Heart of Oak
Come, cheer up, my lads! 'tis to glory we steer,
To add something more to this wonderful year:
To honour we call you, not press you like slaves;
For who are so free as the sons of the waves?
ChorusHeart of oak are our ships, Heart of oak are our men, We always are ready: Steady, boys, steady! We'll fight and we'll conquer again and again.We ne'er see our foes but we wish them to stay, They never see us but they wish us away; If they run, why, we follow, or run them ashore; For if they won't fight us we cannot do more. They swear they'll invade us, these terrible foes! They frighten our women, our children and beaux; But should their flat bottoms in darkness get o'er, Still Britons they'll find to receive them on shore. Britannia triumphant, her ships sweep the sea; Her standard is Justice—her watchword, "Be free." Then cheer up, my lads! with one heart let us sing, "Our soldiers, our sailors, our statesmen, and king."
Source: David Garrick, *Harlequin's Invasion* (1759)
This patriotic tune was written in 1759 by David Garrick, the most famous English actor of his day. The song, set to William Boyce’s music, remains the official march of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the Royal New Zealand Navy. It was originally written for an opera that debuted on New Years Eve in 1760.
The oak in the song’s title refers to the best wood used in constructing British warships during the age of sail. The “heart” is the strongest central wood of the tree.
The song makes an appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 3, Episode 18, where Captain Picard uncharacteristically toasts the crew with the first verse.