What Dominic Sandbrook has said about Brazilian National Anthem

Sandbrook contends that Brazil's anthem long lacked lyrics because its fundamental instability made a unifying national story impossible to agree on.

“It's hard to tell a collective story about Brazil's history behind which everybody can unite. And that explains why for so long, The national anthem didn't have any lyrics”

The Rest Is History: 681. Brazil: The Emperor’s Anthem (Part 5) (Jun 21, 2026) · Listen from 8:32

Sandbrook reports that historians regard Ovídio Saraiva's 1831 lyrics as terrible, notable mainly for their hostility to the Portuguese.

“the general consensus among historians is that Ovidio Sarraiva's lyrics for this anthem are absolutely terrible”

The Rest Is History: 681. Brazil: The Emperor’s Anthem (Part 5) (Jun 21, 2026) · Listen from 37:25

Sandbrook judges the current anthem lyrics generic, flowery and meaningless.

“They're so generic and so flowery and meaningless, I think. I just don't think they're great”

The Rest Is History: 681. Brazil: The Emperor’s Anthem (Part 5) (Jun 21, 2026) · Listen from 55:36

Sandbrook recounts that land-reform protesters in the 1990s sang the anthem, one saying it was the best way to stop police attacking them.

“it was the best way to stop the police from attacking us. They had no way of shooting at unarmed people who were singing the Brazilian national anthem”

The Rest Is History: 681. Brazil: The Emperor’s Anthem (Part 5) (Jun 21, 2026) · Listen from 1:00:13