Rufus Wainwright made a subtle change to the lyrics of “O Canada” before Game 5 of the World Series, which didn’t sit well with every baseball fan watching at home.
Wainwright, who was born in Montreal, sang “that only us command” instead of the standard “in all of us command” before the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, October 29.
The performance, which was sung in both English and French and a perceived dig at President Donald Trump’s comments about Canada potentially becoming the 51st state, drew some strong reactions on social media.
Brian Lilley, political columnist for the Toronto Sun, wrote via X, “It’s not only changing the words, it’s how bad Rufus Wainwright sang the anthem. He’s a good singer normally but this was just awful. And stop bloody changing the words!”
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“Oh, you know, just Rufus Wainwright out here butchering our national anthem at the World Series,” Canadian sports personality Arash Madani wrote via X. “Wow. What an abomination.”
Another viewer wrote via X, “Oh, Rufus Wainwright, you poor, deluded crooner— did you really think stepping up to the mic at the World Series was your chance to reinvent ‘O Canada’ as a half-baked protest anthem? Newsflash: it wasn’t a twist; it was a trainwreck. You mangled the lyrics like a drunk karaoke singer trying to read off a napkin.”
Despite some pushback, Wainwright, 52, also found plenty of support for his rendition of the national anthem.
“Great rendition of ‘O Canada’ by Rufus Wainwright at #WorldSeries,” CBC and NPR reporter Steve Futterman wrote via X.
American sports personality and “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast contributor Katie Nolan wrote, “a little rufus wainwright o canada, as a treat.”
“A multitude of morons on this app are saying Rufus Wainwright didn’t know the words to O’ Canada,’” another baseball fan shared via X. “These idiots fail to understand Rufus was making a political statement with the phrase ‘that only us command.’ It was a rebuke to Trump on the biggest stage and I applaud Rufus.”
Wainwright’s lyric swap came one day after Canadian singer JP Saxe changed the lyrics to ‘O Canada’ before Game 4 of the World Series in Los Angeles on Tuesday, October 28.
Saxe, 32, sang the line “our home on native land” instead of the standard “our home and native land” during his rendition.
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Unsurprisingly, Saxe’s performance also drew a divisive reaction.
“JP Saxe vandalizes the Canadian anthem and sang ‘our home on native land’ at the World Series,” one outraged viewer wrote via X. “In front of millions. You don’t rewrite a national anthem to score social points. You either respect the song that unites Canadians, or you sit it out. This performative garbage is exactly why patriotism is dying in this country.”
Another wrote, “JP Saxe decided to change the National Anthem of Canada during the World Series in LA.I hope his concerts remain empty and he does not sell another ticket.”
The Blue Jays currently hold a 3-2 series lead against the Dodgers in the best-of-seven World Series. Game 6 between the teams is Friday, October 31 in Toronto, with a potential Game 7 in Toronto on Saturday, November 1.
