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.
Drink To Me Only
John Mccormack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I will pledge with mine;
Or leave a kiss but in the cup,
And I ′ll not look for wine.
The thirst that from the soul doth rise
Doth ask a drink divine;
But might I of Jove's nectar sup,
I would not change for thine.
I sent thee late a rosy wreath,
Not so much honoring thee
As giving it a hope that there
It could not withered be;
But thou thereon didst only breathe
And sent′st it back to me;
Since when it grows, and smells, I swear,
Not of itself but thee!
The lyrics of the song "Drink To Me Only" by John McCormack, are a testament to the power of love and romantic devotion. The first stanza of the song emphasizes the singer's willingness to drink to his beloved with only his eyes, or to eschew wine altogether if his love is not present. The second stanza of the song describes a gift that the singer has given to his love, a rosy wreath, which the singer hopes will not wither away. The last line of the song ends with the singer expressing the sentiment that the wreath no longer smells of itself, but of the beloved.
The imagery in this song paints a picture of deep emotional intimacy between two people in love. The focus on the eyes as a means of communication highlights the idea that love is not just about physical intimacy, but also about connection and understanding. The use of the gift of a rosy wreath rather than a more contemporary gift also emphasizes the timelessness and eternal nature of love.
Overall, "Drink To Me Only" is a beautiful and romantic tribute to the power of love and its ability to bring people together across all barriers.
Line by Line Meaning
DRINK to me only with thine eyes,
Please show your love for me without the need for alcohol, through your gaze and expression.
And I will pledge with mine;
And I will reciprocate that love with my own.
Or leave a kiss but in the cup,
Alternatively, you could leave a kiss on the glass, and I would not require any wine to feel fulfilled.
And I'll not look for wine.
I will be content with just your affection and the memory of your kiss.
The thirst that from the soul doth rise
The desire within me that has been stirred comes not just from my physical need for hydration.
Doth ask a drink divine;
It is a spiritual thirst that can only be quenched by something pure and celestial.
But might I of Jove's nectar sup,
However, even if I could drink the nectar of the gods, I would still not be able to trade it for your love.
I would not change for thine.
Your affection is more valuable to me than even the most heavenly drink.
I sent thee late a rosy wreath,
Recently, I sent you a garland of roses.
Not so much honoring thee
It was not just a sign of admiration towards you.
As giving it a hope that there
It was also a symbol of hope that the flowers would maintain their beauty.
It could not withered be;
I wanted them to last, to be a lasting reminder of the happiness we shared.
But thou thereon did only breathe
Instead, you simply breathed gently upon it.
And sent'st it back to me;
You then returned it to me, denying me the chance to preserve it as a memory of our love.
Since when it grows and smells, I swear,
Despite all of that, the garland has not withered away.
Not of itself but thee!
But rather its continued beauty is a testament to the strength and purity of our love.
Writer(s): Johnson, Traditional
Contributed by Jake Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
sospello
Remarkable to think this is now 100 years ago, but, of course its appeal and the beauty of McCormack's voice as captured here are eternal. Thank you.
Shirley Rombough
"Total lack of affectation." He didn't need it. His genius speaks for itself. Glorious.
Doug McGaghie
I have a few original McCormick records and I like to play them on my 1915 Grafanola. My wife thinks that I am crazy but I like it! Thank you for posting this!
sugarbist
Masterful interpretation from a great singer. Simply beautiful.
Bruce Jackson
I just love this song. A smile or look can say it all.
JULIET ADAMS
Sang this in High School years ago. I'm now a Senior Citizen. It suddenly came to mind. Could remember only the words of the first 2 lines & so I Googled it. Remember the tune very well!
Herur22
Lovely song and interpretation.
flossie Flossie
Lovely.Thanks for posting .This was my Taid's ( Grandfather's) party piece.He was a baritone and we always had this treat at Christmas with my Mam on piano.He sang it very well till he was 70.
Rob Pollock
Nature and nobility are terms not always in comfortable balance with each other. Yet, here they come together and match beautifully - John McCormack sings this with total lack of affectation and with a fine, true nobility - no wonder at all that the Catholic Church made him a Papal Count.
Abhirup Mukherjee
An eternal Love song