O Canada

O Canada  (1880)  by Robert Stanley Weir

related portals: National anthems, sheet music. sister projects: Wikipedia article. "O Canada" is the national anthem of Canada; the music was composed by Calixa Lavallée. The original French lyrics were written by Sir Adolphe Basile Routhier, as a French-Canadian patriotic song for the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society. The English version that [has] gained the widest currency was written in 1908 by Robert Stanley Weir, a lawyer and at the time Recorder of the City of Montréal. [...] "God Save the Queen" is now Canada's royal anthem, while "The Maple Leaf Forever" is virtually forgotten.

Official versions

English

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.

Translation of French

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

Original poems

Original English poem by Weir

The original poem of 1908 by Stanley Weir.

O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love thou dost in us command.
We see thee rising fair, dear land,
The True North, strong and free;
And stand on guard, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.

Refrain
O Canada! O Canada!
O Canada! We stand on guard for thee.
O Canada! We stand on guard for thee.

O Canada! Where pines and maples grow.
Great prairies spread and lordly rivers flow.
How dear to us thy broad domain,
From East to Western Sea,
Thou land of hope for all who toil!
Thou True North, strong and free!

Refrain
O Canada! O Canada! etc.

O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies
May stalwart sons and gentle maidens rise,
To keep thee steadfast through the years
From East to Western Sea,
Our own beloved native land!
Our True North, strong and free!

Refrain
O Canada! O Canada! etc.

Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our dominion within thy loving care;
Help us to find, O God, in thee
A lasting, rich reward,
As waiting for the Better Day,
We ever stand on guard.

Refrain
O Canada! O Canada! etc.

This work published before January 1, 1923 is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

Original French poem by Routhier

The original poem of 1880 by Adolphe-Basile Routhier.

French	English
Chant national	National Song
Ô Canada! terre de nos aïeux,	O Canada! Home of our ancestors,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux.	Your brow is wreathed with glorious garlands!
Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,	Because your arm knows how to wield the sword,
Il sait porter la croix;	It knows how to bear the cross.
Ton histoire est une épopée	Your history is an epic
Des plus brilliants exploits;	Of the most brilliant feats;
Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,	And your valour steeped in faith
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.	Will protect our homes and our rights.
Sous l'œil de Dieu, près du fleuve géant,	Under the eye of God, near the giant river,
Le Canadien grandit en espérant.	The Canadien grows full of hope.
Il est né d'une race fière;	He is born of a proud race;
Béni fut son berceau.	Blessed was his cradle.
Le ciel a marqué sa carrière	Heaven marked his way
Dans ce monde nouveau:	In this new world:
Toujours guidé par Sa lumière,	Always guided by His light,
Il gardera l'honneur de son drapeau.	He will keep the honor of his flag.
De son patron, précurseur du vrai Dieu,	Of his patron, precursor of the true God,
Il porte au front l'auréole de feu.	His forehead bears the aureole of fire.
Ennemi de la tyrannie,	Enemy of tyranny,
Mais plein de loyauté,	But full of loyalty,
Il sait garder dans l'harmonie	He knows how to keep in harmony
Sa fière liberté,	His proud liberty.
Et par l'effort de son génie	And by the effort of his mind
Sur notre sol asseoir la vérité.	On our soil establish the truth.
Amour sacré du trône et de l'autel,	Sacred love of the throne and the altar,
Remplis nos coeurs de ton souffle immortel.	Fill our hearts with your immortal breath.
Parmi les races étrangères	Among foreign races
Notre guide est la loi;	Our guide is the law;
Sachons être un peuple de frères	Let us be a people of brothers
Sous le joug de la Foi;	Under the yoke of Faith;
Et répétons comme nos pères	And let us repeat like our fathers
Le cri vainqueur: Pour le Christ et le Roi!	The victorious cry: For Christ and the King!

Source: Les Échos, Québec, P.-G. Delisle, 1882, p. 151-152

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1923. The author died in 1926, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 80 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Unofficial versions

Sporting anthem used in the 1970s and 1980s

A slightly modified version of the English lyrics used in the 1970s and 1980s at sporting events.

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.
O Canada glorious and free!
We stand on guard for rights and liberty.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.