Look what they’ve done to my song!

With “special” Olympic moments few and far between for Canadians, one could forgive us our enthusiasm at the prospect of hearing our national song. When Canadian Gymnast Kyle Shewfelt took to the podium to receive his gold medal, the nation was ready to sing along with gusto, or more likely in true Canadian style kind of hum, sort of sing or quietly try to remember all the words.

The exuberant announcers on CBC even coached us along with some flowery patriotic offerings “CANADA wins the GOLD! And for the First time, Athens will hear O Canada!”

Be still our beating hearts, we’re ready to let loose! And so began the rousing rendition of O Canada. Well not so fast anthem fans! What followed is best described as a show stopper! Not since Las Vegas lounge singer Dennis K. C. Park,(curser halfway down this link to hear the epic) terrorized us before a July 1994 CFL game, has O Canada sounded so unrecognizable!

Quick somebody call Hans Blix, we finally found some WMD’s, buried (or well it should be!) deep in the Athens Olympic sports arena is a bona fide Weapon of Musical Destruction.

Even Gold Medal winner Shewfelt appeared to cringe at times, his golden moment interrupted by more than one painful note in the suddenly very long song! No one quite knew what to make of the rendition, commentators went mute, people looked at each other and finally the moment was done. The medal awarded we went on to other things more Canadian, like finger pointing.

In what is fast becoming our national sport the Canadian Olympic officials quickly went into damage control mode. Canadian officials were quick off the mark (if only our athletic attempts were so quick) to claim that the version played by the Greek organizers, was not approved by the COC. In fact one Canadian official went so far as to describe the song as “sounding like it was on ouzo”.

The anthem debacle left one hoping that should Canada be fortunate enough to win any further Gold Medals, we should politely decline the anthem playing segment of the celebration in the Spirit of Good will and Good taste. Short of that have Canada Post send out by it's Purolator International service, any recording from the nearest NHL rink.

However, as we are quickly learning with our Olympic officials, things always seem to mushroom beyond their control. The composer of the performance in question, new Canadian Peter Breiner says not so fast. He has documentation that the piece not only was approved by the Canadian Olympic committee but they even went so far as to say they “were very happy to approve this version”. As he told the Globe and Mail, same people from very happy to ouzo. Breiner has advised all who will listen that he had provided two versions of the anthem, one a more traditional offering and the up beat peppy little thing that managed to send them running for the exits.

(to hear for yourself check out these links from the Globe and Naxos 1) the controversial effort and 2) the original production preferred by the composer himself!)

Breiner may be new to Canada but he’s quick to our national past time of lambasting bureaucrats, the final word on the anthem debacle goes to Mr. Breiner who patiently awaits the playing of his preferred version, which apparently is in the hands of the Greeks, only awaiting the word for placement in the Olympic Juke box.

Said Breiner: “Somebody would have to make the decision, and that’s not exactly the strong side of the Canadian Olympic committee.” And just to reinforce his point he offered up this cutting comment that says it all: “It’s a mess there. They don’t know what they’re doing, as you can see by the results”

Ouch! As they say at the Olympic tennis court (and the court of Canadian Public Opinion), GAME, SET, MATCH, Mr. Breiner!