"morning has broken"

[sergebroom]

Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world

Sweet the rains new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day

It may seem strange that an atheist would love this Cat Stevens song, but I do. So there. And, when I found the following on YouTube, I loved watching him sing it with such passion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkDucwH90mI

Comments

[beamjockey.livejournal.com]

Strictly speaking, it's not a Cat Stevens song, though he had a hit with it in the Seventies. I recall him saying that it was commonly sung in English schools, presumably in Anglican churches. The lyrics are by Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965) and the tune is traditional.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Ah hah! Thanks for the correction. When I googled for the song's lyrics, some sites listed that lady, but without any explanations, so I stuck with my original misconception. No matter what, I love his rendition of a song about the beauty of the world.

[miltonthales.livejournal.com]

You know he's got a new album out? First one in thirty years, called An Other Cup. You can read about it at his website: http://www.yusufislam.com/

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that. I thought that he had completely given up on singing.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

The words, by the way, are by Eleanor Farjeon (she never gets the credit).

It was in the hymn book we used at school.

I first heard it sung, not by Cat Stephens, but by Lorna Bennett.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Beautiful song, isn't it?

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Yes, it is.

[ohdawno.livejournal.com]

This is one of my all time favorite songs. I have a perfectly lovely verson of it on my iPod sung by Art Garfunkel and ...um...a gal with a lovely voice who I can't recall the name of at this time. I also remember singing it in my high school chorus - back when you could sing "religious" songs without someone getting all litigious about it.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of any litigation involving the singing of religious songs in schools. After all, kids who join a choir choose to do so, and it'd be foolish not to expect to deal with Christianity-inspired songs, what with its wealth of material. And, as I original posted, one can enjoy a religious song without being a believer. That being said... Art Garfunkel, eh? That sounds very interesting. I'll have to se if his own rendition is also available on YouTube.

[scorbybird.livejournal.com]

Thanks about posting about this. I had never heard that song before tonight, and after listening to it, I'm going to head down to the music store first thing tomorrow to get the sheet music for it. It was certainly lovely.

I'm sorry I missed you while you were in town recently! I haven't been in front of my computer all day every day as of late... I started my own little business recently, which has absolutely positively nothing at all to do with computers whatsoever, and I have been only checking in on things every week days or so. New Mexico is a bit of a trip, but if you need any handyman work done, give me a buzz. :-)

[(Anonymous)]

Glad I helped you discover the song.

As for not being able to meet during that trip to the Bauy Area... I'm sorry about that too. Most of those days were taken by spending time with Sue's family. (Thus that portrait of me by my young nephew that I posted about earlier.) Well, there'll be other times. And your business must take priority for you. My best wishes.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Oops. Forgot to log in.