The Internationale

"The Internationale" is the most famous socialist song and was, for decades, one of the most recognized songs in the world. The original (French) words were written by Eugène Pottier (1816-1887) in 1871 and the music by Pierre Degeyter (1848-1932) in 1888 (The song was originally intended to be sung on the tune of La Marseillaise). It was translated into many languages.

In many European countries this song was considered illegal around the beginning of the 20th century because of it's 'communistic' image and government undermining lyrics.

The Russian version served as the national anthem of the Soviet Union until 1944, when it was replaced by the Hymn of the Soviet Union and became the hymn of the CPSU. It was initially translated by Aron Kots (Arkadiy Yakovlevich Kots) in 1902 and printed in London in a Russian emigrant magazine Zhizn (Life). Initially it was three stanzas and the refrain. Later it was expanded and reworded.

The Internationale is sung not only by Communists but also (in many countries) by socialists or social democrats.

In George Orwell's Animal Farm it is parodied by Beasts of England.