Our hearts are actually in the middle of our chests. BUT OKAY.
When I went to was forced to go to a hockey game on Wednesday, I took notice of their national anthem, O Canada.
Canadians don’t put their hands over their hearts when they sing. This made me sad. It reminded me of middle school and high school when people didn’t stand up to stay the pledge of allegiance because they didn’t like the phrase “One nation under God.” Ya know what, if you don’t like it, how about you move to a different country. No one will miss you. How hard is it to stand up and say a 10 second pledge? In 6th grade I had to memorize the pledge in Latin–worst week of my life.
If you are not familiar with the lyrics to O Canada, here they are:
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.
It’s simple, but it works. I feel like the Star Spangled Banner paints more of a vivid picture, but O Canada has some sweetness to it. I like that they mention glowing hearts because it reminds me of E.T. If all Canadians were like E.T. I would have no complaints. And its nice that Canadians will stand on guard for their land. In fact, they say that 3 times so I guess they’re super serious about it.
The Star Spangled Banner on the other hand, has 4 verses. I have to roll my eyes at that. Like, okay we get it, America is awesome. The anthem isn’t really about America in most of it. Its about the civil war (edit: it’s about the war of 1812 actually. I am retarded and lazy so I didn’t research correctly.):
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep, where the foe’s haughty host in dead silence reposes, what is that which the breeze o’er the towering steep, as it fitfully blows half conceals, half discloses.
That doesn’t make me think of my country. That makes me think of a Disney song. I dread the day that I have to sing all 4 verses of the national anthem.
I feel really weird listening to Canada’s anthem for some reason. It makes me feel so out of place. Maybe because I haven’t memorized it yet or maybe its just because a bunch of Canadians are standing around me grinning their weird Canadian grins.
Final note: They also have a French version of their anthem. Ugh.
Lily In Canada 