What is the National Anthem in Canada?
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.
"O Canada!" is the national anthem of Canada. The music was composed by Calixa Lavallee, and the original French lyrics were written by sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier, as a French-Canadian patriotic song for the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society. The official English version is based on a poem written by Robert Stanley Weir in 1908. It is not a translation of the French. Changes to the English version were made in 1968 following recommendations made 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.
"God Save the Queen" was used as a national anthem before the adoption of "O Canada". It is now Canada's royal anthem.
God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen:
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the Queen.
Thy choicest gifts in store,
On her be pleased to pour;
Long may she reign:
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice
God save the Queen.
O Lord, our God, arise,
Scatter thine (or her) enemies,
And make them fall:
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On thee our hopes we fix:
God save us all.
Not in this land alone,
But be God's mercies known,
From shore to shore!
Lord make the nations see,
That men should brothers be,
And form one family,
The wide world over.
From every latent foe,
From the assassins blow,
God save the Queen!
O'er her thine arm extend,
For Britain's sake defend,
Our mother, prince, and friend,
God save the Queen!
Lord grant that Marshal Wade
May by thy mighty aid
Victory bring.
May he sedition hush,
And like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush.
God save the Queen!*
Here is the French version of "O Canada" translated into English.
O Canada! Home of our ancestors,
Your brow is wreathed with glorious garlands!
Since your arm can bear the sword,
It can bear the cross;
Your history is an epic
Of the most brilliant feats.
And your valour steeped in faith
Will protect our homes and our rights;
Will protect our homes and our rights.
In recent years, the English version of the anthem has been criticized by feminists for being sexist because of the line "true patriot love in all thy sons command". However, if one sings the first two lines in French, the next four in English, and ends the song in French, one avoids both sexist language and religious references. It expresses national unity, and remains unimpeachable on grounds of revisionism, as both versions are just as official.
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