Heart of Oak

"Heart of Oak" is the official march of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. It is also the official march of several Commonwealth navies including the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy. It was the official march of the Royal Australian Navy, and has been replaced by the new march, "Royal Australian Navy".

The music was composed by Dr. William Boyce, and the words were written by the 18th-century English actor David Garrick. "Heart of Oak" was originally written as an opera. It first saw the light of day on New Year's Eve 1759 sung by Samuel Thomas Champnes, grandson of John Weldon, in Garrick's pantomime "Harlequin's Invasion", at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

The "wonderful year" referenced in the first verse is 1759–1760, during which British forces were victorious in several significant battles: the Battle of Minden on 1st of August 1759, the Battle of Lagos on 19 August 1759, the Battle of the Plains of Abraham (outside Quebec City) on 13 September 1759 and the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759, foiling a French invasion project. These were followed a few months later by the Battle of Wandiwash in India on 22 January 1760. Britain's continued success in the war boosted the song's popularity.

Royal Canadian Sea Cadets now make it a popular tradition to sing "Heart of Oak" during days of their parades.

The oak in the song's title refers to the wood from which British warships were traditionally made in the age of sail. The phrase "hearts of oak" appears in English translations of the Aeneid.

The reference to "freemen not slaves" echos the refrain "Britons never will be slaves!" of Rule Britannia, written two decades earlier.

Lyrics
Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer, To add something more to this wonderful year; To honour we call you, as freemen not slaves, For who are so free as the sons of the waves?

Chorus:
 * Heart of oak are our ships, jolly tars are our men,
 * We always are ready; steady, boys, steady!
 * We'll fight and we'll conquer again and again.

We ne'er see our foes but we wish them to stay, They never see us but they wish us away; If they run, why we follow, and run them ashore, For if they won't fight us, what can we do more?

(Chorus)

They say they'll invade us these terrible foe, They frighten our women, our children, our beaus, But if should their flat bottoms, in darkness set oar, Still Britons they'll find to receive them on shore.

(Chorus)

We still make them feel and we still make them flee, And drub them ashore as we drub them at sea, Then cheer up me lads with one heart let us sing, Our soldiers and sailors, our statesmen and king.

(Chorus X2)

Alternative last verse: Britannia triumphant her ships rule the seas, Her watch word is justice her password is free, So come cheer up my lad, with one heart let us sing, Our soldiers, our sailors, our statesmen, our king[queen].

Alternate first verse: Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer, With heads carried high, we will banish all fear; To honour we call you, as freemen not slaves, For who are so free as the sons of the waves?

New lyrics
A new version was presented on 16 April 1809 and published in the Spirit of the public Journals, vol. XIII, p. 75 by Reverend Rylance.

When Alfred, our King, drove the Dane from this land, He planted an oak with his own royal hand; And he pray'd for Heaven's blessing to hallow the tree, As a sceptre for England, the queen of the sea.

Chorus:
 * Hearts of oak are our ships,
 * Hearts of oak are our men,
 * We always are ready, steady boys, steady,
 * To charge and to conquer again and again.

The sapling shot up and stuck firm to the ground; It defied every tempest that bellow'd around; And still was it seen with fresh vigour to shoot, When the blood of our martyrs had moisten'd its root.

(Chorus)

But the worms of corruption had eaten their way Through its bark; till a Wardle has swept them away, He has sworn, no such reptiles our tree shall infest, And our patriots soon shall extirpate the nest.

(Chorus)

Yon tyrant, whose rule abject Europe bemoans — Yon brood of usurpers who sit on her thrones — Shall look on our country, and tremble with awe, Where a son of the Monarch has bow'd to the law,

(Chorus)

Now long live the Briton, who dar'd to revive The spirit which Britons scarce felt was alive; His name shall be carv'd, while of freedom we sing, On the oak that was planted by Alfred our King.

(Chorus)