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