Walking down Granville Street in Vancouver tonight I saw something I’ve never seen in the United States. Twenty something girls playfully singing and strutting to the Canadian anthem. They were on the crosswalk and at the top of their lungs they were singing “Oh, Canada, our home and native land…” Of course patriotism and spirit are running high at the Olympics but the Canadians also have a very singable anthem with an extremely catchy melody. So catchy in fact, that John Furlong, the head of the Vancouver Olympic Committee chose the English lyrics “With Glowing Hearts” and the French ”Des plus brillants exploits” from the French version as trademarked slogans for the 2010 Olympics. On the other hand, our Star Spangled Banner, composed when Francis Scott Key was watching the Battle of Port McHenry during the War of 1812, is set to the tune of a British drinking song and at one and a half octaves it is more difficult to get right. We sing it solemnly at sporting events and always wonder if the vocalist will actually get through it without becoming pitchy or butchering it with some bizarre rendition. The Canadian anthem on the other hand rolls off the tongue especially if you’re 20 something and maybe have had a couple of drinks. So when Americans aren’t on the podium and Canadians are you might be tempted to sing so here are the words:
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.
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