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The "wonderful year" referenced in the first verse is 1759-60, during which British forces were victorious in several significant battles: the [[Battle of Minden]] on 1st of August 1759, the [[Battle of Lagos]] on 19 August 1759, the battle of [[Battle of the Plains of Abraham|Quebec City]] on 13 September 1759 and the [[Battle of Quiberon Bay]] on 20 November 1759, foiling a [[Planned French Invasion of Britain (1759)|French invasion project]]. These were followed a few months later by the [[Battle of Wandiwash]] in India on 22 January 1760. [[Great Britain in the Seven Years War|Britain's continued success in the war]] boosted the song's popularity. |
The "wonderful year" referenced in the first verse is 1759-60, during which British forces were victorious in several significant battles: the [[Battle of Minden]] on 1st of August 1759, the [[Battle of Lagos]] on 19 August 1759, the battle of [[Battle of the Plains of Abraham|Quebec City]] on 13 September 1759 and the [[Battle of Quiberon Bay]] on 20 November 1759, foiling a [[Planned French Invasion of Britain (1759)|French invasion project]]. These were followed a few months later by the [[Battle of Wandiwash]] in India on 22 January 1760. [[Great Britain in the Seven Years War|Britain's continued success in the war]] boosted the song's popularity. |
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The [[oak]] in the song's |
The [[oak]] in the song's title refers to the wood from which British [[warship]]s were traditionally made in the [[age of sail]]. The phrase "hearts of oak" appears in [[The Aeneid]]. |
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Revision as of 08:42, 31 August 2010
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"Heart of Oak" is the official march of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. It is also the official march of the Royal Canadian Navy.
The music was composed by Dr William Boyce, and the words were written by the 18th Century English actor David Garrick. Heart of Oak was originally written as an opera.
The "wonderful year" referenced in the first verse is 1759-60, during which British forces were victorious in several significant battles: the Battle of Minden on 1st of August 1759, the Battle of Lagos on 19 August 1759, the battle of Quebec City on 13 September 1759 and the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759, foiling a French invasion project. These were followed a few months later by the Battle of Wandiwash in India on 22 January 1760. Britain's continued success in the war boosted the song's popularity.
The oak in the song's title refers to the wood from which British warships were traditionally made in the age of sail. The phrase "hearts of oak" appears in The Aeneid.
Lyrics
Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer,
To add something more to this wonderful year;
To honour we call you, as freemen not slaves,
For who are so free as the sons of the waves?
(Chorus sung once...)
Heart of oak are our ships, jolly tars are our men,
we always are ready; Steady, boys, steady!
We'll fight and we'll conquer again and again.
We never see the French but we wish them to stay,
They always see us and they wish us away;
If they run, we will follow, we will drive them ashore,
And if they won't fight, we can do no more.
(Chorus sung once...)
They swear they'll invade us, these terrible foes,
They frighten our women, our children and beaus,
But should their flat bottoms in darkness get o'er,
Still Britons they'll find to receive them on shore.
(Chorus sung once...)
[Verse sometimes omitted]
Britannia triumphant, her ships sweep the sea,
Her standard is Justice—her watchword, 'be free.'
Then cheer up, my lads, with one heart let us sing,
Our soldiers, our sailors, our statesmen, and king.
(Final Chorus sung twice...)
In popular culture
In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Allegiance", an alien double of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard leads his crew in singing this song, much to their surprise.
Sailors sing "Heart of Oak" when preparing for the Battle of Trafalgar and the famous signal "England expects every man to do his duty" in the 1941 film That Hamilton Woman.
Sung by Peter Ustinov, Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette in the 1968 Disney film Blackbeard's Ghost.
The song makes repeated appearances in the Aubrey–Maturin series of novels by Patrick O'Brian
In the TV movies Sharpe's Company and Sharpe's Challenge, "Heart of Oak" is sung as encouragement by an officer as the men prepare to launch a Forlorn Hope against the breach in a fortress wall. In addition, in the book Sharpe's Fury, it is sung by Colonel Browne in his assault of the hill at Barossa.
In the Peter Pan and the Pirates episode "Eternal Youth," the pirates sing and dance to the song when they believe Captain Hook will not be returning to the ship.
In the movie Riddles the present carnation of Charles Dickens sings the first few lines of this song as a clue to advance the main plot.
In The HBO miniseries, John Adams, it is sung in France.