O Sweet Saint Martin's Land

O Sweet Saint Martin's Land is the bi-national song[1] of Saint Martin/Sint-Maarten island, an island divided between the French Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

O Sweet Saint Martin's Land
Regional anthem of
Saint-Martin
 Sint Maarten
LyricsGerard Kemps, 1958
MusicGerard Kemps, 1958
Audio sample
"O Sweet Saint Martin's Land" (Instrumental)
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This full original version was written by Gerard Kemps in 1958.[2]

Creation

Many years ago, Father Gerard Kemps, after being appointed as priest for the Catholic Church of French St-Martin in 1954, felt compelled to compose lyrics and a melody to sing of the sweetness, the grace, and the incomparable beauty of the land that was unfolding before his eyes.

In 1958, Father Gerard 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 Queen's Birthday, Father Kemps was knighted "Ridder in de Order van Oranje van Nassau".

Although there are some now on St. Martin who are unaware of Father Kemps, his legacy lives on in the St. Martin's song.

Audio
  • A wide-hole 7-inch vinyl record [3] (made in the Netherlands) was issued by Father Kemps & the Marigot Catholic Church choir.

Lyrics

Hereafter : The various lyrics of the O Sweet Saint Martin's Land song (in English, French and Dutch).

Original lyrics
 Translation of
the French version into English
in English in French

Where over 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 ?

Chorus :
O sweet Saint Martin's Land
So bright by beach and strand
With sailors on the sea and harbors free
Where the chains of mountains green
Variously in sunlight sheen

Oh I love thy Paradise,
Nature beauty fairly nice (twice)''

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

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

Saint Martin I like thy name
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!
.

Trouvez-moi une perle si chère,
comme l'île Saint-Martin en mer,
chaîne de mornes et vallées;
riche de plages bien dorées
qui donnent la paix, donnent le repos
dans ses mornes et toutes ses eaux.

Chœur (refrain) :
Saint-Martin, Saint-Martin,
Si jolie en tous ses coins. (bis)

Quel charme ses flamboyants,
leur fleurs un enchantement,
tout un bouquet de flammes vives.
Quand le soleil ici arrive,
donnant splendeur, montrant beauté,
Quel éclat de tous cotés.

Sa cime "le Pic Paradis",
ravit les touristes ici,
d'où sa verdure fait merveille;
un panorama sans pareil,
voyant les plaines, voyant la mer,
colorées en bleu et vert.

Le vol de ses pélicans,
gracieux et si élégants
quand ils plannent haut en l'air,
quand ils plongent dans la mer;
Dites-moi l'endroit, où on les voit,
lorsqu'ils fondent sur leur proies

Son nom toujours Saint-Martin
rest'ra dans l'histoire sans fin,
Christophe Colomb l'a découverte,
lui a donné son nom si cher,
Dieu protecteur, Dieu de bonté,
garde-la bien en prospérité !

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.

Chorus:
St. Martin, St. Martin,
So pretty in all its corners.(repeat)

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.

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.

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

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!

References
  1. http://www.sintmaartengov.org/Visitors/stmaarten/Pages/NationalSong.aspx
  2. "CIA World Factbook – Saint Martin". Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  3. 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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