The First Performance of O Canada

 As a Canadian kid attending a Christian high school in South Dakota in the 1970s, I was a bit of an anomaly. Although I knew all the words to The Star-Spangled Banner, none of my friends knew my national anthem. At least one thought she did. My pal Pat, in my honor, would go about singing, “O Canada, O Canada” to the tune of O Christmas Tree. Luckily for her, I had a sense of humor.

Is it any wonder few Americans can sing O Canada? While they might find the tune familiar from sport events, the lyrics have changed so often that even we have trouble keeping up. The deeper I dug, the more versions I found. I wonder if Canada might hold a world record for changes to its national anthem, especially given that we didn’t officially have one until 1980.

In the 1800s, English-speaking Canadians were content with God Save the King and The Maple Leaf Forever as our patriotic songs. It was the French Canadians who desired an anthem. Between 1829 and 1880, so many songs had been introduced—all with mixed reviews—that authorities decided a competition should be held. In the end, however, time was of the essence in order to have a song ready for the Saint-Jean-Baptiste festivities in June in Québec City. So, on March 15, 1880, a 23-member music committee was appointed to produce a song. Among them was Calixa Lavallée, who was eventually credited with the composition of the music to O Canada. Adolphe-Basile Routhier composed the French lyrics, and it was first performed on June 24, 1880, under the title “Chant national,” at a banquet at the skaters’ pavilion in Québec City, attended by more than 500 distinguished guests. The next day, it was repeated at a large reception for 6,000 in the gardens of Spencer Wood. Six concert bands played the song twice, and the words were sung by a full choir.

So why did it take a century to become Canada’s official national anthem?

Beginning in 1901, various English versions began to crop up. The Richardson version, a literal translation from the French, was sung before King George V. In 1909, the McCulloch version, written by Mrs. Mercy E. Powell McCulloch whose contest submission won over 350 other participants, was introduced. This was followed by versions by poet Wilfred Campbell, the critic Augustus Bridle, and a Vancouver bank manager named Ewing Buchan.

The English version that became most widely used and most closely resembles today’s version was that by Robert Stanley Weir. Even then, revisions were made in 1913, 1914, 1916, 1967, and 2018—the latter to make its lyrics gender-neutral.

Although schools, sports, and community events had been using it for decades, on June 27, 1980, the House of Commons and the Senate finally and unanimously passed The National Anthem Act. On Canada Day, July 1, 1980, in a public ceremony featuring the descendants of Routhier and Weir, O Canada was proclaimed the official national anthem of Canada.

As for me, I cherish most the words to a fourth stanza few people know or recognize. I believe it’s the dearest and most wonderful prayer any nation could pray:

Ruler Supreme, who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our dominion in 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.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Happy Canada Day!

Robert Stanley Weir