The British historian Simon Schama discussed " La Marseillaise " on BBC Radio 4 's '' Today '' programme on 17 November 2015 ( in the immediate aftermath of the Paris attacks ) , saying it was " ... the great example of courage and solidarity when facing danger ; that 's why it is so invigorating , that 's why it really is the greatest national anthem in the world , ever . Most national anthems are pompous , brassy , ceremonious , but this is genuinely thrilling . Very important in the song ... is the line ' before us is tyranny , the bloody standard of tyranny has risen ' . There is no more ferocious tyranny right now than ISIS , so it 's extremely easy for the tragically and desperately grieving French to identify with that "
Paris attacks
November 2015 Paris attacks
La Marseillaise