Ca-na-da - Young Canadian Singers, 1967

CA-NA-DA
(One little two little three Canadians)
We love thee
(Now we are twenty million)
CA-NA-DA
(Four little five little six little Provinces)
Proud and free
(Now we are ten and the Territories sea to sea)

North south east west
There'll be happy times
Church Bells will ring, ring, ring
It's the hundredth anniversary of
Confederation
Ev'rybody sing together!

CA-NA-DA
(Un petit, deux petits, trois Canadiens)
Notre pays
(Maintenant, nous sommes vingt million)
CA-NA-DA
(Quatre petites, cinq petites, six petites provinces)
Longue vie
(Et nous sommes dix plus les Territoires; Longue vie)

Rah! Vive le Canada!
Three cheers Hip, Hip, Hooray!
Le centenaire
That's the order of the day
Frère Jacques Frère Jacques
Merilly we roll along
Together all the way

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This catchy little tune was written as a children's marching song for Canada's centennial celebration in 1967. First offered to an advertising agency, it soon was purchased by the CBC for their documentary Preview '67. From there, it was recorded by the Young Canadian Singers, and released as a single. At 270,000 copes sold, it broke the record (no pun intended) for Canadian recordings at the time. In all, 25 different artists recorded the song.

Ca-na-da was the vision of Saskatchewan native Bobby Gimby, who was an orchestra leader, trumpeter and songwriter. In the 1940s and 1950s, he worked for the CBC, notably a soloist for The Happy Gang on CBC Radio. In his later travels, he worked in England, writing jingles for Rothman's of Pall Mall (cigarettes). This international jingle-writing part of his career earned him the nickname "The Pied Piper of Canada". Bobby Gimby was awarded the Order of Canada in 1967, in recognition of his contribution to Canada's centennial.

All of the royalties from the song were donated to the Boy Scouts of Canada in 1971.