By the 1970s, the East German anthem's call for a "united fatherland" became politically awkward as German division solidified. Rather than rewrite the song, the government simply discouraged citizens from singing the words, leading to official ceremonies where only the music was played.

In March 1831, widespread unrest in Rio de Janeiro culminated in an event known as the "Night of Bottles." This unusually long five-day riot, characterized by protesters throwing bottles, eroded the emperor's authority and forced him to abdicate.

The profound instability and societal fractures caused by slavery made it impossible for Brazilians to agree on a collective national story. As a result, their national anthem existed as only a musical tune for over 40 years, lacking any official unifying words.

Abolitionists repurposed the popular tune of "The Star-Spangled Banner" for their own cause. In 1844, the newspaper "The Liberator" published lyrics highlighting the hypocrisy of a nation that condoned slavery, asking "O say, do you hear... the shrieks of those bondsmen?" while a banner with "stars mocking freedom is fitfully gleaming."

Instead of replacing the Weimar Republic's anthem, the Nazis reinterpreted its first verse for their ideology and elevated their own party song, the "Horst-Wessel-Lied," to co-anthem status. This created a dual-anthem system blending traditional nationalism with specific Nazi party veneration.

The concept of a national anthem as an "audible national symbol" was pioneered by Britain. After the Napoleonic Wars, the tune of "God Save the King" was so influential that around 20 other countries, from Prussia to Hawaii, adopted its melody for their own anthems.

During the 1980s military dictatorship, which mandated a rigid orchestration for the national anthem, singer Fafá de Belém broke the law at mass pro-democracy rallies. Her slow, mournful, and dramatic performances became an emblematic sound of the protest movement.

"God Save the King," now a symbol of the British establishment, began as a Jacobite anthem supporting the Stuart dynasty. It was co-opted by the ruling Hanoverians during the 1745 uprising, effectively making the anthem a "turncoat."

In a rare display of monarchical creativity, Dom Pedro I, the first emperor of Brazil, personally composed the music for the new nation's "Hymn of Independence." While likely aided by court musicians, historians credit him with the composition.