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.
Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair
John Mccormack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
with the light brown hair,
born like a vapor
on the summer air,
I see her tripping
where the bright streams play,
happy as the daisies
that dance on her way.
her merry voice would pour
many were the blithe birds
that warbled them over.
I dream of Jeanie
with the light brown hair,
floating like
a vapour
on the soft
summer air.
I sigh for Jeanie,
but her light form strayed
far from the fond parts
round her native glade
Her smiles have vanished
and her sweet songs flown,
flitting like the dreams
that have cheered us
and gone.
Now the nodding wild flowers
may wither on the shore,
while her gentle fingers
will cull them no more.
I'll die for Jeanie
with the light brown hair,
floating like
a vapour
on the soft
summer air.
The lyrics of John McCormack's song Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair is a sentimental tribute to a woman named Jeanie whom the singer dreams of. The singer envisions Jeanie with her light-brown hair often and describes her as being born like a vapor on the summer air. This vivid imagery is a poetic way of portraying Jeanie's ethereal and elusive nature. The singer remembers the sound of her merry voice and the songs that she used to sing, as well as the happy and carefree way in which she used to trip where the bright streams play. The imagery of Jeanie dancing, singing, and surrounded by wildflowers and birds is a pure and innocent representation of her youth and beauty.
However, the second stanza takes on a more melancholic tone, as the singer acknowledges that Jeanie is no longer the same as she once was. Her smile has vanished, and she no longer sings the sweet songs the singer fondly remembers. Jeanie has strayed far from her native glade, leaving the singer longing for her presence. The imagery of the nodding wildflowers that may wither on the shore because Jeanie's gentle fingers will cull them no more is a metaphor for the singer's own heartache, as he laments the loss of Jeanie's love and companionship. The final lines of the song express the singer's ultimate devotion and willingness to die for Jeanie, even if all he has left of her is the memory of her light brown hair.
Line by Line Meaning
I dream of Jeanie
with the light brown hair,
born like a vapor
on the summer air,
The singer remembers Jeanie, a woman he admires, with affection and compares her to something fleeting and ethereal that suddenly appears from nowhere, probably indicating how much he misses Jeanie.
I see her tripping
where the bright streams play,
happy as the daisies
that dance on her way.
The singer recalls Jeanie, lively and joyful, running about where streams flow and daisies grow, probably reminiscing of an idyllic past.
Many were the wild notes
her merry voice would pour
many were the blithe birds
that warbled them over.
Jeanie's voice was beautiful and full of energy, and she used to sing along with the birds, an experience that the singer appreciated a lot.
I sigh for Jeanie,
but her light form strayed
far from the fond parts
round her native glade
The artist yearns for Jeanie, but she has gone away from the familiar places around her home and is lost.
Her smiles have vanished
and her sweet songs flown,
flitting like the dreams
that have cheered us
and gone.
The artist laments the fact that Jeanie's positive presence has disappeared, and she is now only a memory that fades away like happy dreams.
Now the nodding wild flowers
may wither on the shore,
while her gentle fingers
will cull them no more.
The singer acknowledges that time has moved on, and the beautiful wildflowers Jeanie used to pick are now left untouched, as Jeanie is no longer there.
I'll die for Jeanie
with the light brown hair,
floating like
a vapour
on the soft
summer air.
The singer loves Jeanie so much that he is willing to die for her, and he visualizes her once again as a beautiful and fleeting image that floats around in the soft and warm summer air.
Writer(s): Carmen Dragon, Stephen Foster
Contributed by Nicholas I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@johnsmith-jp2tn
Were the Man from Mars to arrive on earth and ask any local to hear a song sung to perfection, he should cite this song.
It's as near to perfect singing as you'll ever hear - for his balanced delivery, breath control, diction, pure and exquisite tones, the heartfelt feeling in every syllable.
My late, beloved mother loved Sweetly She Sleeps but I think might have preferred this materpiece.
Magisterial and quite magnificent!
Truly life enhancing!!
@blundy3788
I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair
Borne, like a vapor, on the summer air
I see her tripping where the bright streams play
Happy as the daisies that dance on her way
Many were the wild notes her merry voice would pour
Many were the blithe birds that warbled them o'er
Oh! I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair
Floating, like a vapor, on the soft, summer air
~~
I sigh for Jeanie, but her light form strayed
Far from the fond hearts round her native glade
Her smiles have vanished and her sweet songs flown
Flitting like the dreams that have cheered us and gone
Now the nodding wild flow'rs may wither on the shore
While her gentle fingers will cull them no more
Oh! I sigh for Jeanie with the light brown hair
Floating like a vapor, on the soft summer air
@googleone9209
I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair,
Borne, like a vapor on the summer air;
I see her playing where the bright streams play,
Happy as the daisies that dance on her way.
Many were the wild notes her merry voice would pour.
Many were the blithe birds that warbled them o'er:
Oh, I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair,
Floating, like a vapor, on the soft summer air.
I long for Jeanie with a day-dawn smile,
Radiant in gladness, warm with winning guile;
I hear her melodies, like joys gone by,
Sighing round my heart over the fond hopes that die:—
Sighing like the night wind and sobbing like the rain,—
Wailing for the lost one that comes not again:
Oh, I long for Jeanie, and my heart bows low,
Never more to find her where the bright waters flow.
I sigh for Jeanie, but her light form strayed
Far from the fond hearts round her native glade;
Her smiles have vanished and her sweet songs flown,
Flitting like the dreams that have cheered us and gone.
Now the nodding wild flowers may wither on the shore
While her gentle fingers will cull them no more:
Oh, I sigh for Jeanie with the light brown hair,
Floating, like a vapor, on the soft summer air.
@Ryan-th4um
This is helping my mourn a love of mine. Thank you
@johnthompson932
Ok will try again - my great aunt Jean born in the 1890s her husband John a musician - he used to play this and my mother thought he had composed it just for her - and here am I at 60 weeping for the memory of those gone - thank you John McCormack happy tearful memories
@annastasera9629
It is the magic of the song - I hear it for the first time ever, and tears come to my eyes though I have no memories connected to it❤
@BlossomFlowerGirl
I love listening to John McCormack singing this, such beautiful pure tones. This was my granddad’s favourite song. Love you granddad.
@johnthompson932
here I am again weeping great aunty Jeannie with her wedding favours near me
@thetruth156real3
Some people argue who sings which song better then another, but I don’t think anyone will argue that this is the best ever version of this song. Simply beautiful.
@adrianmunch88
They say this outstanding singer sang with with a tear in his voice...well he always brings tears to my eyes when I hear this one and many other of his songs too. There are many great singers out there, but certain songs by certain singers are just better than them all. Examples being many of the Irish folk songs by McCormack. A lot of these songs brought great romance into our marriage which gave us a very strong bond, She being an Irish Colleen helped too. And of course John being Irish. What a great nation, and that accent 🤗
@caseyjones8549
wow I was looking for a Van Morrison song in this popped up instead so I decided to listen to it because I have an affinity towards the early 1900s. Beautiful just beautiful it was a year before my father was born and he's passed away now. That's what this recording this is 1934
@janevonmaltzahn2667
If only singers learned to sing like this today!
@patricias5122
This reminds me of my dear late mother, how she LOVED this song. Rest in peace, dear Sara.