The performance of Canada's national anthem during the 2025 World Series sparked intense national conversation about artistic interpretation versus tradition. As the Toronto Blue Jays made their historic run, seven different renditions of O Canada revealed deep divisions about how the country's musical symbol should be presented on the international stage.
The World Series Anthem Performances That Divided a Nation
David Grenon, performing as SoulBear, set a high standard during Game 6 at Toronto's Rogers Centre. His traditional approach with a bilingual rendition sparked an unprecedented crowd singalong that became a moment of national pride. This successful performance notably didn't generate controversy or headlines, unlike several other versions throughout the series.
Grammy-nominated musician JP Saxe faced immediate backlash for his Game 3 performance in Los Angeles. He altered the lyric from "our home and native land" to "our home on native land," a change meant to acknowledge Indigenous land rights. Similarly, Montreal-raised Rufus Wainwright changed "in all of us command" to "that only us command" during Game 5, interpreted as a political statement about American influence.
Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee Deborah Cox delivered a powerful rendition during Game 4, though her performance was marred by conspiracy theories when her voice briefly dropped during the gender-neutral line. All three artists declined interview requests to discuss their controversial choices.
The Complex History Behind Canada's National Anthem
O Canada's origins date back to 1880, when composer Calixa Lavallée set music to Adolphe-Basile Routhier's French poem. The song wasn't officially adopted as Canada's national anthem until 1980, following the first Quebec sovereignty referendum. This delay reflects the anthem's complicated journey to becoming a national symbol.
Music historian Robin Elliott from the University of Toronto explains the anthem's musical strengths. "I think it's a great national anthem. It's simple, it's memorable. There is a really lovely modulation partway through that, musically speaking, is very satisfying," Elliott said. He noted that unlike the challenging American anthem, O Canada's moderate range makes it ideal for group singing.
The English lyrics have undergone multiple revisions since Robert Stanley Weir's 1908 version. The most recent official change in 2018 made the anthem gender-neutral, replacing "in all thy sons command" with "in all of us command," a modification that remains controversial for some Canadians.
Artistic Freedom Versus National Tradition
The debate extends beyond baseball. Earlier in 2025, singer Chantal Kreviazuk altered the same lyric as Wainwright during an NHL event, facing significant online criticism despite defending her choice as "an expression of our truth." Similarly, Jully Black's 2023 "home on native land" modification received praise from Indigenous groups while drawing other criticism.
Gil Moore, drummer for Canadian band Triumph, represents the traditionalist perspective. "I'm very much a traditionalist on this. I believe that if you sing the anthem, you do it straight and you respect the national anthem," Moore stated. He emphasized that the anthem should represent a collective "us moment" rather than individual expression.
David Grenon, drawing from his 25 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, shares this view. "For me, whenever I go and sing a national anthem, it's always a distinct honour. But it's also never about me. This is about the people of Canada," he explained.
Professor Elliott suggests that government changes to the anthem have opened the door to further modifications. "Once upon a time, there was no tinkering with it. The lyrics of the national anthem were sung exactly as transmitted by the federal government. Then the federal government itself started tinkering with them," he observed.
The recent surge in patriotic sentiment, partly in response to American political threats, has made anthem performances even more emotionally charged. As Elliott notes, O Canada serves as one of the few unifying symbols for a diverse nation, making its performance both politically significant and personally meaningful for millions of Canadians.
