Length: 143 words
Anthem lyrics (use the arrow on the left to collapse this section):
O Land of Beauty!
Our country where peace abounds,
Thy children stand free
On the strength of will and love.
With God in all our struggles,
Saint Kitts and Nevis be
A nation bound together,
With a common destiny.
As stalwarts we stand
For justice and liberty.
With wisdom and truth
We will serve and honour thee.
No sword nor spear can conquer
For God will sure defend.
His blessings shall forever
To posterity extend.
Historical context:
The national anthem of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis (“O Land of Beauty!”) is the most recently adopted anthem in the Americas, having been made official in 1983 when the nation achieved full independence from the United Kingdom. It was written and composed by the late Kenrick Georges, an accomplished composer and musician hailing from Saint Kitts. Like some other English-speaking Caribbean states, the islands Saint Kitts and Nevis were, along with the island of Anguilla, an associated state of the United Kingdom before independence, although Anguilla formally separated from the group in 1980 and is now a British Overseas Territory.As Queen Elizabeth II remains the formal head of state for the Federation, “God Save the Queen” is still the nation’s royal anthem.
Performance: