Dream
Dream is the national anthem of the People's Democratic Social Republic of Ariddia. It was written by journalist and social rights activist Eric Carpenter in 1968, and adopted as national anthem in 1986. The original lyrics were written in English, then translated by Carpenter himself into French. Jennifer Ow, a young lecturer in history at the University of Rêvane, translated the song into Wymgani almost immediately thereafter.
It is sung to the tune of the Communist Internationale.
Despite the widespread belief abroad that Ariddia is a francophone nation, French, English and Wymgani have equal status as official national languages, and all three versions of the national anthem are official. The English anthem generally holds pre-eminence, if only because it is the original version of the song. It is notable that the French version is not a literal translation, and contains some minor variations compared to the English original.
When only the instrumental version is played -for example, at the World Cup or the Olympic Games- it is not infrequent for foreign communist sympathisers among spectators to sing the Internationale.
About the lyrics
References to anarchy are meant, of course, in a political-philosophical sense. The official aim of the Ariddian government is to guide the country towards anarchy - i.e., towards pure communism. Consequently, black is the main colour on the Ariddian flag. The references to anarchy in the anthem remain despite Ariddia having maintained a status quo with a centralised socialist State.
There have been some minor changes to the lyrics over the years. Most notably, the sixth line was changed from "Both democrat and communist" to "For democrats are communist", to insist upon the fact that communism is inherently democratic.
The negative reference to religion in the fourth stanza has proved mildly controversial. Ariddia is officially a secular State, not an atheist one, although a majority of Ariddians are atheists. But defenders of the lyrics point out that "not bowing before a religion" means simply refusing a theocracy, rather denouncing religion itself.
Lyrics in English
Dream on, Ariddia's sons and daughters
Dream of a land of anarchy
See what our dreams so far have brought us
Social rights for all here we see
The best of both worlds is in our hold
For democrats are communist
If the will of the people be bold
Achieve we will, sing, raise your fist
[Chorus]
Red and black is our nation
Freedoms we do hold dear
No one shall rob us of them
Our dream of anarchy!
We shall not yield to foreign pressure
We shall hold our heads high in pride
Ye who scorn our ways should know better
Your scorn will never reach our tide
We do not ask for your approval
Nor do we seek to change your minds
The people today this nation rule
Our dreams to our land do us bind
[Chorus]
Peace freedom is all that we ask for
No wars shall shed Ariddian blood
One day a brotherhood of nations
Will live; the people shall know love
One day the world together shall dream
Cast off the chains of slavery
One day the people will rise and beam
With joy: Today the world is free!
[Chorus]
No unjust laws crush the Ariddians
The people are the government
No man dominates his fellow men
For these rights ne'er did we relent
We do not bow before religion
We do not bow before a king
We are all equal in our nation
And we shall bow before nothing
[Chorus]
[Fifth stanza: instrumental only]
Translation into French
Rêvez, fils et filles de l’Ariddia
Rêvez d’une terre d’anarchie
Voyez où nos rêves nous ont menés
Nos droits sociaux sont établis
Atteignons le meilleur des mondes
Tout démocrate est communiste
La volonté, le courage du peuple
Ne peuvent jamais être entravés
[chœur]
Rouge et noire notre nation
Chérie notre liberté
Personne ne nous en défera
Notre rêve d’anarchie!
Nous ne plierons pas à l’étranger
Nous garderons la tête dressée
Vous qui vous opposez, sachez donc
Cette terre est terre de liberté
Nous ne recherchons pas votre accord
Ni ne voulons vous persuader
Le peuple ici est aux commandes
Et nos rêves à cette terre nous lient
[chœur]
La paix est notre noble quête
Nulle guerre ne versera notre sang
Un jour un amour fraternel
Unira les hommes pour tous temps
L’homme défait alors de ses chaînes
Rêvera en toute liberté
Et ce grand cri de joie s’élève:
Enfin, le monde est libéré!
[chœur]
Nulle loi injuste ne nous opprime
Le peuple est notre gouvernement
Nul d’entre nous jamais domine
Droits fruits d’esprits déterminés
Nulle religion n’est notre maîtresse
Et nul roi ne nous dicte sa loi
Tous sont égaux en cette terre
Tous enfin sont égaux en droits
[chœur]
[cinquième strophe: instrumentale]
