Salve, Oh Patria
| English: Hail, Oh Fatherland! | |
|---|---|
National anthem of Ecuador | |
| Lyrics | Juan León Mera, 1865 |
| Music | Antonio Neumane, 1870 |
| Adopted | 1948 |
| Audio sample | |
U.S. Navy Band instrumental version
| |
"¡Salve, Oh Patria!" (English: "Hail, Oh Fatherland!") is the national anthem of Ecuador. The lyrics were written in 1865 by poet Juan León Mera, under request of the Ecuadorian Senate; the music was composed by Antonio Neumane. However, it was not officially adopted by the Congress until September 29, 1948.
The anthem consists of a chorus and six verses, of which only the second verse and the chorus (before and after the verse) are actually sung. The verses are marked by a strong anti-Spanish sentiment and narrate the failed 1809 uprising against Bonapartist Spain and the 1820–1822 Ecuadorian War of Independence.