At full cry, so that the Cup shall not pass us by!

I NEVER miss the singing of the national anthems before an international sports event. Sometimes it is the best part of the experience. 

I stand to attention every time Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika is sung before a match, hand on chest. I even get a bit emotional, intensely proud of my country, her people and talents.

Sure, it's probably a form of tribalism, an emotional and patriotic act. But I also view it as a symbol of the international brother/sisterhood of sport.

The most beautiful melody you'll hear during the World Cup is probably  Flower of Scotland. (The “proud Edward's army" in the song refers to the Scottish victory over king Edward II's England in 1314.)

O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
Your likes again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen,
And stood against them,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent them homeward,
Tae think again.

The Hills are bare now,
And Autumn leaves lie thick and still,
O'er land that is lost now,
Which those so dearly held,
That stood against them,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent them homeward,
Tae think again.

Those days are past now,
And in the past they must remain,
But we can still rise now,
And be a nation again,
That stood against them,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent them homeward,
Tae think again.

O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see your likes again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen,
And stood against them,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent them homeward,
Tae think again.

La Marseillaise is probably the most inflammatory anthem you will hear. It was composed by Joseph Rouget in 1792 when France declared war on Austria. 

This is the English translation:

Arise, children of the Fatherland,
The day of glory has arrived!
Against us, tyranny's
Bloody standard is raised, (repeat)
Do you hear, in the countryside,
The roar of those ferocious soldiers?
They're coming right into your arms
To cut the throats of your sons, your women!

To arms, citizens,
Form your battalions,
March, march!
Let an impure blood
Water our furrows!

What does this horde of slaves,
Of traitors and conspiring kings want?
For whom have these vile chains,
These irons, been long prepared? (repeat)
Frenchmen, for us, ah!
What outrage
What furious action it must arouse!
It is to us they dare plan
A return to the old slavery!

To arms, citizens…

The Irish national anthem is not sung at the World Cup because the team also represents Northern Ireland. Instead, Ireland's Call is sung:

Come the day and come the hour
Come the power and the glory
We have come to answer
Our Country's call
From the four proud provinces of Ireland

Ireland, Ireland,

Together standing tall
Shoulder to shoulder
We'll answer Ireland's call (herhaal)

New Zealand's anthem is sung in Maori and English. Here's the English verse: 

God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.

No spectator crowd sings an anthem as beautifully as the Welsh. Land of my Fathers is sung in Welsh: 

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,
Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;
Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mâd,
Tros ryddid gollasant eu gwaed.

Here's the English translation and further verses:

This land of my fathers is dear to me
Land of poets and singers, and people of stature
Her brave warriors, fine patriots
Shed their blood for freedom

Chorus:
Land! Land! I am true to my land!
As long as the sea serves as a wall
For this pure, dear land
May the language endure for ever.

Old land of the mountains, paradise of the poets,
Every valley, every cliff a beauty guards;
Through love of my country, enchanting voices will be
Her streams and rivers to me.

Though the enemy have trampled my country underfoot,
The old language of the Welsh knows no retreat,
The spirit is not hindered by the treacherous hand
Nor silenced the sweet harp of my land.

Advance Australia Fair was the most popular patriotic song Down Under for a century. In 1977, Australians voted in a referendum to make it the official anthem, replacing God Save the Queen. It is occasionally also sung in the indigenous Yugambeh language, as in the video below. 

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are one and free;
We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history’s page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.

In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

Britain's anthem is the shortest and simplest of all 20 anthems at the World Cup, also the only anthem where the lyrics change depending on the gender of the head of state. The anthem has five verses, but only the first is sung at sports events. It has been the anthem since 1745.

God save our gracious King,
Long live our noble King,
God save the King!

Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the King!

Argentina sing a shortened version of their rather lengthy anthem at this kind of event. It starts, unusually, with instrumental music before this (translated into English):  

Hear, mortals, the sacred cry:
“Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!”
Hear the sound of broken chains
See noble equality enthroned.

Their most worthy throne have now opened
The United Provinces of the South.
And the free people of the world reply:

“To the great Argentine people, good health!”
“To the great Argentine people, goodhealth!”

And the free ones of the world reply:
“To the great Argentine people, good health!”
And the free ones of the world reply:
“To the great Argentine people, good health!”

♦ VWB ♦

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