Actually, O CANADA IS kind of a nervous sounding anthem, very worried about keeping the place safe. The recurring theme is that we're standing on guard. Fear us, world! We are alert and relatively motionless!
OTOH, compare _God Defend New Zealand_. "Hear our voices, we entreat!" "Guard Pacific's triple star..." "Asking thee to bless this place" etc. At least Canada is standing on guard itself; New Zealand is just hoping God will do it for us.
(I still love our anthem, though, because it's ours. And the tune's pretty, if you sing it at a decent speed.)
no subject
OTOH, compare _God Defend New Zealand_. "Hear our voices, we entreat!" "Guard Pacific's triple star..." "Asking thee to bless this place" etc. At least Canada is standing on guard itself; New Zealand is just hoping God will do it for us.
(I still love our anthem, though, because it's ours. And the tune's pretty, if you sing it at a decent speed.)