Gazza sadly is now only a shadow of his former self for reasons I'm sure many of us know but his mate Jimmy 'Five Bellies' Gardner is actually my neighbour.

Denmark have two National Anthems

One that is played when people like a President visit Denmark
(Kong Christian stod ved højen Mast = King Christian stood by the lofty mast)
And one that is played when Denmark play Football
(Det er et yndigt land = It is a lovely country)

As from what I know the first is official the other one is so to say unofficial

Markus

I much prefer Rule Britannia to God Save the Queen, however inaccurate it may be.

The US has a pretty cool anthem, but it needs a good beat behind it to really stir or to be played in a different key.
Two of my favourite examples of the Star Spangled Banner, or to be more accurate in regards to one of them, 'The Defence of Fort M'Henry':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxvu54Y1_f0
(I wish they'd done a full version of this)

Then of course:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_PtnvVQhqA


And, the Russian/Soviet anthem is pretty nice too, works well in rock mode:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaw5Zm6EskA

errrrrrr yuk !! National Anthems... conjures up thoughts of patriotic lemmings.. mindless zombies willing to walk the short plank at short notice.

Funny enough I've never supported neither of our two anthems... Nationalism..z for me is a ..NO NO!!.

Don't get me wrong, I'll support the 'right' cause but not willy nilly...
:arrgh!:

Here's Mexican National Anthem.
Basically its about pride, defending the homeland from invaders and how we will never step down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8T9g7memUk

Unfortunately the people messing with mexico aren't foreign invaders.:down:

Portugal national anthem - A Portuguesa (the Portuguese) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdOEpfypWQA

Was composed in 1890 by Henrique Lopes de Mendonça and Alfredo Keil, both monarchic defenders, as a patriotic response to the "Pink Map" incident/crisis!
Then it was chosen as the national anthem by the Republic Party, after the republic revolution! :yep:

You know what would make a fantastic and beautiful music for an anthem, not necessarily only a national anthem? That famous, calm second part of Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance" as to be heard here from time marker 1:13 to 3:00. Better known as "Land of Hope and Glory". :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYrAyF7lOaE

It has the ideal length for an anthem. Now add/replace a poetic text, and all that presented in a better, stronger symphonic performance, and that would be the perfect anthem, imho!

I heard the music first when I still was at school, in the early 80s, it served as title music for a 4-parts documentation on German TV about the British monarchy, called "Royalty". Wonderful orchestral arrangement, as far as I remember. Since then, I love this melody and music. It really pulls a string inside me. But just this one passage: the rest of the march is - well, not for me.

Ah yes, that's another one I like, it's very stirring and powerful...and then there's God Save the King/Queen which is as upbeat as a funeral march. :dead:

That being said, Brian May can still polish it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaUsWfeULks

Isn't there a country that uses the tune to Monty Python as their national anthem? Or is it something I dreamt?

The Italian National Anthem - "Il Canto Degli Italiani"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeDmsIMwQX8

No, the song is a march called "The Liberty Bell," written by John Philip Sousa in 1893. The Pythons chose to use it because it was in the public domain, meaning that they did not have to pay to use it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov1kjVvYpWk

Maamme is the one widely recognized as our national anthem (I guess technically, we don't have one).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzz_UK8fLmQ

Oh our land, Finland, land of our birth,
rings out the golden word!
No valley, no hill,
no water, shore more dear
than this northern homeland,
precious land of our fathers.

Your splendour from its shell
one day will bloom;
From our love shall rise
your hope, glorious joy,
and once your song, fatherland
higher still will echo.


Some (like myself), prefer the Finlandia Hymn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AjE0YCviCo

O, Finland, behold, your day is dawning,
The threat of night has been banished away,
And the lark of morning in the brightness sings,
As though the very firmament would sing.
The powers of the night are vanquished by the morning light,
Your day is dawning, O land of birth.

O, rise, Finland, raise up high
Your head, wreathed with great memories.
O, rise, Finland, you showed to the world
That you drove away the slavery,
And that you did not bend under oppression,
Your day is dawning, O land of birth.

All through public school we sang God Save the Queen.

I would have preferred The Maple Leaf Forever.

http://youtu.be/OxOhk4Lk9aE

Billy Connelly had the right idea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9nnnM-__JQ

I just watched some of his other skits. 06:30 in the morning and I am busting a gut laughing at this guy.:haha::har: