As anthem singers typically perform at major sporting events, Rufus Wainwright contributed his own input to the lyrics to O Canada before Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.
The 52-year-old Canadian-American musician and composer's first amendment came in the second line when, instead of singing “The true patriotic love in us all commands,” he changed the last four words to “that only we command.”
If this sounds familiar, it's because Canadian singer-songwriter
Chantal Kreviazuk did the same.
when she performed the Canadian anthem at the 4 Nations Face-Off in Boston in February. This performance was booed furiously by the audience, mostly in the United States, after the Star-Spangled Banner received similar treatment before tournament games played in Canada.
The publicist of “Krevyazyuk” spoke about this
The change came in response to US President Donald Trump's comments regarding Canada, which at the time focused on annexing the sovereign nation to become the 51st state. Her Instagram story that evening featured a selfie with the words “we alone call the shots” written on her left arm.
As he continued to sing a bilingual version of the anthem Wednesday night at Dodgers Stadium, where the visiting Toronto Blue Jays beat host Los Angeles 6-1 to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-three series, he also tweaked the French lyrics.
Where
“Car ton bras sait porter l'épée (Because your hand knows how to wield the sword),” it sounded as if Wainwright, who grew up in Montreal, dropped the word “sait” to make it “For your hand knows how to wield the sword.”
In the next line, instead of “Ton histoire est une épopée/Des plus brilliant deeds (Your story is an epic/of brilliant deeds),” it sounds like the three-time Grammy nominee changed the last three lines to “tes glorieux deeds (of your glorious deeds).”
Three-time Grammy Award-nominated artist Rufus Wainwright performs O Canada before Game 5 🇨🇦
📺: See everything #WorldSeries action live on Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/njg1isgkGX
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 30, 2025
The National Post has contacted Wainwright's management and publicist for comment.
Negative reaction from viewers to his performance and performance was swift online and continued into Thursday morning.
“Stop changing the damn text to O Canada,” Lisa McCormack Wright, former Stephen Harper-era MP and deputy leader to his successor Andrew Scheer.
Elia Makos, radio host at CJAD800 in Montreal, said the good news is that Wainwright has decided to make a bilingual version.
“Bad news: the guy doesn't know the lyrics”
“This is objectively one of the worst performances I've ever heard”
writer for The Athletic, who was at least “thrilled” by the prospect of TSN's Jay Onwright performing “SportsCentre's 10 Worst Anthem Performances.”
Toronto-based social media manager, editor and writer Dan Levy wondered why Major League Baseball and the Dodgers organization couldn't find more capable singers. Just two nights earlier
Canadian singer JP Saxe changed the lyrics
national anthem from “our home and native land” to “our home in our native land”.
“Literally could have picked a random Blue Jays fan out of a crowd to do a better job.”
. “This was another terrible performance at the #WorldSeries.”
In Ottawa, Senators season ticket holder.
suggested the Jays “find someone to ruin the national anthem” in Game 6 Friday night at Rogers Center.
MLB has yet to announce who will sing the anthem on Friday — although the National Post has sent out an inquiry to find out — but one Canadian legend has offered his services.
“Dear @bluejays,” beloved children's troubadour Raffi Cavoukian wrote on X. “I will be in Toronto on Friday and ready to sing our anthem if necessary.”
Expensive @BlueJaysI'll be in Toronto on Friday and I'm ready to sing our 🇨🇦 anthem if necessary. ⚾️ #WorldSeries
— Raffi Cavoukian 🇨🇦 (@Raffi_RC) October 30, 2025
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