dave@lsuc.UUCP (David Sherman) (09/24/85)
In article <2537@watcgl.UUCP> sahayman@watcgl.UUCP (Steve Hayman) writes: >Isaac Dimitrovsky writes (from New York) about the running O Canada controversy: > >>Oh well, I don't think anybody in Canada knows the words either. >> >Um, do you have any statistics to back up this strange statement? I know >it's sort of a running gag up here that nobody knows the words (especially >since a slight modification of the first verse a few years ago) but >never have I met any Canadian who doesn't know either the new version >or the old version. They do teach this in school! Actually, they don't teach all the words in school. A couple of years ago, the person invited to sing the anthems at Exhibition Stadium sang the words to the second verse. Toronto fans, not realizing what he was doing and thinking he was making up new words, booed him! What's worse, the Toronto newspapers picked up the story that he'd made up new words and published it. Not until a day later did the editors realize that it was the second verse. 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 Thy land of hope for all who toil We stand on guard for thee (I think that's right. I learned it many years ago.) Dave Sherman The Law Society of Upper Canada Toronto -- { ihnp4!utzoo pesnta utcs hcr decvax!utcsri } !lsuc!dave
shindman@utcs.uucp (Paul Shindman) (09/24/85)
Ok...you trivia buffs and nationalists...what's the 3rd verse???
I'll post it in a couple of days (if nobody else does, and if I can
find my music book at home with it...)
--
-----------------
Paul Shindman, U of T Computing Services, Toronto (416) 978-6878
USENET: {ihnp4|decvax}!utcs!shindman
BITNET: paulie at utoronto IP SHARP MAIL: uofttbray@mprvaxa.UUCP (Tim Bray) (09/25/85)
If you want to be really nauseated, go look up the first verse in French. Enough to turn you into an instant separatist.
clarke@utcsri.UUCP (Jim Clarke) (09/25/85)
In article <638@mprvaxa.UUCP> tbray@mprvaxa.UUCP (Tim Bray) writes: >If you want to be really nauseated, go look up the first verse in French. >Enough to turn you into an instant separatist. Aaargh! When I was a kid, so long ago that people thought "God Save The Queen" was the national anthem, when we learned "O Canada" we learned it in both English and French. I don't recall being nauseated, nor am I nauseated now by what I remember of the French version. (One consequence of learning O.C. as a second-string anthem is that while I remember all of G.S.T.Q., and even parts of the second verse, I only remember bits of O.C., some bits in English and some in French.) It's a conservative, religious, nineteenth-century anthem -- what do you want in an anthem written in a conservative, religious, nineteenth-century country? At least in French it's original. Remember, the English equivalent to O Canada is "The Maple Leaf Forever" -- I might have the title wrong, but you remember that stuff about Wolfe the donkless hero and planting firm Britannia's flag? ... instant separatism there, if you're French Canadian. Neither of us is pure, but *ours* contains explicitly offensive material. Maybe I'm flaming at a straw man (sounds like fun). If so, I apologize for misreading Tim's message. But people do seem to be jumping on the old national anthem lately. -- Jim Clarke -- Dept. of Computer Science, Univ. of Toronto, Canada M5S 1A4 (416) 978-4058 {allegra,cornell,decvax,ihnp4,linus,utzoo}!utcsri!clarke
lesperan@utai.UUCP (Yves Lesperance) (09/25/85)
In <638@mprvaxa.UUCP>, Tim Bray (tbray@mprvaxa) writes: > If you want to be really nauseated, go look up the first verse in French. > Enough to turn you into an instant separatist. As a not so atypical French Canadian, I must confess that I haven't been turned into an instant separatist by the "O Canada". Do you attribute the loss of the Yes side in the referendum to lack of exposure to the anthem? More seriously, I fail to find anything offensive in that first verse, "O Canada, terre de nos aieux". I simply perceive that as a reference to our attachment to the land, our family and ancestry, and history. I feel that these values are still deeply ingrained in the French Canadian psyche. Overall, I certainly agree that the anthem is dated; Quebec society has changed dramatically since those rural and religious days. But I find that the datedness of the song gives it a certain charm, and there's a lot in it that is still valid. I am not familiar with other countries's anthems, so I can't really compare. But what would you want to replace it with? A version of the theme from Rambo Should we put in a reference or two to the latest political mood shift, lees government, less taxes, and a BMW in every driveway? Yves Lesperance ---------------
sophie@mnetor.UUCP (09/26/85)
>In <638@mprvaxa.UUCP>, Tim Bray (tbray@mprvaxa) writes: >> If you want to be really nauseated, go look up the first verse in French. >> Enough to turn you into an instant separatist. > Oh Canada, Terre de nos aieux, Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux, Car ton bras sait porter l'epee, I sait porter la croix. Ton histoire est une epopee, De plus brillants exploits. Et ta valeur, de foi trempee, Protegera nos foyers et nos droits, Protegera nos foyers et nos droits. Well, maybe all the religious references are quaint and dated, but after I finally understood what was wet with what (about 2 years ago only), I learned to appreciate this quite a bit, especially since I grew up with "La Marseillaise", which has got to be one of the bloodiest and most disgusting anthems in the whole world. Oh Canada is pretty nice. How many other anthems talk about rights? -- Sophie Quigley {allegra|decvax|ihnp4|linus|watmath}!utzoo!mnetor!sophie
shindman@utcs.uucp (Paul Shindman) (09/26/85)
In article <729@utai.UUCP> lesperan@utai.UUCP (Yves Lesperance) writes: >In <638@mprvaxa.UUCP>, Tim Bray (tbray@mprvaxa) writes: > >> If you want to be really nauseated, go look up the first verse in French. >> Enough to turn you into an instant separatist. > > >More seriously, I fail to find anything offensive in that first verse, "O >Canada, terre de nos aieux". I simply perceive that as a reference to our >attachment to the land, our family and ancestry, and history. I feel that these >values are still deeply ingrained in the French Canadian psyche. Overall, I >certainly agree that the anthem is dated; Quebec society has changed >dramatically since those rural and religious days. But I find that the >datedness of the song gives it a certain charm, and there's a lot in it that is >still valid. > The only part that I find should be changed is the "porter la croix", since in our, ahem, wonderfully multi-cultural and diverse community (blech, sounds like a campaign speech) there are many who do not carry a cross. Since the english version was recently changed, I wouldn't mind seeing this line altered slightly. Actually, I liked the late Roger Ducet's(sp?) version the best "...we stand on gaurd for rights and liberty...". -- ----------------- Paul Shindman, U of T Computing Services, Toronto (416) 978-6878 USENET: {ihnp4|decvax}!utcs!shindman BITNET: paulie at utoronto IP SHARP MAIL: uoft
robertj@garfield.UUCP (Robert Janes) (09/28/85)
About Canadians not knowing the second verse of Oh Canada. There are several different versions of Oh Canada in English, all with minor and not so minor differences. There is however one version which has been officially adopted as Canada's national anthem by Parliament. This is the "....rights and liberty..." version and has no second verse. The government is encouraging people to learn the words of this version as the offical national anthem. In fact when I was up on Signal Hill ( in St. John's ) at 5:00 am July 1 they had little cards printed up with the offical French and English versions. Cheers Robert Janes
phyllis@utcsri.UUCP (Phyllis Eve Bregman) (09/30/85)
The day after the O Canada fiasco, WPLJ, the number one rock
station in New York City, apologized to all Canadians living
in the area for the unmannerly conduct of the US citizens at
the game, that is, the boos, hisses, thrown eggs, etc., and
played O Canada on the radio.
--
Phyllis Eve Bregman
CSRI, Univ. of Toronto
{decvax,linus,ihnp4,uw-beaver,allegra,utzoo}!utcsri!phyllis
CSNET: phyllis@torontolake@alberta.UUCP (Robert Lake) (09/30/85)
> Ok...you trivia buffs and nationalists...what's the 3rd verse???
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!
If there are any mistakes, please let me know.
Robert Lake (alberta!lake)
University of Albertashindman@utcs.uucp (10/01/85)
In article <668@alberta.UUCP> lake@alberta.UUCP (Robert Lake) writes: >> Ok...you trivia buffs and nationalists...what's the 3rd verse??? > > 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! > >If there are any mistakes, please let me know. > Robert Lake (alberta!lake) > University of Alberta My congratulations to Rob...the words are correct...and now (drum roll in background)...the moment you've been waiting for.... ....the 4th verse to O Canada... Ruler Supreme, Who hearest humble pray'r 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 gaurd! According to the music book I have (copyrighted in 1933) the words were by His Ho. R. Stanley Weir D.C.L. and the melody, of course, was by Lavallee. -- ----------------- Paul Shindman, U of T Computing Services, Toronto (416) 978-6878 USENET: {ihnp4|decvax}!utcs!shindman BITNET: paulie at utoronto IP SHARP MAIL: uoft