Top 15 most meaningful and popular songs about March 26th

Some composers spend their whole lives trying to create an immortal song, while others only need one song to cement their legacy. Composer Truong Quoc Khanh is one of the few who fall into the latter category. In the atmosphere of the movement: 'I sing for the people to hear,' he composed this meaningful song. Surely, many of us have heard the song: 'Volunteer'. It is a heartfelt, soothing melody with meaningful and profound lyrics. The small yet significant wish of a person is expressed through the simplest words, reaching deep into the listener's heart. The lyrics serve as a gentle encouragement, urging the younger generation to live with optimism and appreciate even the smallest things in life.

'Volunteer' has long become a familiar song, with most people knowing a few lines. The song motivates us to keep going when faced with obstacles in life. During difficult times, we remind ourselves to be like a warm cloud or a sunflower. The melody of the song plays in our minds, urging us to get up and carry on... More importantly, the song reminds us to live with integrity, never bowing down, no matter the situation...

When talking about songs related to the youth, one cannot forget: "The Journey of Connecting Big Hands". This song, written by author Nguyễn Văn Hiên, carries a heroic melody that praises the difficult yet meaningful journeys of the youth. The song serves as a reminder for the youth to always stay united and work together to build the country: "Connecting Big Hands – North, Central, and South, we are one family."

From the mountains to the seas, youth soars like birds to distant mountains and islands.

A heart full of volunteer spirit, a bloodline of the homeland, no matter who they are, there are always youths.

Connecting Big Hands, North, Central, and South, we are one family.

Connecting Big Hands, the journey of our youth.

Connecting Big Hands, North, Central, and South, we are one family.

Connecting Big Hands, the journey of our youth.

The song, with simple and concise lyrics, carries profound messages for the younger generations to learn from and follow.

The volunteer movement of Vietnamese youth has always been a prominent and commendable activity of the younger generation. The song The Song of Volunteer Youth, created by the author Thế Hiển, can be considered a new composition that has gained immense popularity due to its meaningful lyrics.

The road to the horizon

With steadfast belief, the country shines bright

Echoing the song of

Vietnamese volunteer youth

Listening to the song makes one feel as though they are immersed in the fervent spirit of the young people as they volunteer to reach difficult mountainous areas, borders, and islands. It is due to this noble meaning that the song is always sung by the youth on March 26th as a reminder for the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union to dedicate themselves fully, channeling their youthful energy to build the country.

Timeless revolutionary songs created before 1975 are closely linked to the revolutionary fighters of Vietnam. Among them is the song: "Forever Singing the Military March" by poet and composer Diệp Minh Tuyền. The song "Forever Singing the Military March" serves as a weapon in the blood and bones of the soldiers, contributing to maintaining the spirit and achieving victory over the enemy.

In sharing about the song, its creator, composer Diệp Minh Tuyền, stated: "My life is like a military march." Could it be that the composer wanted to convey through this song a message of encouragement, urging the youth of Vietnam to always live in a heroic stance, ready to contribute to building the country, so that the life of every individual becomes a military march, and the youth of today will continue the legacy of their ancestors, forever singing this glorious and heroic march?

The song "Following Uncle Ho's Teachings" was sung loudly in the streets of Hanoi when our army entered the capital to take over on October 10, 1954. "Following Uncle Ho's Teachings" became the official anthem of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union. This song is frequently broadcasted on the Voice of Vietnam radio and aired on television.

On one occasion, Hoàng Hòa was part of a national youth delegation meeting with President Hồ Chí Minh. At the end of the meeting, Uncle Ho asked, "Which of you will sing a song before we part ways?" The song "Following Uncle Ho's Teachings" was sung. After the song ended, Uncle Ho asked who the author was. Hoàng Hòa approached Uncle Ho and was rewarded with a candy. Uncle Ho said, "This is for you for creating this song." He then turned to everyone and reminded them, "You all should do what the song says and encourage the youth to follow it." Hoàng Hòa was so moved that he stood there, unable to speak, forgetting to thank Uncle Ho. Later, when recounting this unforgettable memory to his friends, Hoàng Hòa would always exclaim, "Priceless! Truly priceless! There is no greater reward!"

In the spring of 1950, our main army units, local forces, and militia were deployed across the Southern battlefields to hold back the enemy, in coordination with the Central Highlands Campaign and the Northern Border Campaign. To support the recruitment for 1950, composer Hoàng Việt wrote the song "Green Leaves", which was printed on leaflets by the Propaganda Department of Region 8 and distributed to army units and information offices in Southern provinces.

The song "Green Leaves" spread widely and had a profound impact. Many new soldiers shared that it motivated them to join the army without fear of wind and rain or worrying about their families. Many families, upon hearing the song, encouraged their children to enlist. Local residents noted that the song "Green Leaves" called the youth to join the army, climb the mountains, and head to the war zones even more effectively than any slogans or speeches. The song became so beloved that it spread quickly from Region 8 to Region 7 and down to Region 9. "Green Leaves" was heard everywhere at the rallies sending off new recruits before they departed for battle.

The song Anh Ba Hưng was created in 1947. The local military unit in Giá Rai, which I (the platoon leader) commanded, successfully intercepted and destroyed several enemy vehicles during the French colonial war, becoming a leading force against the French in Bạc Liêu province. Composer Trần Kiết Tường met with Anh Ba Hưng to inquire about the battle and his personal life. From this, the song was born, using the melody of the Southern folk song “Con chim manh manh”: “There’s Anh Ba Hưng, originally a farmer/He served in the army for three years, just awarded a medal...”.

Almost everyone in the Southern region has heard this song at least once. The elderly, veterans, and even children enjoy it and have memorized it. During the resistance against the Americans, children in Cà Mau even created their own playful version of the “Anh Ba Hưng” song.

Many people mistakenly believed that Anh Ba Hưng was merely a fictional character, but he was a real person. Composer Trần Kiết Tường based the song on a real individual to create this remarkable musical piece.

The song Rise Up has become one of the traditional anthems of Vietnamese youth, its heroic melody awakening the spirit of patriotism and national pride in countless citizens. Created during the years 1944 when the nation was under colonial rule by the French and Japanese fascists, it was born in the context of a rising revolutionary movement under the leadership of the "Việt Minh Front." Lưu Hữu Phước joined the Việt Minh early on and was tasked with organizing the revolution in the South, and it was from there that the song "Rise Up" was composed.

The rhythm of "Rise Up" is easy to remember and perform, with a simple and strong melody that is widely accessible, creating a tone that stirs pride and the heroic spirit of our nation’s history of resistance against foreign invaders.

The song The Aspirations of Youth by Vũ Hoàng features the well-known line “Don’t ask what the nation has done for us, but ask what we have done for the nation today.” This line has likely become familiar to many. Let’s listen to the patriotic melodies of our nation.

This quote gained widespread recognition through the song “The Aspirations of Youth” by composer Vũ Hoàng. The original quote comes from U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech on January 20, 1961: "Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country"... Our President Hồ Chí Minh also said: "The duty of the youth is not to demand what the country has given them, but to ask themselves what they have done for the country. How can they contribute to the nation's greater good? How much have they sacrificed and strived for the benefit of the nation?" (1955).

For many decades, young people, especially members of the Youth Union, have been singing the song The March of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth League by composer Văn Dung. While the song “Youth Follow the Words of Uncle Ho” by composer Hoàng Hòa is considered a 'Youth Anthem,' Văn Dung's piece is regarded as the official traditional anthem of the Youth Union.

It is a masterpiece of music about the youth of the Hồ Chí Minh era. In late 1971 and early 1972, when the Youth Union members were being imbued with revolutionary ideals, they listened to this song. “Uncle” Văn Dung captured the hearts of the youth so skillfully... The chorus is truly brilliant, especially the final line: "Amidst countless hardships, the glorious tradition reminds us, our Union must live up to being the descendants of Uncle Hồ Chí Minh!"

In the period when our Party initiated and led the entire nation to implement comprehensive reforms and actively integrate into the international community, the songs of the Youth Union immediately seemed to "explode" with vibrant, youthful, and revolutionary optimism. Composer Nguyễn Văn Hiên's "The Journey of the 20-Year-Old" embodies this particular spirit: "From the mountains to the seas/The youth are like birds soaring to distant fields or remote islands/With a heart full of volunteerism/A stream of patriotic blood/Where there are youth, there is nothing hard to achieve/Joining hands in unity/North, Central, South, we are one family/Joining hands in unity/Our youthful journey together."

Nguyễn Văn Hiên's works are diverse and rich. He not only composed for the youth, students, and schoolchildren, but also wrote love songs and children's songs. His piece 'Hổng dám đâu' has left a lasting impression on the public, especially among young children...

For 30 years, as the Head of the Young Composers' Club of the Hồ Chí Minh City Youth Union (1975-2005), he mentored many young generations in music, many of whom have achieved success and made significant contributions.

The National Defense Youth League, initially named the Liberation Army League, is a song composed by Phan Huỳnh Điểu in 1945. This is one of his most famous songs. The song was created in the year Vietnam gained independence after nearly a century as a French colony, during a time when the entire nation was determined to protect its fledgling independence from the threat of French recolonization.

In that context, "The Liberation Army League" was born as a pledge from the youth generation heading to battle: "Go, go, to preserve the rivers and mountains. Go, go, die rather than retreat...." The song was first spread in Đà Nẵng. On the trains carrying southern-bound soldiers stopping at Đà Nẵng station, the Việt Minh's propaganda troupe (including the composer) sang this powerful and determined melody of youth heading out to save the country.

As March rolls around every year, the entire nation is filled with the heroic spirit of the anniversary of the founding of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union. Amidst vibrant flags and banners, under the clear skies of spring, the musical piece "Youth of President Hồ Chí Minh's Generation" by composer Triều Dâng stirs up memories of the nation's glorious days.

As the youth of Hồ Chí Minh's generation.

For tomorrow, we will build great works.

The rice fields are heavy with grain, our homeland's factories billow smoke to the sky.

The whole nation will shine with electric lights in the future.

These are the lyrics to an upbeat melody, each note echoing through the land, reminding us of the generations that sacrificed for national independence. Through this, we learn to appreciate the peaceful days we have now and strive for a brighter future for Vietnam. It is no exaggeration to say that "Youth of President Hồ Chí Minh's Generation" is a song for the century, enduring through the years.

President Hồ Chí Minh has always been a revered leader of the Vietnamese people. Every Vietnamese citizen holds an immense love and gratitude toward him, making him an endless source of inspiration for Vietnamese poetry and songs. It was amidst this deep affection and the fervor of the anniversary of the founding of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union that composer Huy Thục was moved to write this song. Despite enduring immense pain from a bleeding stomach ulcer during the composition process, Huy Thục's spirit, driven by his comrades' courage and determination, allowed him to continue pouring his inspiration into the music.

At the end of September 1969, after Hồ Chí Minh’s passing, Huy Thục returned to North Quảng Trị. On the frontline roads named after the President, he encountered many groups of young people heading south. They included workers from the Trần Hưng Đạo Mechanical Factory, Duyên Hải, farmers from the “5 tons” rice fields, university graduates, and teachers from the University of Social Sciences, Pedagogy, and Polytechnic. All shared a united spirit of “Remembering President Hồ Chí Minh, turning grief into strength.” This led to the creation of the song "President Hồ Chí Minh is Marching with Us" by Huy Thục. On March 26, 1970, to mark the founding of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union, the Voice of Vietnam officially broadcasted this anthem. The powerful and passionate melody spread rapidly, energizing soldiers on the battlefield. From then on, every March 26, the song “President Hồ Chí Minh is Marching with Us” was played as the top choice for broadcasts and performances.

Youth has always been the core force of every society. Many songs have been written about Vietnamese youth, but none have carried the heroic tune and been as beloved as the song: "Vietnamese Youth." This anthem was composed by the brilliant musician Lưu Hữu Phước. Originally titled "La Marche des Étudiants" in 1939, the French lyrics were written by Mai Văn Bộ.

The song quickly became the official anthem for students in Southern Vietnam at that time. In 1941, the Indochinese Student Association adopted it as their official anthem, and Lưu Hữu Phước rewrote the lyrics in Vietnamese, naming it "The Call of Youth," divided into three parts. The first lyrics were composed by Mai Văn Bộ and Lưu Hữu Phước in 1941, and were sung secretly before 1945. The second lyrics, "The Call of Students," were written by Lê Khắc Thiều and Đặng Ngọc Tốt at the end of 1941, published in 1943, and then banned. The third lyrics, written by Hoàng Mai Lưu in April 1945, were published during the early days of the August 1945 Revolution. In 1945, the Youth Pioneer organization was founded, adopting the flag of red stars on a yellow background. The song was slightly modified and became the official anthem of the Youth Pioneer Organization, now known as The Call of Youth or The Youth March.