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PaperclipPerfector  1mo ago (text post)   3746 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for September 13, 2026

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What is your favourite national anthem from a country other than your own? (Links are appreciated.) I was always fond of the Russian one.

  • the Soviet Armenian one with its unusual scale

  • Turkey as the pinnacle of the martial ones

  • Israel though Smetana's Moldau is the better version of the melody and the Czechs should just replace theirs with it

  • Taiwan does not stand out on any single quality, but is near the top in every category that I would score national anthems in: it's dignified, pleasant to listen to, the lyrics offer a positive vision for the country, the text is poetic and reflects the national character (with how it is entirely in four-character verse).

The Marseillaise is always a good one. Generally, the older anthems which were big on "let us crush the foe beneath our feet so that their blood flows in streams" are bangers, unlike the modern tendency to be all wishy-washy and inclusive.

let us crush the foe beneath our feet so that their blood flows in streams

An understandable sentiment when the foes are, reportedly, planning to pull your wives and sons from your arms to slit their throats.

Nous étions un vrai pays.

The ancient Bulgarian one - Shumi Maritsa and the Old Soviet one.

Rough translation of the Bulgarian - Maritsa is a river in Bulgaria.

The Maritsa Roars

The Maritsa roars, stained with blood; a widow weeps, grievously wounded.

March, march, with our general! Into battle let us fly, the foe to defeat.

Children of Bulgaria, the whole world watches us; come, toward victory, glorious, let us march.

March, march, etc.

The Balkan Lion, in a titanic battle against enemy hordes, leads us on with wings.

March, march, etc.

Young and ardent, amid the whirlwinds of battle, we are worthy to gather laurels.

March, march, etc.

We are the people who, for honor and freedom, for our beloved nation, know how to die.

March, march, with our general— into battle let us fly, the foe to defeat.

Let them shing!

As orchestral music, Il canto degli Italiani

As poetry, La Marseillaise turns the bloodthirstiness up so far that it goes through the "sick and violent"/"actually no, this has to be ironic" barrier multiple times, and I can't help but appreciate this.

Tuva is not a sovereign country, but theirs is the best.

Tannu what?

Exactly.

I always find it funny that God Save The King/Queen is generally panned as a national anthem in Britain, compared to Jerusalem, Rule Britannia, or even Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (for the rugby fans), but the Germans managed to remix it into an absolute banger

I'm surprised they don't go with Land of Hope and Glory

When it comes to sporting events, such as rugby matches, the (unofficial) national anthems are great. Flower of Scotland for Scotland, Land of My Fathers (harder to sing in Welsh) for Wales.

We got stuck with Ireland's Call for the rugby (due to the all-island nature of the team) which is okay, but it's no Amhrán na bhFiann. Which is why Irish crowds tend to sing The Fields of Athenry instead at such events.

Oh that's another great candidate - harder to sing than the others, though, you need a bit of wind in the pipes.

Hey that's pretty good! Really gotta finish Legend of Galactic Heroes.

People here will know that I’m not the always the biggest fan of Israel, but I am an absolute sucker for any sad song and Hatikvah never fails to make me cry.

Does the country have to still exist? If not, then East Germany

The Russian one is great. Beyond that I think the French one is also good and the German one is ok.

National anthems are generally pretty trash though. There are plenty of marches or ballads that would have made great anthems but practically universally countries have gone with ponderously slow mediocre stuff with bland lyrics.

Turkey and Ukraine. Hard to pick one.

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