National Anthems

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It has come to my attention that I dont recognise all the National Anthems of the World.


National Anthems of Asia

Singapore - Majulah Singapura

The composition of "Majulah Singapura" occurred during a push for independence from the United Kingdom. While Singapore was a British colony, its national anthem was "God Save the King (or Queen)". In 1951, the colony was conferred city status by a royal charter from King George VI. In 1958, Ong Pang Boon, the Deputy Mayor of the City Council of Singapore, approached Zubir Said (1907–1987), a score arranger and songwriter with Cathay-Keris Film Productions, to compose a theme song for the Council's official functions to be titled "Majulah Singapura" ("Onward Singapore"). This phrase was chosen as it was a motto to be displayed in the Victoria Theatre after its renovation in 1958.

   Mari kita rakyat Singapura
   Sama-sama menuju bahagia
   Cita-cita kita yang mulia
   Berjaya Singapura
   
   Marilah kita bersatu
   Dengan semangat yang baru
   Semua kita berseru
   Majulah Singapura
   Majulah Singapura

See also: MP3 Download of Singapore National Anthem

Malaysia - Negara Ku

"Negaraku" (English: My Country) is the national anthem of Malaysia. "Negara ku" was selected as a national anthem at the time of the Federation of Malaya's independence from Britain in 1957. The tune was originally used as the state anthem of Perak, which had been adopted from a popular French melody titled "La Rosalie" composed by the lyricist Pierre-Jean de Béranger.

Negarakuku

In 2007, a Malaysian Chinese Namewee (Wee Meng Chee) made a popular youtube video/song entitled "Negarakuku" AKA 我愛我的國家 (Visit Malaysia 2007 Theme Song) which featured part of the tune of Negaraku.

National Anthems of Europe

In Alphabetical order - all the european countries!

Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Georgia Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Kazakhstan Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Monaco Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia San Marino Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine Vatican City

Germany - Das Deutschlandlied

Das Deutschlandlied (Song of Germany) is often refered to as "Deutschland über alles (Germany Above All).

In one curious moment i could not figure out, Beppe Cotto the italian ham flautist played what almost sounded like the German National Anthem to a mildly terrified yet rather impressed Heston Blumental in an episode of "Heston's Roman Feast".

United Kingdom - God Save the Queen / Rule Britannia

God Save the Queen

"God Save the Queen" is the national anthem of the UK and a number of other commonwealth realms such as Norfolk Island, Cayman Islands and New Zealand. In countries not previously part of the British Empire, the tune of "God Save the Queen" has also been used as the basis for different patriotic songs, though still generally connected with royal ceremony. It was the first song to be used as a national anthem prompting imitation in France and Germany. Both France and Germany later commissioned their own songs to construct national identity. The first German national anthem used the melody of "God Save the King" with the words changed to Heil dir im Siegerkranz, and sung to the same tune as the UK version. The tune was either used or officially adopted as the national anthem for several other countries, including those of Russia (until 1833) and Switzerland (Rufst Du, mein Vaterland or O monts indépendants, until 1961). Molitva russkikh, considered to be the first Russian anthem, was also sung to the same music. The anthem for Liechenstein is still to the tune of God Save the Queen although the words have been rewritten entirely.

   God save our gracious Queen,
   Long live our noble Queen,
   God save the Queen:
   Send her victorious,
   Happy and glorious,
   Long to reign over us:
   God save the Queen.
   
   O Lord, our God, arise,
   Scatter her enemies,
   And make them fall.
   Confound their politics,
   Frustrate their knavish tricks,
   On Thee our hopes we fix,
   God save us all.
   
   Thy choicest gifts in store,
   On her be pleased to pour;
   Long may she reign:
   May she defend our laws,
   And ever give us cause
   To sing with heart and voice
   
   God save the Queen.

There have been several attempts to improve the song by rewriting the words. In the nineteenth century there was some lively debate about the national anthem and, even then, verse two was considered to be slightly offensive. Notably, the question arose over the phrase "scatter her enemies." Some thought it placed better emphasis on the respective power of Parliament and the Crown to change "her" to "our"; others pointed out that the theology was somewhat dubious and substituted "thine" instead.

"God Save the King/Queen" was exported around the world via the expansion of the British Empire, serving as each country's national anthem. Throughout the Empire's evolution into the Commonwealth of Nations, the song declined in use in most states which became independent. In some countries it remains as one of the official national anthems, such as in New Zealand, or as an official royal anthem, as is the case in Canada, Australia, Jamaica, Isle of Man, and Tuvalu, to be played during formal ceremonies involving national royalty or vice-royalty.

Rule Britannia

This patriotic song is also recognised as Britain's unofficial anthem and is sometimes mistakenly thought to be its national anthem.

Maurice Willson Disher notes that the change from "Britannia, rule the waves" to "Britannia rules the waves" occurred in the Victorian era, at a time when the British did rule the waves and no longer needed to be exhorted to rule them. Disher also notes that the Victorians changed "will" to "shall" in the line "Britons never shall be slaves."

   When Britain first, at Heaven's command
   Arose from out the azure main;
   This was the charter of the land,
   And guardian angels sang this strain:
   
   "Rule, Britannia! rule the waves:
   "Britons never will be slaves."

Liechtenstein - Oben am jungen Rhein

Oben am jungen Rhein (Up above the young Rhine) is sung to the same tune as God Save the Queen.