National Anthem Comparison
Canada vs United Kingdom
Canada
O Canada
United Kingdom
God Save the King
Comparison Analysis
Canada (North America) and United Kingdom (Europe) come from different parts of the world, yet both express national identity through song. Canada's "O Canada" was written in 1880; United Kingdom's "God Save the King" in 1745.
Both anthems share themes of love of homeland and god / faith. Canada additionally explores freedom, nature and ancestors / heritage, while United Kingdom also touches on monarchy and hope.
Both anthems carry a majestic tone, creating a similar emotional register despite their geographic distance.
United Kingdom's anthem predates Canada's by 135 years, having been written in 1745 compared to 1880.
Canada changed its national anthem in 2018, reflecting a shift in the nation's identity or political landscape.
Shared themes
Canada
United Kingdom
Shared themes:
Metadata
| Canada | United Kingdom | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1880 | 1745 |
| Adopted | 1980 | 1745 |
| Lyricist | Adolphe-Basile Routhier (French, 1880); Robert Stanley Weir (English, 1908, amended 1980 and 2018) | Unknown (traditionally attributed to Henry Carey) |
| Composer | Calixa Lavallée | Unknown |
| Language | en/fr | en |
| Region | North America | Northern Europe |
Lyrics Side by Side
Canada
O Canada
Original
United Kingdom
God Save the King
Original
Interesting facts
Canada
- 1. The French and English lyrics are not translations of each other; they are entirely different poems set to the same melody
- 2. In 2018 the lyrics were changed from 'in all thy sons command' to 'in all of us command' to make them gender-neutral; Weir's original 1908 line, 'thou dost in us command', had no 'sons', which he added in 1913
- 3. Before 1980, custom had made both 'O Canada' and 'God Save the Queen' Canada's de facto national anthems, and 'The Maple Leaf Forever' was also popular in English Canada
United Kingdom
- 1. The tune is still used for Liechtenstein's national anthem and Norway's royal anthem; it once served Prussia and the German Emperor ('Heil dir im Siegerkranz'), the Russian Empire (1816-1833) and Switzerland (until 1961), and in the United States it carries the patriotic song 'My Country, 'Tis of Thee'
- 2. Around 1745 an extra verse praying that Field Marshal Wade would 'Rebellious Scots to crush' was briefly in use; it was soon abandoned and was not part of the song when it became accepted as the national anthem in the 1780s and 1790s
- 3. As is customary when a king succeeds a queen, the words changed from 'Queen' to 'King' after Elizabeth II's death in 2022, for the first time in over 70 years
Listen
Canada
United Kingdom
