It is hard getting tuned in that first day of school.
Although it wasn’t officially the first day of school back on some date in 1967, it was my first day at then Hale Elementary School in Pasadena, California.
I was fresh from some school in Brisbane, Australia.
Trying to be super cool and fit in as a Grade 2 kid, I was more than ready to join in on my new country’s national anthem.
Now, most of you might think the national anthem in the U.S.A. is The Star Spangled Banner, but anyone watching baseball knows the Americans like to throw in a different song now and then, God Bless America for example.
For some unknown reason, likely just to confuse all foreigners in some sort of Donald-Trump-like foreshadowing, Hale Elementary School chose My Country Tis of Thee.
Google it. Listen to it. Anyone from a Commonwealth country like Australia will recognize the tune instantly.
I’m cool, I know this one. I sit back and bellow in my 1967-Jim-Morrison-like voice: “God Save Our Gracious Queen, Long live our noble queen…”
Yep, it’s the exact same tune.
Apparently my teacher and my classmates didn’t know my version. They looked at me with an expression that said: “Hey, we gave up this king and queen thing in 1776.”
Not even music instructors like Martin Kennedy or Nicole Hounjet could have saved me from the wrath of Grade 2 students. Instant cooties.
So kids, enjoy these first days this week.
But make sure they are singing ‘O Canada’ when you tune in.
