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Here's a bit on the tune:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Anacreon_in_Heaven

As for the text, 99.9% of Americans don't know it past the first verse. Most would deny that the last three verses even exist. Too long and convoluted.

"O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming!
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the Heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"

   

I like the Maple Leaf Forever it is really the better song. It mentions a lot of our history, our country, and what we have fought for. O Canada is almost like the politically correct attempt of an anthem. The only part that really resounds to me is we stand on guard for thee. It’s not a bad anthem but if I could change it I would to the Maple Leaf Forever.

   

Our current National Anthem is fine – “The Maple Leaf Forever” is a tad too selective in its history as it clearly omits French contributions to the Canadian narrative (I’m certainly not downplaying our British influence, but I’m not about to ignore other tangible influences either).

   

I don't get the poll question about putting heroin addicts to sleep. Little heroin addict dudes are usually quite drowsy after banging a refined form of opium into their veins.

   

True I know it is on the tab British side but still. Its a great song none the less and sounds good on the pipes too. The problem with O Canada is it is different in English and French they are not even the same anthem.

When you have a province where they discourage English, burn our flag, and people wanting to leave our country what is the point? Should we cater our anthem to them so they can just be content? Sure the French in Canada have made contributions but they have also dragged our country down too. Should English Canada forget about its history because it might upset some people?

These two verses do mention the French though as well as all the people here who fought so we could be our own people and not Americans. Also mentions the expansionism of our country from the east to west and our ties that bound us together which will never sever. It’s just the first verse of the song that is really more pro British Isles than the others. I just think its the better song and is a lot more inspiring to me.

   

But still, it’s a popular English Canadian song and I find it tends to selectively downplay French Canadian contributions to the historical narrative. This isn’t about political correctness insomuch as it’s about historical correctness.



Hyperbole. Some people are actively anti-Canadian and pro Separatist, but that doesn’t mean I fall back on generalizations to make a point. Some of this nation’s best politicians and federalists have come from Quebec, so I’m not about to make sweeping generalizations about a few political extremists with cultural insecurities.



Huh? I’m from Ontario and I’m content with our current National Anthem. If you don’t like it, why should we cater to your whims?



Really? Is this anti French-Canadian nonsense or is there an objective point here? French-Canadians have a complex past that is nonetheless a vital and significant component of this nation’s framework and historical narrative.



Maybe you should focus on CANADIAN history, as so far this is nothing but subjective prattle that omits vital components of our past. You want to understand Canada? Learn about its people and their contributions. That includes French-Canadians.



Lundy’s Land and Queenston Heights are examples of French-Canadians (although Lower Canada did make a valiant stand with Canadien units)?!?!? Do they teach Canadian history in your neck of the woods? If so, ask for your money back, ‘cause this is brutal. Damn. The song also mentions quite prominently the Queen, Wolfe, 1812, Britannia, England, Ireland and Scotland. It’s about English contributions to Canadian history – which is fine, but it’s not a fair, balanced summation of our nation’s full cultural past.

   

As for the anthem does it have to mention every ethnic group's contribution to Canada? O Canada only mentions that it is "native land" and just our home we live in. I guess it does not belong to us? Then the French sing this version.

Which talks about their ancestors I assume to mean other French people. And it says they will protect their homes and rights. Sounds more like a song for Quebec to me.

I don't think you can criticise the Maple Leaf Forever when the anthem we have now has its own bias too. If I had to pick an O Canada rendition this would be more appropriate one if you didn't want any bias of any kind. It doesn't mention anyone, God, Queen, or historical event. Just some parts of Canada and again we stand on guard for them.



The Maple Leaf Forever at least tells us something about us. It is more like a story/song and like a song it has verses and a chorus. It is not really against anyone or a particular person just because it doesn’t mention the other ethnic groups of Canada does not mean it is against them. The Maple Leaf Forever was not even against the French, it mentions how we live under the same flag and together. Muir even modified his own version with "The Lily, Thistle, Shamrock, Rose, and the Maple Leaf forever." We could always add the lily back into it. "I remember that born under the Lily, I have prospered under the Rose" is a motto for Quebec, which would be in this song.

The rest is about our country and our national symbol the Maple Leaf our emblem so dear and proclaims God Save our Queen, which is the head of state. It talks about the freedom we all fought for not just the British, it talks about the land we expanded not just the British either. When you mention historical correctness it is just that. It actually mentions our history.

O Canada has no historical correctness for it has no history or anything about us in it. The Maple Leaf Forever mentions more than just some bits of geography and phrases that sound good, it speaks about Canada something O Canada doesn't do. It is an anthem not just for the English but for all of Canada and the actual Canada not just some politically correct version of it.

   

Shouldn’t the National Anthem mention the significant contribution of French-Canadians to our history? Unless you’ve got some historical arguments, which I’ve yet to see, to the contrary, Canada’s past is significantly shaped by the French-Canadian experience.



Your assumptions are reaching and are skewed to prop up your weak point. I don’t care if your interpretation is wrong; it’s a more inclusive song than “Maple Leaf Forever”



Huh? Again, I have nothing against “The Maple Leaf Forever”, but it’s a historically exclusive piece. This is simply objective fact. While you may prefer it, which is fine, it consciously omits French-Canadian contributions (which are significant) to our national narrative – I haven’t seen anything from you to counter that point. It’s not about the bias; it’s about the historical correctness.



Wrong. It tells us something about the British contributions, which is fine, but it omits French-Canadian’s.



Please write something, not anything – the song is an English-Canadian anthem. Get over it. It clearly omits French-Canadian exploits in our past and it’s a product of its cotemporary milieu – where huge sentiments for everything Britannia ruled the day. A rudimentary understanding of history would’ve told you that. Besides, why would you want to exclude a part of our past? It’s objective and historically valid, so why ignore it?



Pleas try to follow this: I’m not about political correctness; I’m about historical correctness. That’s it. I want my National Anthem to reflect my culture, its history and its values – I don’t want exclusionary selections or biased ahistorical evaluations. That’s it. Unless you’ve got a point beyond simply repeating yourself, you’re done.

   

I like O Canda better. To me The Maple Leaf Forever is too British and I have no British in me.

   

What I find ironic about The Maple Leaf Forever...well actually, what I find ironic about a bit of Canadian History is that we owe our wonderful country essentially to James Wolfe....the same Wolfe that cost the Scots their freedom at Culloden. It's so ironic and kind of disturbing to me actually.

The other thing that's funny is that most people in Britain aren't aware that he's one and the same. But then, I don't think many people focus on Canadian history period. I love Canadian history, I think it's colourful, action packed and one heck of a story! I love that we have our dirty little secrets and mistakes that were made down the line that have formed us into the nation we are today...and are still evolving.

I'm seriously OT here but...I just find the Maple Leaf Forever to be ironic....lol

   

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