Heart of Oak
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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 several Commonwealth navies including the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal New Zealand 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. It first saw the light of day on New Year's Eve 1759 sung by Samuel Thomas Champnes, grandson of John Weldon in one of the first pantomimes "Harlequin's Invasion" at the Garrick Theatre.
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.
Royal Canadian Sea Cadets now make it a popular tradition to sing Heart of Oak during days of their parades.
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 English translations of 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 ne'er see our foes but we wish them to stay,
They never see us but they wish us away;
If they run,why we follow and run them ashore,
And if they won't fight us, what cannot do more.
(Chorus sung once...)
we still make them feel and we still make them flee,
and drub them at shore as we drub them at sea,
so cheer up me lads with one heart let us sing,
oh soldiers and sailors, our statesmen and king.
(Chorus sung once...)
New Lyrics
A new version was presented on 16 April 1809 and published in the Spirit of the public Journals, vol XIII, p.75 by Reverend Rylance.
WHEN Alfred, our King, drove the Dane from this land,
He planted an oak[1] with his own royal hand;
And he pray'd for Heaven's blessing to hallow the tree,
As a sceptre for England, the queen of the sea.
(Chorus sung once...)
Hearts of oak[2] are our ships, hearts of oak are our men,
We always are ready, steady boys, steady,
To charge and to conquer again and again.
The sapling shot up and stuck firm to the ground;
It defied every tempest that bellow'd around;
And still was it seen with fresh vigour to shoot,
When the blood of our martyrs had moisten'd its root.
(Chorus sung once...)
But the worms of corruption had eaten their way
Through its bark; till a Wardle[3] has swept them away,
He has sworn, no such reptiles our tree shall infest,
And our patriots soon shall extirpate the nest.
(Chorus sung once...)
Yon tyrant, whose rule abject Europe bemoans —
Yon brood of usurpers who sit on her thrones —
Shall look on our country, and tremble with awe,
Where a son of the Monarch has bow'd to the law,
(Chorus sung once...)
Now long live the Briton, who dar'd to revive
The spirit which Britons scarce felt was alive;
His name shall be carv'd, while of freedom we sing,
On the oak' that was planted by Alfred our King.
(Chorus sung once...)
References and notes
- ^ The reference is to an oak which stood close to the Water Walk, the Magdalen College, Oxford, and by tradition was planted by King Alfred. However the oak collapsed in 1778 and a chair for the college President was made from it
- ^ Reference to the rift sawing of hardwoods used in boat and ship construction. This produces timber less susceptible to warping and shrinkage and lumber of great stability. Contemporary opinions were that the British sailors were more steady in combat than the French who were prone to over-excitement and therefore more difficult to command in combat
- ^ The name Wardle is said to be derived from "Ward Hill", implying "fortified place"; a reference to the ship of the line described as "wooden walls".