Anthems of Countries and other Things

Countries with anthems that don’t have consensus:

• United States — “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Some Black Americans object to the often-omitted 3rd stanza (“No refuge could save the hireling and slave”) and to Francis Scott Key’s links to slavery; the verse fuels debate about singing the anthem. Wikipedia+1

• United Kingdom (esp. Northern Ireland) — “God Save the King.” Irish nationalists/republicans in Northern Ireland often avoid singing a monarchic UK anthem at sports events and ceremonies; the issue recurs in local debate. belfasttelegraph.co.uk

• France — “La Marseillaise.” Its explicitly violent lines (“impure blood”) regularly draw criticism and discomfort among some communities; the topic returns whenever players/fans don’t sing. Le Monde.fr+1

• Türkiye — “İstiklâl Marşı.” Kurdish students/activists have faced investigations or pressure over not singing the anthem; anthem-related enforcement intersects with broader restrictions on Kurdish expression. Morning Star+1

• Sri Lanka — “Sri Lanka Māthā.” Whether the anthem may be sung in Tamil (alongside Sinhala) has been politically contested; the Tamil version was reinstated in 2016, then sidelined at times, and later allowed again, all amid debate about inclusion. Eur-Lex+3Wikipedia+3The Diplomat+3

• Spain — “Marcha Real.” Spain’s state anthem has no official lyrics, in part because agreeing on words acceptable to all has proved politically difficult—so no one sings it. Wikipedia+1

Helpful counter-examples (how countries have tried to be inclusive):

• Canada — “O Canada.” In 2018 the English line “in all thy sons command” was changed to “in all of us command” to be more inclusive; the anthem also has official English and French versions. Canada+1

• South Africa — post-1994 anthem. A deliberately hybrid, multilingual anthem combining “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” and “Die Stem” was adopted to bridge communities after apartheid. Wikipedia+1

• New Zealand — “God Defend New Zealand / Aotearoa.” Commonly sung in Māori and English back-to-back to reflect bicultural identity. Ministry for Culture & Heritage+1

• Australia – Indigenous Australians objected to “for we are young and free,” which seemed to ignore tens of thousands of years of First Nations history. In 2021 the lyric was officially changed to “for we are one and free.” PM&C+1

• Canada – The English lyrics “in all thy sons command” were criticized as excluding women and non-binary Canadians. Parliament changed it in 2018 to “in all of us command.” Canada+2Wikipedia+2

• United States – Some object to The Star-Spangled Banner’s rarely sung 3rd stanza (“no refuge could save the hireling and slave”), pointing to slavery-era language; the line fuels recurring calls for context, alternatives, or reform. amhistory.si.edu+1

• France – La Marseillaise is celebrated but also criticized for violent imagery (“let an impure blood water our furrows”), which some immigrants and minorities find alienating. The Guardian

• Sri Lanka – Longstanding tension over language: the Sinhala anthem long dominated national ceremonies, while singing the officially sanctioned Tamil version has been halted and later reinstated at times, reflecting inclusion debates among Sinhala and Tamil communities. Wikipedia

• Spain – To avoid divisive lyrics in a multilingual, multinational state, Marcha Real has no official words; attempts to add them have repeatedly stalled amid worries of excluding some groups. Wikipedia+2TalkSport+2

• South Africa – Post-apartheid, the country adopted a hybrid, multilingual anthem (Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, English) precisely to include communities once divided by race and language. Government of South Africa+1

• New Zealand – Uses Māori and English verses back-to-back; this bilingual practice grew to prominence in the 1990s to ensure Māori inclusion. Wikipedia+1

• Nepal – After the monarchy ended, Nepal replaced its royalist anthem in 2007 with new lyrics emphasizing unity and diversity across ethnic groups. Wikipedia+1