Oh canada!

The Canadian National Anthem is going through my head right now, probably because I've heard it two nights in a row at The Olympics. I was wondering, would a Canadian please tell me the words? I couldn't understand all of them. Who knows. Maybe one day I'll move to Canada and it'd be nice to be able to sing The 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.

At least half of the athletes sing it in French, however, and in most official versions they switch back and forth between French and English so I'm not suprised you have trouble picking out the lyrics.

O Canada!
Terre de nos aÃ[emoji]174[/emoji]eux,
Ton front est ceint
de fleurons glorieux!
Car ton bras
sait porter l'Ã[emoji]169[/emoji]pÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]e,
Il sait porter
la croix! Ton histoire
est une Ã[emoji]169[/emoji]popÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]e,
Des plus brillants exploits.
Et ta valeur,
de foi trempÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]e,
ProtÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]gera nos foyers et nos droits.
ProtÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]gera nos foyers
et nos droits.

Crap... now I've got it stuck in my head! Thanks a lot Just when I get Krieger des Lichts out of my head... geez

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

O Canada!
Terre de nos aÃ[emoji]174[/emoji]eux,
Ton front est ceint
de fleurons glorieux!
Car ton bras
sait porter l'Ã[emoji]169[/emoji]pÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]e,
Il sait porter
la croix! Ton histoire
est une Ã[emoji]169[/emoji]popÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]e,
Des plus brillants exploits.
Et ta valeur,
de foi trempÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]e,
ProtÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]gera nos foyers et nos droits.
ProtÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]gera nos foyers
et nos droits.

Click to expand...

Wow...I'm impressed. I can sing it in French but definitly not spell it.

I think we have one of the most pretty anthems in the world! My Dad always stood up when he heard it, no matter where he was. And if he had a hat on it came off! Me? I just get misty eyed hearing it.

One day while in a Handi Transit vehicle, the driver had a CD of nothing but "Oh Canada" playing. French, English, combination, instrumental, vocal, big band etc. It was definitely different.


http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174499

Thanks for telling what the words are. It's a beautiful song.

"O Canada" was proclaimed Canada's national anthem on July 1, 1980, 100 years after it was first sung on June 24, 1880.

The music was composed by Calixa LavallÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]e. French lyrics to accompany the music were written by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier. Calixa LavallÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]e was known as "Canada's national musician" and he was asked to compose the music for a poem written by Judge Adolphe-Basile Routhier for the "Congrès national des Canadiens-Français" in 1880, which was being held at the same time as the St. Jean-Baptiste Day celebrations.

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 song was first performed on June 24, 1880 at a banquet in the "Pavillon des Patineurs" in Quebec City as the climax of a "Mosaïque sur des airs populaires canadiens" arranged by JosephVÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]zina, a prominent composer and bandmaster.

Over the years the song has undergone many lyric adjustments. The version that gained the widest popularity was made in 1908 by Robert Stanley Weir, a lawyer and at the time Recorder of the City of MontrÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]al. This is the version which was published in an official form for the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation in 1927, and has since been generally accepted in English speaking 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!
And stand on guard, O Canada
We stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, glorious and free,
We stand on guard, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

I agree (not biased or anything ) it's a good anthem. Good enough that when I have an ear worm, it's O Canada I use to get rid of it, and smile a lot in the process.

How many people know the second verse? It's pretty nice, too.

I get teary eyed hearing KAREN NEWMAN sing 'Oh Canada'. It's such a treat when the Red Wings play a Canadian team, because we get to hear both anthems....she does SUCH a great job. I wish I could find a video of it...her singing gives me goosebumps!

And isn't it nice actually hearing our anthem being played?! I can't even remember the last time I heard it (before the Olympics)!

I love our anthem.

But I have to say, the American anthem actually gives me chills, I really love it

We have a beautiful anthem

What did you think of Nikki's version at the Opening Ceremonies? I have heard a lot of negative feedback, but I think it was a brave effort to do something different, and I kind of liked it myself.

Nope. Sorry. I can't say I care for ANY solo performance of it, because it excludes the participation of the people in their anthem. The more so when, in a case like this, they couldn't have hoped to sing along under their breath even, because it was so "interpreted".

Does anyone remember when O Canada was NOT the official anthem? Prior to 1980, there were two: the nationa hymn was God Save the Queen/King and the anthem was The Maple Leaf Forever.

Tico - I thought it was dreadful, a lot of tuneless caterwauling