6 National Anthems That Will Make You Tremble With Fear
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After casting our ballots this morning, Americans are feeling something approaching national pride for the first time in many years. So we thought we'd take a closer look at the national anthem, that creepy ritual of bland patriotism. We all know that the American national anthem tells the inspiring story of a brave flag that survives a scary night by believing in itself. But not all national anthems steal their plots from children's books. In fact, some countries aren't satisfied until their national anthem makes any child within earshot weep in terror. Here are six that take pride in their land to a whole new and insanely violent level. #6.
Algeria - "Qassaman"/"We Pledge"
Though it pre-dates both heavy metal and rap by several decades, the Algerian national anthem's lyrics expertly incorporate the prominent cornerstones of both genres' most violent moments. Destructive lightning? Check. Gratuitous bloodshed? Check. Machine guns? Check. Being held down by the man? Word up, son.
The lyrics, written in 1956 by Moufdi Zakaria, are about two "hos" shy of being a Lil' Wayne single. At the time of the writing, Zakaria was being held captive in Algiers by French colonial forces. Realizing that it was, in fact, France that was holding him and his country down, he spent his downtime penning a tune about the ass whooping his fellow countrymen would surely be dishing out sometime in the near future. Most Awesomely Violent Lyrics "We swear by the lightning that destroys, By the streams of generous blood being shed" "When we spoke, none listened to us, So we have taken the noise of gunpowder as our rhythm, And the sound of machine guns as our melody" Did They Live Up To It?
Hell yeah! Beginning with guerrilla attacks by the National Liberation Front (FLN) against military and civilian targets in November of 1954, Algeria launched a bloody war for independence from France that would last almost eight years. By the time it was done, almost one million Pied-noirs (Algerian residents of European descent) had fled the country and Algeria was free to never be fucked with by anyone ever again. #5.
Italy - "Il Canto degli Italiani"/"The Song of the Italians"
Throughout the majority of the Italian national anthem, things sound pretty bleak. Hell, the main line in the chorus is "we are ready to die!" But Goffredo Mameli, the 20 year old poet who wrote the lyrics, clearly understood that one can only be down for so long.
Like most good national anthems, this one was written in the shadow of a looming war for independence, this time with Austria. Listening to the first few verses, you would think Mameli thought independence was a lost cause. But then, the final verse rolls around and Mameli goes from defeated poet to a Nostradamus-like teller of fortunes. On an unrelated note, can you imagine what state our collective national anthems would be in if written by the 20-year olds of today? Booty booty booty booty bursting everywhere! Most Awesomely Violent Lyrics "Mercenary swords, they're feeble reeds. The Austrian eagle has already lost its plumes. The blood of Italy and the Polish blood it drank, along with the Cossack. But it burned its heart."
Did They Live Up To It? Sort of. Italy lost the first war for independence from Austria. And, for all intents and purposes, they lost the second war with Austria also. Hell, they basically lost the third. But thanks to a convenient alliance with Prussia, Italy eventually gained their independence. This half-assed eeking out of national independence was brought to you by the people responsible for the fucking Mafia. Go figure. #4.
Hungary - "Himnusz/Hymn"
Unlike most of the other anthems on this list, Hungary's really has no cause to be as violent as it is. There was no war for independence on the horizon. No foreign invader was occupying their homeland. Basically, a whole bunch of nothing was going on. It would appear that overall, Hungary is just such a shitty place to live that some dude decided to ask God to help him out.
That's right, this anthem is written as a direct address to God. Most national anthems implore the citizens of their grand country to take up arms and fight against oppression, transgression, whatever. Himnusz is having no part of that. Really, it's a bit unclear what the problem was at all. But whatever was up their ass, it apparently required divine intervention. It's basically the national anthem equivalent of what an unemployed, alcoholic friend might call and moan to you at 2:30 in the morning. Most Awesomely Violent Lyrics "No freedom's flowers return, from the spilt blood of the dead, and the tears of slavery burn, which the eyes of orphans shed."
Did They Live Up To It? Yeah, they probably did. There is no evidence that Hungary ever kicked any serious ass, but you don't write lyrics about burning orphan tears without having put up with some serious shit. |
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¡Guerra, guerra sin tregua al que intente
De la patria manchar los blasones!
¡Guerra, guerra! Los patrios pendones,
En las olas de sangre empapad.
¡Guerra, guerra! En el monte, en el valle
Los cañones horrísonos truenen,
Y los ecos sonoros resuenen
Con las voces de ¡Unión! ¡Libertad!
Antes, patria, que inermes tu hijos
Bajo el yugo su cuello dobleguen
Tus campiñas con sangre se rieguen
Sobre la sangre se estampe su pie.
Y tus templos, palacios y torres
Se derrumben con hórrido estruendo,
Y sus ruinas existan diciendo:
De mil héroes la patria aquí fué.
Just a taste of the Mexican National Anthem.
Whoever wrote this article is f*****g retarded and obviously knows nothing about Hungarian history. Our Hymn was written in 1844, four years before the revolution and freedom fight against Austrians. Hungary had been under the oppression of several countries starting from 1526. Also, in the early years of the middle ages, Hungarians DID kick ass, so all in all your article is bullshit and very offensive from our point of view :| I would study more history before I write stuff on the internet in your place, jerk D:
-a Hungarian
FYI Hungary did kicked some serious ass .... in 1956, when a rebelion against Russian control broke out. Even though they were beaten after circa 25 days (with receiving no help from the west whatsoever), but stil this rebelion, inspired by Polish streetfights in 1956, was the only organised uprising against the Soviets. Pretty brave if you ask me.
Greetings from Eastern Europe.
Mexico's anthem is the most violent in my opinion. Also the best ever. But I might be biased in that aspect.
Viva Mexico.
Nice one. But lol @ you for citing a turkish nationalistic website in order inform us about their war of independence. Not very subjective, that.
Poland is Not Yet Lost
You could try the Irish anthem:
'No more our ancient sire land
Shall shelter the despot or the slave
Tonight we man the gap of danger
In Erin’s cause, come life or death
’Mid cannon’s roar and rifles’ peal'
http://www.thesharkguys.com/2008/08/11/top-10-most-violent-national-anthems-part-ii/
Looks like they did one too. O.O
Mexican National Anthem FTW.
How about the Catalan anthem. Technically, it's not a national anthem, but you can't top an anthem that repeatedly talks about slaughtering people with sickles.
Taint in blood your gorgeous flag
As a shroud to the bold it will do
Let your people with fierce soul
Dead before slave we shall be...
-that's the chorus of the Guatemalan anthem, oh and YES, it IS a fucked up place.
O Fatherland, ere your children, defenseless
bend their neck beneath the yoke,
may your fields be watered with blood,
may they leave their footprints in blood.
And may your temples, palaces and towers
collapse with horrid clamor,
and their ruins continue on, saying:
Of a thousand heroes, this Fatherland was.
That's an excerpt from the Mexican Anthem... that's just downright violent...
Actually if you want to be totally correct the Huns were not just from Hungary. It was a tribe composed of many tribe spread from Hungary to Mongolia (although the center of the empire was Panonia). That being said the Huns was originaly from China (their name was Hiong-nu)
Seems you crackheads missed out on Denmark's "King Christian" anthem, which is the official anthem of our royal family and is still used as a national anthem on many occisions. To a stirring martial tune the text celebrates various Danish war heroes of ages gone. It contains gun-thunder, lightning, sacrifice of blood, and not least brain-splitting mayhem! About our once king Christian IV we sing: "His sword struck so heavily that the Goths' (ie. the Swedes) helmets and brains split apart". And about our naval hero Peder Tordenskjold (literally "Thunder-shield": "From Denmark Thunder-shield strikes, everyone should give themselves up to Heaven and flee!"
Finally in the last verse we sing of ourselves: "And quickly through noise and fighting and more fighting and victory lead me to my grave!"
Beat that Vietnamese!
First minute of Who's Nailin Paylin
www.TOKILLFOR.com
Russell Brand's crude remarks to Fawlty Towers Star on BBC Radio
http://www.tokillfor.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ed1b4baf7494d10ab9c9
"Oh and for "Hungary not having kicked ass"...their national hero is Attila, so go figure."
Where the hell did you get THAT? FYI Attila wasn't even Hungarian, 'tard, he was Hun... not Hungarian... big difference! Do your math, dude..."
You're the 'tard. Tell me where the HUNgarians and the Magyars and the Szekely people come from then. Don't even bother to 'do the math' just go read a wiki article. And stop getting your historical information from disney movies. Though Hungarians are not official direct descendants from the Hun empire, saying that the Huns have nothing to do with Hungary is like saying that Iran has nothing to do with Persia.
http://islamoblog.blogspot.com
To Netchibi:
Shh! Don't spoil the fun! D<
You, the author, know nothing about Vietnamese anthem. The song still have one more verse and it's more peaceful. By the way, Vietnamese anthem had been writen at the time war still happening in Vietnam, then its lyric must be strong to get people stand up. It owns more historical value than meaning of lyric. Moreover, Vietnam is traditional country which always proud of its past, then its anthem have mission to remind everyone, every teenagers how much thier grandparents, parents, and older had sacrifice for the country.
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What Cracked forgets to Mention is that after years of fighting the Chinese, Vietnam wrote this National anthem in 1944, while fighting the Japanese. And the French. And soon, the Americans. And after, then the Khmer Rouge. And the Chinese Again.
From 1943 to 1979. Thats 36 f*****g years of war.
And Di chuyen no is not Vietnamese. The closest I came up to was huyện, and that means district.