Everyone can sing it, if they want to. Nobody should have to.

It's easier to sing than a certain national anthem they use south of here, that I grew up having to sing occassionally.  Nicer tune, too, imho.  However, I don't like the idea of "having" to sing it...  (Never liked the idea too much as a schoolchild, either)

It's not a bad national anthem, really. As redbaron says, it's easier to sing than the "Star Spangled Banner" (which could easily be re-titled the "Badly Mangled Banner" the way it's sometimes sung). Nothing too offensive in the words, but it's not overly stirring either. "God save the Queen/King" is overall better in both tune and words but as a non-monarchist with vaguely republican sympathies, I'm not overly fond of it otherwise. A revamped "The Maple Leaf Forever" with new lyrics that are less blatantly English colonialist could work as an alternative, but "Oh Canada" is a perfectly serviceable national anthem, just a little bland (but isn't that true about a lot of Canadian things, anyway - works well but a little bland ).

Mendalla

It's a little defensive…  not particularly inclusive…  an anthem I really like is the South African one. 

I agree Mike - I also really enjoy that one.

I really like "O Canada" too - the only exception is "in all thy sons command."

I don't think I'm familiar with the Sth african one... I can't recall Maple Leaf Forever either... Hmmm...

I like God Save the Queen, funny that, as I don't like the line "god keep our land" in the anthem, nor "our patriot sons' comand" nor "We stand on guard" nor "our home and native land", it is bloody well not our native land. I think that'll take at least a thousand years of habitation.

What's the anthem of Austria if it isn't Edelweiss? Edelweiss is just beautiful.

I also like Rule Britania... the monarchist that I am...

Edelweiss was actually written for The Sound of Music!

Austrian National Anthem:

South African National Anthem:

Maple Leaf Forever:

I like the Ode to Newfoundland.  Especially this version sung by the Two Tenors.

I like "O Canada" and have no problem singing it.  What is really noticeable is our lack of patriotism and respect compared to our neighbours to the south.  When I was teaching, getting kids to be quiet, take off their hats, and even stand was always a challenge while O Canada was played over the PA system.  In the US, people seem to be more respectful - hats over heart, etc.

As for kids having to sing it....depends on the occasion.  We sing O Canada at the beginning of Rotary meetings.

The problem with Rule Britannia is that it's so bloody catchy and stirring that even anti-colonialist republican types like yours truly can't help but get caught up in the mood of it. It's more British, though, than specifically monarchist. I could see the British continuing to sing it pretty much as is even if they became a republic.

Mendalla

Can't stand it, hate the odd time I have to sing it.

Sons? What about daughters? Command? I'm not thinking so. On guard? For what? Not to mention the "native" bit.

No-one knows the French words, it's full of repetitive phrases, and difficult for those of a limited vocal range to sing. We could do much better, but I'd be worried that some showcasing government would use it as a distracton.

AOTEAROA!!!! 

Practical reason for the National Anthem (and why your hatred of J-Lo can isolate you...)

Ande here's the Galician anthem played on THE Galician instrument…

I think that's wonderful!

2 of my favourite little countries

This works:

Thanks for that SOmegal, That's very handy.

Mendalla, Hmmm, True. ; ) (about Rule Britania)

I have a bit of a problem with partiotism. I appreciate Canada, but I wouldn't place my hat over my heart for it, unless I'd just returned from some horrible experience in a foreign country, like that poor reporter who was kept in a hole in the middle east for several weeks. I would probly get weepy and patriotic then. Canada is just a concept to me otherwise, I wouldn't stand on guard for a concept, but I might write a poem about how I love this land.

Way to go Bette! You say it girl!

Hmm, more neat anthems to check out! It would be nice to like my anthem.

The Austrian one is nice. Maybe we could write a Canadian anthem that's about the landscape...

Oh Canada, our home and chosen land

true love of the land, for all our sons and daughters,

With glowing hearts we see thy wilderness,

our northern land just and free

from east to west, oh Canada, it's where we love to be

Let's keep our land, glorious and free

Oh Canada, we honour thy beauty

Oh Canada, we honour thy beauty.

Hmmm...

I like the Maori version of the NZ anthem, that's really respectful. WOuldn't it be great if they did that for oh canada. Funny watching the footballers though during the english bit, that last guy finishes off before the end, lol.

The Indian one is really nice, full of love of home and land, a gentle sort of patriotism. ANd I recognized Asha Bhosle in there too.

Hmm, don't think I had heard Maple Leaf Forever before. It's quite long, lots of words to remember. I can see how it wouldn't go over nowadays, though we are still mostly British decent.

Interesting little article Inanna. So true. Interesting, and fitting also how they picked out hip hop fans and metal fans to do extra studies on. They are amongst the most exclusive types I think.

Whoa! My first double post! It took too long so I hit save again. SO that's how it happens!

The gallician one is lovely. Ullean pipes?

Gecko, Chuckle chuckle, that was really cute

Galician bagpipes (gaita), Elanor. There are at least 150 DIFFERENT bagpipes and bagpipe traditions across Europe, in North Africa and the Middle East.. The Galicians have several (and thousands of players).

IIRC, the Romans had a lot to do with spreading them around Europe, taking an instrument they picked up from Egypt or someplace like that and then carrying it around with their armies so that various European cultures were exposed to it. I love the way that the basic concept has been preserved in most varieties, but each culture has put it's own spin(s) on them. I'm most familiar, like a lot of people, with Uillean and Scottish pipes (another taste I picked up courtesy of listening to my Dad's records is UK brass and pipe band music) but I remember hearing Bulgarian and other East European pipes a few times and loving them, too.

Mendalla

Mendalla: all the evidence actually points to bagpipes having entered Western Europe through the Spanish Caliphates in the 11-13th centuries… like most of our woodwind and string instruments, from the Arabs whose scholarship also preserved old Greek ideas about music theory.

In Eastern Europe, the evidence in agains "from the East" (from the Arabs, but probably earlier, with components probably introduced from the Rom with their migration in Europe from noerthwest India. But these pipes are conceptiually different (with single-bladed reeds, typically with a couple of chanters, as in the Greek Islands and North Africa to this day… and the launeddas — triple pipes, mouth blown — of Sardinia are possibly a link here). The Western European bagpipes typically have double-bladed reeds, at least in the chanter, and the music is more stylistically different. They we very popular (and widespread) in the Middle Ages, and still had a prominent place in the Baroque period which saw some gorgeous interuments developed (including the French musette de cour and the forbears of the Irish uilleann pipes.)

Whatever the origin, it's a fascinating history and a terrific instrument. Not sure where I heard the bit about the Romans. Probably some apocryphal bit from decades ago.

Mendalla

On Oh Canada -

If I was going to make changes, the "sons' command" would have to become "in all thy folk command" or something and "God keep our land..." would become "Please keep our land..." or something like that. Other than that, I'd keep it pretty much as is. Maybe sing the second verse (Oh Canada, where pines and maples grow/great prairies spread/and lordly rivers flow). Actually, maybe I'd make that verse the national anthem.

Mendalla

Hi Mike: I love the Métis anthem—and the flag.

That would be very Canadian to have "please" in the anthem! I was just being silly and off the cuff. Jeesh! Never knew there was a second verse! Sounds like nice lyrics.

OK, loading the Metis one now... I didn't know there were so many different types of bagpipes.