O Sweet Saint Martin's Land

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"O Sweet Saint Martin's Land", also known by its French title, "Script error: No such module "Lang"." ("Saint Martin, So Pretty"),[1][2] is the bi-national song of Saint-Martin / Sint Maarten island, an island divided between the French Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was written in English (the main language of Saint Martin) by Gerard Kemps in 1958.[3] Kemps also wrote and composed a French version with its own lyrics and a different tune.[2]

History

After being appointed as priest for the Catholic Church of French St-Martin in 1954, Father Gerard Kemps felt compelled to compose lyrics and a melody about the beauty of the land of Saint Martin. In 1958, Kemps created "O Sweet Saint Martin's Land". Because of the message the lyrics conveyed and the melody that carried the tune, it served the purpose of an island-wide song.[4]

In 1984, on the occasion of the Dutch Queen's Birthday, Kemps was knighted in the Order of Orange-Nassau.[4]

A wide-hole 7-inch vinyl record[5] (made in the Netherlands) was issued by Kemps & the Marigot Catholic Church choir.

Lyrics

English version

I
Where overTemplate:Efn the world, say where,
You find an island there,
So lovely small with nations free
With people French and Dutch
Though talking English much,
As thee Saint Martin in the sea?

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O sweet Saint Martin's Land
So bright by beach and strand
With sailors on the sea and harbours free
Where the chains of mountains green
VariouslyTemplate:Efn in sunlight sheen
𝄆 Oh I love thy Paradise,
Nature beauty fairly nice 𝄇Template:Efn

II
How prettyTemplate:Efn between all green
Flamboyants beaming gleam
Of flowers red by sunlight set
Thy cows and sheep and goats
In meadows or on roads
Thy donkeys keen I can't forget

Template:Yesitalic

III
Thy useful birds in white
Their morn and evening flight
Like aircraft-wings in unity
Their coming down for food
Then turning back to roost
Bring home to me their harmony

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IV
Saint Martin I love thy nameTemplate:Efn
In which Columbus' fame
And memories of old are closed
For me a great delight
Thy Southern Cross the night
May God the Lord protect thy coast!

Template:Yesitalic[4][6][7]

French version

French original[1][2] English translation

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I
Find me a pearl so dear,
as the island of St. Martin in the sea,
chain of hills and valleys;
rich golden brown beaches
giving peace, give the rest
in its bleak and all its waters.

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𝄆 St. Martin, St. Martin,
So pretty in all its corners. 𝄇

II
What his flamboyant charm,
their enchanting flowers,
a whole bunch of flames.
When the sun comes here,
giving splendor, showing beauty,
What splendor on all sides.

Template:Yesitalic

III
Its top "Pic Paradis",
delights tourists here,
hence its green works wonders;
an unparalleled panorama,
Seeing the plains, seeing the sea,
colored blue and green.

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IV
Flight of its pelicans,
graceful and elegant
when they hover high into the air,
when they dive into the sea;
Tell me the place where we see them,
when based on their prey

Template:Yesitalic

V
His name always St. Martin
Will in the never ending story,
Christopher Columbus discovered it,
gave it its name so dear,
Patron god, God of goodness,
guard it well in prosperity!

Template:Yesitalic

Notes

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References

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  5. Text and melodies : Rev. G. Kemps C.S. SP. Eindredaktie in samen werking met Tony Vissenberg.
    Originele opname : Arno Peterson St.Marteen with the R.C. Choir of Marigot.
    Eindbewerking : Studio Theelen, Munstergeleen Holland.
    Soloists : Rev. Kemps x Hélène. Jacket design : Jesus x Tony
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External links

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