O Canada

"O Canada" is the national anthem of Canada. The music was composed by Calixa Lavallée, who may have been inspired by the similar "March of the Priests" from Mozart's opera The Magic Flute. The French lyrics were written by Sir Adolphe Basile Routhier, while the official English version is a revision of lyrics by Robert Stanley Weir.

History

The original French lyrics were written by Sir Adolphe Basile Routhier, as a French-Canadian patriotic song for the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society. The French "Ô Canada" was first performed on June 24, 1880 at a Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day banquet in Quebec City, but did not become Canada's official national anthem until July 1, 1980. When it was made the official anthem, most English Canadians were surprised to learn that it did not already have such status.

Since 1867, "God Save the King" and "The Maple Leaf Forever" had been competing as unofficial national anthems in English Canada. "O Canada" joined that fray when school children sang it for the 1901 tour of Canada by the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall (later King George V and Queen Mary). Five years later Whaley and Royce in Toronto published the music with the French text and a first translation into English by Dr. Thomas Bedford Richardson. Then, in 1908, Collier's Weekly magazine held a competition to write English lyrics for "O Canada" and all kinds of versions were submitted. The competition was won by Mercy E. Powell McCulloch, but her version did not take.

The English version that gained the widest currency was written in 1908 by Robert Stanley Weir, a lawyer and at the time Recorder of the City of Montréal. A slightly modified version of his poem was published in an official form for the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation in 1927, and gradually became the most generally accepted anthem in English-speaking Canada, winning out over the alternatives by the 1960s. "God Save the Queen" is now Canada's royal anthem, while "The Maple Leaf Forever" is virtually forgotten.

The line "The True North strong and free" is based on Alfred Lord Tennyson's description of Canada as "That True North whereof we lately heard". In the context of Tennyson's poem, true means loyal or faithful.

Official changes to the English version were recommended in 1968 by a Special Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Commons. The National Anthem Act of 1980 added a religious reference to the English lyrics and the phrase "From far and wide, O Canada" to replace one of the somewhat tedious repetitions of the phrase "We stand on guard". This change was controversial with traditionalists, and for several years afterwards it was not uncommon to hear people still singing the old lyrics at public events. By contrast, the French version never wavered from its original.

Two provinces have adopted Latin translations of phrases from the English lyrics as their mottos: Manitoba —Gloriosus et liber (glorious and free)— and Alberta —Fortis et liber (strong and free). Similarly, the motto of Canadian Forces Land Force Command is Vigilamus pro te (we stand on guard for thee).

The original song has several additional verses, but these are rarely sung.

Often, singers at public events mix the English and French lyrics in order to represent Canada's linguistic duality. The most common patterns are to sing the first two lines in English, the next four lines in French and the remainder in English, or to sing the first six lines in French and the remainder in English.

Other patterns also exist, but they are seldom used. For example, one form is singing the first two and last three lines in French avoids sexist language or religious connotations (see below.)

Other English lyrics

In 1906, Whaley and Royce in Toronto published the music with the French text and a translation into English made by Dr. Thomas Bedford Richardson, a Toronto doctor. The Mendelssohn Choir used the Richardson lyrics in one of their performances about this time and Judge Routhier and the French press complimented the author.

In 1908 Collier's Weekly inaugurated its Canadian edition with a competition for an English text to Lavallée's music. It was won by Mercy E. Powell McCulloch, but her version did not take.

Since then many English versions have been written for "O Canada". Poet Wilfred Campbell wrote one. So did Augustus Bridle, Toronto critic. Some were written for the 1908 tercentenary of Quebec City. One version, written by Buchan, became popular in British Columbia. A version by Albert D. Watson written in 1917 gained some currency through being the text included in the 1930 Hymnary of the United Church of Canada, the largest Protestant denomination.

Official lyrics

Official English lyrics

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!

Ô Canada! Terre de nos aïeux
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux
Car ton bras sait porter l'épée
Il sait porter la croix
Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits
Et ta valeur, de foi trempée
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits
O Canada! Land of our ancestors
Your brow is wreathed with glorious garlands!
As your arm can bear the sword,
It can bear the cross;
Your history is an epic
Of the most brilliant feats.
And your valour, in faith steeped,
Will protect our homes and our rights;
Will protect our homes and our rights.

Official French lyrics	Translation of French lyrics

Critics

In recent years, the English version of the anthem has been criticized, by feminists such as Senator Vivienne Poy, for being sexist. She has proposed changing the line "true patriot love in all thy sons command" to "in all of us command", "in thy children command", or "in all of thine command". These alternatives are rarely used. The English version has been criticized because of the mention of God ("God keep our land"). The French version also contains religious references ("Il sait porter la croix").

Another suggested modification is changing the official English lyrics to the second verse of the original poem which does not contain references to religion or language that critics contend is sexist. This suggestion does not have much support in Canada.

However, if one sings the first two lines in French, the next four in English, and ends the song in French (or sings the second repitition of the last line in English), one avoids both what critics claim is sexist language as well as religious references (except for foi "faith", which some would argue could be interpreted as faith in one's country and fellow citizens), expresses national unity, and remains unimpeachable on grounds of revisionism, as both versions are just as official.

A third criticism is that by specifying "native land", the words of the anthem exclude immigrants, or they demean the First Nations, ignoring that it is neither the French nor the English's 'native land', depending on how 'native' is defined.

Pop culture

Many versions of the song by Canadian rock, pop and folk artists have been released on album, both with and without vocals. The blues-rock band Big Sugar released a rock rendition of "O Canada" on their 2001 album Brothers and Sisters, Are You Ready? The band's stated goal was to give the song a treatment that resembled Jimi Hendrix's famed rock interpretation of "The Star-Spangled Banner". The Pea Tear Briggs Experience covered it in 2006, giving it a bizarre, avant-garde treatment that some Canadians found offensive and mocking.

The anthem has often been spoofed in American sitcoms and movies, including South Park, The Simpsons, and That '70s Show. "O Canada" was included in the Bigger, Longer, and Uncut soundtrack, performed by Rush members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson.

In 1995, Dennis K.C. Parks sang O Canada to the tune of O Christmas Tree at the Las Vegas Posse's first home game against the Toronto Argonauts.^*^*

In a response to the criticism of the political incorrectness of the national anthem, the Royal Canadian Air Farce did a skit in October 2001, featuring a new version of "O Canada" that was more inclusive to everyone.

On the television series The West Wing, when it is thought that Donna Moss may have been born in Canada, First Lady Abigail Bartlet has O Canada played at a White House reception in her honor.

Notes

External links

Easybyte - free easy piano arrangement of "O Canada!" plus midi sound file
Great Scores - History of the song plus piano arrangements
Canadian Heritage (National Anthem: O Canada)
Canadian Heritage (Sheet music)
A Politically Correct O Canada
The Story Behind the Song
MegaCity Chorus Sings O' Canada - Unilingual English

Canadian songs | National anthems | 1880 in Canada

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