O Sweet Saint Martin's Land

"O Sweet St. Martin Land", also known by its French title, "italic=no", is the bi-national song of Saint-Martin / Sint Maarten island, an island divided between the French Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was written in English by Gerard Kemps in 1958. Kemps also wrote and composed a French version with its own lyrics and a different tune.

History

After being appointed as priest for the Catholic Church of French St-Martin in 1954, Father Gerard Kemps felt compelled to compose lyrics and a melody about the beauty of the land of Saint Martin. In 1958, 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 an island-wide song.
In 1984, on the occasion of the Dutch Queen's Birthday, Kemps was knighted in the Order of Orange-Nassau.
A wide-hole 7-inch vinyl record was issued by Kemps & the Marigot Catholic Church choir.