maxresdefault.jpg "Song Of The Volga Boatmen") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKOUt2v3tPE) Russian Sailor’s Dance [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0YohoOzkRiY/maxresdefault.jpg "The Red Poppy: Russian Sailor's Dance") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YohoOzkRiY) Vo sadu li, v ogorod’e [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/A_tNYy6KOaE/maxresdefault.jpg "Vo sadu li, v ogorod'e") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_tNYy6KOaE) Poliushko Polye [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/x2YlbiyiuMc/maxresdefault.jpg "(Stand with Ukraine) Red Army Choir: Polyushka Polye (Stand with Ukraine)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2YlbiyiuMc) Dark Eyes [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TQuy3FqVcYc/hqdefault.jpg "Red Army Choir: Dark Eyes.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQuy3FqVcYc) And for Ukraine, Hopak: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ALzZ69HLXuY/hqdefault.jpg "Virsky - Hopak / Вірський - Гопак (ukrainian dance)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALzZ69HLXuY) ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/50 "2021-03-18T20:33:09Z")
Its sung by an Irishman (albeit one that grew up in London) and about New York. But [Fairy tale of New York](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8) is a ubiquitous Christmas Song in the UK, to the points its almost synonymous with Christmas (and is objectively the best Christmas song 🙂 ) but pretty obscure in the US. ---
**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, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/51 "2021-03-18T20:56:11Z")
_Coachman, don’t drive the horses! I no longer have anywhere to hurry, I no longer have anyone to love. Coachman, don’t drive the horses!_ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-uq2ceQTR28/hqdefault.jpg "Иван Ребров - Ямщик, не гони лошадей") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uq2ceQTR28) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7GUzJ7fQBtg/hqdefault.jpg "Prokofiev "Troika" ('Lieutenant Kije') - Fistoulari conducts") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GUzJ7fQBtg) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/fXcFcSmqOGg/maxresdefault.jpg "Щедрик (English Translation - Shchedryk)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXcFcSmqOGg) ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/52 "2021-03-18T21:13:43Z")
Most English speakers don’t know that Shschedryk is a Ukrainian song. They think of it as Carol of the Bells, with English lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/53 "2021-03-18T21:39:44Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > 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. I’ll go with that (in all its parts, actually). Serious question: my first thought for an American choice was **This Land Is Your Land** - but it hasn’t even been mentione. I guess this means I’m misunderstanding something - but what? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wxiMrvDbq3s/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLA4hbtuJ27HCXQDmzfLJjaNKok8mA "Woody Guthrie- This Land Is Your Land") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxiMrvDbq3s) j ---
**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, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/54 "2021-03-18T21:42:23Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Serious question: my first thought for an American choice was **This Land Is Your Land** - but it hasn’t even been mentione [Too polarizing?](https://www.npr.org/2000/07/03/1076186/this-land-is-your-land) ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/55 "2021-03-18T21:46:41Z")
Are there people who are genuinely offended by it? (And if there are, would they be obvious to me as a group?) j ---
**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, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/56 "2021-03-18T22:35:36Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Are there people who are genuinely offended by it? Decades ago, there likely were. As the NPR article notes, when it was first written, some of the verses were often not recorded, due to being seen as “dangerous.” Today, I suspect that the song’s progressive and socialist overtones are lost on (or entirely unknown to) most people. ---
**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 19, 2021, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/57 "2021-03-19T04:59:03Z")
Or “[Dear Old Donegal](https://youtu.be/Pu-rWOx4rbA)” (fans of Allan Sherman will recognize it as “[Shake Hands With Your Uncle Max](https://youtu.be/_EBC5Oha08s)”). ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2021, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/58 "2021-03-19T05:21:40Z")
The Irish Washerwoman [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cFBRaIOI85k/hqdefault.jpg "Irish Washerwoman - John Sheahan and Eamonn Campbell") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFBRaIOI85k) Also from Ireland, Carolan’s Welcome [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OLHLi45frTE/maxresdefault.jpg "Carolan's Welcome") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLHLi45frTE) A Londonderry Air [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/jmp6VcUIFMg/maxresdefault.jpg "Choirs of Jesus College Cambridge - Londonderry Air (arr. Bob Chilcott)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmp6VcUIFMg) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2021, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/59 "2021-03-19T06:37:46Z")
If songs dedicated to states can be considered to fall under the umbrella of “national songs”, then I daresay that “California Here I Come”, “Georgia On My Mind”, “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, “Sweet Home Alabama”, and “The Eyes of Texas” are probably recognizable to most if not all of the populations of those states, and a good number of people outside it. Personally, as a Washingtonian, I don’t think I’ve ever even heard our state song, though. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2021, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143/60 "2021-03-19T10:42:10Z")
A really interesting one is “A Nation Once Again.” Irish-Americans treat it as if it were an actual National Anthem, and failing to stand for it will get the tar kicked out of you in some places. But I’ve never heard it sung in Ireland. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/WI724zHW0pc/hqdefault.jpg "A Nation Once Again (Ireland)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI724zHW0pc) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unofficial-national-songs-that-young-and-old-know/938143.md?page=4)