What is the best national anthem?
• This is a very subjective thing to judge, and pretty much hinges on how you define “best”. (You may have seen in magazines or websites where they list, for example, “The Ten Best Songs of Rock and Roll”, and you would inevitably disagree with their picks (or each list has different picks), mainly because it depends on personal taste.) It was reported that China was honoured with the “world’s best anthem” at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany, whereas “Kimigayo” won first prize at a 1903 “World National Anthem Contest” also held in Germany. However, nothing is said in either case of how these conclusions were arrived at and what criterion were used in these judgements. My particular criterion for what makes an anthem good are that it should be stirring and simple, while encapulating how natives and the world view the country, as well as easy to sing. Nations such as Gibraltar, Canada, Germany, and Israel all fit this description. I am currently undertaking a huge project (when
