Bet you never thought you'd hear anybody say that.
But really, they're awesome. So pompous and stately and proud! And vastly superior to the contemporary pop song when it comes to singing VERY loudly. Yes, I do cruise YouTube listening to national anthems. This is a thing with which I occupy myself. 'Tis the truth. My favorites are Russia's, America's, and incidentally Sweden's, but that might just be bias and understanding-the-lyrics. Japan's is lovely too, although it's a bit of an exception; it's softer and more folkly and doesn't, well, shout at you. Nice and ambient. There's this one video that has a bunch of beautiful imagery from Japan as well. At one part, the scenery of sakura blossoms and Mt. Fuji suddenly switches to cute Japanese girls, which was hilarious at the time and very incongruous, although I suppose cute girls never did any harm. But I digress.
This new international interest has made me extra sad that there is so much tension between nations, what with wars and immigration issues and all. Anthems are pretty much the most nationalistic thing on earth, and not everyone feels very flattered if you start belting out your allegiance to the great motherland, especially if said motherland massacred their people or something. Singing the Swedish anthem is considered - if not racist - then at least somehow disrespectful to multiculturalism by some overhyped über-leftists, since the populist party has gained influence and use all the traditional Swedish symbols to promote "healthy" cultural values. Duh, so a lot of those guys are assholes (racist ones, too), but this is the Kingdom of Sweden (fancy, eh?) and it's not like the song itself is condemning anyone. Actually, the lyrics are pretty melancholy. "Du tronar på minnen från fornstora dar" can be loosely translated as "'Hardcore Vikings of the North' is over. We're being neutral now. Days of glory and being a pillaging berserker are now things resigned to our dreams, so off with your helmets and put on your POLITICALLY CORRECT HATS!"
Plus, Sweden is the least of my worries. What of America? I can't exactly walk the streets bellowing "AND THE ROCKETS' RED GLAAAARE, THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIIIIR, GAVE PROOOOF THROUGH THE NIIIIGHT THAT OUR FLAAAG WAAAS STIIIILL THEEEERE!!" Because, uh, that is just not a thing that people do. (And that's not the kind of song that people should write - I believe the lyrics are from wartimes, and stayed on for some inexplicable reaso--no wait they're still fighting a bunch of wars, nevermind - but I can't help that the tune is catchy, now can I?)
Here I go about politics again. I just can't seem to keep my nose out of the sort of topics that people on the internet like spewing hate about. Ah, oh well. I'll stop being so self-proclaimedly controversial and instead share some lovely orchestral scores! They are both humorous and unironically epic. OK then, Sophia out!
Will listen to the anthems when I'm not surrounded by my folks. Though they've never really interested me lol! I think it's because the British one is so boring.
ReplyDeleteThey're overdramatic, which is good if you enjoy shower singing.
DeleteThe Japanese one is my fav :)
ReplyDeleteMost anthems sound so official, classical, et cetera. Don't really like 'em for that. Besides, lyrics of a lot of 'em are heavily outdated already, which results in awkward shit, like you said.
ReplyDeleteI mostly like them because they are in actuality utterly ridiculous and therefore fun to sing. The outdated lyrics are fun though, some of them are so extreme it's just hilarious.
DeleteI like Israel's. It's pretty. Definitely better if you understand it though.
ReplyDeleteThere's this whole controversy over usage of the word God in O, Canada. It's funny how much people care.
Will have to check that one out.
DeleteI've never really actually listened to anthems, I barely know my own, but I was happier not knowing crap like that was in the American one. I don't think there's anything wrong with liking your countries national anthem, and I say that as someone who doesn't really like mine.
ReplyDeleteI was a little shocked by the American one too. Sorry. ):
DeleteNo, there shouldn't be anything wrong with it; nationalism doesn't have to be bad. As long as people respect other people's nationalism as well. Which they don't. Dorks.
I haven't even heard "Du gamla, Du fria" since sixth grade or something and I never heard any other National Anthems. I don't really like the Swedish one, the Russian and Japanese ones are better I think.
ReplyDeletehaha I will listen to these at a later date when my internet isn't acting so slow :p
ReplyDeleteI know the Canadian National Anthem by heart and the Pakistani one (obvs cos i'm Pakistani)
I don't like the American one so much.
My favourite is the Bangladeshi one. it's beautiful.