Pure is the fastest-selling international début classical album to date, and Westenra became an international star, aged 16, when the first of her international albums were released. In August 2006, Westenra joined the Irish group Celtic Woman and toured with them on their 2007 Spring Tour.
Westenra has performed for dignitaries around the world. She is the youngest UNICEF Ambassador to date and has contributed to charities around the world.
Hayley Westenra's music was featured prominently in the 2007-2008 Nintendo Wii game, Endless Ocean.
See also (references):
- Official website: www.hayleywestenra.com
- This bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayley_Westenra
Gabriel's Message
Hayley Westenra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
'All hail', said he, "thou lowly maiden Mary,
Most highly favour'd lady, Gloria!
'For known a blessed Mother thou shalt be,
Thy son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
Most highly favour'd lady, Gloria!
Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
'To me be as it pleaseth God', she said,
'My soul shall laud and magnify His holy name,
Most highly favour'd lady, Gloria!
Of her, Emmanuel the Christ, was born,
In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
And everyone throughout the world will ever say:
'The hope of all the world is born today',
Most highly favour'd lady, Gloria!
The lyrics of Hayley Westenra's song Gabriel's Message speak of the angel Gabriel's announcement of the birth of Christ to the Virgin Mary, as recounted in the Bible. The song describes Gabriel as an ethereal figure with wings as white as snow and eyes that appear to be on fire. The angel greets Mary and tells her that she is to be the mother of the blessed Emmanuel. The lyrics then describe Mary humbly accepting God's will and praising Him for the gift of her beloved son.
The song's depiction of Gabriel as a heavenly messenger is representative of the importance of messengers in Christian scripture. Gabriel is said to be the angel who announced the birth of John the Baptist and the resurrection of Jesus. The lyrics convey Mary's simple and unwavering faith in God's plan for her life, which is an important theme in Christian theology. The birth of Jesus is also glorified as a symbol of hope for humanity, and the song creates a sense of joy and celebration around the event.
Line by Line Meaning
The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
The messenger of God from heaven arrived, descended from above,
His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
His wings were pure white like snow, and his eyes shone like fire,
'All hail', said he, "thou lowly maiden Mary,
He greeted her with respect, calling her a humble young woman named Mary,
Most highly favour'd lady, Gloria!
Rejoice and praise her for being highly favored by God.
'For known a blessed Mother thou shalt be,
You are chosen to be a blessed mother,
All generations laud and honour thee,
For generations to come, you will be praised and honored,
Thy son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
Your son will be Emmanuel, as prophesized by seers,
Most highly favour'd lady, Gloria!
Rejoice and praise her for being highly favored by God.
Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
Mary, a gentle and humble young woman, bowed her head,
'To me be as it pleaseth God', she said,
She accepted God's plan by saying, 'Let it be done to me according to your will',
'My soul shall laud and magnify His holy name,
Her soul will glorify and praise God's holy name,
Most highly favour'd lady, Gloria!
Rejoice and praise her for being highly favored by God.
Of her, Emmanuel the Christ, was born,
From her, Emmanuel, the savior of Christians, was born,
In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
He was born in Bethlehem on a Christmas morning,
And everyone throughout the world will ever say:
And everyone in the world will always say:
Most highly favour'd lady, Gloria!
Rejoice and praise her for being highly favored by God.
Contributed by Dominic E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.