[Kamikaze]

1. South Africa

2. Russia
3. India
4. Uruguay

5. France

As soon as they make Marc Anthony's "Preciosa" the official anthem of Puerto Rico, we're jumping to number 1, bitches.

[Macumazahn]

"La Marseillaise", hands down, in my opinion.

"God Save The Queen" is a dirge; we have far more stirring music available to use for our anthem.

[EU Explorer]

Algeria but purely because it sounds like the theme to Monty Python

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[Mikan]

Soviet Union/Russia for the music itself.
France for the lyrics
I've always enjoyed Japan's for its stark simplicity.

Like many Americans, I feel sentimental attachment to the Star Spangled Banner. Sporting events and military functions can be very moving events that build deep attachment to the symbols of our nation.

As a classically trained musician, it is a shit song. The melody is based on an English drinking song, which is intentionally difficult to sing so you can can laugh at the inebriated performer. Professional singers regularly struggle with performing it live. The only popular singer that could ever reliably perform it live was Whitney Houston. Most lip sync to a mashup of their studio takes.

The lyrics are moving, but its not a song. Its a poem set to a bad melody. To many "s" sounds. The longest sustain in the song is the word Wave. If performed in Bflat (it usually is), the highest note is the word Free (high F 2 octaves above middle C) is at the end of the song when the performer is already winded from belting out the previous awkward stanzas. There are plenty of youtube videos of singers' voices cracking on this word.

Apologies for the rant. As an American musician, our anthem drives me crazy.

[Drazen]

I liked this version of the Star Spangled Banner.

(as mentioned above, it sounds great when sound by thousand of drunk fans)

I remember the WWE Smackdown that took place on 9/13/01 (2 days after 9/11) and that was probably the national anthem rendition that affected me the most. Incredible to see that.
(starts around 2:40)

[Chick Magnet]

I've always been keen on the Deutschlandlied.

It's a shame they leave out the first stanza these days.

It's probably the most nationalistic anthem out there...

[Rocha]

Altough not an hymn "Священная Война" (Sacred War), is one of the most powerful songs ever, is not hard to imagine the boys going to die in the Stalingrad hell after hearing this.

Portuguese hymn also not bad at all )) In this video vs the NZ Haka

[MrRoundtree]

Russian and soviet anthem...after a hockey medal wow

[Tresor]

I like the anthem of Romania.

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

(06-13-2015 12:58 PM)N°6 Wrote:  

Does the average Briton know that his national anthem is the same as the Kaiserhymne of the Second Reich?

But Britain was the first to use God Save The Queen. It simply became popular around Europe and a few countries adapted the tune and made it their national anthem. The former Swiss anthem, Rufst du, mein Vaterland, was changed in 1961 as it was identical to the British anthem. Incidentally, the lyrics were written by Johann Rudolf Wyss who was the son of The Swiss Family Robinson father. Anyway, why is everyone hating on God Save The Queen? Personally, I like it and frequently think performances of it don't do it justice. This arrangement is my personal favourite.

[Tokyo Joe]

As a red-blooded American, I regret having to concede that the Star-Spangled Banner just doesn't hold a candle to many of these other anthems.

By rights this really ought to be the national anthem of the United States --

[kosko]

Star Spangled isn't all that good. It is familiar which is why I feel people like it but its not the best crafted song. God Bless America is a much better hymn and gets more emotion out of its simplicity.

The Yankee Stadiun Dr who does God Bless America still always gives me chills:

God Bless America is so simple in what it is trying to get across. To simply love and protect your free land, and to never loose loyalty.

I don't know if there is a scienece behind a anthem but it should be grand but also simple. You should be able to perform it with a orchestra or just a solo person and it should still provoke some emotion. Many of the "newer" old colonial posts in Australia, Canada, the USA fall flat on this and have junky anthems. You find the best anthems in the old nations or in many of the fresh new ones.

Russia is the best by a mile and even the old Soviet anthem was good too.

You see when it is a well crafted song versus war propaganda peddled as a national hymm. Italy for example is a terrible song, it's battle music for the trooops not a anthem. When its played with a orchestra it sounds very cheesy with all the high notes in the song. France has this issue also but it is a better quality song then the Italian anthem but is war cry not a well crafted song for a anthem.

God save the Queen is another steller anthem and song. If a anthem is superior people will just sing it. My mother used to practice with that she her chior because it is a good song. Period. It serves all the points of being able to be stripped down or dressed up and the song gives you chills.

For many of the newer nations, many used the Brit anthem as a base to build there so for many African countries for instance you get quality anthems. Nigeria and South Africa come to mind off the top of my head. For South America Brazil has the best one that is the more authentic. It is a beautiful song but very festive and upbeat. You can't help but move around when you hear it.

[QuietDog]

I like the American more than the Canadian, could just be because I heard it every morning of grade school and got sick of it though

[Joga Bonito]

Kenya's national anthem is pretty epic

[RIslander]

The Russian National Anthem is #1 in my book.

I also like the Japanese anthem for its simplicity:

"May your reign
Continue for a thousand, eight thousand generations,
Until the pebbles
Grow into boulders
Lush with moss"

[fg13]

Excluding Greece which I can't say for sentimental reasons I think the best one are,in no particular order:
-Algeria
-Yemen
-Ukraine
-Romania
-Slovakia
-Poland
-Germany

[averagebritguy]

(06-13-2015 12:58 PM)N°6 Wrote:  

Does the average Briton know that his national anthem is the same as the Kaiserhymne of the Second Reich?

This average one does...although I should point out

Quote:

"Heil dir im Siegerkranz" (German for "Hail to Thee in Victor's Crown") was from 1871 to 1918 the unofficial national anthem of the German Empire.[1] Before the foundation of the Empire, it had been the royal anthem of Prussia since 1795 and remained it after 1871.[2] The melody of the hymn derived from the British anthem "God Save the Queen". For these reasons, the song failed to become popular within all of Germany.

and thats not the only remake

Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser (God Save Emperor Francis)

Quote:

The song was written when Austria was seriously threatened by France and patriotic sentiments ran high. The story of the song's genesis was narrated in 1847 by Anton Schmid, who was Custodian of the Austrian National Library in Vienna:[1]

In England, Haydn came to know the favourite British national anthem, 'God Save the King', and he envied the British nation for a song through which it could, at festive occasions, show in full measure its respect, love, and devotion to its ruler.

With 2 direct rip offs and a punk version I think that must make it pretty good...but for me, the Russian one kicks everyone's ass...sorry 'merkins...

[turkishcandy]

The Russian one is the best. But one thing I noticed is that in multiple parts of the anthem the notes are so high that people can't sing it. That's why they often change the notes when singing.