Simple songs of freedom

Some are lyrical, others defiant; still others are persistent earworms of the level of Baby Shark. (Have you tried getting Star-Spangled Banner out of your head during Olympic season?)

- Adam Jacot de Boinod

The national anthem is one of the most recognisable marks of any country. And it’s interesting the tales they tell.

Most anthems are composed in the style of either a march or a hymn. O Canada of course is the latter. Great Britain’s God Save the King is a rallying cry that falls somewhere in-between.

By and large, the idea is the same across the board: swords drawn, brave patriots stand ready to defend; a rich and glorious past inspires loyalty and devotion.

The oldest national anthem still in use today is the Wilhelmus of the Netherlands, composed between 1568 and 1572. Very much in the manner of a hymn, with a church organ even playing in the background, it was created amid a struggle for freedom from Spanish rule.