John Francis McCormack was born in Athlone, Ireland, the fourth of eleven children of Andrew and Hannah Watson on 14 June 1884, and was baptised in St. Mary's Church, Athlone on 23 June 1884. His father was employed in Athlone Woollen Mills.
John received his early education from the Marist Brothers in Athlone, and later attended Summerhill College, Sligo. In 1903 he won the coveted gold medal in the Dublin Feis Ceoil and it was this event which set him on his climb to success. John married Lily Foley in 1906 and the couple had two children Cyril and Gwen.
Fundraising enabled his voice to be trained under Sabbatini in Italy. In 1907 John McCormack made his first important operatic appearance at Covent Garden in Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana. By 1912 he began to turn his attention to the concert stage, where his voice quality and charisma ensured that he became the greatest lyric tenor of his day.
He made numerous recordings, the first on phonograph cylinder in 1904. His most commercially successful series of records were those for the Victor Talking Machine Company in the 1910s and 1920s. He was the first artist to record It's a Long Way to Tipperary, in 1914. He also regularly broadcast on the radio and appeared in a number of sound films.
In 1917 he became a naturalized citizen of the United States.
To many people the highlight of McCormack's Irish career was his singing of César Franck's Panis Angelicus to the thousands who thronged Dublin's Phoenix Park for the 1932 Eucharistic Congress.
He was much honoured and decorated for his services to the world of music. His greatest honour came in 1928, when he received the title Count from Pope Pius XI in recognition of his work for Catholic charities. Although he often came to be referred to as "Count John McCormack" in his professional life, this title was officially recognised within only the Catholic Church ever.
McCormack retired in 1944, and died the following year at his home in Glena, Booterstown, Dublin.
A Little Bit of Heaven
John Mccormack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And wondrous wishing wells
And nowhere else on God's green Earth
There be such lakes and dells
No wonder that the angels love
That shamrock covered shore
It draws my heart home again
Have you ever heard the story of
How Ireland got its name
Well, I'll tell you so you'll understand
From whence old Ireland came
No wonder that I love
That dear old land across the sea
For here's the way my dear old Father
Told the tale to me
Sure, a little bit of heaven fell
From out the sky one day
And it nestled on the ocean
In a spot so far away
And when the angels found it
Sure, it looked so sweet and fair
They said, "Suppose we leave it
For it looks so peaceful there"
So they sprinkled it with stardust
Just to make the shamrocks grow
'Tis the only place you'll find them
No matter where you go
Then they dotted it with silver
To make its lakes so grand
And when they had it finished
Sure, they called it Ireland!
The song A Little Bit of Heaven by John McCormack describes the beauty of Ireland, a country known for its lush landscapes, wondrous wishing wells, and lakes and dells. The song talks about the admiration of the angels for the green shamrock covered shore, which draws the singer's heart back home again. The lyrics also tell the story of how Ireland got its name, with the angels leaving a small piece of heaven on the ocean in a spot far away from anything else.
The tale of how Ireland got its name tells us that when the angels found the piece of heaven, which was sprinkled with stardust to make the shamrocks grow, they left it there because it looked so peaceful. They dotted it with silver to make its lakes grand, and when they finished it, they called it Ireland. The song shows the deep love the singer has for his home country as it describes the Irish landscape, its famous shamrocks and peaceful environment.
Overall, John McCormack's song A Little Bit of Heaven describes the beauty of Ireland that draws the heart back home again. The lyrics also tell the tale of how Ireland got its name, depicting the country as a peaceful and beautiful land.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a dear old land of leprechauns
Ireland is an ancient and unique land with mystical creatures.
And wondrous wishing wells
There are magical wells in Ireland where people can make wishes.
And nowhere else on God's green Earth
Ireland is the only place in the world
There be such lakes and dells
where one can find beautiful lakes and valleys.
No wonder that the angels love
It's understandable why angels are fond of
That shamrock covered shore
the shores of Ireland that are covered in shamrocks.
It draws my heart home again
Thinking of Ireland makes me feel homesick and longing to go back.
And I love it more and more
My love for Ireland grows ever stronger.
Have you ever heard the story of
Do you know the tale behind
How Ireland got its name
the origin of Ireland's name?
Well, I'll tell you so you'll understand
Let me explain it to you.
From whence old Ireland came
Where Ireland came from.
Sure, a little bit of heaven fell
One day, a piece of heaven fell down
From out the sky one day
from the sky.
And it nestled on the ocean
It landed on the ocean surface
In a spot so far away
in a distant location.
And when the angels found it
When the angels discovered it
Sure, it looked so sweet and fair
It looked beautiful and desirable
They said, "Suppose we leave it
The angels suggested that they should leave it
For it looks so peaceful there"
as it seemed so peaceful.
So they sprinkled it with stardust
They sprinkled it with stardust
Just to make the shamrocks grow
to help the shamrocks grow.
'Tis the only place you'll find them
Ireland is the only place where shamrocks can be found.
No matter where you go
It doesn't matter where you search.
Then they dotted it with silver
Next, they decorated it with silver
To make its lakes so grand
to make its lakes look magnificent.
And when they had it finished
When they had completed it
Sure, they called it Ireland!
they named it Ireland.
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERNEST R. BALL, J. KEIRN BRENNAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@skyflyxgd3573
Have you ever heard the story
Of how Ireland got its name.
I'll tell you so you'll understand
Of whence dear Ireland came
No wonder why we're proud of that
Dear land across the sea.
For here's the way my dear old mother
Told the tale to me.
Sure a little bit of heaven fell
From out the sky one day,
And it nestled in the ocean
In a spot so far away
And when the angels found it
Sure it looked so sweet and fair
They said,"Suppose we leave it,
For it looks so peaceful there."
So they sprinkled it with stardust
Just to make the shamrocks grow,
It's the only place you'll find them,
No matter where you go,
Then they dotted it with silver
To make its lakes so grand,
And when they had it finished,
Sure, they called it Ireland.
It's a dear old land of fairies
And of wondrous wishing wells
And nothing else on God's good earth
No wonder how the angels . the shamrock .
It's a little bit of heaven
And I love it more and more,
Sure a little bit of heaven fell
From out the sky one day
And nestled in the ocean in a spot so far away
And when the angels found it
Sure it looked so sweet and fair
They said,"Suppose we leave it,
For it looks so peaceful there."
So they sprinkled it with stardust
Just to make the shamrocks grow,
It's the only place you'll find them
No matter where you go.
Then they dotted it with silver
To make its lakes so grand,
And when they had it finished
Sure they called it Ireland.
@skyflyxgd3573
Have you ever heard the story
Of how Ireland got its name.
I'll tell you so you'll understand
Of whence dear Ireland came
No wonder why we're proud of that
Dear land across the sea.
For here's the way my dear old mother
Told the tale to me.
Sure a little bit of heaven fell
From out the sky one day,
And it nestled in the ocean
In a spot so far away
And when the angels found it
Sure it looked so sweet and fair
They said,"Suppose we leave it,
For it looks so peaceful there."
So they sprinkled it with stardust
Just to make the shamrocks grow,
It's the only place you'll find them,
No matter where you go,
Then they dotted it with silver
To make its lakes so grand,
And when they had it finished,
Sure, they called it Ireland.
It's a dear old land of fairies
And of wondrous wishing wells
And nothing else on God's good earth
No wonder how the angels . the shamrock .
It's a little bit of heaven
And I love it more and more,
Sure a little bit of heaven fell
From out the sky one day
And nestled in the ocean in a spot so far away
And when the angels found it
Sure it looked so sweet and fair
They said,"Suppose we leave it,
For it looks so peaceful there."
So they sprinkled it with stardust
Just to make the shamrocks grow,
It's the only place you'll find them
No matter where you go.
Then they dotted it with silver
To make its lakes so grand,
And when they had it finished
Sure they called it Ireland.
@noelsharkey7227
A beautiful piece of nostalgia which we were taught at school back in the mid 1960s,lovely to hear it preserved here
@noelsharkey7227
A charming little ditty which always reminds me of being taught the lyrics of the song in Haggardstown primary school by our principal Paddy McDonnell in dear old 1964. Many, many thanks for loading it up and thank you so much for the pleasure it gives me. Noel Sharkey😊
@TomElvisSmith
Thank you very much for your kind comment, Noel!
@margaretwallaces3625
❤Should be our National Anthem.❤
I remember my Father playing this as a 78 on an old gramophone.
@paulleckner8235
Tears of joy run down my face.
@maryconvey3571
John will be singing to his Heavenly Father up there in paradise god bless you count john🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
@alandesouzacruz5124
Unmistakable Voice
@paulinelee1762
What a Beautiful distinctive voice he had. It truly is the Best version of this beloved old song. R.I.P. John. XXXXX
@thomasconlon5413
John McCormack was a very devout Irish Catholic who won an award from the pope for his service to the Church and Charities.
God bless John McCormack