The Marseillaise was composed overnight during the French Revolution, on 25th / 26th April 1792 by a French Officer called Rouget de Lisle (pictured left).

It was initially called "Chant de guerre pour l'armée du Rhin" - a battlesong for the Army of the Rhine, which comprised soldiers from the city port of Marseille. These soldiers sang it as they attacked and overtook the Tuilleries in Paris, to capture the King. The song soon became very popular, and it became known as the Marseillaise after the troops whose victory song it had been.

The Marseillaise was adopted as the national anthem (l'hymne national) in 1795. However, it has not always been regarded as suitable by French leaders.

Napoleon and later King Louis XVIII ( the first King of the restored monarchy in 1815) banned it because of its revolutionary assocations. The anthem returned after the 1830 Revolution, only to be banned again by Emperor Napoleon III ! It was only finally reinstated in 1879.

Many people consider it to be the most bloodthirsty of all national anthems, and certainly the words bear this out! Today, the Marseillaise is one of the world's most recognisable national anthems.

La Marseillaise -  
Allons enfants de la Patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
Contre nous de la tyrannie,
L'étendard sanglant est levé, (bis)
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldats ?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Égorger vos fils et vos compagnes !
Refrain
Aux armes, citoyens,  Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons !  Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons !

Let us go, children of our home land
The day of glory has arrived
Ranged against us is tyranny -
The bloody standard is raised high(twice)
Do you hear, in the countryside,
Those ferocious soldiers roar?
They are coming right up into your arms(ie. among you).
To cut the throats of your sons and wives
Citizens, to arms!  Form up your battalions! 
Lets march, let’s march!
May their impure blood flow across our ploughed fields!