You Raise Me Up

Lyrics by Brendan Graham

Music by Rolf Lovland

Started it's life as a slow air

with fragments of a familiar Irish tune

weaving its way into the melody

We tried to banish the piece

but it would not go away

Maybe it wanted a different life-form…and so

we decided to pursue the idea of adding lyrics

and asked Irish writer Brendan Graham to listen to it

His books "The Whitest Flower" and "The Element of Fire"

- two best-selling novels about the life of Ellen Rua O' Malley during the Irish famine

had inspired us strongly He immediately began to "hear a story"

in the melody and by that same evening had shaped the first draft of You raise me up

The unaccompanied violin opening is Fionnuala's first and untouched guide

recording for the original demo

while Uilleann pipes' grand master

Liam O Flynn carries the tune through its middle course The soulful singing of Brian Kennedy and Tracey Campbell-Nation

together with the London Community Gospel Choir and Irish choral group Anúna

gives full expression to the deep spiritual longing within the lyric

When I am down and oh my soul so weary;

When troubles come and my heart burdened be;

Then I am still and wait here in the silence

Until you come and sit awhile with me

You raise me up so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up to more than I can be

You raise me up so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up to more than I can be

There is no life - no life without its hunger;

Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;

But when you come and I am filled with wonder

Sometimes I think I glimpse eternity

You raise me up so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;

And I am strong when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up to more than I can be

You raise me up to more than I can be

2001 Universal Music Norway / Acorn Music Ireland