I have always been rather attached to "La Marseillaise." Wikipedia's article about it includes this:
The song was banned in Vichy France and German occupied areas during World War II and singing it was an act of resistance (see also Chant des Partisans). . . .
In France itself, the anthem (and particularly the lyrics) has become a somewhat controversial issue since the 1970s. Some consider it militaristic and xenophobic, and many propositions have been made to change the anthem or the lyrics.
What do the objectors find objectionable? This:
- Verse I
- Arise children of our fatherland,
- The day of glory has arrived!
- Against us, tyranny,
- Has raised its bloodied banner,
- Do you hear in the fields
- The howling of these fearsome soldiers?
- They are coming into your midst
- To slit the throats of your sons and consorts!
-
- Chorus
- To arms, citizens!
- Form your battalions!
- Let us march, let us march!
- Let impure blood (of our enemies)
- Soak the furrows (of our fields)
- Verse II
- What does this horde of slaves,
- Traitors, and plotting kings want?
- For whom these vile chains
- These long-prepared irons?
- Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage,
- What fury must it arouse?
- It is us they dare plan
- To return to the old slavery!
- Chorus
- Verse III
- What! These foreign cohorts!
- They would make laws in our courts!
- What! These mercenary phalanxes
- Would cut down our warrior sons
- Good Lord! By chained hands
- Our brow would yield under the yoke
- The vile despots would have themselves be
- The masters of destiny
- Chorus
- Verse IV
- Tremble, tyrants and traitors
- The shame of all good men
- Tremble! Your parricidal schemes
- Will receive their just reward
- Against you we are all soldiers
- If they fall, our young heroes
- France will bear new ones
- Ready to join the fight against you
- Chorus
- Verse V
- Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors
- Bear or hold back your blows
- Spare these sad victims
- That they regret taking up arms against us
- But not these bloody despots
- These accomplices of Bouillé
- All these tigers who mercilessly
- Ripped out their mothers' wombs
- Chorus
- Verse VI
- Sacred patriotic love
- Lead [and] support our avenging arms
- Liberty, cherished liberty
- Fight back with your defenders
- Under our flags, let victory
- Hurry to your manly tone
- So that your enemies, in their last breath [before death]
- See your triumph and our glory!
- Chorus
- Verse VII
- We shall enter the career
- When our elders will no longer be there
- There we shall find their ashes
- And the mark of their virtues
- [We are] Much less jealous of surviving them
- Than of sharing their coffins
- [For] We shall have the sublime pride
- Of avenging or joining them
- Chorus
If the French (unsurprisingly) find it too ferocious, let's make it our own by replacing "Frenchmen" and "France" with "Americans" and "America." Given the present state of the world, "La Marseillaise" is much more fitting (and rousing) than the rather airy (and almost un-sing-able) "Star Spangled Banner."
