National Anthem Comparison
Egypt vs Sudan
1
Shared themes
✗
Different moods
32
32 years apart
✓
Same continent
Comparison Analysis
Egypt and Sudan, both Africa nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Egypt's "Bilady, Bilady, Bilady" was written in 1923, while Sudan's "We Are Soldiers of God, Soldiers of the Homeland" dates to 1955.
Both anthems share themes of god / faith. Egypt additionally explores love of homeland, freedom, nature and ancestors / heritage, while Sudan also touches on battle / war, flag and resilience.
The emotional tones differ: Egypt's anthem is proud, while Sudan's is fierce.
Egypt's anthem predates Sudan's by 32 years, having been written in 1923 compared to 1955.
Egypt changed its national anthem in 1979, reflecting a shift in the nation's identity or political landscape.
Shared themes
Egypt
❤ Love of homeland 🕊 Freedom ✝ God / Faith 🌿 Nature 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Sudan
✝ God / Faith ⚔ Battle / War 🚩 Flag 💪 Resilience
Shared themes:
✝ God / Faith
Metadata
| Egypt | Sudan | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1923 | 1955 |
| Adopted | 1979 | 1956 |
| Lyricist | Mohamed Younis al-Qadi (after Mustafa Kamil's 1907 speech) | Ahmed Muhammad Salih |
| Composer | Sayed Darwish | Colonel Ahmed Morjan |
| Language | ar | ar |
| Region | North Africa | North Africa |
Lyrics Side by Side
Egypt
بلادي بلادي بلادي
Original
بلادي بلادي بلادي
لكِ حبي وفؤادي
بلادي بلادي بلادي
لكِ حبي وفؤادي
مصر يا أم البلاد
أنت غايتي والمراد
وعلى كل العباد
كم لنيلك من أيادي
بلادي بلادي بلادي
لكِ حبي وفؤادي
مصر أنتِ أغلى درة
فوق جبين الدهر غرة
يا بلادي عيشي حرة
واسلمي رغم الأعادي
بلادي بلادي بلادي
لكِ حبي وفؤادي
مصر يا أرض النعيم
سُدْتِ بالمجد القديم
مقصدي دفع الغريم
وعلى الله اعتمادي
بلادي بلادي بلادي
لكِ حبي وفؤادي
مصر أولادك كرام
أوفيا يرعوا الزمام
نحن حرب وسلام
وفداك يا بلادي
سوف تحظى بالمرام
باتحادهم واتحادي
بلادي بلادي بلادي
لكِ حبي وفؤادي
Translation
My homeland, my homeland, my homeland,
My love and my heart are yours.
My homeland, my homeland, my homeland,
My love and my heart are yours.
Egypt, O mother of all lands,
You are my aim and my desire,
And upon all mankind
How many are the bounties of your Nile!
My homeland, my homeland, my homeland,
My love and my heart are yours.
Egypt, you are the most precious pearl,
A shining blaze upon the brow of time.
O my homeland, live free,
And stay safe despite your foes.
My homeland, my homeland, my homeland,
My love and my heart are yours.
Egypt, O land of bliss,
You reigned supreme through ancient glory.
My aim is to repel the enemy,
And in God I place my trust.
My homeland, my homeland, my homeland,
My love and my heart are yours.
Egypt, your children are noble,
Loyal, they guard the reins.
We are war and peace,
And we give our lives for you, my homeland.
You shall attain your aim
Through their unity and mine.
My homeland, my homeland, my homeland,
My love and my heart are yours.
Sudan
نحن جند الله جند الوطن
Original
نحن جند الله جند الوطن
إن دعا داعي الفداء لم نخن
نتحدى الموت عند المحن
نشتري المجد بأغلى ثمن
هذه الأرض لنا
فليعش سوداننا علماً بين الأمم
يا بني السودان هذا رمزكم
يحمل العبء ويحمي أرضكم
Translation
We are soldiers of God, soldiers of the homeland
If the call to sacrifice sounds, we will not betray
We defy death upon ordeals
We buy glory at the most expensive price
This land is ours
May our Sudan live on, a banner among the nations
O sons of the Sudan, this is your symbol:
It carries the burden and protects your land.
Interesting facts
Egypt
- 1. The song predates its use as an anthem by more than half a century: Sayed Darwish set al-Qadi's words to music in 1923, and it circulated widely as a patriotic song before being raised to official status in 1979, in a new arrangement that Mohamed Abdel Wahab made at President Sadat's request.
- 2. The refrain comes from a famous 1907 speech by the nationalist leader Mustafa Kamil, which included the words: 'My country, my country, to you my love and my heart, to you my life and my being.'
- 3. It replaced 'Walla Zaman Ya Selahy' ('It's Been a Long Time, O My Weapon'), a song made famous by Umm Kulthum during the 1956 Suez war, whose melody had served as Egypt's anthem, without words, since 1960.
- 4. Under a presidential decree of December 1982, only the first verse is sung with the music at popular and national celebrations, while the anthem is played without words when foreign presidents and delegations are received.
Sudan
- 1. The poem was first written for the Sudan Defence Force, the nucleus of the Sudanese army: it was chosen in 1955 from the entries to a public competition for poems praising the force, and at independence its opening lines became the national anthem.
- 2. Officially the anthem is called the Republican Salute, especially when it is played as instrumental music; it is also known as the Flag Anthem or the Flag Salute.
- 3. Sudan kept the anthem unchanged after South Sudan seceded in 2011, when the new state adopted its own song, 'South Sudan Oyee!'.
- 4. The opening line names the singer a soldier of God and a soldier of the homeland in the same breath, joining religious and civic duty.
Listen
Egypt
Sudan
