Navy to replace official Heart of Oak march with ‘more inclusive’ music

[dimsum]

Broader thought: time to chuck "Branch" identities entirely out the window? If someone's Army, they can be "Corps of X" or "Royal Canadian X Corps," and everyone else can fall back on RCN and RCAF identifiers, badges, music, etc.

Or the other option is to go all in on branch identities. Do RCN or RCAF Log folks identify more as Log or as RCN/RCAF? Same with the RCMS folks wearing blue or dark blue?

How often is it sung in official settings anyway.

The only time I’ve heard it sung was in Mess Dinners, about 6 drinks in.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Everyone sing!

 

[Navy_Pete]

I still don't see how Barrett's Privateers isn't an obvious and easy layup here if they want to replace it, but also could not care less what they do.

This is also old news so bringing it back up is a lot of rage baiting.

 

[mariomike]

Just officially have no lyrics; just the tune. When folks complain about the lyrics, the official answer is 'not ours'. How often is it sung in official settings anyway.

Ours was,

Wait for the wagon,
Wait for the wagon,
Wait for the wagon,
And we'Il take a ride.

Where the river runs like silver
And the birds they sing so sweet,
I have a cabin, Phyllis,
And something good to eat;

There was more, but you get the idea.

 

[Jarnhamar]

I still don't see how Barrett's Privateers isn't an obvious and easy layup here if they want to replace it,

It contains language that does not align with values and ethos of today’s Royal Canadian Navy or the broader Canadian Armed Forces. Specifically, it insinuates someone disabled is "broken".

 

[dapaterson]

It contains language that does not align with values and ethos of today’s Royal Canadian Navy or the broader Canadian Armed Forces. Specifically, it insinuates someone disabled is "broken".

Except they self-identify as broken, and who are we to deny their lived experience?

 

[Navy_Pete]

It contains language that does not align with values and ethos of today’s Royal Canadian Navy or the broader Canadian Armed Forces. Specifically, it insinuates someone disabled is "broken".

Truth in advertising if recruiting is their focus? Lots of people broken after years of ship abusing their backs and knees (unless you ask VAC, then it's fine).

 

[Halifax Tar]

Or the other option is to go all in on branch identities. Do RCN or RCAF Log folks identify more as Log or as RCN/RCAF? Same with the RCMS folks wearing blue or dark blue?


The only time I’ve heard it sung was in Mess Dinners, about 6 drinks in.

Seeing as I can be a Coxswain but not an RSM or SCWO I think the idea we are "unified" or purple is moot and should be largely done away with.

 

[FJAG]

Everyone sing!

I don't have a dog in this hunt, but since one of the musicians in this was actually a gunner (French horn bottom row fifth from the left) I claim entitlement to ramble on.

Any time I hear someone complain about "microaggression" I want to puke.

"Heart of Oak" is an inspirational song and has great tune (second only to "He's a Pirate"

which admittedly is hard to march to and has no words.) True story: the RCN reserves presented an absolutely gorgeous recruiting video at a Chief of Reserves council meeting two decades ago showing RCN ships plowing through high seas with the "Pirates of the Caribbean" theme running in the background. Hell, it made me want to join the navy. Unfortunately I had to ask if they'd actually licenced the music . . . - chirp)

Anyhow - I can't think of a better march for the navy than one that uses "Heart of Oak are our ships, heart of oak are our men;" as a chorus. It kind of says it all. You could probably change only about a dozen words to make even the most easily offended complainer shut their gobs.

Buck up Navy leadership - show some heart of oak in your spines.

Michael Higgins seems to agree:

Michael Higgins: Navy brass need to stop worrying about microaggressions in song lyrics

Do we really need to be this fragile and sensitive about an official march that covers events from 265 years ago?

nationalpost.com

That is all.

 

[dapaterson]

The obvious choice:

 

[Halifax Tar]

I don't have a dog in this hunt, but since one of the musicians in this was actually a gunner (French horn bottom row fifth from the left) I claim entitlement to ramble on.

Any time I hear someone complain about "microaggression" I want to puke.

"Heart of Oak" is an inspirational song and has great tune (second only to "He's a Pirate"

which admittedly is hard to march to and has no words.) True story: the RCN reserves presented an absolutely gorgeous recruiting video at a Chief of Reserves council meeting two decades ago showing RCN ships plowing through high seas with the "Pirates of the Caribbean" theme running in the background. Hell, it made me want to join the navy. Unfortunately I had to ask if they'd actually licenced the music . . . - chirp)

Anyhow - I can't think of a better march for the navy than one that uses "Heart of Oak are our ships, heart of oak are our men;" as a chorus. It kind of says it all. You could probably change only about a dozen words to make even the most easily offended complainer shut their gobs.

Buck up Navy leadership - show some heart of oak in your spines.

Michael Higgins seems to agree:



That is all.

Changing our march past not what we should be devoting resources to at this moment.

 

[Haggis]

Changing our march past not what we should be devoting resources to at this moment.

Does the current personnel appraisal system have a tick box for "leading change"? If so, there's your answer.

 

[Grimey]

I have no skin in the game, but my suggestion is the song about a sickening sloop that everyone in the Navy already seems to know.

I have no skin in the game, but my suggestion is the song about a sickening sloop that everyone in the Navy already seems to know.

You mean this one?

 

[Grimey]

Heart of Rusted Through Pieces where the Paint is Structural?

More than one needle gun pierced a steamer’s hull beneath the vaps.
.
Oh, you meant the frigates.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Changing our march past not what we should be devoting resources to at this moment.

Meanwhile, doing exactly what the CAF expects them to be doing with their 'meagre resources': posturing driven career enhancement

 

[dimsum]

Changing our march past not what we should be devoting resources to at this moment.

I would argue that the initiative costs less in resources than, say, the peaked cap change. Most of the work would be done by musicians (who would probably love a chance to write music) and they’re already paid by the CAF.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Meanwhile, doing exactly what the CAF expects them to be doing with their 'meagre resources': posturing driven career enhancement



View attachment 89256

I'd like to see the numbers on premature two-spirited deaths vs non-two-spirited deaths among First Nation populations.

 

[JLB50]

I would argue that the initiative costs less in resources than, say, the peaked cap change. Most of the work would be done by musicians (who would probably love a chance to write music) and they’re already paid by the CAF.

Ok, just ask said musicians to work on changing the lyrics but leaving the historic march itself intact.

 

[dimsum]

Meanwhile, doing exactly what the CAF expects them to be doing with their 'meagre resources': posturing driven career enhancement



View attachment 89256

Posts like this make me think about the people who complain that the military is a “social experiment”.

To paraphrase a comment about the US military being “a social experiment” (and I really wish I saved it), of course it has parts of being a social experiment. The US military was racially integrated before broad US society was integrated. The US military also brings together subcultures that would normally not be in close contact with each other. Those are very deliberate social experiments.

Ok, just ask said musicians to work on changing the lyrics but leaving the historic march itself intact.

And that may be a COA. But remembering the short-lived backlash when a couple of words changed in our national anthem, I’m sure there will be some people mad about that change too.

Edit to add: This got me to a humourous (ok to me) rabbit hole. Heart of Oak wasn’t originally a military march - it was from a pantomime.

The music of Heart of Oak was written in 1759 by composer William Boyce, the lyrics by actor David Garrick, for Garrick's pantomime Harlequin's Invasion, to which others contributed as well. The pantomime was first performed on New Year's Eve of that year at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London,<a href="Heart of Oak - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a> with Handelsoloist Samuel Thomas Champnes singing Heart of Oak.

So yes, it’s “historic” in that it’s old, but it was essentially a pop song of the time. I wonder if in 200 years, whatever the incarnation of the Royal Marines Band will play The Lonely Island’s “I’m on a Boat” as a historic parade march

 

[Stoker]

I saw something online authored by the now retired Commander addressing the briefing note and their reasoning behind their efforts to replace or change the March. If I can find it, I'll post it.