McKennitt blends world-music with folk, Celtic and exotic Mediterranean sounds using instruments such as the hurdy gurdy, kanoun, uilleann pipes, Turkish clarinet, bouzouki and nyckelharpa alongside traditional instruments like guitar, drums and bass and the harp, piano and accordion, the three instruments she plays.
Born in Morden, Manitoba, Canada in February 17, 1957, Loreena moved to Stratford, Ontario, Canada in 1981, where she still resides. She has acted and sung in, and composed music for, Stratford Festival of Canada productions ranging from The Tempest (1982) to The Merchant Of Venice (2001).
Her recording career began in 1985 with the album Elemental. In the fledgling years of her label Quinlan Road, Loreena ran its operations from her kitchen table, selling recordings by mail order and producing her own concert tours across the country. Quinlan Road's catalogue is currently distributed around the world by Warner Music (US), Universal Music (Canada and other territories including Italy and Spain) and a number of independents including Keltia Music (France) and SPV (Germany).
Beneath a Phrygian Sky
Loreena McKennitt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The moonlight it was dancing
On the waves, out on the sea
The stars of heaven hovered
In a shimmering galaxy
A voice from down the ages
These ancient stones will tell us
Our love must make us strong
The breeze it wrapped around me
As I stood there on the shore
And listened to this voice
Like I never heard before
Our battles they may find us
No choice may ours to be
But hold the banner proudly
The truth will set us free
My mind was called across the years
Of rages and of strife
Of all the human misery
And all the waste of life
We wondered where our God was
In the face of so much pain
I looked up to the stars above
To find you once again
We travelled the wide oceans
Heard many call your name
With sword and gun and hatred
It all seemed much the same
Some used your name for glory
Some used it for their gain
Yet when liberty lay wanting
No lives were lost in vain
Is it not our place to wonder
As the sky does weep with tears
And all the living creatures
Look on with mortal fear
It is ours to hold the banner
Is ours to hold it long
It is ours to carry forward
Our love must make us strong
And as the warm wind carried
Its song into the night
I closed my eyes and tarried
Until the morning light
As the last star it shimmered
And the new sun's day gave birth
It was in this magic moment
Came this prayer for mother earth
Reprise:
The moonlight it was dancing
On the waves, out on the sea
The stars of heaven hovered
In a shimmering galaxy
A voice from down the ages
So in haunting in its song
The ancient stones will tell us
The song "Beneath a Phrygian Sky" by Loreena McKennitt tells the story of a person standing on the shore, listening to a haunting voice that speaks of love, strength, and the power of truth. The moon and stars in the sky seem to dance and shimmer, and the voice from down the ages speaks with wisdom about the battles that we may face and the need to hold the banner of truth and love high. The person's mind travels through the ages, reflecting on the human misery and waste of life that has occurred in the past. They question where God was during all the pain and suffering. Despite the ways in which some have used God's name for glory or gain, ultimately it is up to us to hold the banner of love and truth and carry it forward. The song encourages us to be strong in the face of challenges and to take care of the earth we live on.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was inspired by McKennitt's trip to Turkey, where she visited ancient sites and was struck by the incredible history and culture of the region. The Phrygian mode of music is present throughout the song, which was a common mode in ancient times. Another fact is that the song was originally intended to be an instrumental piece, but then McKennitt decided to add lyrics inspired by her experiences in Turkey. The song appears on her album "An Ancient Muse," which features other songs inspired by history and mythology. McKennitt is known for her unique blend of world music styles and her haunting, ethereal vocals. She has won numerous awards and sold over 14 million albums worldwide.
Another interesting fact about the song is that McKennitt often performs it live with a full band, which adds layers of percussion and strings to the mix. The song has been praised for its emotional depth and powerful message, which encourages listeners to reflect on their place in the world and their responsibility to care for the earth and each other. McKennitt has been compared to artists like Enya and Sarah McLachlan for her haunting vocals and introspective lyrics. "Beneath a Phrygian Sky" is a standout track on "An Ancient Muse" and has become a fan favorite in McKennitt's discography.
Chords (as per Ultimate Guitar):
Capo: 2nd fret
Verse:
Am F G Am
Am F G E
Chorus:
Am F G Am
Am F G E
Refrain:
Am F G Am
Am F G E
Line by Line Meaning
The moonlight it was dancing
On the waves, out on the sea
The moonlight created a beautiful visual effect on the moving ocean.
The stars of heaven hovered
In a shimmering galaxy
The stars looked gorgeous and created a beautiful scene in the sky.
A voice from down the ages
So in haunting in its song
These ancient stones will tell us
Our love must make us strong
The voice sounded ancient and beautiful, and it reminded us that love is an essential ingredient to stay strong and overcome problems.
The breeze it wrapped around me
As I stood there on the shore
And listened to this voice
Like I never heard before
The gentle breeze touched and surrounded the singer as they stood on the shore, and the beautiful voice moved them deeply.
Our battles they may find us
No choice may ours to be
But hold the banner proudly
The truth will set us free
We may have to face difficult battles in life, but we must hold our head high and fight for what is true and right. Only then can we truly be free.
My mind was called across the years
Of rages and of strife
Of all the human misery
And all the waste of life
The singer's mind drifted through different periods of history and thought about the many conflicts and sufferings humans had experienced throughout time.
We wondered where our God was
In the face of so much pain
I looked up to the stars above
To find you once again
In times of pain and suffering, people often wonder about the existence and involvement of a higher power. The singer found comfort and guidance by looking at the stars and feeling a connection to something greater.
We travelled the wide oceans
Heard many call your name
With sword and gun and hatred
It all seemed much the same
The singer travelled to many places and heard people call out to a divine being. However, it seemed like the name was used in conflicts and divisions too often.
Some used your name for glory
Some used it for their gain
Yet when liberty lay wanting
No lives were lost in vain
Throughout time, some have used religion for their own glory or personal gain. However, when people fought for liberty and freedom, no life was wasted or in vain.
Is it not our place to wonder
As the sky does weep with tears
And all the living creatures
Look on with mortal fear
In times of distress and fear, it is natural to wonder about the meaning and purpose of life. The animals and nature also react and reflect human emotions.
It is ours to hold the banner
Is ours to hold it long
It is ours to carry forward
Our love must make us strong
It is our responsibility to fight for what is right and just, keep the hope alive, and love and care for each other, to become stronger together.
And as the warm wind carried
Its song into the night
I closed my eyes and tarried
Until the morning light
The warm wind carried the enchanting song of the voice into the dark night. The singer paused, enjoyed the moment, and spent the night in the moment's bliss.
As the last star it shimmered
And the new sun's day gave birth
It was in this magic moment
Came this prayer for mother earth
As the night ended, and the new day began, the singer's heart filled with gratitude and hope for Earth's sustenance and good health. This inspired them to pray for Earth.
The moonlight it was dancing
On the waves, out on the sea
The stars of heaven hovered
In a shimmering galaxy
The beauty of nature and the sky, including the dancing moonlight, the waves, the shining stars, and the galaxy's splendor, are essential themes of the song.
A voice from down the ages
So in haunting in its song
The ancient stones will tell us
The haunting voice, ancient and wise beyond any spoken word, reminded the singer that the truth of the world could be found in the past and the land beneath their feet.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: LOREENA MCKENNITT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@connieembury1
The moonlight it was dancing
On the waves, out on the sea
The stars of heaven hovered
In a shimmering galaxy
A voice from down the ages
So in haunting in its song
These ancient stones will tell us
Our love must make us strong
The breeze it wrapped around me
As I stood there on the shore
And listened to this voice
Like I never heard before
Our battles they may find us
No choice may ours to be
But hold the banner proudly
The truth will set us free
My mind was called across the years
Of rages and of strife
Of all the human misery
And all the waste of life
We wondered where our God was
In the face of so much pain
I looked up to the stars above
To find you once again
We travelled the wide oceans
Heard many call your name
With sword and gun and hatred
It all seemed much the same
Some used your name for glory
Some used it for their gain
Yet when liberty lay wanting
No lives were lost in vain
Is it not our place to wonder
As the sky does weep with tears
And all the living creatures
Look on with mortal fear
It is ours to hold the banner
Is ours to hold it long
It is ours to carry forward
Our love must make us strong
And as the warm wind carried
Its song into the night
I closed my eyes and tarried
Until the morning light
As the last star it shimmered
And the new sun's day gave birth
It was in this magic moment
Came this prayer for mother earth
The moonlight it was dancing
On the waves, out on the sea
The stars of heaven hovered
In a shimmering galaxy
A voice from down the ages
So in haunting in its song
The ancient stones will tell us
Our love will make us strong
@berthapeprah9665
Who is still here in November 2023, timeless music. Loreena and enya made my years living in Europe bearable. I'm grateful for such beautiful music
@ellieblair3087
Loreena McKennitt is an enigma musically. She is a story teller with great ability to take to people a primal place that we have forgotten about. Ageless, timeless, beautiful music.
@cynthiajulun6879
@Hendrix Elisha zq
@zavierarthur1589
Instablaster
@losangelesangel3152
Yes ofcourse
@EmPurple
I am one of her greatest fans I think. Love from UK.
@annaoja2736
I am beamish as I read this. And in all sincerity the emotional transparency I feel when I listen to dear, loreena speaks volumes to the words I did not have to express such a wondrous and beautiful persons creations, that will forever be etched in my heart strings and benevolent to my soul. I thankyou for your kind words abd perfect reflections of the beauty that she shares
@sertoghimself5710
I'm here in Peru, listening to my friend who's telling us a story about an old girldfriend while we a are drinking beers. Suddenly he says «search Loreena McKennitt». Now I'm amazed.
@connieembury1
The moonlight it was dancing
On the waves, out on the sea
The stars of heaven hovered
In a shimmering galaxy
A voice from down the ages
So in haunting in its song
These ancient stones will tell us
Our love must make us strong
The breeze it wrapped around me
As I stood there on the shore
And listened to this voice
Like I never heard before
Our battles they may find us
No choice may ours to be
But hold the banner proudly
The truth will set us free
My mind was called across the years
Of rages and of strife
Of all the human misery
And all the waste of life
We wondered where our God was
In the face of so much pain
I looked up to the stars above
To find you once again
We travelled the wide oceans
Heard many call your name
With sword and gun and hatred
It all seemed much the same
Some used your name for glory
Some used it for their gain
Yet when liberty lay wanting
No lives were lost in vain
Is it not our place to wonder
As the sky does weep with tears
And all the living creatures
Look on with mortal fear
It is ours to hold the banner
Is ours to hold it long
It is ours to carry forward
Our love must make us strong
And as the warm wind carried
Its song into the night
I closed my eyes and tarried
Until the morning light
As the last star it shimmered
And the new sun's day gave birth
It was in this magic moment
Came this prayer for mother earth
The moonlight it was dancing
On the waves, out on the sea
The stars of heaven hovered
In a shimmering galaxy
A voice from down the ages
So in haunting in its song
The ancient stones will tell us
Our love will make us strong
@rebeccajdimatteo
❤