More Internationalism, Viva!
Surprisingly in the age of globalisation I find that a lot of blogs are rather parochial and overtly concerned with national matters, so it was a pleasant surprise when I found out that Andrew Coates, renowned internationalist and Francophile, had started up Tendance Coatesy.
Andrew is a fervent secularist, is very knowledgeable on France and has a good sense of humour.
Viva la Revolution at Tendance Coatesy.
Update: I am not much for national anthems, but topically I have a certain weakness for La Marseillaise. It is a very nice tune and the history behind the music is intriguing, according to Internet Modern History Sourcebook:
“La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, was composed in one night during the French Revolution (April 24, 1792) by Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle, a captain of the engineers and amateur musician stationed in Strasbourg in 1792. It was played at a patriotic banquet at Marseilles, and printed copies were given to the revolutionary forces then marching on Paris. They entered Paris singing this song, and to it they marched to the Tuileries on August 10th.
Ironically, Rouget de Lisle was himself a royalist and refused to take the oath of allegiance to the new constitution. He was imprisoned and barely escaped the guillotine.. Originally entitled Chant de guerre de l’armeé du Rhin (War Song of the Army of the Rhine), the anthem became called La Marseillaise because of its popularity with volunteer army units from Marseilles.”
Anyways, this is the version that I like:
Update 2: Andrew suggests this site, http://www.chambre-claire.com/PAROLES/Les-nouveaux-partisans.htm
I preferred the Russian version of Le Chant des Partisans, just sounds a bit more nature:
ModernityBlog 
I agree about national anthems. For twenty years I have been beating the drum, in vain, for some alternative to The Star-Spangled Banner, which is musically and lyrically inane.
The French got that one right.
(Inevitably, some Prog suggests “This Land Is Your Land,” which somehow manages to be even worse.)
Mesquito
26/09/2008 at 12:37
Totally right. Though it does a line in it about ‘qu’un sang inpur abreuve vos sillons’ (may their impure blood water your furrows – referring to the ‘foreign’ aristo supporters) which is a bit dubious.
I must admit Modernity that the bit in Casablanca always sends shivers down my spine. Another French song (there are quite a few in fact) that does this for me is Le Chant des Partisans. Apparently after the Second World War this was proposed as a new French anthem.
But the one you really should listen to is the post-68 Dominique’s Nous sommes des nouveaux Partisans. Here: http://www.chambre-claire.com/PAROLES/Les-nouveaux-partisans.htmc That’s the GP (proletarian left)’s time of course
Andrew Coates
04/10/2008 at 18:08
ahh, well, I never knew that. I confess my French is almost non-existence, tis a good day when you learn something 🙂
Have you ever read Great Nation?
modernityblog
04/10/2008 at 18:49