I watched Casablanca again last night for the ten millionth time (Tivoed off of Turner Classic Movies, God love ’em) and I had a realization: I don’t know what the lyrics are to “La Marseillaise”, the French National Anthem. You know the scene, Victor Lazlo leads Rick’s Cafe Americain in a rousing chorus to counter the Nazi rabble singing “Die Wacht Am Rhein”.
A bit of googling lead me to this website, where my I found the English translation and the answer to my query:
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
LET IMPURE BLOOD WATER OUR FURROWS? Le Yikes. And people talk about the Star-Spangled Banner being militaristic.