National Anthems you may have missed

Subject: National Anthems
From: GUEST,Arthur
Date: 30 Mar 02 - 04:36 AM

Hi

I think this topic was discussed a couple of days ago - sorry I'm late! If you're looking for the country with most national anthems, then surely it has to be Scotland. I'm only talking quantity, mind you! It has Scotland the Brave (oh dear) Flower o' Scotland (ok) A Man's a Man (Burns at his magnificent best) Scots Wha Hae (Burns at his Braveheart best) Hamish Henderson's The Freedom Come All Ye (where he actually derides Scottish acts of atrocity done in the King's name) and finally, the least nationalistic national anthem I've ever heard - this one:

Caledonia

I don't know, if you can see the changes that have come over me In these last few days, I've been afraid that I might slip away 'Cause I've been telling old stories singing songs That made me think about where I came from And that's the reason why I seem so far away today.

Let me tell you that I love you, that I think about you all the time Caledonia you're calling me, and now I'm going home For if I should become a stranger you know that it would make me more than sad Caledonia's been everything I've ever had

I have moved and I've kept on moving. Proved the points that I needed proving Lost the friends that I needed losing; found others on the way I have kissed the ladies and left them crying - stolen dreams, yes, there's no denying Travelled hard sometimes with conscience flying somewhere with the wind

Now I'm sitting here, before the fire the empty room the forest choir The flames that couldn't get any higher; they've withered now they're gone But I'm steady thinking my way is clear and I know what I will do tomorrow When the hands have shaken and the kisses flowed I will disappear

Dougie MacLean

Subject: RE: National Anthems
From: SharonA
Date: 01 Apr 02 - 11:06 AM

Dougie: Thanks for your post! Here's the thread where the anthem discussion had been going on (and ongoing!): Politically incorrect national anthems

Subject: national anthems you may have missed
From: Jack Campin
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 08:54 PM

A thread on "Flower of Scotland" (whiny text, derivative tune) got me wondering about less-familiar national anthems (or wannabe national anthems) that do better.

Chechnya: text , music (Turkish subtitles)

Montenegro

Others?

(Nearly as bad as FoS: Baathist Iraq )

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: Tangledwood
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 11:13 PM

Australia   (proposed new anthem as nobody knows the words of the current one)

Sweden

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: LadyJean
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 11:19 PM

I always like that verse in the Canadian Anthem where they sing, "May stalwart maidens and gentle sons rise". At least that's the way I sing it.

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: maple_leaf_boy
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 04:01 PM

I think it's strange how they sing "Waltzing Matilda", but the tune is
a march rather than a waltz. Why is that?

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 04:04 PM

I think you can't beat Wales and South Africa. It would be great if they got together some time and sang together. mg

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: Jeri
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 04:21 PM

I think Wales would have to invite South Africa to come for a visit first. Or the other way around. South Africa probably has more spare bedrooms.

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 04:28 PM

South Africa, Botswana and Romania.

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 04:56 PM

As we learnt in school, the Siamese National anthem (To the tune of God Save The Queen)
"Owa tanna Siam"

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: Mr Fox
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 05:40 PM

And for the Terry Pratchett fans......

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 05:54 PM

Here's the Klingon Imperial Anthem

On the assumption there aren't any Klingon's around, it's pretty naff.

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 06:36 PM

"Australia   (proposed new anthem as nobody knows the words of the current one)"

Hey, we like Aunty Gert - by the Sea....

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: Genie
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 10:00 PM

I love the Norwegian National Anthem - or at least the one that's their "national hymn"

Ja, Vi Elsker Dette Landet (Yes, We Love This Land. (Subtitles accompany this a cappella rendition.)

The tune is very powerful and stirring and it's relatively easy for an English speaker to sing (compared to a lot of non-European, non-Hispanic anthems.)

Here are the three verses most commonly sung:
        
Ja, vi elsker dette landet,        som det stiger frem,
furet, værbitt over vannet,         med de tusen hjem.        
Elsker, elsker det og tenker        på vår far og mor        
og den saganatt som senker        drømmer på vår jord,        
og den saganatt som senker,        senker drømmer på vår jord.        

Yes, we love this land,         as it rises forth,
rugged, weathered, above the sea, with the thousand homes.
Love, love it and think of our father and mother
and the night saga that sends dreams to our earth,
and the night saga that sends,sends dreams to our earth.


Norske mann i hus og hytte, takk din store Gud!
Landet ville han beskytte, skjønt det mørkt så ut.
Alt hva fedrene har kjempet, mødrene har grett,
har den Herre stille lempet så vi vant vår rett,
har den Herre stille lempet så vi vant vår rett.

Norseman in house and cabin,
thank your great God!
He wanted to protect the country,
although things looked dark.
Fathers have fought all the fights,
and mothers have wept,
The Lord quietly moved
So we won our rights.
The Lord quietly moved, moved
So we won our rights.


Ja, vi elsker dette landet,        som det stiger frem,
furet, værbitt over vannet,        
med de tusen hjem.        
Og som fedres kamp har hevet
det av nød til seir,
også vi, når det blir krevet,
for dets fred slår leir.
også vi, når det blir krevet,
for dets fred slår leir.

Yes, we love this country as it rises forth,
rugged, weathered, above the sea, with those thousand homes.
And as our fathers' struggle has raised it from need to victory,
so we, when it is needed, will encamp to defend its peace.

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: beeliner
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 04:24 AM

The Welsh anthem, "Yr hen wlad fy nhadau" ("The old land of my fathers") is one of the most beautiful.

Its melody is similar to "Faith of My Fathers".

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: Liberty Boy
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 05:36 AM

I dont think any anthem, including my own compares with "Le Marsellaise"

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 08:57 AM

beeliner:
make that "Mae hen wlad fy nhadau"

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 09:33 AM

The old Newfoundland anthem - "Ode to Newfoundland" takes some beating, when properly sung. I like the version recorded by - a Newfoundland band called Tarahan, though you only get a part of it there. If you can use Spotify that has the full version. Good band.

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: beeliner
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 09:35 AM

Nigel, you are probably closer to the situation than I, but I believe that you are mistaken here.

You have, I think, quoted not the title but rather part of the first line, which, translated, is "The old land of my fathers IS (mae) dear to me".

Every source I have found gives the TITLE as "Yr hen wlad fy nhadau" or just "Hen wlad fy nhadau".

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: Paul Burke
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 01:05 PM

It's "My hen laid a haddock", and the tune is more like "Land of my Fathers" and in 3 time, than "Faith of Our Fathers", which is itself rather closer to the Sash and in 4 time.

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 01:29 PM

Faith of our Fathers has several tunes.

Subject: RE: La Marseilles
From: Genie
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 03:57 PM

"La Marseilles" really is a very stirring & powerful tune, but the lyrics are especially bloody and militaristic.

Here's an English translation:

Arise, children of the fatherland!

The day of glory has arrived.

Against us tyranny's bloody standard is raised.

Do you hear, in our fields,
 these fearsome soldiers roar?

They come right into our midst

To cut the throats of your sons, your consorts.

To arms, citizens!

Form your battalions!

March, march

Till an impure blood
 waters our furrows.

What do this horde of slaves,

Of traitors and conspiratorial kings, want?

For whom these vile chains,

These long-prepared irons?

Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage,

What feelings that must excite?

It is us they dare plan
 to return to the slavery of old!

What? These foreign cohorts!

They would make laws in our courts!

What? These mercenary phalanxes

Would cut down our warrior sons.

Good God! By chained hands

Our brow would yield under the yoke

Of the vile despots who would become
 our intended masters.

Tremble, tyrants and traitors,
The shame of all parties!

Tremble! Your parricidal schemes

Will at last receive their reward!

All are soldiers to fight you.
If they fall, our young heros
,
France will bear new ones

Ready to do battle against you.


Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors,

Bear or hold back your blows!
S
pare these sad victims

Who regret taking up arms against us,

But not these bloodthirsty despots,

These accomplices of Bouillé,

All these tigers who mercilessly 

Ripped out their mother's bosom!

We shall enter into the pit

When our elders are no longer there.

We shall find their ashes
 there
And the traces of their virtues,

Much less jealous of surviving them

Than of sharing their coffins,

We shall have the sublime pride

Of avenging or following them.

Sacred love of our fatherland.

Lead on, support our avenging arms!

Liberty, dear Liberty,

Fight alongside your defenders!

Under our flags, let victory

Come quickly with your manly strains
So that your dying enemies

See your triumph and our glory!

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 11:51 PM

I'm now reminded of something from my childhood. My dad was a good violinist, and had much music. In one of the books was a hand written score on a shhet of paper titled "Japanese (or was it Chinese - must find that book!) National Anthem" - my father seemed to think it was somewhat of a joke - it may not have been the actual anthem.

It was a series of chords, supposedly played in a rhythmic arpeggio manner.

Sounded 'apparently authentic' to a child ... :-)

Subject: RE: national anthems you may have missed
From: Monique
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 03:39 AM

La Marseillaise is very bloody and militaristic because it's a war song, France was at war against Austria at that time -1792. Its original title was "Chant de guerre pour l'armée du Rhin" (War Song for the Army of the Rhine). The song was published in Marseilles under the title "Chant de guerre pour l'armée aux frontières" and a regiment walked from Marseilles to Paris enlisting new soldiers on the way and singing the song, hence the name La Marseillaise.
New Zealand born singer Graeme Allwright wrote new lyrics (one verse)

La Marseillaise De Graeme Allwright et Sylvie Dien

Pour tous les enfants de la terre
Chantons amour et liberté.
Contre toutes les haines et les guerres
L'étendard d'espoir est levé
L'étendard de justice et de paix.
Rassemblons nos forces, notre courage
Pour vaincre la misère et la peur
Que règnent au fond de nos cœurs
L'amitié la joie et le partage.
La flamme qui nous éclaire,
Traverse les frontières
Partons, partons, amis, solidaires
Marchons vers la lumière.

Graeme Allwright, Sylvie Dien
Texte libre de droit, offert par les auteurs, à distribuer sans modération.

For all the children of the earth
Let's sing love and liberty
Against all the hatreds and wars,
The standard of hope is raised,
The standard of justice and peace (is raised).
Let's gather our forces, our courage
To vanquish poverty and fear
Let friendship, joy and sharing
Reign at the bottom of our hearts.
The flame that lights/enlightens us (can be both meanings)
Crosses over/through borders.
Let's go, let's go, friends, in solidarity/united,
Let's go towards the light.

Btw, I don't know if it's just me but "the fearsome/fierce soldiers coming to cut the throats of our sons, our consorts" "the impure blood watering our furrows" meant nothing to me, it had no reality, it was just words. I never developed an urge to kill people around either.

Subject: RE: National Anthems
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 30 Jun 20 - 01:13 AM

Lyr Add: EU national anthem/Ode to Joy

I was helping organise an anti-Brexit demo about 18 months ago, and thought it would be good to sing the EU national anthem while we were there, so I googled to see what words already existed. I found Schiller's words, but it seemed like asking a lot to expect a crowd of Anglophones to sing in German with zero advance notice (I was doing this, of course, the night before the demo). The English translation didn't scan. (If you want to see either/both, check the Wikipedia entry ). Eventually I found some English words that did scan, but they were rather twee. In the end, I decided to have a go at it myself.

As last week was the anniversary of the UK voting to leave the EU, I decided to sing it during yesterday's Mudcat Zoom sing, and was encouraged to post it, so here you go:


ODE TO JOY
(new words ©Vikki Fielden, 15/1/19)

Let us sing in celebration
Of a union strong and free
Though we are of many nations
Europeans proud are we

As we join in joint endeavour
Let us strive for truth and peace
As our nations work together
May our friendships never cease

Let us sing in celebration
Of a union strong and free
Though we are of many nations
Europeans proud are we

Grant us grace, that we may we live our
Lives in peace and unity
And in future we may give our
Children hope and harmony

Let us sing in celebration
Of a union strong and free
Though we are of many nations
Europeans proud are we
Though we are of many nations
Europeans proud are we

Subject: RE: National Anthems
From: Jack Campin
Date: 30 Jun 20 - 07:52 AM

A group of singers in Edinburgh found last year that you could sing "A Man's a Man for A' That" to the tune of the Ode to Joy. Works pretty well.

Subject: RE: National Anthems you may have missed
From: BobL
Date: 01 Jul 20 - 03:19 AM

Well, the metre is 8787D, not exactly unique among hymn tunes.

Try it with "Glorious things of thee are spoken" as a change from the tune (trad. arr. Haydn) commonly used.

Subject: RE: National Anthems you may have missed
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 01 Jul 20 - 04:39 PM

Genie - thank you so much for this" I learned the Norwegian National Anthem (and another song, Per Spelman) by ear something like 56 years ago when on a Devonia school cruise to Iceland and Norway!!! Have been able to sing it ever since - without actually knowing what I was singing about! I could follow the language well enough to note I'd either misremembered a phrase, or possibly been taught it incorrectly?
_ This was the year A Hard Day's Night came out, and a boatload of teenagers (the ones who were not seasick!) screamed their heads off every evening in the cinema - we were supposed to only attend only one viewing, but we all crammed in to watch the newly released film!

Subject: RE: National Anthems you may have missed
From: Jack Campin
Date: 03 Jul 20 - 03:01 AM

I was in Turkey for the 550th anniversary of the fall of Constantinople, and you could buy the war march of Mehmet the Conqueror as a ringtone.

Personal anthems for generals and monarchs predate national anthems - the British national anthem started as the personal anthem of George II. Any favourites among these?