Sat on the deck. Bloody bird just poo’d on my wrist. Shook wrist and it dropped off. No harm done. You heard it first.
Got back from Trent Bridge at 5pm ish. Ubered it. Made more sense than a bus into town then waiting for a train. Took a look at my batch of will transcriptions and it is still running two days after setting it going. Seems to have had a few pauses. Someone had dropped the lid on my laptop so don’t know if that was a contributory factor. I was running a python command with caffeinate so should have been ok. No idea how many wills left to process. 750 or so to do in all, just for Llandysul.
Totally out of left field here is an AI generated commentary of the dirgiest and liveliest national anthems at the world cup:
Japan, the United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia consistently top the list of the most “dirgelike” national anthems frequently heard at the FIFA World Cup.
In the context of international football, a “dirge” refers to an anthem that is exceptionally slow, somber, lacking an upbeat tempo, or sounding more like a funeral march than a pre-match battle cry. While South American anthems favour operatic bravado and European ones often choose militaristic marches, a handful of regular World Cup nations lean into a distinctly mournful or sluggish cadence.
Here is a ranking of the “dirgiest” World Cup anthems, from the absolute slowest funeral paces to the heavy, uninspiring slogs:
1. Japan (“Kimigayo”)
The Vibe: A meditative, hauntingly static, ancient prayer.
Why it’s a dirge: Clocking in as one of the slowest national anthems in the world, “Kimigayo” averages a glacially slow 46 BPM (Beats Per Minute). It lacks a distinct rhythmic drive or a dramatic crescendo, opting instead for a traditional, austere melody that sounds incredibly somber when echoing around a packed football stadium.
2. United Kingdom / England (“God Save the King”)
The Vibe: A heavy, forelock-tugging monarchist plod.
Why it’s a dirge: Even British citizens frequently describe their own anthem as a funeral dirge. Compared to the roaring energy of France’s “La Marseillaise” or Italy’s bouncing “Il Canto degli Italiani”, “God Save the King” is delivered in a plodding 3/4 time signature that feels designed for a solemn state procession rather than psyching up eleven players before kick-off.
3. Saudi Arabia (“As-Salam Al-Malaki”)
The Vibe: Abrupt, solemn, and strictly business.zdzda
Why it’s a dirge: While some Middle Eastern anthems carry sweeping, triumphant strings, Saudi Arabia’s anthem is notoriously brief and structurally rigid. At barely 32 seconds long, it feels less like a song and more like a heavy, brief ceremonial fanfare that cuts off before any athletic energy can actually build up.
4. Austria (“Land der Berge, Land am Strome”)zza
The Vibe: A sluggish, polite choral snooze.
Why it’s a dirge: Featured on the global stage at the 2026 World Cup, Austria’s anthem suffers from a classic Western European ailment: it is slow, remarkably lumbering, and incredibly polite. It completely lacks the aggressive, percussive bite needed to get a crowd moving, often making the players look bored before the whistle blows.
5. Spain (“Marcha Real”)
The Vibe: A stiff, wordless royal march.
Why it’s a dirge: Because it has no official lyrics, the Spanish anthem forces players to stand in a silent, rigid line while a mid-tempo, old-fashioned military march plays out. Without words to shout or a driving bassline to bounce to, the song relies on a stark, rigid brass progression that can feel incredibly dry and dated in a modern sporting arena.
Italy, Brazil, and France are widely considered to have the liveliest, most high-energy national anthems at the FIFA World Cup. In sharp contrast to the slow funeral dirges, these anthems are defined by rapid tempos, driving rhythms, and operatic or militaristic crescendos that actively pump up the players and electrify the stadium crowd.Here is the ranking of the liveliest World Cup anthems, from the most chaotic pre-game parties to the most fierce musical battle cries.
1. Italy (“Il Canto degli Italiani”)
The Vibe: A joyous, hyperactive opera sprint.
Why it’s the liveliest: Italy’s anthem is essentially a high-speed musical party masquerading as a military march. Driven by a bouncing, syncopated rhythm, it sounds less like a solemn state song and more like a celebratory tavern chant. It finishes with a furious, shouting crescendo (“Sì!”) that leaves both the players and the crowd completely breathless and ready for war.
2. Brazil (“Hino Nacional Brasileiro”)
The Vibe: A grand, theatrical carnival overture.
Why it’s the liveliest: Brazil possesses one of the most musically complex and upbeat anthems in the world. It features a sweeping, operatic melody with rapid-fire lyrics and dramatic brass fanfares that feel inherently linked to the rhythm of Brazilian football. When the stadium music cuts out and the crowd continues singing the second verse a cappella, the sheer volume and energy are unmatched.
3. France (“La Marseillaise”)
The Vibe: A fierce, blood-pumping revolutionary march.
Why it’s the liveliest: As the ultimate musical battle cry, “La Marseillaise” is designed purely for intimidation. It is packed with aggressive, minor-to-major key shifts and visceral lyrics about marching into battle. The driving snare drums and roaring brass sections naturally build an intense, spine-tingling wave of adrenaline right before kick-off. [3]
4. Colombia (“Himno Nacional de la República de Colombia”)
The Vibe: A triumphant, epic stadium rock opera.
Why it’s the liveliest: Like many South American anthems, Colombia’s is a multi-part epic. It kicks off immediately with a brilliant, fanfare-heavy trumpet intro that commands attention. The main chorus is incredibly catchy and fast-paced, making it impossible for the stadium full of yellow jerseys not to jump and shout along.
5. Mexico (“Himno Nacional Mexicano”)
The Vibe: A rapid-fire, thunderous military charge.
Why it’s the liveliest: Mexico’s anthem is a relentless, fast-moving wall of sound. It relies on a driving, machine-gun-like snare drum roll and booming brass sections that mimic a cavalry charge. The blistering speed of the lyrics creates an aggressive, high-velocity chant that creates a wall of noise in any stadium.