O Canada: A Brief History

If you're planning a move to Canada you're going to need to know the national anthem, right? Well, here's a brief history of the Canadian National Anthem... And of course, the lyrics so you can sing along. 

The lyrics were written by poet and judge Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier and Calixa Lavallee composed the music. The song was originally commissioned by Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Theodore Robitaille in 1880 for the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony.

In 1906, an English-language version was created and two years later another English version was written by Stanley Weir, which became the official and most popular version. The most recent version became official in 1980 and became effective on July 1 as part of Dominion Day celebrations. 

There are two official versions of the song: one with lyrics in English and another in French. The French translation is slightly different from the official English version, however. 

So there you have it, a brief history on "O, Canada." Now you'll be prepared to sing along with your neighbours when it comes time to celebrate that you've finished unpacking after your move to the True North.