The French national anthem, La Marseillaise, was penned by army engineer Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle during the French revolutionary wars in 1792.
It was originally written as a marching song and the lyrics can only be described as bloodthirsty.
The anthem evokes brutal images of cutting the throats of the enemy and “watering” the fields with their “impure” blood.
Rouget de Lisle called his composition Chant de guerre pour l'armée du Rhin – War song for the Rhine Army – but it became known as the La Marseillaise after being sung by revolutionary volunteers from Marseille marching on Paris in 1792.
This was despite Rouget de Lisle himself being an ardent supporter of the monarchy, which landed him in jail in 1793, though he escaped the guillotine and lived until 1836.
The song was first adopted as the national anthem in 1795, before being banned and then finally reinstated in 1879.
Lyrics to La Marseillaise:
Allons enfants de la Patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrive!
Contre nous de la tyrannie,
L'etendard sanglant est leve,
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces feroces soldats?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Egorger vos fils, vos compagnes!
Aux armes, citoyens,
Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons!
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons!
English translation:
Arise children of the fatherland
The day of glory has arrived
Against us tyranny's
Bloody standard is raised
Listen to the sound in the fields
The howling of these fearsome soldiers
They are coming into our midst
To cut the throats of your sons and consorts
To arms citizens
Form your battalions
March, march
Let impure blood
Water our furrows
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