O Canada Song History

 

Here’s a breakdown of the key changes to O Canada over time:

1. The Original French Version (1880)

• The anthem was originally written in French by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier (lyrics) and Calixa Lavallée (music) for the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day celebrations in 1880.

2. The First English Version (1908)

• Robert Stanley Weir wrote an English version, but it was not an exact translation of the French lyrics.
• His 1908 version included the line:
  "True patriot love thou dost in us command."

3. Official Version Adopted (1980)

• O Canada officially became the national anthem on July 1, 1980 (before that, God Save the Queen was used).
• The lyrics were slightly revised, and "thou dost in us command" was changed to "in all thy sons command."

4. Gender-Inclusive Change (2018)

• On February 7, 2018, the Canadian government passed a bill changing the line "in all thy sons command" to "in all of us command" to make the anthem more gender-neutral.
• This change was supported by many, including former Prime Minister Kim Campbell and astronaut Julie Payette.

Other Variations and Performances

• Over the years, artists like Chantal Kreviazuk and others have performed personalized versions of the anthem, sometimes modifying lyrics for inclusivity or artistic interpretation.