Your Country's anthem

[Telume]

I was wondering here, since it was 4th of July but, do you know the lyrics to your country's anthem? Do you sing it, be it verbally or mentally every time it comes on?

Do you have any ancestral ties to another country? (If you live in the US, I'm sure you do, this is a country of immigrants).

As for me, I do happen to sing the US anthem when it's played at a sporting event and I do happen to know the lyrics to it, I don't sing it out loud but, I do feel some pride when it comes on. I was after all born in the US but, I'm the child of immigrants

Here's the anthems of the 2 countries which I have ties to.

Honduras:



Dominican Republic:

[Toucan Sundae]

I'm not really bothered by my country's national anthem. I know a word every now and then, but I couldn't care less about it, doesn't matter to me and never will. I'm not much of a patriot.

[Magmar]

I know my nation's anthems and I also know the Rhode Island one, which is really goofy. Rhode Island it's for meeeee!

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

Oi maamme, Suomi, synnyinmaa,
O our land Finland, our land of birth,
soi, sana kultainen!
sound, the golden word!
Ei laaksoa, ei kukkulaa,
There's no a valley, no a hill
ei vettä rantaa rakkaampaa,
no a water, a shore more precious
kuin kotimaa tää pohjoinen,
than this northern homeland
maa kallis isien!
the dear land of our fathers!

On maamme köyhä, siksi jää,
Out land is poor, so it remains,
jos kultaa kaivannet
if you long for gold
Sen vieras kyllä hylkäjää,
A stranger sure abandos it,
mut meille kallein maa on tää,
but to us, the most precious land is this,
sen salot, saaret, manteret,
its wilds, islands, mainlands,
ne meist on kultaiset.
to us, they are golden.

Ovatpa meille rakkahat
They are dear to us
koskemme kuohuineen,
our rapids with their surges
ikuisten honkain huminat,
the hummings of eternal pines
täht'yömme, kesät kirkkahat,
our starnights, the summers birght
kaikk'kuvineen ja lauluineen
all that with their pictures and songs
mi painui sydämeen.
closed to heart.

Täss auroin, miekoin, miettehin
Here with ploughs, swords, thoughts
isämme sotivat,
our fathers fought,
kun päivä piili pilvihin
when the day hid in the clouds
tai loisti onnen paistehin,
or shone with shines of happiness
täss Suomen kansan vaikeimmat
here the nation of Finland, the most difficult
he vaivat kokivat.
troubles they experienced.

Tään kansan taistelut ken voi
This nation's battles who can
ne kertoella, ken?
tell them, who?
Kun sota laaksoissamme soi,
When a war sounded in our valleys,
ja halla näläntuskan toi,
and frost brought the pain of hunger,
ken mittasi sen hurmehen
who measured the blood
ja kärsimykset sen?
and its sufferings?

Täss' on sen veri virrannut
Here has its blood flown
hyväksi meidänkin,
for our sake, too
täss iloaan on nauttinut
here has it enjoyed its happiness
ja murheitansa huokaillut
and sighed its worries
se kansa, jolle muinaisin
that nation, to which the most ancient
kuormamme pantihin.
burden of ours was given.

Tääll' olo meill on verraton
Here we have a feeling excellent
ja kaikki suotuisaa,
and everything favourable,
vaikk' onni mikä tulkohon,
although be it whatever luck
maa isänmaa se meillä on.
land fatherland is what we have.
Mi maailmass' on armaampaa
What's sweeter in the world
ja mikä kalliimpaa?
and what's more precious?

Ja tässä, täss' on tämä maa,
And here is this land,
sen näkee silmämme.
our eyes see it.
Me kättä voimme ojentaa
We can reach out a hand
ja vettä, rantaa osoittaa
and point at water, shore
ja sanoa: kas tuoss' on se,
and say: see, there's
maa armas isäimme.
our father's dearest land.

Jos loistoon meitä saatettais
If we were accompained to glory
vaikk' kultapilvihin,
even to golden clouds,
mis itkien ei huoattais,
where we wouldn't cry
vaan tärkein riemun sielu sais,
but most important joy the soul would get,
ois tähän köyhään kotihin
to this poor home
halumme kuitenkin.
our will would be.

Totuuden, runon kotimaa
The homeland of truth and poet
maa tuhatjärvinen
the land with a thousand lakes
miss' elämämme suojan saa,
where our life gets protection,
sa muistojen, sa toivon maa,
you the land of memories and hopes,
ain ollos, onnees tyytyen,
always be, content with your luck,
vapaa ja iloinen.
free and joyful.

Sun kukoistukses kuorestaan
Your prosperity from its hide
kerrankin puhkeaa,
shall break out once
viel lempemme saa nousemaan
yet our love it shall rise
sun toivos, riemus loistossaan,
your hope, joy in its brilliance,
ja kerran, laulus synnyinmaa
and once, your song, the land of birth
korkeemman kaiun saa.
shall get the highest echo.

Yep, that's the complete National Anthem of Finland, by J.L. Runeberg. To be exact, he originally wrote it in Swedish and this Finnish translation is by Paavo Cajander or Julius Krohn. To English it has been translated now by the one and only Mikachu Yukitatsu! Usually only the first and seldom the last stanza are performed.

[Oslo]

I feel like your anthem needs a Sparknotes version, Mikachu.

Yeah, I know all the words to O Canada. I last sang it along with all the other graduates at my convocation, though I hadn't sung it before that since high school.

No offence to whoever wrote it, but it's kind of a boring song.

[Pichu Luver]

No offence to whoever wrote it, but it's kind of a boring song.

^^^ Agrees with this, though the debacle last year about changing some words was hilarious; in that they didn't expect anyone to care, and then it kinda blew up in thier face. *lols*

Yessum I know the Canadian anthem, though only the English one. I used to know the French verse they'd substitute into the English one but my memory has failed me now. All I got are random words, trompe, une gloriouse and la histoire... I don't sing every time it comes on, but if I was at an event or somesuch I have and probably would.

As for ties to other countries, well it's mostly the British isles. Apparently I even got family there, according to my Grandmother anyway... though she said they're "not very nice," lol. Some of the ancestrol families (both sides of the family tree) were split up thanks to Dr Barnardo's. Some were already here back then and I honestly can't say where they came from. There's also a family story that on my Dad's side there are Aboriginal ties, though the truth of that I also don't know, heh.

[Oslo]

Yessum I know the Canadian anthem, though only the English one. I used to know the French verse they'd substitute into the English one but my memory has failed me now. All I got are random words, trompe, une gloriouse and la histoire...

Haha, flashbacks to elementary school when the secretary would accidentally play the wrong side of the national anthem cassette over the PA and we'd get the French version instead. We would have to mumble and babble along without knowing what the hell we were saying. This legit happened like once a month. For shame, secretary.

Yup, I definitely remember a glorieux and a histoire... uh... also "protégera nos foyers" which could totally translate to "protect our lobbies"... that's about it.

[ChobiChibi]

I know the words to the first verse of God save the Queen, but that's from numerous years of having to sing it on Remembrance Day and other such days. I know the first line to "O Canada", but y'know... It's more of an innuendo to me now than it is an anthem from another country >_>

So I went to see an Opera in Verona, and they sung the Italian anthem cos someone important was there, that was fun to try and sing. The only bit I got really was like the first line (that was only the tune), and then "Si!" on the end XD

[Lady Vulpix]

This could be posted at the International Club.

As a matter of fact, there are 2 versions of my country's anthem. The short version (from 1900) is sung most often (and I usually sing along) and played on the radio at Midnight. The original long version (from 1813) is seen about once in a lifetime at school. Some people don't even know it. There are some variations to the music too, but this is the traditional (short) version:



...And here is the original version. I'll see if I get the time to translate it at some point.

Oid ¡mortales! el grito sagrado:
¡Libertad, Libertad, Libertad!
Oid el ruido de rotas cadenas:
Ved en trono a la noble Igualdad.

Se levanta la faz de la tierra
Una nueva y gloriosa Nación:
Coronada su sien de laureles
Y a sus plantas rendido un León

Sean eternos los laureles
Que supimos conseguir.
Coronados de gloria vivamos
O juremos con gloria morir.

De los nuevos campeones los rostros
Marte mismo parece animar;
la grandeza se anida en sus pechos,
A su marcha todo hace temblar.
Se conmueven del Inca las tumbas
Y en sus huesos revive el ardor,
Lo que ve renovando a sus hijos
De la Patria el antiguo esplendor.

Sean eternos los laureles
Que supimos conseguir.
Coronados de gloria vivamos
O juremos con gloria morir.

Pero sierras y muros se sienten
Retumbar con horrible fragor:
Todo el País se conturba por gritos
De venganza, de guerra y furor.
En los fieros tiranos la envidia
Escupió su pestífera hiel,
Su estandarte sangriento levantan
Provocando a la lid más cruel.

Sean eternos los laureles
Que supimos conseguir.
Coronados de gloria vivamos
O juremos con gloria morir.

¡No lo véis sobre México y Quito
Arrojarse con saña tenaz,
Y cuál lloran bañados en sangre
Potosí, Cochabamba y la Paz!
¡No lo véis sobre el triste Caracas
Luto y llantos y muerte esparcir!
¡No lo véis devorando cual fieras
Todo pueblo que logran rendir!

Sean eternos los laureles
Que supimos conseguir.
Coronados de gloria vivamos
O juremos con gloria morir.

A vosotros se atreve ¡Argentinos!
El orgullo del vil invasor,
Vuestros campos ya pisa contando
Tantas glorias hollar vencedor.

Mas los bravos que unidos juraron
Su feliz libertad sostener,
A esos tigres sedientos de sangre
Fuertes pechos sabrán oponer.

Sean eternos los laureles
Que supimos conseguir.
Coronados de gloria vivamos
O juremos con gloria morir.

El valiente argentino a las armas
Corre ardiendo con brío y valor,
El clarín de la guerra cual trueno
En los campos del Sud resonó,
Buenos Aires se pone a la frente
De los pueblos de la ínclita Unión,
Y con brazos robustos desgarran
Al ibérico altivo León.

Sean eternos los laureles
Que supimos conseguir.
Coronados de gloria vivamos
O juremos con gloria morir.

San José, San Lorenzo, Suipacha,
Ambas Piedras, Salta y Tucumán,
La Colonia y las mismas murallas
Del tirano en la Banda Oriental;
Son letreros eternos que dicen:
Aquí el brazo argentino triunfó
Aquí el fiero opresor de la Patria
Su cerviz orgullosa dobló.

Sean eternos los laureles
Que supimos conseguir.
Coronados de gloria vivamos
O juremos con gloria morir.

La victoria al guerrero argentino
Con sus alas brillantes cubrió
Y azorado a su vista el tirano,
Con infamia a la fuga se dió;
Sus banderas, sus armas se rinden
Por trofeos a la Libertad,
Y sobre alas de gloria alza el pueblo
Trono digno a su gran majestad.

Sean eternos los laureles
Que supimos conseguir.
Coronados de gloria vivamos
O juremos con gloria morir.

Desde un polo hasta el otro resuena
De la fama el sonoro clarín,
Y de América el nombre enseñando,
Les repite: ¡Mortales! Oid:

¡Ya su trono dignísimo abrieron
Las provincias unidas del Sud!
Y los libres del mundo responden:
¡Al Gran Pueblo Argentino Salud!

Also, I have ancestors - 4 generations before me - from Russia, Romania and Ukraine, but I don't know their anthems. They came here in the early 20th century and I never got to meet any of them.

Edit: I will translate the shortened version, which is the one currently in use. The parts that were removed were mostly against Spain, which made sense in the 19th century but not anymore. The order of verses and phrases must be altered in some parts to make sense in English.

Hear, mortals, the sacred call: freedom, freedom, freedom!
Hear the call of broken chains,
see noble equality on the throne.
The United Provinces of the South have already opened
their most honorable throne.
And the free of the world respond: health/cheers to the great Argentinean people!

Eternal be the laurels we have managed to achieve.
Crowned with glory let us live, or let us swear to die with glory.

[Dark Sage]

Call me unpatriotic, but I don't like "The Star Spangled Banner". Or at least the fact that it's the National Anthem.

Before you yell at me, just look at the lyrics to the song.

It's a war ballad; the lyrics are all about war and battle. In this day and age, when it's painfully obvious that there is no glory in war, it's not fitting for such a song to be America's anthem.

It seems Finland has the right idea. Just looking at Mikachu's post, no mention of violence in those lyrics.

I'm not the only one who feels like this, by the way. Many people would love to change it (they've suggested "America the Beautiful" as an alternative) but most folks are too hung-up on tradition to even consider it.

Don't get me wrong. I still stand up at ball games and take off my hat whenever it's played. But I feel that someone should take a look at this song and consider what I'm saying.

[Telume]

Call me unpatriotic, but I don't like "The Star Spangled Banner". Or at least the fact that it's the National Anthem.

Before you yell at me, just look at the lyrics to the song.

It's a war ballad; the lyrics are all about war and battle. In this day and age, when it's painfully obvious that there is no glory in war, it's not fitting for such a song to be America's anthem.

It seems Finland has the right idea. Just looking at Mikachu's post, no mention of violence in those lyrics.

I'm not the only one who feels like this, by the way. Many people would love to change it (they've suggested "America the Beautiful" as an alternative) but most folks are too hung-up on tradition to even consider it.

Don't get me wrong. I still stand up at ball games and take off my hat whenever it's played. But I feel that someone should take a look at this song and consider what I'm saying.

A lot of Japanese actually feel like this about Kimigayo and there's very little mention about war, it's just the fact that it sounds Imperialist.



I don't know, it sounds like a nice anthem to me.

[Jeff]

As someone who was born in Baltimore, and lived my entire life in the state of Maryland, I've come to know a good bit about the US national anthem, considering it was written in Baltimore. It was September, 1814, the late days of the War of 1812. British forces landed outside of Baltimore, and began to march toward the city, but they were stopped by US forces on the 12th, which is now a state holiday in Maryland. The British navy continued the advance by sea, and began to exchange blows with Fort McHenry the next day. The battle continued through the night. Francis Scott Key was in Baltimore at the time and woke up the next morning with no way of knowing who won the battle until he looked at the fort and saw the US flag flying over it, which obviously wouldn't be there if the British had captured the fort. That's when he wrote the lyrics to the song.

Also, it's become a tradition at sports games in most parts of Maryland, particularly at Baltimore Orioles games, which is where it started, to should "oooooh" at the line "Oh say does that star-spangled banner yet wave..."

[Dark Sage]

Look, I think that "The Star Spangled Banner" is a great song, I just don't think it fits the current state of mind that we're in as a nation right now.

[Blademaster]

America represent.

[Deadwood_Zen]

Most American's don't know their own anthem. Just sayin'...

[Jeff]

*cough*christinaaguilera*cough*

[Telume]

Not much of a patriot myself but, I do pride myself in at least knowing the lyrics to the anthem.

[Ayeun]

WORST NATIONAL ANTHEM EVER!



OR



Would have been better!

(((In the last video, the girl at 0.49 - My first kiss)))

[Samchu]

I used to know the second verse of God Save the Queen but damn if I haven't forgotten it. Well, me and the majority of the UK population. It got so bad they just cut the second verse so we only sing the first one. Though maybe they'll try and change it for the Olympics. Nation-wide fail commencing in...

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

America represent.

Hm, had to log in to my Youtube account to watch this on Youtube.

Together with the feeling of seeing my postcount back:

TPM - **** YEAH!

[Heald]

One thing I absolutely detest about national anthems is, when the idea of national anthems became popular amongst countries that wanted them, we were in a very niche age of music where, of course, something as grand as a national anthem should be played by a huge orchestra with large brass and/or woodwind sections. This then stuck as countries that adopted national anthems after the grand age of classical orchestral music still used such music for their national anthems.

The problem this has caused is that national anthems that sounded grand and inspiring 300 years ago now sound like horrible, boring dirges. A few national anthems have stood the test of time, but others do not evoke national spirit, especially those countries that merely adopted classical music for their national anthem despite the fact that their culture's music is wildly different to European classical music.

Imagine if countries adopted national anthems in this day and age, using pre-programmed sounds, guitars, electronic instruments, auto-tuned vocals or other musical innovations that make our generation of music stand out from those of decades and centuries past. Now imagine how horrible that music would probably sound to people 300-400 years into the future.

National anthems should not be whatever a bunch of morons a few centuries ago decided was a good idea. If we kept what our ancestors thought was a good idea nowadays, we'd have slavery, women wouldn't be able to vote and taxes would be collected randomly and arbitrarily.

Anyway, rant over, lets listen to the unofficial anthem of Scotland:



:cryingmelgibson:

[Telume]

Remind me again why they decided to become 1 big territory?

[DarkestLight]

America represent.

QFT!!!!!!

No. I hate the American Anthem. Its dumb.

However, I also used to sing the Spanish one. I don't know what country its from, I just know that from growing up in Harlem we had to sing both English and Spanish ones.

[Lady Vulpix]

I would assume the Spanish anthem is from Spain. Unless you mean some other anthem in Spanish? Have you tried looking it up on the web?

[Cynder]

I can only just remember the name of our anthem, let alone the lyrics - if had to sing the song I'd have to mumble along to the tune. GOD SAVE THE QUEEN! As for ancestry - I have no idea. xD

[shazza]

WORST NATIONAL ANTHEM EVER!



OR



Would have been better!

(((In the last video, the girl at 0.49 - My first kiss)))

How is she your first kiss?

Also, if anything should replace our national anthem, it should be The Seekers - I Am Australian.

[Ayeun]

How is she your first kiss?

Also, if anything should replace our national anthem, it should be The Seekers - I Am Australian.

I was part of the backup group for the choir... And yeah... Young and innocent...

And I thought she was cute.