Rules:
- Over 30 years old
- Should be a HUGE hit everyone in your country remembers to this day
- Preferably something that is relatively unknown outside of your country
- Preferably sang in your native tongue
Portugal: Grândola, Vila Morena - Zeca Afonso. Probably not a hit when it came out, as it was banned by the dictatorial regime at the time but it became the anthem of our 1974 revolution, pretty much because it was the song that the revolutionary group chose to be played on the radio station (they took control of) to mobilize their forces.
Zeca Afonso has a bunch of other well-known (and really good) songs, all sung in Portuguese but this is the one most people know by heart. It helps that it gets played every year on the anniversary of the revolution and whenever there’s a protest.
Grândola is a good choice, though because of the political association it will never be a hit with the non-leftist crowd. Dunas or A minha casinha are probably more popular/neutral choices and, unlike Zeca’s song, no-one outside of Portugal has ever heard about them (Grândola is well-known amongst at least some niche circles in Spain, where it was first released/sung during the dictatorship).
OTOH I’m fairly sure that in 50 years few will remember Xutos and GNR, while Grândola will still be sung over the centennial celebrations (assuming we don’t fall back into a far-right dictatorship by then…)
Yeah, that’s a fair point. After my post I thought A minha casinha or Não sou o único would also be good choices.
(Grândola is well-known amongst at least some niche circles in Spain, where it was first released/sung during the dictatorship).
That’s true, from what I can tell, it’s pretty popular in Galiza.
Nena - 99 Luftballons comes to my mind. Guess the country
Interesting. How do you guys feel about Bruttosozialprodukt?
We steigern it.
Butr only when the Werksirene dröhnt
And The Stichel lustvoll stöhnt
And the gabelstapelfahrer mit der stapelgabler prahlt
Bavaria?
Schwurbelstan?
Ok I start. For Slovakia I say ‘Kráľovná bielych tenisiek’ (Queen of white sneakers) by Elán
I would imagine everyone in Finland still knows this one, right?
Images - Les Démons de minuit
It still can be heard at every wedding parties.
On behalf of Canada, Home for a Rest
This song was HUGE in the US. My one of my absolute favorite songs to play
No way, I love that song!
Sing it again, High-fructose Boy 😁
Another one in similar vein https://youtu.be/cX2nbYYW1uk?si=ADtUvbB3iSwCH0BW
Skipper Klements morgensang: https://youtu.be/C0QQzXgKwOI?si=Ifno3B832V7P33D- A song from 1970 (I actually thought it was way older) about a civil war in 1534
Alternatively Midsommervisen, written in 1885, with the popular melody rewritten in 1980: https://youtu.be/q4i-5Df0oVc
Is sung on Sankt Hans Aften every year while roasting a (sculpture of a) witch on a huge bonfire.
Midsommervisen is so nice :)
What about https://youtu.be/sBvy_lHuir0 ?
'Kender du det ?" (1975) by Søren Kragh-Jacobsen
The country is Denmark :)
Germany, 1985:
Not my country, but I think “Mayonaka no Door / Stay With Me” needs to be here.
I just listened to this last night.
Rent
Volare (Nel blu dipinto di blu) - Domenico Modugno
We know Volare in germany from football
One of Germany’s favorite Schlager 😝
