Getting closer to revealing the best national anthem… Before we get to #4, let’s recap the top ten so far: 10. Greece, “Hymn to Liberty” 9. Uruguay, “National Anthem of Uruguay” 8. Russia, “National Anthem of the Russian Federation” 7. China, “Song of the Volunteers” 6. Japan, “Kimigayo” 5. Brazil, “The Brazilian National Anthem” If … More The Best National Anthems: The UK
In my quest to identify the World’s Best National Anthem, we breezed through six also-rans and three honorable mentions en route to last Friday’s reveal of my Modern Europe students’ choice for the 6th best anthem: Japan’s “Kimigayo.” Again, the initial rankings were based on a semi-serious but mostly objective calculation weighing three factors: how … More The Best National Anthems: Brazil
Over the last two weeks I’ve probably tried many readers’ patience by dedicating a few thousand words to extolling the virtues of two of my favorite bands: The Jayhawks (who released an underwhelming new album on Sept. 20th) and Wilco (whose outstanding new album arrived one week later). “What does this have to do with … More Radio Kings: “The Echo of a Voice”
Having disposed of nine nominees on Wednesday and Thursday for the coveted title of World’s Best National Anthem, let’s jump right into the six finalists. Again, the initial rankings were based on a semi-serious but mostly objective calculation weighing three factors: how long the song has endured as official anthem; how singable the anthem is, … More The Best National Anthems: Japan
Today we get closer to settling, once and for all, the question, “What’s the best national anthem?” On Monday I explained how this series stemmed from an exploration of 19th century European nationalism in my Modern Europe course. Yesterday I revealed six national anthems that didn’t really come close to making the cut for our … More The Best National Anthems: Honorable Mentions
As I discussed Monday, song is often seen as an integral part of the project of constructing a nation, what Benedict Anderson calls an “imagined community.” So as my Modern Europe class spends a few days on the history of 19th century nationalism, I’m inspired to settle, once and for all, the question, “What’s the … More The Best National Anthems: Also-Rans
Last Tuesday the Minneapolis band known as the Jayhawks released their first album since 2003 (and their first with founder Mark Olson since the mid-1990s), leading me to take a break from typical Pietist Schoolman topics and propose the ten Jayhawks’ songs that would best introduce the band to a newbie. The Jayhawks are perhaps … More Radio Kings: Wilco
This week “This Week in History” will take a break. In its place, I’ll use the Monday morning post to kick off a new series I’ve been looking forward to for weeks: Once and for all, I will settle the question, “What’s the best national anthem?” Later today my Modern Europe class will start a … More The Best National Anthems: Introduction
Your music fills my car Your voice breaks every time I’m still wonderin’ If I know who you are I hang on every line One day near the end of my time at the College of William and Mary, I tagged along with my friends Mark and Vicki to do some music shopping in Norfolk, … More Radio Kings: The Jayhawks
One of my favorite things about the church we attend is its music ministry. Even for a church of our size, it’s remarkable that we have enough musically gifted members (some of them professional musicians, most talented amateurs) to support multiple adult, youth, and children’s choirs, a contemporary worship band, bell choirs, a wind ensemble, … More My Four Favorite Sounds
The Pietist Schoolman 