Hearing that reminded me of (1) the playing of the Soviet anthem at Canada-Russia hockey games and (2) the wrestling duo called The Bolsheviks, who sang that song whenever they won a match. It is a stirring piece of music. I looked it up to find some information about the composers, but found the history of the song is even more bizarre than I expected:

Hymn of the Soviet Union

The National Anthem of the Soviet Union (or Hymn, Russian: Гимн Советского Союза, Gimn Sovetskogo Soyuza) replaced The Internationale as the national anthem on March 15, 1944. The lyrics were written by Sergey Mikhalkov (born 1913) in collaboration with G. El-Registan (1899-1945) and the music was composed by Alexander Alexandrov (1883-1946). It was believed that Soviet soldiers would respond more to an anthem that was dedicated only to the Soviet Union rather than to a worldwide movement. The song was originally written as the Anthem of the Bolshevik Party with lyrics in the Alexandrine meter by Vasily Lebedev-Kumach in 1939.

Stalin was originally mentioned in the lyrics; however, after his death in 1953 and the process of Destalinization, the lyrics referring to Stalin were unacceptable. From that time until 1977, the anthem was played without lyrics. Revised lyrics without the references to Stalin and World War II were approved in 1977.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia adopted a new national anthem. In 2000, the old Soviet national anthem was re-adopted, with Mikhalkov writing new lyrics to represent Russia's new non-communist nature.

Ahh, originally the anthem of the Bolshevik Party. It really is suitable for Obama.

That's really funny.

Pierre Trudeau came to mind when I heard that.

Wasn't he a mate of Castro ?

Just so.

As to some assinine commetn by some left here in Canada a whiel ago: "Where is Canada's obama?" I can only say we already had trudeau; you want more???

Charles Krauthammer said this.

"Obama is a three-year senator without a single important legislative achievement to his name, a former Illinois state senator who voted "present" nearly 130 times. As president of the Harvard Law Review, as law professor and as legislator, has he ever produced a single notable piece of scholarship? Written a single memorable article? His most memorable work is a biography of his favorite subject: himself."

But Sarah (bubblehead in a bubble) Palin is one cancerous, geriatric heartbeat away from being President Bubblehead, if that ticket wins.

But Manny you speak of Palin's candidacy like it is a bad thing.

CJ- my first thought was the '72 Canada Russia series also. Back then it was the cold war on ice, Us vs Them.

Great video.

Manny - just another caustic, hypocritical, and hateful liberal. Go take your vomit and your bile and spew it elsewhere, pig.

Manny::

Joe Biden would be one heartbeat away from the presidency if Obama won.

“When the depression hit in 1927, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt went on TV and ..."

Yeah, that brilliant historian.

FDR did not assume the presidency until 1933 and commercial television was still years away.

I can hardly wait for the VP debate.

The only differance between Russia and the States is in Russia they speak Russian in the States they speak english.

The only difference? Shirley, you jest.

The funny thing about that Soviet anthem is that I always loved it as a piece of music, even though I (like all good people) hate socialism.

So funny, so true.

Kate I'm not getting any work done this morning, you are on a roll with the excellent posts today.

Manny, just another typical progressive misogynist.

Glorious music from a criminal cause! But how lovely the satire re "Mr. Empty Suit". The US has had loser Presidents before but their sturdy constitution saved them and will again.

BETTER DEAD THEN RED ITS BETTER TO DIE ON OUR FEET THEN LIVE ON OUR KNEES