Sarnia Cherie

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Sarnia Cherie is the anthem of the British island of Guernsey . Sarnia is the Latin name of the island. George Deighton wrote Sarnia Cherie in 1911. A year later Domenico Santangelo composed the text. It premiered in 1911 at St. Julian's Theater (now known as Gaumont Cinema).

English version

Sarnia; dear Homeland, Gem of the sea.
Island of beauty, my heart longs for thee.
Thy voice calls me ever, in waking, or sleep,
Till my soul cries with anguish, my eyes ache to weep.
In fancy I see thee, again as of yore,
Thy verdure clad hills and thy wave beaten shore.
Thy rock sheltered bays, ah; of all thou art best,
I'm returning to greet thee, dear island of rest.

CHOIR

Sarnia Cherie. Gem of the sea.
Home of my childhood, my heart longs for thee.
Thy voice calls me ever, forget thee I'll never,
Island of beauty. Sarnia Cherie.
I left thee in anger, I knew not thy worth.
Journeyed afar, to the ends of the earth.
Was told of far countries, the heav'n of the bold,
Where the soil gave up diamonds, silver and gold.
The sun always shone, and "race" took no part,
But thy cry always reached me, its pain wrenched my heart.
So I'm coming home, thou of all art the best.
Returning to greet thee, dear island of rest.

CHOIR

Version in Guernesiais

There is also a version in the island's own Guernésiais language :

Sarnia, chière patrie, bijou d'la maïr,
Ile plloinne dé biautai, dans d'iaoue si cllaire
Ta vouaix m'appeule terjous, mon tcheur plloin d'envie,
Et mon âme té crie en poine, mes iars voudraient t'veis.
Quaend j'saonge, j'té vaie derchier, mesme comme t'étais d'vànt,
Tes côtis si vaerts et ton sabllaon si bllànc,
Tes bànques et tes rotchets. Ah! Dé toutes la pus belle.
Mon réfuge et mon r'pos, chière île qu'est si belle.
Sarnia Chérie, ma chière patrie,
D'l'île dé ma nèissance, mon tcheur a envie
Ta vouaix m'appeule terjours,
Et j'pense à té chaque jour.
Ile plloinne dé biautai, Sarnia Chérie.
Sàns saver ta valeur, j'm'en fus en colère,
Je v'yagis si llian, à l'aute but dé la terre.
I m'dirent dé biaux pays, et j'm'en fus brâment
Oueque la terre baillait à haut d'l'or et dé l'argent.
Nous' tait tous amis et i fit bal chaque jeur,
Mais ta vouaix m'applait terjours, a m'déteurtait l'tcheur.
Ch'est pourtchi qué j'm'en vians. Ah! té veis, la millaeure.
Ma chière île dé répos, dé chenna j'sis acid.
Sarnia Chérie, ma chière patrie,
D'l'île dé ma nèissance, mon tcheur a envie
Ta vouaix m'appeule terjours,
Et j'pense à té chaque jour.
Ile plloinne dé biautai, Sarnia Chérie.

German translation

Sarnia, dear home, jewels of the sea.
Island of beauty, my heart longs for you.
Your voice always calls me, waking or sleeping,
Until my soul screams in pain and my eyes start to cry.
In my imagination I see you again as before
Your green plants overgrown hills and your waves crashing on the shore.
Your rock sheltered bays, ah, you are the best of them all,
I'll be back to greet you, dear island of calm.

CHOIR

Sarnia Cherie. Jewel of the sea.
Home of my childhood, my heart longs for you.
Your voice always calls me, I will never forget you
Island of beauty. Sarnia Cherie.
I left you in anger, didn't know your worth.
Traveled far, to the end of the earth.
I've been told of distant lands, heaven of the poor,
Where diamonds came out of the ground, silver and gold.
The sun was always shining and "race" didn't matter
But your call always reached me and it broke my heart
So I'm coming to your home, you best of all arts
I'll be back to greet you, dear island of calm.

CHOIR

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Sarnia Cherie, History & Heritage . This Is Guernsey. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
  2. ^ Sarnia Cherie, History & Heritage . This Is Guernsey. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
  3. ↑ text on Guernesiais