National Anthem Comparison
Democratic Republic of the Congo vs Republic of the Congo
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Shared themes
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Same mood
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1 years apart
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Same continent
Comparison Analysis
Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo, both Africa nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Democratic Republic of the Congo's "Stand Up, Congolese" was written in 1960, while Republic of the Congo's "The Congolese" dates to 1959.
Both anthems share themes of unity. Democratic Republic of the Congo additionally explores independence, peace, god / faith and ancestors / heritage, while Republic of the Congo also touches on freedom, nature and hope.
Both anthems carry a proud tone, creating a similar emotional register despite their geographic distance.
Democratic Republic of the Congo changed its national anthem in 1997, reflecting a shift in the nation's identity or political landscape.
Shared themes
Democratic Republic of the Congo
🗽 Independence 🤝 Unity ☮ Peace ✝ God / Faith 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Republic of the Congo
🤝 Unity 🕊 Freedom 🌿 Nature 🌅 Hope
Shared themes:
🤝 Unity
Metadata
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1960 | 1959 |
| Adopted | 1960 | 1959 |
| Lyricist | Joseph Lutumba | Jacques Tondra / Georges Kibanghi |
| Composer | Simon-Pierre Boka di Mpasi Londi | Jean Royer / Joseph Spadiliere |
| Language | fr | fr |
| Region | Central Africa | Central Africa |
Lyrics Side by Side
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Debout Congolais
Original
Debout Congolais,
Unis par le sort,
Unis dans l'effort pour l'indépendance.
Dressons nos fronts, longtemps courbés
Et pour de bon prenons le plus bel élan,
Dans la paix.
Ô peuple ardent
Par le labeur
Nous bâtirons un pays plus beau qu'avant
Dans la paix.
Citoyens,
Entonnez l'hymne sacré de votre solidarité
Fièrement
Saluez l'emblème d'or de votre souveraineté
Congo,
Don béni, Congo !
Des aïeux, Congo !
Ô pays, Congo !
Bien-aimé, Congo !
Nous peuplerons ton sol
Et nous assurerons ta grandeur.
Trente juin, ô doux soleil
Trente juin, du trente juin
Jour sacré, sois le témoin,
Jour sacré de l'immortel
Serment de liberté
Que nous léguons
À notre postérité
Pour toujours
Translation
Stand up, Congolese,
United by fate,
United in the effort for independence.
Let us raise our heads, so long bowed,
And, once and for all, take the finest leap forward,
In peace.
O ardent people,
Through labor
We will build a country more beautiful than before,
In peace.
Citizens,
Strike up the sacred hymn of your solidarity,
Proudly
Salute the golden emblem of your sovereignty.
Congo,
Blessed gift, Congo!
Of the forefathers, Congo!
O country, Congo!
Beloved, Congo!
We will people your soil
And we will secure your greatness.
Thirtieth of June, O gentle sun,
Thirtieth of June, of the thirtieth of June,
Sacred day, be the witness,
Sacred day of the immortal
Oath of freedom
That we bequeath
To our posterity
Forever.
Republic of the Congo
La Congolaise
Original
En ce jour le soleil se lève
Et notre Congo resplendit.
Une longue nuit s'achève,
Un grand bonheur a surgi.
Chantons tous avec ivresse
Le chant de la liberté.
[Chorus]
Congolais, debout fièrement partout,
Proclamons l'union de notre nation,
Oublions ce qui nous divise,
Soyons plus unis que jamais.
Vivons pour notre devise:
Unité, travail, progrès!
Vivons pour notre devise:
Unité, travail, progrès!
Des forêts jusqu'à la savane,
Des savanes jusqu'à la mer,
Un seul peuple, une seule âme,
Un seul cœur, ardent et fier,
Luttons tous, tant que nous sommes,
Pour notre vieux pays noir.
[Chorus]
Congolais, debout fièrement partout,
Proclamons l'union de notre nation,
Oublions ce qui nous divise,
Soyons plus unis que jamais.
Vivons pour notre devise:
Unité, travail, progrès!
Vivons pour notre devise:
Unité, travail, progrès!
Et s'il nous faut mourir, en somme
Qu'importe puisque nos enfants,
Partout, pourront dire comme
On triomphe en combattant,
Et dans le moindre village
Chantent sous nos trois couleurs.
[Chorus]
Congolais, debout fièrement partout,
Proclamons l'union de notre nation,
Oublions ce qui nous divise,
Soyons plus unis que jamais.
Vivons pour notre devise:
Unité, travail, progrès!
Vivons pour notre devise:
Unité, travail, progrès!
Translation
On this day the sun rises
And our Congo shines forth.
A long night has ended,
A great happiness has arrived.
Let us all sing with rapture
The song of liberty.
[Chorus]
Congolese, stand up proudly everywhere,
Let us proclaim the union of our nation.
Let us forget what divides us,
Let us be more united than ever.
Let us live by our motto:
Unity, work, progress.
Let us live by our motto:
Unity, work, progress.
From the forests to the savanna,
From the savannas to the sea,
One people, one soul,
One heart, ardent and proud,
Let us all fight, every one of us,
For our old black country.
[Chorus]
Congolese, stand up proudly everywhere,
Let us proclaim the union of our nation.
Let us forget what divides us,
Let us be more united than ever.
Let us live by our motto:
Unity, work, progress.
Let us live by our motto:
Unity, work, progress.
And if we must die, in the end,
What does it matter, since our children
Everywhere will be able to tell
How victory is won by fighting,
And in the smallest village
They sing beneath our three colours.
[Chorus]
Congolese, stand up proudly everywhere,
Let us proclaim the union of our nation.
Let us forget what divides us,
Let us be more united than ever.
Let us live by our motto:
Unity, work, progress.
Let us live by our motto:
Unity, work, progress.
Interesting facts
Democratic Republic of the Congo
- 1. La Zaïroise, the anthem used from 1971 to 1997, had the same two authors as Debout Congolais: Joseph Lutumba and the Jesuit Simon-Pierre Boka di Mpasi Londi.
- 2. Most references, among them the CIA World Factbook, credit Joseph Lutumba with the words and Simon-Pierre Boka with the music; the website of the DRC presidency gives the two roles the other way round.
- 3. The refrain is written for soloists and choir: the choir answers the soloists with the words 'Congo', 'Trente juin' (30 June, the day of independence) and 'Jour sacré' (sacred day).
- 4. The DR Congo is Africa's largest francophone country by population, and the anthem is sung in French, though over 200 local languages are spoken across its territory.
Republic of the Congo
- 1. The replacement anthem 'Les Trois Glorieuses' (The Three Glorious Days) was named after the uprising of 13 to 15 August 1963 that overthrew the first president, Fulbert Youlou. Its words were written by Henri Lopes, the writer who later served as prime minister from 1973 to 1975.
- 2. La Congolaise was written before independence: the words by Jacques Tondra, a Frenchman, and Georges Kibanghi, a Congolese, and the music by Jean Royer and Joseph Spadilière.
- 3. La Congolaise beat a rival song, 'Allons Congo' by the Europeans Jo Noves and Stéphane May, by 44 votes to 9 in the National Assembly, and was adopted by constitutional law no. 10 of 21 November 1959.
- 4. Its refrain sets the national motto to music: 'Vivons pour notre devise: Unité, travail, progrès!' (Let us live for our motto: Unity, work, progress!).
- 5. Brazzaville, the capital, faces Kinshasa (DR Congo's capital) across the Congo River; apart from Rome and Vatican City, they are the closest pair of national capitals in the world.
Listen
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
