March On, Bahamaland
{{short description|National anthem of the Bahamas}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox anthem
| title = March On, Bahamaland
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| prefix = National
| country = the Bahamas
| author = Timothy Gibson
| lyrics_date = 1973
| composer = Timothy Gibson
| music_date = 1973
| adopted = {{Start date and age|1973|07|10|df=y}}
| until =
| sound = National anthem of the Bahamas.oga
| sound_title = U.S. Navy Band instrumental version
}}
"March On, Bahamaland" is the national anthem of The Bahamas. Timothy Gibson composed the music and authored the lyrics. It was adopted as the national anthem in 1973, when the country gained independence from the United Kingdom.
History
The Bahamas became a crown colony within the British Empire in 1717. Internal autonomy was eventually granted to the islands in 1964. Negotiations on independence commenced eight years later, when the Progressive Liberal Party emerged victorious in the 1972 elections after campaigning in favour of sovereignty.{{cite news|title=Bahamas profile|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-18723547 |work=BBC News |access-date=June 18, 2020}} Consequently, a contest was held to determine a composition for a forthcoming national anthem.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jfrWCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA664|title=The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems|volume=1|publisher=ABC-CLIO|date=December 23, 2009|last=Minahan|first=James B.|page=664|isbn=9780313344978}}
In the end, lyrics and music written by Timothy Gibson were selected. Gibson was a school music teacher{{cite book|title=Preserving Our Heritage, Level 1|publisher=Heinemann|date=December 21, 2004|last1=Collie|first1=Linda|last2=Smith|first2=Annamaria|last3=Wright|first3=Liesl|page=45|isbn=9780435984731}} and also wrote the music to the country's national song, "God Bless Our Sunny Clime", together with E. Clement Bethel.{{cite web|title=National Symbols|url=https://www.bahamasembdc.org/about/national-symbols/|access-date=June 18, 2020|work=Embassy of the Bahamas to the United States of America|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Bahamas|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619003952/https://www.bahamasembdc.org/about/national-symbols/?doing_wp_cron=1592527192.6023869514465332031250|archive-date=June 19, 2020}} The song was officially adopted in 1973, the year the country gained independence.{{cite web|title=Bahamas, The|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/bahamas-the/|date=June 15, 2020|access-date=June 18, 2020|work=The World Factbook|publisher=CIA}} One of the first public occasions where the anthem was played was at the midnight flag hoisting ceremony held at Clifford Park in Nassau on 10 July 1973, marking the end of British rule over the Bahamas.{{cite news|title=The Bahamas, Amid Pomp and Calypso, Becomes Independent|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/07/11/archives/the-bahamas-amid-pomp-and-calypso-becomes-independet-there-were.html|date=July 11, 1973|page=2|access-date=June 18, 2020|newspaper=The New York Times}}
Since the Bahamas continued to be a Commonwealth realm after independence, "God Save the Queen" was retained as the country's royal anthem. That anthem was twice played by mistake at the 1982 Commonwealth Games medal ceremony,{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UIbRHcz2ZysC&pg=PA475|title=A History of the Bahamian People: From the Ending of Slavery to the Twenty-First Century|publisher=University of Georgia Press|year=2000|last1=Craton|first1=Michael|last2=Saunders|first2=Gail|page=475|isbn=9780820322841}} when Shonel Ferguson won gold in women's long jump.{{cite web|title=Bahamas Gold Medals Brisbane 1982|url=https://www.bahamasembdc.org/about/national-symbols/|access-date=June 18, 2020|publisher=Commonwealth Games Federation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619021800/https://thecgf.com/results/games/3040/5/gold|archive-date=June 19, 2020}} She stepped off the podium on each occasion and expressed her wish that "March On, Bahamaland" be played. The officials realized that they did not have a recording of that song, so the Bahamian delegation sang their anthem themselves.
Lyrics
{{poem quote|
Lift up your head to the rising sun, Bahamaland;
March on to glory, your bright banners waving high.
See how the world marks the manner of your bearing!
Pledge to excel through love and unity.
Pressing onward, march together
to a common loftier goal;
Steady sunward, tho' the weather
hide the wide and treacherous shoal.
Lift up your head to the rising sun, Bahamaland,
'Til the road you've trod lead unto your God,
March on, Bahamaland!
|char=|sign=|title=|source=}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://nationalanthems.me/the-bahamas-march-on-bahamaland/ Audio of "March On, Bahamaland", with information and lyrics] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20170610172205/http://nationalanthems.me/the-bahamas-march-on-bahamaland/ archive link])
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160305014915/http://files.ifnimidi.com/themes/anthems/Bahamas.mid "March On, Bahamaland" MIDI]
{{Bahamas topics}}
{{National Anthems of North America}}
{{Portal bar|Caribbean|Music}}
{{authority control}}
Category:National symbols of the Bahamas