Rise O Voices of Rhodesia
Rise O Voices of Rhodesia was adopted as the
national anthem of
Rhodesia in
1974, following its
Unilateral Declaration of Independence from
Britain in
1965. Embarrassingly, the tune was that of
Beethoven's
Choral Symphony, which was also used by the
Council of Europe, and subsequently by the
European Community. The words, wrtitten by Mary Bloom, a South African, were chosen from in a national competition.
- Rise O voices of Rhodesia,
- God may we thy bounty share,
- ''Give us strength to face all danger,
- And where challenge is, to dare.
- Guide us, Lord, to wise decision,
- Ever of thy grace aware.
- Oh, let our hearts beat bravely always
- For this land within thy care.
- Rise O voices of Rhodesia,
- Bringing her your proud acclaim,
- Grandly echoing through the mountains
- Rolling over far flung plain
- Roaring in the mighty rivers
- Joining in one grand refrain
- Ascending to the sunlit heavens
- Telling of her honoured name
