Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
"The Maple Leaf Forever" is a Canadian patriotic song written by Alexander Muir (1830–1906) in 1867, the year of Canada's Confederation. He wrote the work after serving with the Queen's Own Rifles of Toronto in defence of Canada against Fenian invaders at the 1866 Battle of Ridgeway.
Muir was said to have been inspired to write this song by a large maple tree which stood on his street in front of Maple Cottage, a house at Memory Lane and Laing Street in Toronto. The song became quite popular in English Canada and for many years served as an unofficial national anthem. Because of its strongly British perspective it was unpopular amongst French Canadians, and this prevented it from ever becoming an official state anthem, even though it was seriously considered for that role and was even used as a de facto state anthem in many instances.
I don't know the performers in this version but I believe it's from the 1950s.
Images:
'The Death of General Wolfe' by Benjamin West, 1770. The painting depicts the death of Wolfe at the Battle of Quebec in 1759.
'The Flag' by Byam Shaw. The painting symbolises Canada's sacrifice during WW1.
The British Line at the Battle of Lundy's Lane in 1814 by an unknown artist.
Two Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers on horseback before a Canadian flag.
"The Maple Leaf Forever" is a Canadian patriotic song written by Alexander Muir (1830–1906) in 1867, the year of Canada's Confederation. He wrote the work after serving with the Queen's Own Rifles of Toronto in defence of Canada against Fenian invaders at the 1866 Battle of Ridgeway.
Muir was said to have been inspired to write this song by a large maple tree which stood on his street in front of Maple Cottage, a house at Memory Lane and Laing Street in Toronto. The song became quite popular in English Canada and for many years served as an unofficial national anthem. Because of its strongly British perspective it was unpopular amongst French Canadians, and this prevented it from ever becoming an official state anthem, even though it was seriously considered for that role and was even used as a de facto state anthem in many instances.
I don't know the performers in this version but I believe it's from the 1950s.
Images:
'The Death of General Wolfe' by Benjamin West, 1770. The painting depicts the death of Wolfe at the Battle of Quebec in 1759.
'The Flag' by Byam Shaw. The painting symbolises Canada's sacrifice during WW1.
The British Line at the Battle of Lundy's Lane in 1814 by an unknown artist.
Two Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers on horseback before a Canadian flag.
