A Unique Take on the National Anthem
At major sporting events, anthem singers often add their own flair to the performance. This was certainly the case when Rufus Wainwright took the stage before Game 5 of the World Series in Los Angeles. The 52-year-old Canadian-American musician and composer gave a unique interpretation of "O Canada," altering some of the lyrics in a way that sparked immediate discussion.
Wainwright's first change came in the second line of the anthem, where he replaced "True patriot love in all of us command" with "that only us command." This shift echoed a similar alteration made by Canadian singer-songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk during a performance at a 4 Nations Face-Off game in Boston earlier in the year. That rendition was met with boos from the predominantly U.S. audience, as the Star Spangled Banner had also been modified in a similar fashion before games held in Canada.
A publicist for Kreviazuk explained that her change was a response to U.S. President Donald Trump's comments about Canada, which included suggestions that the country could become the 51st state. Kreviazuk’s Instagram story that night featured a selfie with the phrase “that only us command” written on her hand, highlighting the sentiment behind her choice.
Bilingual Interpretation with Modifications
During his performance at Dodgers Stadium, Wainwright also altered the French lyrics of the anthem. The official version includes the line "Car ton bras sait porter l’épée (For your arm knows how to wield the sword)." However, it appeared that Wainwright omitted the word "sait," changing it to "For your arm wield the sword."
In the next line, instead of "Ton histoire est une épopée/Des plus brillants exploits (Your history is an epic/of brilliant deeds)," Wainwright seemed to adjust the last three lines to "tes glorieux exploits (of your glorious deeds)."
National Post has reached out to Wainwright’s management and publicist for further comment, but no response has been received yet.
Public Reaction and Criticism
The reaction to Wainwright’s performance was swift and largely negative. Viewers took to social media to express their disappointment, with one former MP and deputy leader from the Stephen Harper era, Lisa MacCormack Raitt, stating, “Stop changing the damn lyrics to O Canada.”
Elias Makos, a radio host in Montreal, noted that while it was good that Wainwright chose the bilingual version, the problem was that he didn’t know the lyrics. He posted on X, “The bad news: The guy doesn’t know the lyrics.”
Julian McKenzie, a writer for The Athletic, described the performance as “objectively one of the worst renditions I’ve ever heard.” He also mentioned being “excited” at the prospect of TSN’s Jay Onrait doing a list of the worst anthem performances.
Toronto-based social media manager and writer Dan Levy questioned why Major League Baseball and the Dodgers couldn’t find more capable singers. He pointed out that just two nights earlier, Canadian singer JP Saxe changed the lyrics of the national anthem from “our home and native land” to “our home on native land.”
Levy added, “Literally could have picked a random Blue Jays fan out of the crowd to do a better job.” He called the performance “another horrendous rendition at the #WorldSeries.”
Suggestions for Improvement
In Ottawa, Scott Scarrow, a season ticket holder for the Senators, suggested that the Blue Jays should find someone to mess up the U.S. anthem in Game 6. While the MLB has not yet announced who will sing the anthem on Friday, one Canadian legend has already offered his services.
Raffi Cavoukian, the beloved children’s troubadour, wrote on X, “Dear @bluejays, I’ll be in Toronto on Friday and I’m ready and able to sing our anthem if needed.”
This incident highlights the sensitivity surrounding national anthems and the importance of respecting their traditional lyrics. As the World Series continues, fans and critics alike will be watching closely to see how future performances are handled.