Originally written as a war song, 'La Marseillaise' has evolved into a symbol of unity and solidarity - and here's what it means
France have been one of the most exciting teams to watch in recent times, with the sheer talent of their team earning a World Cup triumph in 2018.
With Kylian Mbappe, N'Golo Kante, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele in their squad, expectations for Les Bleus are high.
GOAL has what you need to know about their national anthem 'La Marseillaise' and more.
What is La Marseillaise?
'La Marseillaise' is the French national anthem. It was composed in a single night in 1792 by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg following the declaration of war against Austria by France.
The mayor of Strasbourg decided the French troops needed an appropriate marching song, and Rouget de Lisle responded with 'La Marseillaise'.
The song was originally titled 'Chant de guerre de l'armee du Rhin' (War Song of the Army of the Rhine'), but the anthem eventually became known as 'La Marseillaise' due to its popularity with volunteer troops from the French city of Marseille.
What is the meaning behind La Marseillaise?
The lyrics of 'La Marseillaise' evoke themes of defiance and strength, urging the French citizens to "Marchons! Marchons!", meaning "let's march".
'La Marseillaise' was sung by army troops from Marseilles as they travelled to Paris, and is a spirited anthem meant to be sung with passion and enthusiasm, inspiring solidarity within the French people.
Originally written as a war chant, the anthem has since served as a rallying cry and an opportunity for camaraderie and harmony.
Both France supporters and England supporters sang a rousing rendition of 'La Marseillaise' at Wembley Stadium in November 2015 as a show of unity following the Paris attacks. It made for an emotional showing, with both sets of fans rarely coming together to sing a country's national anthem.
“There is a sense in which it is a very violent song, but people have taken it to mean the defense of freedom – that is obviously what is in people’s minds today,” said David Andress, Professor of Modern History at University of Portsmouth, about the anthem.
“Music and song are very important cultural forces in generating cohesion. Whether it be national anthems, or religious music, or hymns, or folk songs, there is a very emotional, primal response to singing in union.”
The original lyrics to 'La Marseillaise' had six verses, but only the first and sixth verses of the anthem are usually sung at public events. The text of these two verses are shown below, along with an accompanying English translation.
