Cambodia
"Dap Prampi Mesa Chokchey" (Glorious Seventeenth of April)

Words by: unknown
Music by: unknown
In use: 1976-1979

When the radical communist Khmer Rouge guerilla conquered Phnom Penh on 17 April 1975, they first restored the old royalist symbols of state and made Prince Sihanouk again head of state. But in 1976, they declared Cambodia the "Democratic Kampuchea", and adopted its own anthem, in a typical communist style of anthem, commemorating the communist takeover of the capital. Although the text seems to predict the massacres caused by the Khmer Rouge by mentioning "blood" several times in the lyrics, it might also be the case that the lyrics rather took pattern from revolutionary songs in classical Marseillaise style. It has also been suggested that the leader of the Khmer Rouge (and president of the country during this time) Pol Pot may have written this anthem himself.

Special thanks to: Jan Scotland for some of this information.

See also: Cambodia (1970-1975), Cambodia (1979-1989), Cambodia (1941-1970, 1975-1976, 1993-).