National melodies

Why is the King of Spain mentioned in the Netherlands' national anthem?

The purpose of a national anthem is to foster a sense of patriotism and unity among the citizens of a nation, but there are as many ways to achieve this as there are nations. While some anthems reflect on glorious deeds of the past, others express a shared desire for peace and prosperity, or celebrate love for their country, its lands, its leaders, and, at times, even the leaders of another nation. Let’s take a look at 10 national anthems with curious stories.

We all know the story of how The Star-Spangled Banner was written after a battle, but did you know it was not officially adopted as the national anthem for over a century? Composed during the War of 1812 under the title Defence of Fort M’Henry, it quickly became popular as a patriotic song and was officially adopted by the U.S. Navy in 1889. It was not declared the national anthem until 1931.

Some critics point to references in the third stanza—particularly language interpreted as relating to slavery—as well as the documented views of its author, Francis Scott Key. However, opposition to the song’s adoption at the time was more often based on its difficult vocal range and competition from other popular patriotic songs. Despite these debates, the poem—especially its first stanza—has long been regarded as a symbol of national unity.

Composed in 1572, it is one of the oldest national anthems still in use. The lyrics are written from the perspective of William of Orange—the leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish Empire—and reflect his inner struggles between his loyalty to the Spanish King and his duty to his people.

Though the original text has at least 15 stanzas, only the first stanza and sometimes the sixth are sung today, which can be confusing for those unfamiliar with the historical context, as the first stanza ends by declaring undying loyalty to the king of Spain.

After the 1917 Russian Revolution, the newly formed Soviet Union adopted the socialist anthem The Internationale as its national anthem. In 1944, the Soviet government replaced it with a new anthem centered on Soviet Russia, with lyrics that emphasized the Soviet fatherland and Joseph Stalin’s leadership, though it was often performed without lyrics after Stalin’s death.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Russian Federation adopted an instrumental piece known as The Patriotic Song, composed in 1833 by Mikhail Glinka. After a decade of debates, and citing the need for an anthem that people could sing, the government decided to restore the former Soviet melody, this time with newly written lyrics.

How many countries can say that they owe their national anthem to a moment of panic? At least one. Malaysia’s national anthem was adopted after its independence from the United Kingdom, using the melody of the anthem of the state of Perak. But where does that melody come from?

When the Sultan of Perak attended the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902, his delegation was asked to provide their state anthem. Not having one, he improvised and adapted the melody of a popular tune from the Seychelles. This melody was later adopted as the official anthem of Perak and eventually became the basis for Malaysia’s national anthem.

Composed and adopted as the national anthem during the Argentine War of Independence, but before the formal declaration of independence from Spain, this song was initially called the Patriotic March. It was much longer than the current anthem, and its lyrics were controversial, as they portrayed Spain as a tyrannical and bloodthirsty nation.

The anthem originally contained nine stanzas—including accusations towards Spain—which were used until 1924, when improved diplomatic relations with Spain and the arrival of thousands of Spanish immigrants led the government to shorten the lyrics and omit the more controversial parts.

Famed for having lyrics in five of the twelve official languages of the country —Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and English— this anthem was officially adopted after the end of apartheid, and reflects a broader desire for national unity.

The post-apartheid government initially retained the former Afrikaans anthem, while also adopting the Xhosa hymn Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika (God Bless Africa), which had long been used as a song of resistance. Maintaining two anthems proved impractical, so their lyrics were combined and translated into other majority languages to create a single national anthem that could represent all South Africans.

When Czechoslovakia existed as a single state, it adopted a combined national anthem consisting of the first stanza of the Czech song Kde domov můj ("Where Is My Home?"), followed by the first stanza of the Slovak song Nad Tatrou sa blýska ("Lightning over the Tatras").

After the country’s peaceful dissolution in the Velvet Divorce (1992), Czechia retained Kde domov můj as its national anthem, while Slovakia retained Nad Tatrou sa blýska, which is typically performed with two stanzas and in its traditional form.

Though its lyrics come from a poem dating to the 8th-10th centuries, Kimigayo was not adopted as Japan's national anthem until 1888, and it's one of the world’s shortest anthems. After World War II, it was not officially designated as the national anthem due to its imperial associations, though it continued to be used. It regained formal legal status in 1999.

Often translated into English as His Majesty's Reign, its initial verse is commonly rendered as "may your reign [continue]." The word kimi has historically been used for the emperor, and the song's brief lyrics express a desire for the Imperial reign to endure for thousands of years, "until the tiny pebbles grow into massive boulders."

In a similar fashion to the Wilhelmus, the Netherlands anthem, Andorra’s anthem is also written from a first-person perspective, this time not from an individual but the country itself, remembering its glorious past.

Composed in the early 20th century, it was adopted as the national anthem in 1921. In the lyrics, Andorra presents itself as a princess, daughter of Charlemagne, and describes itself as the "only remaining daughter of the Carolingian Empire."

A relatively new anthem, _Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka_—adopted in 2007—replaced the Shriman Gambhir following the abolition of the monarchy in Nepal. It’s notable for its distinctive melody, upbeat and joyful, quite different from other solemn or martial tone anthems.

The lyrics describe Nepal as a garland woven from hundreds of flowers, stretching from one corner of the country to the other, and emphasize the diversity of its people and landscapes.

NAME ANCESTRY

14 Surprising Origin Stories Behind State Names In The USA

Image: Pin Adventure Map

Ever wondered where most US states’ names come from? From Native American roots to foreign or made-up words, the stories behind many of them are riddled with surprising historical references. Although the origin of some US states’ names is fairly obvious, many derive from unexpected people or places. The origin of names like Colorado, Montana, or Nevada are easy to infer —especially if you know a bit of Spanish— but many others have Native American origins with intriguing meanings. Some are even derived from fiction. If you ever wanted to know where names like Oregon, Connecticut, or Wisconsin come from, you are in the right place. Enjoy the surprising etymologies behind some of the names that make our country.

Image: Joshua Woroniecki

Interestingly, for a state whose main economic activity is agriculture, the word Alabama comes from the Choctaw language and can be translated as "plant-cutters" or "vegetation pickers", recalling the farming practices of the Native Americans that lived in this area.

Image: olio creative

Alaska is a corruption of an Aleut word that means "mainland", but can be translated literally as "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed". This is one of those names that manage to bring poetry into a word as simple and down-to-earth as land.

Image: Vital Sinkevich

This one comes from… a Spanish adventure novel! Bet you didn’t expect that. In Las Sergas de Esplandin by Garcia Ordez de Montalvo, a book from the 1500s, there is a fictional place called the "Island of California". Even when the modern state of California is clearly not an island, some die-hard fanatic of the novel decided to bring the name to life here in the U.S.

Image: Juliette Dickens

Derived from the Algonquian word quinnehtukqut, which can be translated as "besides the long tidal river", in reference to the river Connecticut. If you are wondering what the "tidal" part means exactly, this is because the Connecticut River's flow and level are effectively influenced by tides along much of its course. Certainly some amazing insight into the rigorous knowledge of local hydrology that Native Americans managed to accrue over the centuries.

Image: Luke McKeown

Although the origin of this name is disputed, there are two main theories. One suggests that the islands may have been named after Hawaii Loa, their traditional discoverer. However, others have speculated that it is actually derived from the ancient Polynesian word hawaiki, meaning "place of the gods".

Image: NEOM

Another crazy one. Although the name was first claimed to be derived from a Shoshone word that meant "Gem of the Mountains", it is highly likely that the word was fabricated by George M. Willing, and meant as a practical joke.

Image: Stéfano Girardelli

Quite literally, "land of Indians", using a Latin suffix. The word Indians originally referred to the ancient dwellers of the shores of the Indus River, in South and Central Asia.

Image: NOAA

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore!" said Dorothy, from The Wizard of Oz, right after a rampant tornado literally lifted her house in the air and took it to God knows where. Well, this US state’s fame for violent winds predates even the first settlers, since Kansas is a Native American word used by the Dakota, strongly related to the idea of "wind".

Image: Drew Beamer

This state owes its name to an Iroquoian word that means "land of tomorrow". Quite a blockbuster-worthy movie title, if you ask me.

Image: Mercedes Mehling

The origin story behind the name of "The Pine Tree State" is still disputed. However, there are some interesting theories. One states that it derives from "mainland", as a form of distinction from the many coastal islands in the vicinity. Other theories propose that it was named in honor of Henrietta Maria, queen of England, or after the province of Mayne in France.

Image: Anthony Cantin

To the Native Americans that lived in this region, Missouri meant "town of the large canoes", as the Missouri tribes were renowned for their skill in making dugout canoes.

Image: Ashley Levinson

A largely disputed one. Many suggest that the name has Spanish origins, being similar to other words like orejón (meaning "big ear") or orégano, in reference to a type of plant (similar to the Mediterranean oregano) that grows in the southern part of the state.

Image: Donnie Rosie

This is the only state that has a part of its founder’s name in it. It is widely believed that Pennsylvania means "Penn’s Woodland", and was named as such in honor of Sir William Penn, father of its founder William Penn.

Image: Brydon McCluskey

This is probably a French corruption of a native Miami word that meant "it lies red" or "river running through a red place", in reference to the bed of the river Wisconsin.

If our quick dive into the peculiar world of US state names wasn’t enough to quench your curiosity, stay around! We will keep uploading more content related to language and the weird stories and etymologies behind many English and foreign words.