National anthem

A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition that stands for the history and traditions of a country or nation. It helps people feel proud and connected to where they come from. Most national anthems are written in the style of marches or hymns, which are types of music often used for celebrations and important events.

Some bigger countries that are made up of several parts have special songs for each of those parts. For example, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union each have their own songs for the areas within them. Even though these areas are not independent countries on their own, their songs are sometimes called national anthems too.

History

In earlier times, some European kings had special songs to honor their rule. For example, "God Save the King/Queen" was first sung in 1619 and is still used today in the United Kingdom and other countries that share the same king or queen.

France made history in 1795 when it became the first country to choose an official national anthem, "La Marseillaise". Many countries later chose their own anthems, especially when they became new nations or gained independence. For instance, countries in Latin America picked anthems after their fights for freedom in the early 1800s.

Some national anthems have very old words but were only set to music much later. Japan’s anthem, "Kimigayo", uses words from a very old poem, but the music was not written until 1880.

After World War II, many new countries chose anthems when they became independent. Even today, some places still use long-loved songs as their anthems without having made them official by law.

Usage

National anthems are used in many different situations. There are often special rules for when and how they are played, like standing up or showing respect. They are commonly heard on national holidays, at sports events, and sometimes even at the start or end of school days.

Countries often play their national anthems during important events, like when a team wins a gold medal at the Olympic Games or before games begin. Some places also play the anthem when radio or television stations start or end their broadcasting day. For example, in China, the national anthem is played before evening news on local television. However, some countries have special rules about when and how their anthem can be used outside their borders.

Creators

Many famous national anthems were created by composers who aren't very well-known today. For example, Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle wrote "La Marseillaise", and John Stafford Smith created the tune for "The Anacreontic Song", which later became the U.S. national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner". The writer of "God Save the King", one of the oldest and most famous anthems, is still a mystery.

Only a few national anthems were written by famous composers around the world. Germany’s anthem, "Das Lied der Deutschen", uses a tune by Joseph Haydn, and Austria’s anthem, "Land der Berge, Land am Strome", is sometimes said to be by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The Vatican City’s anthem, the "Pontifical Anthem", was composed in 1869 by Charles Gounod.

Some countries asked well-known composers to create their national anthems, but often chose a different tune instead. For example, Malaysia asked famous composers but ended up using a melody from the state of Perak, which came from a popular French song called "La Rosalie" by Pierre-Jean de Béranger.

A few anthems were written by people who also won big awards for literature. Rabindranath Tagore, the first Asian winner, wrote the words and music for "Jana Gana Mana", India’s anthem, and "Amar Shonar Bangla", Bangladesh’s anthem. He is the only person to have written the national anthems for two countries. The national anthem of Sri Lanka was inspired by Tagore’s work.

Languages

A national anthem with words is usually sung in the country's main language, but there are many exceptions. Some countries have more than one official language and offer different versions of their anthem.

For example, Switzerland's anthem, the "Swiss Psalm", has words in each of its four official languages. Canada's anthem, "O Canada", has official words in both English and French. South Africa's anthem uses five of its eleven official languages in one song. Some countries, like Spain, do not use words in their national anthem at all.