Favourite National Anthem? When you have a moment between rants perhaps?

I have always liked our national anthem (Jana Gana Mana) because I love the music and I'm a true patriot !

I also liked

Australia's
Bangladesh's
England's

I wonder why people are not mentioning India's national anthem. I'd love to hear your views on it.

My favorite is obviously the Star Spangled Banner, however honorable mention goes to India and Finland. Among the worst have to be those of Holland and old Iraq.

My favourite anthem is, without doubt, Flower of Scotland. Closely followed by, ashamed as I am to say it, God Defend New Zealand!

Is Adelveis Austria (or anyone else's) anthem? If so, that's my favorite. I of course, also like the US's, since that is my nationality and it would just seem wrong for it not to be...

Personally I detest GSTQ: in addition to being a truly dire dirge, as someone who believes that we really need to get rid of these freeloading self important buffoons, I do not like the fact that they feature in our national anthem, in addition to the religious aspect of it.

Really we'd have to replace it with something new: Land of Hope And Glory smacks a little of Empire, Jerusalem is a religious song, can't think of anything that's really appropriate just now.

Favourites? Italy has a jolly tune I suppose, and I'd agree about The International being an inspiring anthem.

Anthems are a talking point in Japan at the moment. The trendiest form of civil disobedience at the moment is to not stand during the playing of the anthem. High school teachers are now being fined for refusing to do this at the start of the day.

So I guess for many here, the Japanese anthem would be the worst, though I don`t mind it.

The best for me would be the Italian and the (newly reinstated) Russian anthem.

Although Jerusalem is religious, its got a great tune, very inspiring and anthem-y. if someone could compose another set of lyrics for it, which preferably didnt revolve around the queen or mention hammering the Scots, it could work GSTQ could be kept on as a royal anthem, to make her think that shes special!

*I also agree with Islingtonian, the Eastenders theme tune would be great, and everyone would remember it!!*

As for faves, I think the Bulgarian anthem has very good lyrics, although i have no idea what the tune is like

Just as a jocular aside, did you know that Advance Australia Fair can be sung to the tune of Gilligan's Island, AND Auld Lang Syne?

My favourite anthem is probably the French- the music is very stirring.

My personal favorite is the Indian National Anthem (Jana Gana Mana). (Very patriotic of me)
However among the lesser known coutries, I'd recommend Oman's National Anthem, incidentally Oman's the only country in the world that begins with an "O".
I also like the Russian National Anthem, seems to me to have a great deal of rythm and flow to it.
The Indian Anthem was composed by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who incidentally is the only person in the world to have composed two national anthems (Bangladesh and India's).
It is a tribute to the land of which is "the ruler of the minds of the people".
Jaya He!

Good going, Kaushik. I just love its(Jana Gana Mana'a) tune. It provides a perfect start to my day in school.

Obviously I'm a big fan of Jana Gana Mana, I don't think you'll find that many Indians who aren't. However, among other anthems, I really liked Greece's as well as China's.

"I think that very much depends on the language you're speaking"
Do you mean countries like 'olland and 'onduras and 'ong Kong, Leau??

Nope, that's not what I meant. But if you're Austrian your country's name would be Österreich, starting with an O even though in English it would start with an A.