Comments on: World Cup 2010 National Anthems: South Africa, France, Mexico, Uruguay

By: Larry

Larry — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:55:43 +0000

Where did you come up with that English version of “La Marseillaise”? That sounds more like an English revision than an actual translation; it strays quite a bit from the original French.

I would translate the opening verse (which is generally the only one that is sung) thusly:

Let’s go, children of the fatherland
The day of glory has arrived!
Against us, on the side of tyranny,
The bloody banner is raised!
The bloody banner is raised!
Do you hear, in the countryside,
The howls of those fierce soldiers?
They are coming right into your midst
To cut the throats of your sons and your companions!

To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let’s march, let’s march
May impure blood
Irrigate our fields!

By: Adam

Adam — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:30:55 +0000

Uruguay should be reminded–it’s not “Orientals,” but “Asian-Americans”

By: coconut

coconut — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:01:55 +0000

Every time i listen to the Mexican National Anthem at a football game, it gives me goosebumps! I really pumps me up. For me, hands down its the Mexican National Anthem, but im pretty sure im being biased. I prefer it over the US National Anthem too.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 03:25:11 +0000

It is not strange that the Mexican Anthem is about defending the country. It was 1854 when the greedy Europeans plundered the country. Spain had invaded Mexico and stolen Mexican wealth, the United States had invaded Mexico and stolen California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, and France would invaded Mexico a few years after the anthem was finished. It was a fraudulent time.

By: Gus

Gus — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:10:17 +0000

Jose: If you mean the LYRICS, do not worry, since this “words” have a meaning ONLY to Uruguayans, and Uruguayans are not worried about what a foreigner may think about it.An anthem is not supposed to be for world consumption as modern “music/lyrics” is nowadays. So, I’m sorry to say, you shouldn’t give opinions prejudiced by jingoism or patriotic exultation. I would NEVER say something detrimental against a foreigner’s national anthem lyrics, because as I said before, it concerns the people of that particular country only.
So, we are here discussing the ANTHEM’S MUSIC , and that’s precisely what most of the people writing here are talking about. And in a world that thrives in “Musical” rubbish, young people without a clue what can be called music, it’s quite understandable that they won’t appreciate music created in the 19th Century even if Beethoven himself composed it!.
I have not a clue who are the “executing” this version of the Uruguayan anthem, I only can say that it doesn’t seem to be performed by any Uruguayan Choir, and I repeat here IT’S AN AWFUL RENDITION.
What The Guardian’s expert opinion may hurt nationalistic people, but he can’t be called biased at all. He understand that most of the anthems music are SIMPLE UNSOPHISTICATED MARCHES, notwithstanding arousing, enthusiastic they may be, like La Marseillaise or the Mexican anthem, both of them A SIMPLE MARCH but WONDERFUL at it. The “words” in them ARE RELEVANT TO THE FRENCH AND MEXICAN PEOPLE ONLY.

By: Jose

Jose — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:46:46 +0000

Gus, the words are fairly bad and unimaginative is what I meant. Oh, and that author doesn’t know what he’s talking about, as he’s evaluating only music and then somehow misses France–so not credible ;)

By: Gus

Gus — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:47:44 +0000

Well,I have to say that the whole thing is very debatable. According to Alex Marshall from The Guardian :

“Be Upstanding: The ten best national anthems
FIRST
Uruguay: National anthem

One of the most euphoric pieces of classical music I’ve ever heard. Banks of trumpets play crescendos to false endings – for five minutes. But somehow it works.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/aug/11/olympics2008

I understand that the man knows what he’s talking about here, and certainly he is not being patriotic!
I have to add, that the rendition presented in this article,is in no doubt, horrible, perhaps “executed” by a bunch of secondary school students on an excursion, and their Spanish accent doesn’t sound very Uruguayan either. This anthem’s music was created in the 1830s by an Hungarian born musician that studied music in Italy and emigrated to Uruguay, named Deballi, less than ten years after Beethoven’s death to put things into perspective. That makes this anthem to sound a bit like an Opera Overture perhaps with a lot of Rossini’s influence.
This is a very subjective matter, where “patriotism” and jingoism play a very important role. I particularly like the Uruguayan anthem because being an Uruguayan myself, it bonds me to the motherland. Notwithstanding I very much like the Russian/USSR and French anthems!

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:39:00 +0000

The French anthem is also one of those few songs/melodies that have had a dual life. It has also been a “revolutionary” song in general standing for freedom and independence. I think the Casablanca scene reflects this; e.g., the song’s values are contrary to those of Nazism/Fascism. I also remember an Italian movie about a political organizer/anarchist where a group of Italians sing it to keep their courage up before a demonstration. All in all a great tune!

By: Al

Al — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:52:59 +0000

The only thing comparable to a stadium full of Mexicans singing the national anthem, is their roar after each goal.

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:14:29 +0000

Ugh, I hate national anthems. Let’s stick with football and not get caught up in pointless patriotism.