Remove your hat, place your hand on your heart, and reflect on these facts about different countries’ official songs.
History
The rise of nationalism and cultural identity in Europe in the 18th century led to a fad, albeit a very long-lasting one, of “national anthems,” or official songs of the state to demonstrate cultural pride and national unity. However, songs like this existed for hundreds of years before. The Netherlands made “Wilhelmus” its national anthem in 1932, but the song was written and heard widely throughout the Netherlands as early as 1568.
Four-in-One
Switzerland has four official languages—French, German, Italian, and Romansh. Correspondingly, the national anthem, the “Swiss Psalm” has lyrics in all four languages.
Amhran na bhFiann
Ireland has its own traditional language, Irish Gaelic, but the country’s national anthem was written in English. It does, however, have a Gaelic title, “Amhran na bhFiann,” and while the Gaelic translation of the song has never been made official, it’s the version most frequently performed in Ireland.
Majulah Singapura
Malay is a native language to Singapore, but a minority of residents speak it. The official language is English, but the national anthem, “Majulah Singapura” must, by law, be performed in Malay.
Without Words
The “Marcha Real” has been the national anthem of Spain since 1770…and yet it has no lyrics. The government tried to finally remedy that with a lyric-writing contest in 2007…of which no winners were chosen.
The Oldest
Japan also has a claim on the “oldest” national anthem. The music for “Kimigayo” was written in 1880, with lyrics taken from a poem written around 1,000 years ago.
The Shortest and the Longest
At just four lines long, “Kimigayo” is the shortest national anthem. By contrast, Greece’s “Ode to Freedom,” opted in 1828, is a marathon 158 stanzas long.
Queens and Kings
The national anthem of the United Kingdom is “God Save the Queen.” It does, however, allow for official lyric changes. If a future monarch is male, the song will be changed to “God Save the King.”
Top 10 Hit
“The Star-Spangled Banner,” written by Francis Scott Key in the wake of the War of 1812, was officially adopted as the national anthem of the United States in 1931. The most commercially successful version of the song was made by Whitney Houston in 1991. Performed live at the Super Bowl shortly after the start of the Persian Gulf War, recordings were sold to benefit military families. It hit the top 20 and earned a gold record. Ten years later, the song was re-released after the 9/11 attacks. This time, the song went top 10 and was certified platinum—the only time the national anthem was a top 10 hit.