Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 3,101
|
Rethinking O Canada: Canada's rash choice
As Canada turns 140, Citizen writer Tony Atherton uses equal parts history and whimsy to offer a light-hearted analysis of our anthem — and suggests some alternatives
Tony Atherton
The Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
On Sunday, July 1, Canada will turn 140, a venerable age, an age of wisdom, an age of reckoning. It may also be the perfect age to reconsider the song we sing (or more often, don't sing) at momentous ceremonial occasions. Like hockey games.
When the U.S. turned 140 in 1916, it marked the occasion by finally giving a small measure of official status to The Star-Spangled Banner, one of a score of patriotic songs then in circulation. American president Woodrow Wilson decreed that the song would be sung at all military ceremonies. It was the first step in a laboured political process that would see the song become the U.S.'s national anthem -- though not for another 15 years, 155 years after the country was born.
The U.S., though precipitous in some things, apparently thought it wise to ruminate at length before pronouncing on something as significant as the song expected to bind the scattered nation and represent it to the world.
By comparison, Canada's selection of its national anthem was downright impetuous, if not slapdash. O Canada, which had knocked about in various forms since Calixa Lavallee wrote the "national hymn" for a St-Jean-Baptiste Day celebration in 1880, was granted a degree of official recognition when Canada was a mere 60 years old. And it became the national anthem by parliamentary decree in 1980, when the country was a tender 113.
Was the decision too rash? Certainly, O Canada does not command the same kind of unwavering devotion that The Star-Spangled Banner seems to excite among those of the American persuasion. Many francophone Canadians disdain O Canada as a Quebec anthem co-opted for a federalist cause. Its English lyrics, changed several times since they were first written by Robert Stanley Weir in 1908, are still considered sexist by some ("... in all thy sons command"). Others say its French lyrics, unchanged since the song was first performed, are too unapologetically Christian ("... il sait porter la croix").
At most events (Stanley Cup Finals and Olympic medal presentations are notable exceptions), Canadians are hesitant to join in the singing of the national anthem. Is it innate Canadian diffidence, or something about the song itself, its ponderousness, or the fact that no one knows which lyrics to use -- old, new, French, English, bilingual, non-gender-specific ...
How would we react if the song was some other patriotic ditty, like The Maple Leaf For Ever (now available with politically correct, bilingual lyrics)? Or Gordon Lightfoot's Canadian Railroad Trilogy? Or Stompin' Tom Connors' The Hockey Song?
The Citizen is giving readers a chance to express their feelings about O Canada and its potential rivals, to either renew the anthem's mandate for another 140 years, or opt for an alternative.
Over the next few days, we will be presenting the case for the incumbent, O Canada, and 11 other patriotic songs that might be seen as contenders. Some of the latter we suggest might be adopted in tandem for reasons we will explain. Our list of alternative anthems includes: The Maple Leaf For Ever, partnered with the traditional French Canadian folk song Vive La Canadienne; Un Canadian Errant (Once a Canadian Lad); Freddy Grant's They All Call It Canada; Oscar Brand's Something to Sing About; Lightfoot's Canadian Railroad Trilogy; Bobby Gimby's Centennial song Ca-Na-Da; one or both of Gilles Vigneault's Quebec anthems Mon Pays and Gens du Pays; and a combo-plate of the Hockey Night in Canada Theme and Stompin' Tom's The Hockey Song.
Beginning today, brief brackgrounders, lyrics and sample soundfiles of these songs will be posted at ottawacitizen.com, where readers will be able to vote for their favourite and give reasons for their choice. We'll share the results with readers when the votes are tabulated in time for Canada Day.
But you need not restrict yourself to our selections. If some other song turns your Canadian crank, we want to know. Maybe you stand to attention for Big Sugar's All Hell for a Basement, Neil Young's Helpless; or Stan Rogers' One Warm Line. Write in your selection on the website and convince readers that your pick for Canada's anthem should prevail.
And if you've got a couple of favourites, vote twice. Internet democracy grants power to those willing to use it.
Watch for the results in the newspaper and on the web on Canada Day weekend.
REFERANTHEM: Putting O Canada to the people
With Canada's 140th birthday approaching, we thought Canadians should have a chance to reconsider the song for which we stand -- and which stands for our nation. In the coming days, we will press the case for O Canada and a range of plausible alternative anthems. Readers can vote online at ottawacitizen.com for one of these, or any other song that makes them feel particularly patriotic. Results of the poll will be released Canada Day Weekend.
Today: The Maple Leaf For Ever and Vive La Canadienne
Tomorrow: Un Canadien Errant (Once a Canadian Lad)
Friday: They All Call It Canada
Saturday: Something
to Sing About
Sunday: Ca-Na-Da
Monday: The Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Tuesday: Mon Pays and Gens du Pays
Wednesday: Hockey Night in Canada Theme and The Hockey Song
Thursday: O Canada
On the Web:
- Hear excerpts from the featured songs
- Read the lyrics (and translations where appropriate)
- Vote for your favourite patriotic Canadian song
© The Ottawa Citizen 2007
-------------------------------------------------
As much as I love CRT, I can't see the crowd at the stadium standing to sing through THE WHOLE THING - alas, too long.
|