As described elsewhere in this domain, I was tasked by Frau Lynch, the landlady of The Irish Pub, Schnoor, Bremen to give a vocal greeting to a Norwegian football team, who were to play a friendly against the pub's own footbal squad, on their arrival. "Gesagt, getan" as they say in Germany, I put my heart into it and over many days learned Ja, vi elsker dette landet, Norway's National Anthem. At Bremen Airport the foot-balling Vikings duly arrived and on coming through the gate were "treated" to my very loud attempt at their national hymn. There was a Monty Pythonish reception. Perhaps bemusement is an understatement. At any rate, I switched to The Wild Rover which they knew.
Now, the anthem is a very beautiful piece extolling the nation's rich history and it is more like a choral work for trained musicians that something to be sung by the man-in-the-street. A work to be listened to rather than to sing, all of which probably explains those football players reactions..

Lyrics