His first album was 'The Great War of Words' followed by 'A Better Man' in 1996 which gained quadruple platinum sales in Ireland. This led to awards for 'Best Irish Male Album' and 'Best Irish Male Artist’. With the release of the album, 'Now That I Know What I Want' he found himself with 3 albums simultaneously in the top 30 of the Irish album charts.
In his varied career he has toured frequently, recorded with Ronan Keating, has acted and has performed in Riverdance and on Broadway. Brian has recently made a number of popular BBC TV programmes in which he sings traditional Irish songs. He has released albums based on the series and also a single ‘You Raise Me Up’. This famous song he originally recorded for Secret Garden and indeed he is also the vocalist on their CD ‘Earth Songs’ where he sings Always There. Secret Garden are Norwegian Rolf Lovland writer of two Eurovision winners (La Det Swinge for Bobbysocks in 1985 and Nocturne for Secret Garden in 1995) and also his Irish partner in the group is Fionnuala Sweeney.
The Isle of Innisfree
Brian Kennedy Lyrics
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And I've no doubt there's truth in what they say,
But sure a body's bound to be a dreamer
When all the things he loves are far away.
And precious things are dreams unto an exile
They take him o'er the land across the sea,
Especially when it happens he's an exile
From that dear lovely Isle of Innisfree.
Of this great city, wondrous tho' it be,
I scarcely feel its wonder or its laughter
I'm once again back home in Innisfree.
I wander o'er green hills thro' dreamy valleys
And find a peace no other land could know,
I hear the birds make music fit for angels
And watch the rivers laughing as they flow.
And then into a humble shack I wander
My dear old home, and tenderly behold,
The folks I love around the turf fire gathered
On bended knees their rosary is told.
But dreams don't last tho' dreams are not forgotten
And soon I'm back to stern reality,
But, tho' they paved the footways here with gold dust
I still would choose the Isle of Innisfree
The Isle of Innisfree is a touching ballad by Brian Kennedy about the memories of one's homeland. The singer admits that he is a dreamer, a trait that is common in people who are far away from home. The lyrics express the longing of a person who misses his homeland and the beloved things that he left behind. The first verse introduces the theme of dreaming, which is repeated multiple times in the lyrics. The singer is aware of the reality that he is an exile, and the things he cherishes the most are far away from him. The second verse describes how the city does not fulfill his longing or make him feel the same emotion as his homeland does. He sees the city's magnificence, but what he desires is the peace of Innisfree.
The third verse vividly describes the scenery of his beloved Isle of Innisfree. He wanders around the green hills and listens to the birds' music, which sounds like that of angels. The rivers bring laughter to him, and he can seamlessly move through dreamy valleys. He then goes to his humble shack, where his dear ones are gathered around the fire while praying the rosary. The final verse emphasizes that the dream does not last but merely remains a memory. The singer knows that he has to face stern reality, but he would still choose the Isle of Innisfree over any wealth.
Line by Line Meaning
I've met some Friends who say that I'm a dreamer,
I have met some acquaintances who claim that I am an idealist,
And I've no doubt there's truth in what they say,
Indeed, I cannot deny that their assertions are grounded in truth,
But sure a body's bound to be a dreamer
Yet, it is inevitable for a person to be an optimist,
When all the things he loves are far away.
Especially, when everything he cherishes is distant from him.
And precious things are dreams unto an exile
To a person who is banished from his home, anything he treasures becomes wistful thoughts,
They take him o'er the land across the sea,
His fantasies take him to and fro over different states and oceans,
Especially when it happens he's an exile
This is all the more true when it occurs that he is an outcast,
From that dear lovely Isle of Innisfree.
from that beloved and beautiful isle of Innisfree.
And then the moonlight peeps across the rooftops
When the moonlight shines through the roofs,
Of this great city, wondrous tho' it be,
Of this enormous metropolis, even though it is incredible,
I scarcely feel its wonder or its laughter
I hardly observe its marvels or amusements,
I'm once again back home in Innisfree.
For I am once again, mentally, in my Innisfree home.
I wander o'er green hills thro' dreamy valleys
I walk around verdant hills and dreamy valleys,
And find a peace no other land could know,
And find a tranquility that no other country could rival,
I hear the birds make music fit for angels
I detect birdsongs that could befit celestial beings,
And watch the rivers laughing as they flow.
And observe the rivers gurgling while they stream.
And then into a humble shack I wander
And then, I traverse into a simple shack which I call my own,
My dear old home, and tenderly behold,
My well-loved abode, which I contemplate affectionately,
The folks I love around the turf fire gathered
The people I love are gathered around the turf fire,
On bended knees their rosary is told.
They pray the rosary while kneeling.
But dreams don't last tho' dreams are not forgotten
Yet, dreams are transient, even though they persist in memory,
And soon I'm back to stern reality,
And, soon enough, I am back to the harsh reality,
But, tho' they paved the footways here with gold dust
But, even if they coated the sidewalks here with gold particles,
I still would choose the Isle of Innisfree
I would still pick the Island of Innisfree.
Contributed by Josiah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.