Canadian vocal quartet The Tenors have caused outrage after they changed the lyrics of the Canadian National Anthem at the All-Star Major League Baseball Game in San Diego on Tuesday.
The group changed the lyrics of ‘O Canada,’ inserting the line “All Lives Matter” into one of the verses. One of the members also held up a card with the same slogan.
Specifically, the line “With glowing hearts we see thee rise, The True North strong and free!” was replaced with “We’re all brothers and sisters, All Lives Matter to the brave.”
The All Lives Matter slogan has been strongly associated with Americans who oppose the Black Lives Matter movement – particularly in light of the recent shootings of two black men in the USA last week.
Backlash on Twitter came in thick and fast for The Tenors for altering the anthem, with people going so far as to say that the group could no longer be considered Canadian anymore, and the irony of the group being populated by four white men was not lost either.
Check out a clip of the performance, as well as some of the twitter reactions below.
@torontomike – They have the right to protest but, this isn’t cool. #MLBAllStarGame pic.twitter.com/pQBiDSWfBc
— Vanessa Austin (@VGonzee) July 13, 2016
Member of the Tenors, singing the Canadian anthem here, just held “All Lives Matter” card up during the song: pic.twitter.com/4YGlbYYr5o
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) July 13, 2016
Not only did the Canadian anthem singer hold up an “All Lives Matter” sign, they changed the lyrics to “O Canada.” Get bent.
— (((Jesse Spector))) (@jessespector) July 13, 2016
Canada fact: The Tenors used to be called The Canadian Tenors but they aren’t anymore, and good call, because they do NOT speak for us
— Harrison Mooney (@HarrisonMooney) July 13, 2016
Did these fools change the lyrics to O Canada to include the words All Lives Matter? I can’t even.
— Morgan Campbell (@MorganPCampbell) July 13, 2016
@TenorsMusic You changed the words of O Canada to include “all lives matter”? Do you know just how beyond contentious & offensive that is?
— Christy CeeCK (@ChristyCeeCK) July 13, 2016
#TheTenors used to known as ‘The Canadian Tenors.’ Now they are known as the ‘unbookable Tenors.’ #MLBAllStarGame
— Mark Critch (@markcritch) July 13, 2016
The dude who held up the “all lives matter,” sign while his all-white a Capella group butchered the Canadian anthem disgraced two countries.
— Joe Stapleton (@Stapes) July 13, 2016
It takes a lot to make Canadians mad but the @TenorsMusic managed to figured it out #AllStarGame
— Danielle (@Danie_girl4) July 13, 2016
