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Who Will Sing "o Canada"?


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I was recently pondering who will perform “O Canada” during the opening ceremony. I was thinking Sarah McLaughlin, but then I realized that it’s because I just saw an ASPCA commercial, so I thought she would make everybody depressed. So then I thought that they should go with a native of British Columbia, so maybe Nelly Furtado or Michael Buble. Or if they want to make everybody’s ears bleed, they’re always Celine Dion. And of course there’s always the traditional choir.

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Well Advance Australia Fair is a more powerful anthem than Canada's. So not sure if you can replicate the emotion, also Australians tend to be a more patriotic bunch than us Canadians.

It will likely be some aboriginal singer, singing in Cree or Inuktituk.

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The Sydney 2000 rendition of Advance Australia Fair cant be matched by Oh Canada, But I'm hoping they try to do something like it. If it's some random aboriginal singer like in Calgary it would be a total disaster.

I think it should only be in English and French, since those are the national laguages of Canada. Native Americans also live in much of the American West, yet they did not perform the "The Star Spangled Banner" in aboriginal language in 2002.

They could just bring the entire Mormon Tabrinacle Choir up to Vancover to perform, they were amazing in Salt Lake. :P

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I think "O Canada" is much more powerful--simply so--than Advance Australia Fair. And I think Canadians are much more attached to our anthem than Aussies to theirs.

Diana Krall is from BC, super and does a great job singing our anthem. But I've not heard her sing it in French. For a francophone Quebecker the politics might be a barrier. Someone like Garou--who's already got himself in hot doo-doo for describing himself as «un canadien-français» rather than «un québécois» might do it. And might do a great growly job of it.

Lara Fabian might, though she's now living back in Europe. Natasha St Pier is from New Brusnwick...but isn't exactly a powerful singer. Whomever does it needs to belt it out.

Or...symbolism could rule the day: a francophone and anglophone in duet.

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I think "O Canada" is much more powerful--simply so--than Advance Australia Fair. And I think Canadians are much more attached to our anthem than Aussies to theirs.

Agreed. O Canada is one of the world's greatest anthems. It might be the most hummable national anthem (or at least the one I find myself humming to myself at odd moments, and I'm an American.)

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Nevertheless, the Sydney opening rendition of the Australian anthem is absolutely beautiful...lol to an extent it makes me wish I were Australian.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIDVvxmICmo

Perhaps at Vancouver, they could use other verses of O Canada (the full poem)? That's what they did for the anthem at the Winnipeg Pan American Games opening in 1999.

O Canada!

Our home and native land!

True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,

The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada! Where pines and maples grow.

Great prairies spread and lordly rivers flow.

How dear to us thy broad domain,

From East to Western Sea,

Thou land of hope for all who toil!

Thou True North, strong and free!

God keep our land glorious and free!

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

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Sadly, I can't find a clip of Diana Krall singing "O Canada" on YouTube. I'd love to hear that -- she's my favourite Canadian singer. I suppose she does a rather laid-back, slightly jazzy version of the anthem, doesn't she? If so, that would probably be a very innovative way to perform the host's national anthem at an opening ceremony.

So far, we had only bombastic choirs or military bands performing the national anthems at opening ceremonies. Besides Torino 2006 of course, with that little girl -- but which ended in the usual big choir/orchestra arrangement for the second part of the Italian national anthem. And besides the lone First Nations guy in Calgary starting the anthem who was then followed -- of course -- by the usual large choir and orchestra.

I don't want to be misunderstood: There were some magnificent choir/orchestra arrangements among those. And "O Canada", one of the most beautiful national anthems in the world, certainly deserves a bombastic arrangement oozing with national pride. But on the other hand, letting Diana Krall perform the anthem in a very relaxed manner with only a light piano accompaniment would be very innovative and thus memorable. And of course, here's a big Diana Krall fan speaking. ;)

But if they choose a orchestral arrangement instead, I would plead for something like the one CBC used for its final sign-offs until 2006. It's superb!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0jhJA1Hjxk

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The answer is quite simple really, if you can't get Andre Phillipe Gagnon's interpretation of Celine Dion or a Vancouver-an choir singing, then simply have William Shatner do the honors.

"O, Canada. My. Home and. Native land. True patriot. Love. In all. Thy Sons. Command. With. Glowing. Hearts. We see. Thee. Rise. The. True. North. Strong. And Free... ...O, Canada. We. Stand. On. Guard. For. Thee!" :P

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...then simply have William Shatner do the honors.

"O, Canada. My. Home and. Native land. True patriot. Love. In all. Thy Sons. Command. With. Glowing. Hearts. We see. Thee. Rise. The. True. North. Strong. And Free... ...O, Canada. We. Stand. On. Guard. For. Thee!" :P

I actually understand what you're getting at :rolleyes:

ummm.. I dunno, Rita McNeil? Cape Breton and Vancouver are both close to the water so we shouldn't have too much trouble using a supertanker as transport.

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Worst Canadian national Anthem interpretation (Lol)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bFCJ_YVrGY

I love how the lady in the first part has to stop and ask someone for the lyrics. :lol::lol:

And then the guy with the awful hair in the second part is pretty much making up his own melody. It's a good thing I'm not Canadian or I'd be so pissed! (Then again, I find Roseanne's "Star Spangled Banner" quite funny.)

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But that's kinda representative of what being Canadian means. We love our anthem and hate to hear it butchered. But it's not the end of the world. Ditto the maple leaf. Symbols are important; there are many more important things in life than symbols.

BTW that really <I>is</I> a magnificent version of "Advance Australia Fair." But I'm still partial to this song, which I think better captures the Aussie spirit:

I love how the lady in the first part has to stop and ask someone for the lyrics. :lol::lol:

And then the guy with the awful hair in the second part is pretty much making up his own melody. It's a good thing I'm not Canadian or I'd be so pissed! (Then again, I find Roseanne's "Star Spangled Banner" quite funny.)

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