"O Sweet Saint Martin's Land", also known by its French title, "" ("Saint Martin, So Pretty"),
is the bi-national song of
Saint-Martin / Sint Maarten island, an island divided between the
French Republic and the
Kingdom of the Netherlands
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, image_map = Kingdom of the Netherlands (orthographic projection).svg
, map_width = 250px
, image_map2 = File:KonDerNed-10-10-10.png
, map_caption2 = Map of the four constituent countries shown to scale
, capital = ...
. It was written in English (the main language of Saint Martin) by Gerard Kemps in 1958. Kemps also wrote and composed a French version with its own lyrics and a different tune.
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 a national song.
In 1984, on the occasion of the Dutch
Queen's Birthday
The King's Official Birthday (alternatively the Queen's Official Birthday when the monarch is female) is the selected day in the United Kingdom and most Commonwealth realms on which the birthday of the monarch is officially celebrated in those ...
, Kemps was knighted in the
Order of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau ( nl, Orde van Oranje-Nassau, links=no) is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded on 4 April 1892 by the queen regent, Emma of the Netherlands.
The order is a chivalric order open to "everyone who has ...
.
Although there are some now on St. Martin who are unaware of Kemps, his legacy lives on in the St. Martin's song.
A wide-hole
7-inch vinyl record[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 (made in the Netherlands) was issued by Kemps & the Marigot Catholic Church choir.
Lyrics
English version
French version
Notes
References
External links
* .
{{National Anthems of North America
North American anthems
National symbols of Sint Maarten
National symbols of the Collectivity of Saint Martin
Saint Martinois culture
1958 songs
French anthems
Dutch anthems