Ridiculous History History's Weirdest National Anthems
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Mar 3, 2026 A playful dive into the oddities of national anthems and how they function as propaganda. Exploration of ancient origins like the Dutch Wilhelmus and songs lifted from folk tunes and hymns. A look at split anthems and creative solutions, plus how multilingual and instrumental anthems tell national stories without uniform words.
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Hosts Complain About Overexposed Anthem Renditions
- Noel Brown and Ben Bowlin joke about overexposure to the U.S. national anthem and bad renditions becoming memorable.
- They reference public botched performances like Roseanne Barr and an intoxicated Ingrid Andress at the Home Run Derby.
Czechoslovakia Split Its Anthem Peacefully
- Czechoslovakia split its single anthem between the new Czech Republic and Slovakia after the Velvet Divorce.
- The original 1918 anthem combined a Czech opera verse and a Slovak folk verse; each new country adopted one part (Czech first verse, Slovakia second plus an added verse).
The Wilhelmus Is An Old Controversial Anthem
- The Dutch Wilhelmus is arguably the world's oldest national anthem but its authorship and elite associations made it controversial.
- The tune traces to a French Catholic chanson and was unpopular as an Orange royalist hymn until WWII's occupation revived its national symbolism.