National Anthems

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Who on here likes to listen to national anthems of various countries?

Me! In normal versions and alternative, like Laibach's Volk.
I like also martial music.

I found it weird that only a handful of communist countries had national anthems that used the minor scale (Romania and Bulgaria).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLcc19mt4eA[/youtube]

Minor scale reminds me Polish anthem Rota:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lRLzNsn_0g[/youtube]
It's not Polish National Anthem, but could be. It's too nationalistic.

I found some days ago an interesting movie about German NA:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbGvi0sN9aU[/youtube]
Btw, some people sing first (forbidden) verse as LIBER alles

Maybe some of us don't know, but Freie Stadt Danzig has its NA too:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxvIV9pQkXM[/youtube]

More from my land:

Kashubian Song:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpNcqWeOKYc[/youtube]

Kashubians United Anthem:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIHukqtUjPQ[/youtube]

Yes, I listen to national anthems sometimes. My favourite would be Israel's Hatikvah.

I enjoy listening to national anthems, as well. Mine is 'God Save The Queen'.

National Anthems, Nationalism, yuck horrid things, terrible, sorry... much rather hear the sound of the wind, it knows no borders.

peace j

It's not necessarily so, though it so often is. England and Scotland do not have national anthems, but one contender for a Scottish national anthem is the Freedom Come All Ye, and one contender for an English national anthem is A Place Called England. Both are celebrations of an inclusive concept of identity as it refers to nationality.

NA and generally anthems are very specific kind of Art. It's only music, but see how much emotive it is!
To people, it can be identity, nostalgy, pride, memoirs... I was a singer in the choir. We've been singing anthems, martial and war songs. I remember Veterans' meetings, how emotional they were.
I wasn't emotional or nationalistic, I just singed the songs that matched good for my voice. I don't care if I sing Rota or Rot scheint die Sonne, if I'm able to sing it, technically. I can mix Gaude Mater Polonia with Lied der Deutschen and stay totally neutral, with cold heart.

Laibach said It's music, let's remix it! - and they made Volk, great album.

Given my choice in the matter, I would have much preferred God Bless America over The Star-Spangled Banner. (G. B. A. is much easier to sing than the correct US national anthem, especially when you're asked to reach for the high note in the line "o'er the la-and of the free-EE": few people even try to reach that note.

Of course, I like O Canada. And yes, I find it reasonably easy to sing, even with the minor-third lift at the end of "O Can-a-da, we stand on guard for thee" and its resolution when "O Can-a-da we stand on guard for thee" is repeated to end the anthem.

"The Star Spangled Banner" is alright, but I find it comical when they play "Hail to the Chief" for the pres. It's such a stupid tune to introduce the leader of the free world.™

Check this out:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Loaj4bXLrD4[/youtube]

Current French Anthem :
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K1q9Ntcr5g[/youtube]

French Anthem of the Napoleonic era :
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pJkAepu4cE[/youtube]

I think our national anthem should be changed to "The Final Countdown" by Europe, because dammit, it just sounds like a cool song to have as a national anthem, especially if we have a president with a hawkish foreign policy agenda.

My favourites:
Istiklal Marsi (Turkey)
O Canada
A Portugesa
Marcha Real (Spain)

I think.