48 replies to this topic

[Alfisti]

I've heard the darn thing so many times this year between F1 and the olympics that i have grown to like it. You have to admit it sounds very Italain.. if you know what i mean. The really loud bit in the middle is the best ;)

[FordPrefect]

....don't want to start a war but IMHO the French National Anthem is the best by far. Even I want to stand for that one

FP

[davy boy]

I really like it,it almost makes Scummi's victories tolerable.

[baddog]

yeah the italian national anthem is funky.. it always makes me think of a group of about half a dozen italian carabinieri, in fluffed up uniforms with those mad feathers on their heads and big brass instruments marching like peacocks around some town square oompahing their anthem out.. its cool

SHaun

[phunk-ee planet]

Well baddog, I suppose that it is ME to judge wether a national anthem is phunk-ee or not. And I tell you that it is not funky at all.;)
Still, it's quite nice.

[baddog]

be off with you.. the italian national anthem was funky before you even learned to misspell it

;P

Shaun

[HappyDude]

Methinks it's the best national anthem I've heard. Not to short, not too long, pretty upbeat and happy (what's up with all those Eastern European anthems that sound like funeral marches?). It has a catchy theme that just sticks in your head and won't go away. Damn you guys, now it's going to be stuck with me all day at work...

[The RedBaron]

agreed, best sounding anthem around. Hate to say this, but I wish the British would change theirs.

[JayWay]

It rocks, it's so catchy. I saw an Italian swimmer win the gold in swimming and when they played the Italian national anthem it was so odd because everyone was standing still and the swimmer was crying, and I'm so used to seeing people sing and jump around and the winner be all jubulant conducting the fans that it didn't seem right. The Italian national anthem is the perfect background music to the tifosi

[Lamont]

It's a very jaunty, happy song. I love hearing the Ferrari mechanics singing it below the podium. Did you see the shot on TV of that guy belting it out right next to Corrina?

[CDNgrl]

Agree -- and it is running in my head right now! (believe me -- it is better than the Pokemon theme song!)

It makes me smile. Like most things italian -- it is very passionate and evokes lots of emotion.

[bigblue]

I agree also, mentioned it to my friend yesterday when they were playing it. very upbeat, love to hear it.

[RedFever]

while, as an Italian, I have never really loved the Inno di Mameli (always found it a little too upbeat) and always thought that Verdi's "Oh mia patria" (oh, my country) from Traviata would make such a superior selection (listen to it in Pavarotti's version), I got to like it this year because it offers quite some opportunities for interactions between the crowd, the drivers (or other athletes), etc. And, in typical Italian style, it becomes another opportunity to trow a party!!!!

Easter European anthems might sound like funerals, but then again, some of them were rushed in the aftermath of the USSR's colapse. While the French, Brazilian, British, German and US anthems are not bad at all, my all time favororite remains a defunct anthem: the anthem of the USSR. Just to hear it play, I often cheered Soviet athletes and I would make sure I never missed Salnikov or Bubka, because they were a guarantee I would be able to hear their anthem. Unfortunately, they don't play it anylonger. Not even Russia uses it, they now have a very sad and dreadful music. They should have follwoed the German example: the Germans dropped 2 paragraphs from their anthem in the post-Nazi era, to preserve the music and the acceptable part of the lyrics. The Russians should have done the same: keep the music of the Soviet anthem and write new lyrics.

[baddog]

oh an a question.. who was the old guy standing next to corinna at indy, singing the anthem at the top of his voice.. the tv focused on him for ages and he was obviously important but I dont know the face.. any real tifosi recognise him?

Shaun

[mono-posto]

My first thought was that it was Carlo Tazzoli, the Sponsorship Manager, but then I remembered that he sports a completely shaved head and no moustache. So in short, I have no clue.

Regarding the anthem, it was particularly nice at Monza with over 100,000 people singing along! I'm not Italian, but I am a HUGE Ferrari fan, and that seen was quite stirring.

[davy boy]

Red Baron, what's wrong with the Brit national anthem?
We should change it to the theme tune to the 'Archers', or ..... well, anything really.

[bs]

Been humming it all day.

[Bodzolca]

Yeah, it's the best. I fell in love with it on Euro

[miniman]

Agree with Red Baron, the USSR had the best anthem, too bad Russia doesn't use it. The US and British tie for worst in both tune and lyrics.

[Bruce]

You guys LIKE the Italian anthem????!!!

Wow.

I've always thought that it sounds enormously silly, especially when you consider that it is meant to be an anthem... just my opinion though.

[mono-posto]

Originally posted by miniman
The US and British tie for worst in both tune and lyrics.

Very true. As much as the British would like to deny this, we are cut from the same cloth.

All thing considered, since the USofA is named after an Italian, thier anthem suits me just fine.;)

[Megatron]

I always liked the UK, German, and the US national athems.

Did you know the US national athem gets its music from an old British church song?

[Mrv]

I am biased so I won't say anything about the anthem. But I will sing it for you all.

Fratelli d'Italia

(Brothers of Italy)

Fratelli d'Italia,
l'Italia s'e' desta,
dell'elmo di Scipio
s'e cinta la testa.
Dov'e la vittoria?
Le porga la chioma,
che schiava di Roma
Iddio la creo'.

Stringiamoci a coorte,
siam pronti alla morte.
Siam pronti alla morte,
l'Italia chiamo'.
Stringiamoci a coorte,
siam pronti alla morte.
Siam pronti alla morte,
l'Italia chiamo', si'!

Noi fummo da secoli
calpesti, derisi,
perche' non siam popoli,
perche' siam divisi.
Raccolgaci un'unica
bandiera, una speme:
di fonderci insieme
gia' l'ora suono'.

Uniamoci, uniamoci,
l'unione e l'amore
rivelano ai popoli
le vie del Signore.
Giuriamo far libero
il suolo natio:
uniti, per Dio,
chi vincer ci puo'?



Thankyou for your time!!!!

[HappyDude]

What about the Canadian anthem? It's so... ummm..... we have beavers!... I mean uhh, oh forget it.

[Nikolas Garth]

I quite like the Italian Anthem, but I agree with Redfever about the Anthem for the old Soviet Union, it was awesome.

[theMot]

I love the Italian Anthem, when shue wins the Championship at Japan though ;) I want them to play la Tarantella.

[mhferrari]

1. U.S. (naturally)
2. Italian (naturally)
3. Someother one

[Alfisti]

Originally posted by CDNgrl
Like most things italian -- it is very passionate and evokes lots of emotion.

You wan tItalian emotion.. try owning Alfa's, you'll cry as much as you smile

[RedFever]

not the new ones......


I didn't expect Bruce to like the anthem either, after all it's the one they play every time his buddy Schumi wins a race.......;)

[Horse]

Alfisti, A'men on owning Alfa's !!!!!!! Great line!! My father's Alfas were constantly dead ... as was his Fiat ....
He was constantly making excuses for them as if he built them .... "not built for North America ya know" ... he used to tell me in his broken English .... I wish I had a couple of those damn cars now!!!!

Anyhow, the Italian anthem is fantastic ... I kind of like the German one too. UK's is very majestic sounding (obviously) while the French one is kind of, well - inspirational.

Canadian One - I feel like a hockey game is about to break out at the end (although I do love it).

American one - I feel like war is about to break ouuu .... never mind.

[Steve]

It seems like Italian anthem has stuck with a few people after this race, me included. Once it gets in your head you keep humming it all day. A good tune for sure.
The opening of the French is also pretty good.

[MattFoster]

Being half Italian I might be a bit biased but I love the Italian national anthem, it's very stirring. It's not as good as Advance Australia Fair though.

Alfisti, I totally agree with you about owning Alfas. I really miss mine, it was the best 3 years I had as a car owner, even with the mechanical gremlins. Cursing it outside the car but as soon as you sat behind the wheel and turned the key, a smile from ear to ear.

RedFever, the old Soviet National anthem was the best for sure, the Olympics just aren't the same without it.


cheers
Matt

[Nikolas Garth]

Originally posted by MattFoster
It's not as good as Advance Australia Fair though.

cheers
Matt

You must be joking????. Advance Australia Fair is an appalling anthem and embarassment to Australia.

[MattFoster]

Nikolas,

Sorry for being proud of my Country ie. patriotic.

Can you please explain to me what exactly makes Advance Australia Fair an "appalling anthem and and embarassment to Australia"?

Cheers
Matt

[Nikolas Garth]

girt by sea

and essentially every other line.

Why don't you put up the lyrics and watch everyone cack themselves laughing?

[MattFoster]

I will when I have the time. The lyrics may sound a tad old fashioned but it's not the exact words used that make it a great anthem its the sentiment behind them.

Maybe you should take a closer look at them.

It is very similar to the Star Spangled Banner in evoking what that country is all about.

What would you prefer a song about a sheep thief?

Cheers
Matt

[Nikolas Garth]

Originally posted by MattFoster
What would you prefer a song about a sheep thief?

Cheers
Matt

I don't think Waltzing Matilda is suitable either. I'll happily settle for something that doesn't make me cringe in embarrassment.

Ever notice how few sportsmen sing Advanced Australia Fair, with any gusto??

[Alfisti]

Originally posted by MattFoster
Alfisti, I totally agree with you about owning Alfas. I really miss mine, it was the best 3 years I had as a car owner, even with the mechanical gremlins. Cursing it outside the car but as soon as you sat behind the wheel and turned the key, a smile from ear to ear.

I've never actually had mechanical gremlins. I've found the engines to be ultra reliable.. especially considering the pounding people give them when they see the tacho heading east.

My big gripe is with ergonomics and the appalling body work.

[Daemon]

Advance Australia Fair is the worst anthem I have ever heard. To sing it properly, you have to sing like a castrated choir boy as theres way to many high notes, so if sung with any gonads, it sounds crap.

Waltzing Matilda rocks. I know the words suck, but the tune rocks, and trust me in a stadium full of Aussies for a Australia vs NZ rugby match for example, there is nothing more inspiring that the whole crowd going off. Change the words perhaps?

[Alfisti]

I think AAF is one of the better sounding tunes but the words need some trimming.

[Halfwitt]

Mr. Mono-posto,

There will be very few British people who will admit to being cut from the same cloth as Americans. Hundreds of years ago maybe, but now..... I think not. The British are much closer to Australians, and I don't think they are very close.

Back to the original topic......
The French national anthem has it for me.... Go to Le Mans to hear it played just before the start of the 24 Hour race (cars or bikes). Very stirring.

[CDNgrl]

Originally posted by Alfisti

Originally posted by CDNgrl
Like most things italian -- it is very passionate and evokes lots of emotion.

You wan tItalian emotion.. try owning Alfa's, you'll cry as much as you smile

Alfisti -- I know. My husband had an X19 -- broke down ALL the time, and mechanics who are ABLE to fix it are hard to find in this area. It was in the garage every week, I swear, but my husband loved it soooo much. It was like ripping out his heart when he got rid of it.

In the garage sits a Fiat Spyder -- so yeah, I know the frustration Italian cars bring. But we love them any ways!

[RedFever]

Guys, I had an Alfa GTV for the past three years. Not one single mechanical problem, the design is a sweet Pininfarina racy look. I know old Alfas were an headache, the company was owned by the government during the 70s and 80s. Do you know any car company run by politicians that could produce anything decent? but in the past 10 years, since it became private again, Alfa has been resuscitated. I am not saying that their reliability is the same of Mercedes or BMW, but it's certainly good now. The designs are nice and my wife still cannot believe we were driving 150mph between Rome and Florence, because she did not feel any vibration or noise that would suggest the speed (the speedometer and rpm are strategically placed at an angle so that the front passenger cannot see them!!!!!!). Only after she realized I was basically passing everyone else, she asked me how fast I was going. I have nothing but great things to say about that car (well, don't count on driving any passengers in the back seats, they'll cramp in 7 minutes, it's basically a 2 seat car)

[baddog]

Originally posted by RedFever
the speedometer and rpm are strategically placed at an angle so that the front passenger cannot see them

okay before I only wanted a gtv, now I HAVE to have one ;)

Shaun

[arcwulf7]

Yeah i've grown to like the Italian National Anthem. Part of it might be a conditioned response to feeling generally happy when i hear it because it means Ferrari have won but the song has a lot of merit. Its not at all solemn or pretentious yet obviously emotive. I always wonder about its two parts when i hear it. Is this a legacy of the fractious city states that made up Italy before its confederation? The other unconventional anthem i like is the Marseilleise(sp?). A raucous revolutionary tune, only heard it once though at a Grand Prix, several years ago in Montreal (uhh and now that I think of it once for a constructor at Monaco).

[RedFever]

arc, it's actually the contrary. The entire song is about Italy's finally waking up and unite and go over the divisions that caused foreign countries to easily occupy it for centuries.

[theMot]

Advance Australia Fair???? You like this? You must be screwed. Nik is right, no one ever sings it with any pride when its on not like the French or Italian Anthems.

"Our land is girt by sea..." oh ****en dear!!!!!

"My car is girt by dirt..." What a ****en bonus!!!!!

[Alfisti]

Red, I wasn't including the new one's in my assessment. It's been over three years since they were released and so far so good on the gremlins and the rust reports from those who bought the new models.

IMHO, even allowing for my bias, the GTV 6 is the best looking new car on the road bar none. That engine sounds sweet as. What it does need is a turbo 4WD version with about 350Hp.

My big gripe with my GTV is that at high speed the sound and vibration is rather annoying. But i guess if you own a 30 year old car u have to expect this

[RedFever]

Alfisti, my GTV is not the old model from the 70s, but the current little Pininfarina design. But I used to love the GTV you mentioned, a friend of mine owned one and it was great.