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Posted

For me, I have always been moved by "Deutschland Uber Alles" (Germany). It is emotionally stirring and very melodic.

It's actually a faux-pas to use that line...

I am puzzled why you feel that way. I like the song for what it is.... a song. I am not making a political statement. I do not condone the aggression that Germany displayed over two world wars. I am talking about music and music only.

No problem with that. It's one of the few national anthems composed by a musician who is famous for many other compositions.

I was only talking about the words in the 1st stanza ("Deutschland über alles"), which is not used anymore, because of it's historic context (explained in my quote above). If you sing that line in Germany today, you're making an political extremist statement.

It's sad that the german anthem is still know internationally for this line, which is not part of the official anthem anymore. There have been discussions after the german reunification to adopt a new anthem, but it never went very far.

Posted

It's sad that the german anthem is still know internationally for this line, which is not part of the official anthem anymore. There have been discussions after the german reunification to adopt a new anthem, but it never went very far.

Kohl could have opted for the GDR anthem, but no...

Lasst uns pflügen, lasst uns bauen,

lernt und schafft wie nie zuvor,

und der eignen Kraft vertrauend

steigt ein frei Geschlecht empor.

Deutsche Jugend, bestes Streben

unsres Volks in dir vereint,

wirst du Deutschlands neues Leben.

Und die Sonne schön wie nie

über Deutschland scheint,

über Deutschland scheint.

Posted

No problem with that. It's one of the few national anthems composed by a musician who is famous for many other compositions.

I believe the UK national anthem was written by Sir Arthur Sullivan, who also wrote some operattas.

I believe the South Africn national anthem started off as the ANC anthem. And I have been told it was written by Jonas Gwangwa, which must make it the only national anthem to have been written by a jazz musician.

MG

Posted

I remember reading years ago that someone (perhaps Phil Ochs) suggested that Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" should be the U.S. national anthem. I'm not big on national anthems, but I could get behind that a lot easier than I can the "Star Spangled Banner".

Posted

Maybe it is just me, and my formative years in apartheid South Africa, but I never fail to feel a chill of emotion when I hear the current South African national anthem "Nkosi sikelel'i Africa" (NOT "Die Stem" ... the old Afrikaaner anthem) ... especially when it is sung with African voices and those incredible natural harmonies ...

"God Save 'The Monarch'" was what we sung when I was in school .... but that age of imperialism has passed.

Posted

Maybe it is just me, and my formative years in apartheid South Africa, but I never fail to feel a chill of emotion when I hear the current South African national anthem "Nkosi sikelel'i Africa" (NOT "Die Stem" ... the old Afrikaaner anthem) ... especially when it is sung with African voices and those incredible natural harmonies ...

"God Save 'The Monarch'" was what we sung when I was in school .... but that age of imperialism has passed.

My wife has been urging me to find a recording of an African choir singing that (a capella) for years. Do you know of any? Or even a football crowd...

MG

Posted

Besides The Marseillaise, the old Russian anthem would give you goos bumps. Although it doienn't sound mucch like a national anthem i always enjoyed listening to the Italian national anthem.

In a related subject how about the best rendition of a national anthem.

As a old Hab fan, my vote goes to the late Forum singer Roger Doucet, man that guy could burst a tune.

Posted (edited)

Maybe it is just me, and my formative years in apartheid South Africa, but I never fail to feel a chill of emotion when I hear the current South African national anthem "Nkosi sikelel'i Africa" (NOT "Die Stem" ... the old Afrikaaner anthem) ... especially when it is sung with African voices and those incredible natural harmonies ...

"God Save 'The Monarch'" was what we sung when I was in school .... but that age of imperialism has passed.

My wife has been urging me to find a recording of an African choir singing that (a capella) for years. Do you know of any? Or even a football crowd...

MG

There are several good versions, including one before a rugby test match, to be found on U-Tube. This IMHO is the best .. featuring Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow40LQs0ue4

Edited by garthsj
Posted

Funniest national anthem ever must be the Italian, especially when performed by a brass band running around on a square, while playing it... (so witnessed by yours truly in the beautiful city of Como)

in other countries, these soldiers would have been arrested for making fun of the national anthem, but in Italy they were ordered to behave like that... :)

Posted

Maybe it is just me, and my formative years in apartheid South Africa, but I never fail to feel a chill of emotion when I hear the current South African national anthem "Nkosi sikelel'i Africa" (NOT "Die Stem" ... the old Afrikaaner anthem) ... especially when it is sung with African voices and those incredible natural harmonies ...

"God Save 'The Monarch'" was what we sung when I was in school .... but that age of imperialism has passed.

My wife has been urging me to find a recording of an African choir singing that (a capella) for years. Do you know of any? Or even a football crowd...

MG

There are several good versions, including one before a rugby test match, to be found on U-Tube. This IMHO is the best .. featuring Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow40LQs0ue4

Thanks - was that Paul Simon on stage with them?

MG

Posted

Maybe it is just me, and my formative years in apartheid South Africa, but I never fail to feel a chill of emotion when I hear the current South African national anthem "Nkosi sikelel'i Africa" (NOT "Die Stem" ... the old Afrikaaner anthem) ... especially when it is sung with African voices and those incredible natural harmonies ...

"God Save 'The Monarch'" was what we sung when I was in school .... but that age of imperialism has passed.

My wife has been urging me to find a recording of an African choir singing that (a capella) for years. Do you know of any? Or even a football crowd...

MG

There are several good versions, including one before a rugby test match, to be found on U-Tube. This IMHO is the best .. featuring Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow40LQs0ue4

Thanks - was that Paul Simon on stage with them?

MG

Yes ... that was taken at a special concert on behalf of the ANC after the release of the Graceland album.

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