Lyrics to O Canada
OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM
O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love
in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts
we see thee rise,
The True North
strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada,
We stand on guard
for thee.
God keep our land
glorious and free!
O Canada,
we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada,
we stand on guard for thee.
HISTORY
“O CANADA” was proclaimed Canada’s national anthem on July 1, 1980, a century after it was first sung on June 24, 1880. The music was composed by Calixa Lavallée, a well-known composer; French lyrics to accompany the music were written by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier. The song gained steadily in popularity. Many English versions have appeared over the years. The version on which the official English lyrics are based was written in 1908 by Mr. Justice Robert Stanley Weir. The official English version includes changes recommended in 1968 by a Special Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Commons. The French lyrics remain unaltered.
The national ANTHEM
Do you know that this song was a nationalist song in french when it was compose. The june 24th is the day of Québec (french canadien at that time) and this is the reason this song was lauch that day.
The main reason was to go againts the “God save the Queen” sang by English (canadien) at that time.
The first version of the english version is a parodi of the french version.
The french and english version oppose.
O Canada terre de nos aieux.
means O canada the land of my grand, grand, grand father.
The English of the time could not say that so they said
Our home and native land.
the french version praise the fact that we fought hard aginst english, that we are catholic (it is no longer the case)
I know only one country with such a bizarre national ANTHEM. Canada
For the flag history, you have to ad that is was lauch to counter the Québec nationalisme of the 60’s. Québec had a flag from 1949. Canada had the British flag. It was too easy for nationalist to say that canada is trying to assimilate us to the english with that british flag
In Québec, we often think that canada exist beacause of us. When Québec do something to identify itself, canada does the same. Often canada steel the work from Québec as the maple leaf from Duvernay (nationalist) and the national ANTHEM.
Benoît
Comment by Benoît Goulet — 9/10/2004 @ 11:26 am
Well, thanks for the comment Benoît . It’s nice to hear from a Québec native on more about the French origin of the anthem.
Comment by Eddie — 9/11/2004 @ 8:36 pm