# What one particular song best represents a particular country in your opinion? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [November 12, 2025, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812 "2025-11-12T22:15:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/1 "2025-11-12T22:15:11Z")
Please note the three aspects contained in that question. One song. One country. Your opinion. The only way to get that wrong is if you skip any of those three aspects just to shoehorn your pick. If you pick a “used-to-be” country, the song you pick must represent the country it used to be. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/2 "2025-11-12T22:26:58Z")
My immediate reaction was The USA, Greg Kihn’s Cold Hard Cash - likely due to the chorus repeating, “Gimmee gimmee my money!” But, like I said, just an immediate reaction with little thought. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1WmEJw-SpTM/hqdefault.jpg "Cold Hard Cash - Greg Kihn") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WmEJw-SpTM) ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/3 "2025-11-12T22:41:20Z")
Nearly half a century after first released, when the Australian cricket team walk out to this anthem, or when played in a pub and the patrons start singing it, you have a cultural icon. [Great Southern Land](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOBd0PwQouE) - Icehouse ---
**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:** [November 13, 2025, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/4 "2025-11-13T00:08:03Z")
I feel the need to first dispense with the cliches: Italy: [Funiculì, Funiculà](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTSAZAHiOa8) Russia: [Katyusha](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kri7ByE-9Mc) France: [La Vie en Rose](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPU8mENUBXk) Brazil: [Girl from Ipanema](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5QfXjsoNe4) Cuba: [Guajira Guantanamera](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdYIpvnzoW8) Greece: [Zorba’s Dance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RqmAK4cJlY) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/5 "2025-11-13T00:25:50Z")
Just looking for the best personal single pick for any one country, but thank you. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/6 "2025-11-13T00:55:03Z")
[El Jarape Tapatio](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-Rqdgna3Yw) - Mexico [Mas Que Nada](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GZwbKnjRyE) - Brazil ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/7 "2025-11-13T01:16:32Z")
My Australia song is [the one by The Kinks](https://youtu.be/guGDh57_xvU?si=FWngV8BlYzVaBvnM). Long before reading Bryson’s _In a Sunburned Country_ it spawned daydreams of traveling down under. I eventually managed to make those dreams come true on two separate trips. I had a wonderful time and met some great people. As far as the song goes, I love the Beach Boy-esque harmonies in the lines _We’ll surf like they do in the USA/We’ll fly down to Sydney for our holiday/On sunny Christmas day/Australia_. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2025, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/8 "2025-11-13T06:23:07Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Just looking for the best personal single pick for any one country, but thank you. Those ARE the songs that best represent those particular countries, to me. They’re also cliches. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/9 "2025-11-13T07:09:44Z")
The word that is in play here is “song”. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2025, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/10 "2025-11-13T07:13:48Z")
You mean you wanted one song per post? Sorry. I thought you meant one song per country. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/11 "2025-11-13T07:45:31Z")
My song that best represents Australia is Tim Minchin’s [White wine in the sun](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q&list=RDfCNvZqpa-7Q&start_radio=1). It evokes Australia’s mid-summer, pretty much non-religious Christmas time, and particularly the way we construct it around family and food, and the experience of having ex-pat kids all over the world. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/12 "2025-11-13T10:03:08Z")
Italy: Adriano Celentano - Azzurro [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XFD4xAxCFEc/hqdefault.jpg "Adriano Celentano - Azzurro (1968)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFD4xAxCFEc) ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/13 "2025-11-13T10:29:07Z")
For a certain Spain that hopefuly no longer exists it must be ¡Que viva España! by Manolo Escobar. ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/IPSfFz6S8A8/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/IPSfFz6S8A8?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=RDIPSfFz6S8A8 No, I don’t like it. Too cheesy. But I could sing along. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/14 "2025-11-13T16:13:24Z")
The USA: Steve Miller “Livin’ in The USA” Somebody get me a cheeseburger! Doot do do do do doot doot baby It encapsulates the 70s aesthetic of America. “Come on try it, you can buy it, you can leave it next week, yeah” Also, our melting pot, and the best part of working together as a country: “I see a yellow man, a brown man A white man, a red man Lookin’ for Uncle Sam To give you a helpin’ hand” but “everybody’s kickin’ sand Even politicians” ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2025, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/15 "2025-11-14T08:48:52Z")
Tried to think of all sorts of Aotearoa New Zealand songs that might be representative, but not too on the nose. This was the one I couldn’t get away from. _Six Months In A Leaky Boat_ from **Split Enz**. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cSGpLto1yxU/hqdefault.jpg "Split Enz - Six Months In A Leaky Boat (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSGpLto1yxU) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2025, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/16 "2025-11-14T10:34:58Z")
Mexico: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/z_DKT3Uy2mk/maxresdefault.jpg "De Qué Manera Te Olvido") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_DKT3Uy2mk) ---
**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:** [November 14, 2025, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/17 "2025-11-14T11:58:19Z")
Egypt: “Inta Omri”: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/e7wl1tm35bM/maxresdefault.jpg "National Arab Orchestra - Inta Umri / إنت عمري - Mai Farouk / مي فاروق") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7wl1tm35bM) ---
**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:** [November 14, 2025, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/18 "2025-11-14T12:55:16Z")
Ireland: “Whiskey in a Jar”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/L__TrWhq4Uk/maxresdefault.jpg "Whiskey in the Jar") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L__TrWhq4Uk) ---
**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:** [November 14, 2025, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/19 "2025-11-14T13:01:48Z")
Last one for now: Yemen: “Im Nin’alu”. This one may be a bit controversial, because it’s in Hebrew, not Yemeni, but it’s a traditional Yemenite Jewish folk song, so I think it counts: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SFtIhKQILnM/hqdefault.jpg "Im Nin’alu - Ofra Haza") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFtIhKQILnM) ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2025, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812/20 "2025-11-14T13:01:59Z")
For Mexico, I think it’s \*Jalisco No Te Rajes\* as performed by Vicente Fernandez. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AB84TWnDY9g/maxresdefault.jpg "Vicente Fernández - ¡Ay! Jalisco, No Te Rajes (Cover Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB84TWnDY9g) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-particular-song-best-represents-a-particular-country-in-your-opinion/1024812.md?page=2)