The music that raises the hairs on the back of your neck and makes you feel proud.
For me probably would be the Welsh Anthem, and I'm not Welsh.
Your choice?

My favorites aside from my own:

La Marseillaise -- just so dramatic
God Save the Queen

God save the Queen is the best?.

bennett123 wrote:

God save the Queen is the best?.

As a Brit I would say that our national anthem was best described by Bill Bailey, a “funereal durge”.

The french one is one I like.

Fred


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The French one is pretty bloody (well the text).

I quite enjoy the Italian one being 'sung' (if you can call it singing) at football matches.

The thing about 'God save the queen' the text is rather monarchistic, if I can put it that way.
Nothing about the country. The Canadian one in contrast at least has a text about the land etc.

I'd say Canada, and maybe France.

My votes goes to France and Italy

I'm American so I'm biased towards my own. The French and UK ones are iconic and instantly brings visions of their countries at least when I hear the tunes. Musically I also love the Russian one. I played the trumpet when I was in school and it's a perfect trumpet fanfare. Also interesting how the words have been changed since the early USSR days to today all with the same tune.

Absolutely France. The words are great, how can anyone not be lifted by that anthem!

“Interesting” was Auferstanden aus Ruinen of the former DDR.

Quite a contrast to the current German anthem, which are S also quite a nice one.

As a Frenchman I will say my anthem, but I also like the Italian one, and Flower of Scotland.

Not Australia. The New Zealand one is pretty good.

NZ and Canada are quite good. UK and Israel sound like death in the family. The Thai anthem is almost...fun.

AirbusCheerlead wrote:

My votes goes to France and Italy

Italia!!

Got to tell you I love Brazil's its awesome!

Aaron747 wrote:

NZ and Canada are quite good. UK and Israel sound like death in the family. The Thai anthem is almost...fun.

UK would be tops if it were Rule Britannia, which honestly, most people outside of UK think it is...


Personally, I always liked the Soviet national anthem. But France's is pretty good too.

The prettiest one, in my book, is “Auferstanden aus Ruinen”, the national anthem of the former GDR. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7zGFZNinsk

France and Italy have the best. I really like Het Wilhelmus/Wilhelmus van Nassouwe (the Dutch one) also.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvgT_-pgvhA

France by a considerable margin.

I'd have suggested Scotland, but alas Flower of Scotland does not have national anthem status ( yet )

Kent350787 wrote:

Not Australia. The New Zealand one is pretty good.

Our one is a bit bland I think.

B777LRF wrote:

The prettiest one, in my book, is “Auferstanden aus Ruinen”, the national anthem of the former GDR. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7zGFZNinsk

Missing the words. Try this:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dIh1eOw0zV8

Or with the historical footage: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P1CyPjQQTAM

Moving to the modern era, the German and French anthems (shorter version of French anthem):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=shUmyW_RMc4

Maybe not the best time for this opinion, but I think the Soviet anthem.

France and Italy are classics, I enjoy both of them very much in the way they combine iconic and catchy melodies with dramatic lyrics. I'd add the Polish one to that list too.

I have a soft spot for anthems of Latin American countries, they are very melodic in a way that's quite distinct to European, North American, or Asian anthems. My favorites among those might be Colombia and Uruguay.

Flower of Scotland

https://youtu.be/rjkrjYitgeA

If Australia would vote this to be their anthem it gets my vote as the best. It’s the official unofficial anthem….

I love Italy's. I can't wait to hear it at the World Cup later this year!

I am American and while the US is powerful, it is more about the flag than about national pride for me, but none of the alternatives I can think of would work because they mention God, or in one case, the music is exactly the same as God Save the Queen.

As for non US Anthems, Canada is the one I really know and its very powerful despite Trudeau changing the lyrics to make it more woke. God Save the Queen (UK) is classic. Italy has a great one. Le Marsielais (France, Not sure of the spelling) is a good one. And even though I am not the biggest China fan, March of the Volunteers is a very solid anthem indeed.

As an American I am, of course, partial to the Star Spangled Banner. When performed well (Whitney did it best IMO), it can be quite powerful and stirring.

Beyond the US, in no particular order, I do really like:
- God Save the Queen (certain arrangements)
- La Marseillaise
- The Danish royal anthem: Kong Kristian
- Spanish national anthem
- German national anthem
- O Canada

apodino wrote:

but none of the alternatives I can think of would work because they mention God, or in one case, the music is exactly the same as God Save the Queen.

I always thought Hail Columbia could have worked nicely. Less powerful than the Star Spangled Banner, but a strong runner up.

cpd wrote:

Missing the words. Try this

It was a deliberate choice, as I prefer the instrumental version.

I actually like the Russian anthem they used immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union Patrioticheskaya Pesnya, from 1991-2000.

gkirk wrote:

Flower of Scotland

There are more then one unofficial national anthem for Scotland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_ ... f_Scotland even if Flower of Scotland seems to be most popular one.

lugie wrote:

France and Italy are classics, I enjoy both of them very much in the way they combine iconic and catchy melodies with dramatic lyrics. I'd add the Polish one to that list too.

I have a soft spot for anthems of Latin American countries, they are very melodic in a way that's quite distinct to European, North American, or Asian anthems. My favorites among those might be Colombia and Uruguay.

Definitely France and Italy. Striking tones and stirring words.

I’ll add Brazil’s in the same vein too.

I’ve always had a soft spot for the South African “Nkosi Sikelel' Afrika“, like a fine gospel hymn, with significant recent meaning too:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZQ3mTEdDD0

But enough of the best, what about the mediocre?

For me it would have to be “God Save the Queen”, not only is it sleep inducing and out of tune (especially when sung by English football supporters), the lyrics are just worshipping one sole individual in the country, not the country itself. And when the Queen dies they’re going to have to change the lyrics to “God Save the King!” Ridiculous!

hh65man wrote:

https://youtu.be/rjkrjYitgeA

If Australia would vote this to be their anthem it gets my vote as the best. It’s the official unofficial anthem….

Every Aussie knows the real Australian anthem is GANGgajang - Sounds Of Then (This Is Australia)!:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ML9h3I5Uk ... =emb_title

Unfortunately, the best national anthem, by far I might add, is the anthem of the CRR.
(Criminal republic of Russia)
South-africa is a beautiful second!

Britain, france and the US falls flat as pure comedy.

God Save the Queen for me
The Australian anthem is really a bit of a joke, the average bloke on the street only knows the first verse, the rest of the time they just mumble along.
other ones i like in no order
NZ
Italy
German
AN767

They're all jingoistic relics with no place in human society.

……or….. Waltzing Matilda for the Australian. Pretty much sung at most or all sportive events.
And yes, I am Australian

Besides my own, I'll go for Canada as well, especially done first half English second half French lyrics.

As an American I'm biased towards the Star Spangled Banner (especially when played by a proper band or orchestra).

Politics aside, the Soviet/Russian anthem. God Save the Tsar and Patrioticheskaya Pesnya (mentioned upthread) are also good. One thing the Russians know how to do well is national anthems. Some of the subnational anthems under the USSR and Russia are also pretty good. The anthems of the Lithuanian SSR and Republic of Karelia come to mind.

I've been becoming familiar with Ukraine's anthem in light of recent events. If you can get a good translation of the words you'll see just how powerful it is.

Another poster mentioned the anthem of the former GDR, Auferstanden aus Ruinen.

Portugal - A Portuguesa.

For a change of pace, Hungary's Himnusz is calmer and more reflective. If you have an understanding of Hungarian history you can see why.

sierrakilo44 wrote:

hh65man wrote:

https://youtu.be/rjkrjYitgeA

If Australia would vote this to be their anthem it gets my vote as the best. It’s the official unofficial anthem….

Every Aussie knows the real Australian anthem is GANGgajang - Sounds Of Then (This Is Australia)!:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ML9h3I5Uk ... =emb_title

We were driving through canefields on my US sister-in-law's first visit to Australia, so we played this anthem. Also when the thunderstorm was buidling up.

The current anthem is rubbish, but did beat Waltzing Matilda at the plebescite. Even with Waltzing Matilda the Queensland version is a much better melody (and I'm NSW born and bred).

Redd wrote:

Maybe not the best time for this opinion, but I think the Soviet anthem.

I second that, unfortunately! (more impopular opinion) also the Russian anthem, I think it is pretty similar, nyet?

AtomicGarden wrote:

Redd wrote:

Maybe not the best time for this opinion, but I think the Soviet anthem.

I second that, unfortunately! (more impopular opinion) also the Russian anthem, I think it is pretty similar, nyet?

It's the same tune, just different lyrics. Alexander Alexandrov originally composed the melody in 1938 as the "Hymn to the Bolshevik Party." It was matched to lyrics in 1944 to become the Soviet anthem. The lyrics were removed during de-Stalinization due to their reference to Stalin. New lyrics were adopted in 1977. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia briefly used a different anthem (Patrioticheskaya Pesnya - mentioned above) before putting new lyrics to the original Alexandrov anthem. Confused yet?

N965UW wrote:

AtomicGarden wrote:

Redd wrote:

Maybe not the best time for this opinion, but I think the Soviet anthem.

I second that, unfortunately! (more impopular opinion) also the Russian anthem, I think it is pretty similar, nyet?

It's the same tune, just different lyrics. Alexander Alexandrov originally composed the melody in 1938 as the "Hymn to the Bolshevik Party." It was matched to lyrics in 1944 to become the Soviet anthem. The lyrics were removed during de-Stalinization due to their reference to Stalin. New lyrics were adopted in 1977. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia briefly used a different anthem (Patrioticheskaya Pesnya - mentioned above) before putting new lyrics to the original Alexandrov anthem. Confused yet?

Not at all, much appreciated!

Not confusing. It’s been the same song all along. No one cares about lyrics anyway, especially som russian bla bla bla.

N965UW wrote:

AtomicGarden wrote:

Redd wrote:

Maybe not the best time for this opinion, but I think the Soviet anthem.

I second that, unfortunately! (more impopular opinion) also the Russian anthem, I think it is pretty similar, nyet?

It's the same tune, just different lyrics. Alexander Alexandrov originally composed the melody in 1938 as the "Hymn to the Bolshevik Party." It was matched to lyrics in 1944 to become the Soviet anthem. The lyrics were removed during de-Stalinization due to their reference to Stalin. New lyrics were adopted in 1977. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia briefly used a different anthem (Patrioticheskaya Pesnya - mentioned above) before putting new lyrics to the original Alexandrov anthem. Confused yet? :lol:

The old DDR anthem is good. Both lyrics and melody. And it sounds relatively apolitical. I think it could have worked as an anthem for a united Germany.

Probably Italy's, but I also like France's and Mexico's. Really get you pumped up.

England/UK would be up there if they chose basically any of the contenders besides the one they actually use.