National Anthem Comparison
Canada vs United States
Canada
O Canada
United States
The Star-Spangled Banner
Comparison Analysis
Canada and United States, both North America nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Canada's "O Canada" was written in 1880, while United States's "The Star-Spangled Banner" dates to 1814.
Both anthems share themes of freedom and god / faith. Canada additionally explores love of homeland, nature and ancestors / heritage, while United States also touches on flag, battle / war and resilience.
The emotional tones differ: Canada's anthem is majestic, while United States's is proud.
United States's anthem predates Canada's by 66 years, having been written in 1814 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 States
Shared themes:
Metadata
| Canada | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1880 | 1814 |
| Adopted | 1980 | 1931 |
| Lyricist | Adolphe-Basile Routhier (French, 1880); Robert Stanley Weir (English, 1908, amended 1980 and 2018) | Francis Scott Key |
| Composer | Calixa Lavallée | John Stafford Smith |
| Language | en/fr | en |
| Region | North America | Northern America |
Lyrics Side by Side
Canada
O Canada
Original
United States
The Star-Spangled Banner
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 States
- 1. The melody comes from 'To Anacreon in Heaven', the club song of the Anacreontic Society, a London music and supper club. It is often called a drinking song, but musicologist Mark Clague notes that it was written for a trained solo singer, which helps explain why crowds find it so hard to sing
- 2. It only became the official anthem in 1931; before that, 'My Country, 'Tis of Thee' and 'Hail, Columbia' were commonly used
- 3. The flag that inspired the anthem originally measured 30 by 42 feet. It is now displayed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in an environmentally controlled chamber, in dim light, to protect it from further deterioration
Listen
Canada
United States
