He plays slide guitar, harmonica, six-string banjo, cigar-box guitar and the Mohan Veena (a 20-stringed guitar/sitar hybrid). He studied for five years in India with Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.
Discography:
* Dog My Cat (2001)
* Wise and Otherwise (2002)
* Jubilee (with Kevin Breit) (2003)
* Road Ragas Live (2003)
* West Eats Meet (2004)
* Mantras For Madmen (2005)
* In Good We Trust (with Kevin Breit) (2007)
* Live at the Glenn Gould Studio (2008)
* Bread and Buddha (2009)
* Isle of Manx - the Desert Island Collection (2010)
More information at: Harry Manx.
Official Website Biography
“Mysticssippi” blues man Harry Manx has been called an “essential link” between the music of East and West, creating musical short stories that wed the tradition of the Blues with the depth of classical Indian ragas. He has created a unique sound that is hard to forget and deliciously addictive to listen to.
Harry forged his distinctive style by studying at the feet of the masters, first as a sound man in the blues clubs of Toronto during his formative years and then under a rigorous tutelage with Vishwa Mohan Bhatt in India. Bhatt is the inventor of the 20-stringed Mohan Veena, which has become Harry’s signature instrument.
Harry played slide guitar for many years before meeting Bhatt in Rajasthan,in fact he had been living in another part of India for many years already, but he started at the beginning under Bhatt’s tutelage, unlearning most of what he knew about playing a slide instrument. He learned Eastern scales and eventually ragas, deceptively complex and regimented musical patterns that form the basis of Indian composition. Learning the voicings of Indian music is a subtle art that comes with time. Harry spent most of twelve years in India learning that. It was later on that Harry decided to explore the connection between Indian ragas and blues scales which eventually led to the Indo-blues hybrid that has become his style.
Born on the Isle of Man, Manx immigrated to Ontario with his parents when he was a child. He started working with bands as a ‘roadie’ at age 15 and gradually worked his way up to becoming the regular sound man at the well-known El Mocambo (blues) club in Toronto. There he worked with a slew of blues legends. Harry admits that blues is still at the heart of much of his work. “I’ve always had one foot in the blues from those days … what I got from those artists is a groove. That’s what I’m particularly interested in is the groove, and that’s the way I play blues”. “I went to Europe when I was 20 and started making money as a busker,” recalls Manx. “I’ve worked mostly as a musician since then, though I did some theatre work for a while. I was a one-man band with a drums and a cymbals for a time too. It was really a lot of fun”
Manx’s time in India has imbued his music with an intangible spiritual quality. “the song reveals who you are, it’s the vehicle for your message, your inspirational ideas or your story,” explained Manx. “Like many people I’m interested in my own development as a person and that’s represented in my songs, I’m searching for truth through art and spirituality. My songs are a synthesis of everything I’ve absorbed, all my experiences and I share that. I’m glad that it means something to people.”
“Indian music moves a person inward,” he explains. “It’s traditionally used in religious ceremonies and during meditations because it puts you into this whole other place (now, here). But Western music has the ability to move you outward, into celebration and dance. There are some ragas that sound bluesy, and there are ways to bend strings while playing blues that sound Indian. I may be forcing the relationship between the two musical cultures, but I keep thinking they were made for each other. That leads me to more and more experimentation. The journey has been great so far.” Manx is a prolific artist, releasing 12 albums in a 12 year span with no signs of stopping. He has received seven Maple Blues Awards, six Juno nominations, the Canadian Folk Music Award in 2005 for Best Solo Artist and won CBC Radio’s “Great Canadian Blues Award” in 2007.
His most recent original release, “Om Suite Ohm” was voted by the Montreal daily La Presse as one of only 4 CDs to watch for in 2013. Guitar Player Magazine called it “his most fully realized work to date”. Blend Indian folk melodies with slide guitar blues, add a sprinkle of gospel and throw in some compelling grooves. It’s a recipe that goes down easy and leaves you hungry for more.
Official Website: Harry Manx
Only Then Will Your House Be Blessed
Harry Manx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let your sword of vengeance rest
Oh, do the, do the blind lead the blind?
Well well don't be cruel to be kind
Only then, will your house be blessed
Yeah, offer prayer, offer prayer well well
offer sweet prayer, yeah now,
Oh, won't you, give em the right,
yeah yeah, to be welcome, through the night
only then, will your house be blessed
Yeah, turn your cheek, turn your cheek
well, turn your other cheek
may your mercy manifest
Oh, when the hawk and the dove
flying circles 'round your love,
only then, will your house be blessed
Oh, let it go, let it go, well well, let it go go go
Let your sword of vengeance rest
Oh, do the, do the blind lead the blind?
Yeah yeah don't be cruel to be kind
Only then, will your house, woah, be blessed
Na na na haaa
The song "Only Then Will Your House Be Blessed" by Harry Manx is a philosophical piece that speaks about forgiveness, kindness, and mercy. The first verse talks about letting go of the sword of vengeance and not being cruel to be kind. It advises the listener to let go of anger and grudges so that their house can be blessed. This means that only when we let go of negative energy and hatred, can our lives be blessed with positivity and love.
The second verse talks about offering sweet prayer to uninvited guests and giving them the right to be welcomed through the night. This could be interpreted as an act of kindness towards strangers and accepting them into our lives. The third verse talks about turning the other cheek and showing mercy when faced with conflict. It advises us to be patient and compassionate, even when we feel wronged, and let love guide us.
Line by Line Meaning
Let it go, Let it go, Well well, let it go go go
Release your anger and bitterness towards others and let go of any grudges that you hold.
Let your sword of vengeance rest
Stop seeking revenge and let go of any desire for retaliation towards those who have wronged you.
Oh, do the, do the blind lead the blind?
Are you following others who are themselves lost, confused, and unsure of the way forward?
Well well don't be cruel to be kind
Treat others with kindness and compassion, even if it means being gentle in your reprimands and criticisms.
Only then, will your house be blessed
Your life and those around you will experience greater harmony, love, and peace as a result of your efforts to forgive, be kind and compassionate.
Yeah, offer prayer, offer prayer well well
Take time to pause and offer prayers or meditations as a way to cultivate a deeper relationship with the divine.
offer sweet prayer, yeah now, to your uninvited guest
Extend kindness to those who may not be in your inner circle, who are not invited, or who are unfamiliar to you.
Oh, won't you, give em the right, yeah yeah, to be welcome, through the night
Affirm the worth of others by welcoming them into your home and your circle of friends, especially when it is not convenient or easy to do so.
Yeah, turn your cheek, turn your cheek, well, turn your other cheek
Do not engage in violence or retaliation, instead, respond to hurtful actions with forgiveness and nonviolence.
may your mercy manifest
May your compassionate actions towards others be evident and tangible, forming a foundation of love and kindness in your life.
Oh, when the hawk and the dove flying circles 'round your love
When there is conflict or tension in your relationships, strive to show love and kindness to both sides.
Only then, will your house be blessed
The peace and harmony resulting from forgiveness, kindness, and compassion is the true blessing that transforms your life and your living spaces.
Oh, let it go, let it go, well well, let it go go go
Release the past and move forward with grace and forgiveness. Do not cling to past hurts or grudges.
Yeah yeah don't be cruel to be kind
Sometimes the kindest act is to be gentle in your words and actions, rather than harsh or critical.
Only then, will your house, woah, be blessed
The forgiveness, kindness, and compassion you show to others is what truly brings blessings to your life and your home.
Na na na haaa
No discernible meaning, likely a vocalization to end the song.
Contributed by Jordan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.