[grey_whiskers]

Thanks for letting me know that; it makes perfect sense.

Now I just need to find the lyrics, translate them, and write a spoof!

Cheers!

[Publius]

The French army song in question has a name that rhymes with "The bear went over the mountain". I believe the first two words are, "La guerre", ie. "the war".

What Beethoven quotes for the British side is a tune that is not "America the Beautiful", but "My Country 'Tis of Thee". The Brits know it as "God Save the King (or Queen)", but the tune was actually written by the French composer Jean-Baptiste Lully for one of his operas.