"Because of their special status, national anthems serve several important social functions within a nation. These symbols crystallize the national identity, announcing both to citizens and to a nation's neighbors who the nation is, where it has been, and where it is going. National anthems also create and maintain bonds between citizens; with every performance, anthems contribute the formation of a collective body. National anthems establish a rallying center for the national collective; in this way they motivate patriotic action. Often national anthems function to honor the efforts of citizens; linking citizen to symbol creates a symbiotic relationship between the living nation and the symbolic nation. National anthems also serve as a means for legitimizing authority; authority figures attempt to merge their goals and desires with these symbols' sacred aura."