National anthems seem to be mostly divided between those which are a bit militaristic, and those which go on about the beautiful countryside and so forth.

On the whole I tend to prefer the militaristic ones, which tend to be more from the heart. I like SSB because it's not about conquest, it's about resistance and survival, and holding on by the skin of your teeth. A touch of "the Dunkirk spirit", not triumphalist at all really - I know that's not how it gets sung all too often, which is a pity.

Maybe the best national anthems have a touch of nonsense about them - as a child I assumed that Yankee Doodle was the American national anthem. The same way Dixie is a good one, especially with the words Carl Sandburg I had a horse, his name was Bill. And Waltzing Matilda is far better than Advance Australia Fair, Alouette would be a fine Canadian Anthem....