Sunday, July 7, 2013

176 Quiz Answer

Here’s this week’s quiz answer.

Way back in 18th-century France, an army engineer named Rouget de Lisle wrote a piece of music – a chant de guerre, a war song.

Revolutionary types got hold of it and made it theirs.  Volunteers from Marseille, on a march against the French King, entered Paris on July 30th, 1792, singing the song with such fervor that so many in the City of Light were thrilled by it; they named it “La Marseillaise.”

For decades the melody sort of represented France but it was not until 1958 that it was made the official national anthem.


(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "Z" is for "zeal.")
Here’s this week’s Berownial quiz question.  It’s about a well-known song.  Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is: name the song.

“You don’t understand.  I’ve got nothing against the song as a song.  It’s beautiful.” 

“Then why are you against adopting it as our official theme?”

“It’s confusing.  Originally it was a chant de guerre, a war song – full of patriotic zeal and all that.  Then the rebels got hold of it; the whole meaning changed.  Suddenly it was part of, a kind of trigger for, the Revolution.  For the composer it was like a kick in the belly; he was horrified.”

“Well, I hate to hurt the composer’s feelings, but a song was very much needed and this seems to fill the bill.  Besides, when those guys from the south showed up on a march against the French king while singing this piece, people went wild.”

“I know.  There are some who immediately claimed it should be declared official, but it’s really just a song named after a southern town.  Strange that anyone would consider it appropriate for other sections of the country.”

“But they do!  If this is what they want, I say let’s give it to them.”

“Well, there’s another problem.  We need a piece that can be sung by everyone, school kids as well as adults.  Have you read the hapless lyrics?  Talk about blood and guts – it’s too much!”

“There’s no need to emphasize such delinquent stuff when you’re singing the song.  You just need to keep the emphasis on the uplifting theme.”

“Here, read the lyrics.  It’s about killing, no use pretending it isn’t.  It’s about slaughtering the forces of the enemy so that their blood will fertilize our fields.  Their blood will be flowing down the plowed furrows!  You’re going to have five-year-olds singing this in kindergarten?” 

“Well, it’s strong, no question about that.  But we need a strong song as a national anthem and it’s simply a fact that it has caught the imagination of a great many people around the world.”

(Also submitted to Sunday Scribblings.) 

 

36 comments:

kaykuala said...

It's La Marseillaise, Berowne!

Hank

Old Egg said...

This sounds like La Marseillaise, adopted as the Fench national anthem.

Berowne said...

Kaykuala and oldegg have started us off by being first with the right answer.

Altonian said...

La Marseillaise.

Altonian said...

I don't suppose this could be 'La Marseillaise' by any chance? Of course it could!

Helen said...

Must be the French national anthem? La Marseillaise. I get chills and tears in my eyes when I hear it ~ especially during the Olympics.

Berowne said...

Helen and Altonian have also coughed up the correct answer.

naturgesetz said...

C'est la Marseillaise!

Roger Owen Green said...

Interesting that a LOT of national songs would fit at least part of the bill: the Battle Hymn of the Republic, The Star-Spangeled Banner. But I'll go with Yankee Doodle, which I mentioned in passing in my last ABC Wednesday post!

Berowne said...

Naturgesetz has just joined us with the right answer.

izzy said...

Battle hymn of the republic?-a favorite along with 1/2 the world I am sure-

Berowne said...

I have to admit, "Battle Hymn" comes close, but it's not quite the right answer.

Silent Otto said...

Queen - " we will rock you " !
Gday Berowne , hey thanks for introducing me to Ibsen , i am getting a real education here , thanks mate

Kathe W. said...

Oh wonderful! Mon dieu! I love this anthem!
La Marseillaise!!!

The Blog of Bee said...

La Marseillaise

Berowne said...

Bee's Blog snd Kathe W have both signed in with the right answer.

Unknown said...

La marseillese ( hope I got the spelling right!)

Berowne said...

Frankie Jay is the latest to give us the right answer.



Lady In Read said...

had to google.. normally would have tried or let you know I did not know but the question left me curious so googled.. and were you thinking of Algeria

Leslie: said...

My first thought is The Marseillaise (France)

Unknown said...

thinking...thinking...googling...okay, won't do that, will wait to learn the answer

Tess Kincaid said...

La Marseillaise?

Meryl said...

Is it the French Anthem...Song of Marseille?

Heidi said...

La Marseillaise

Allons enfants!

The Blog of Bee said...

Oh good!

Susan Anderson said...

I'm guessing La Marseillaise.

=)

Berowne said...

Well, we've just received a new list of "winners," folks who've given us the correct answer: Sue, Heidi, Meryl, Tess Kincaid and Leslie. Thanks all. and congrats.

Anonymous said...

The National Anthem of France, La Marseillaise !

Kate said...

Dixie

Berowne said...

Uberrhund has also supplied us with the right answer.

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

Too tired (or too lazy!) to read between the lines, I will simply wait for the correct answer to be posted. Meanwhile, congratulations to all those whose brains function better than mine! :)

Sharp Little Pencil said...

Le Marseilles, or however it's spelled.

Saw Ginger Rogers in "The Barkleys of Broadway," she played a hoofer who longed to be a serious actress (art imitates life), and in her role as Sarah Bernhardt, she auditions for the French Conservatory of the Arts. She chucks the piece she practiced and instead recites the words to Le Marseilles with a fever pitch I've rarely seen from La Ginger. A great moment.

And don't get me started on Casablanca, where that scene featured an actual Concentration Camp escapee... the woman who consorts with the Nazis and is moved by the song to abandon the pursuit. Amy

Sheilagh Lee said...

so many songs impossible to know which for me.

Berowne said...

Sharp Little Pencil, whose pencil is always sharp but not necessarily little, has just given us the right answer.

Susan Lindquist said...

My bet is Yankee Doodle Dandy ... no national anthem, but a song that inspried soldiers, patriots, rabble rousers and legions of school children ...

Susan Lindquist said...

... or could it be My Country Tis of Thee?

 
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