Official Lyrics (English)

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.

Extra information

"O Canada" is the national anthem of Canada. Calixa Lavallée composed the music in 1880 as a patriotic song for that year's St. Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony. The first lyrics that were composed for the song were written in French by Sir Adolphe Basile Routhier in 1880 for the same ceremony. An English translation did not appear until 1906, and it was two more years until Robert Stanley Weir penned the English lyrics. Weir's words were altered in 1968 to their present form, although the French lyrics remain unaltered. The choice of "O Canada" for the national anthem did not occur until 1980, when it was signed into law during the Canada Day celebrations that year. It was modified, along with the royal anthem of Canada, God Save the Queen, to be part of the Vice Regal Salute.

Vocabulary notes

to alter – менять, изменять

anthem - гимн

to depict - изображать

eminent – выдающийся, видный, знаменитый

eventually – в конечном счете, в конце концов; со временем

faithfully – верно, честно

framework – структура, рамки

key - ключевой

to occur – происходить, случаться

seminal – плодотворный, конструктивный

to pen – писать, сочинять