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).
Breaking The Silence
Loreena McKennitt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A heartbeat pulsing low
Is it coming from within
A heartbeat I don't know
A troubled heart knows no peace
A dark and poisoned pool
Of liberty now lost
A pawn an oppressor's tool.
Oh my heart be strong
And guide when eyes grow dim
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When I know there's life within.
A gunfire shatters silence
Where birds once sweetly sang
A mother cradles a child now dead
Now death where life began
From the troubled heart of South Africa
Nicaragua's festering sore
The turmoil on the streets of China
Death crying out for more
A change is slow in coming
My eyes can scarcely see
The rays of hope come streaming
Through the smoke of apathy
But oh my heart be strong
And guide when eyes grow dim
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When I know there's life within.
May the spirit never die
Though a troubled heart feels pain
When the long winter is over
It will blossom once again.
Loreena McKennitt's song 'Breaking The Silence' addresses the atrocities and various forms of oppression happening around the world. The opening lines describe a drumbeat, which could symbolise the growing conditions of violence and unrest that are building within society. The following lines suggest that there is a heartache that the singer doesn't know much about, and that it may be the result of the deteriorating social conditions highlighted in this song. The chorus is a plea for perseverance and for the singer's heart to remain strong when everything around is falling apart.
The second verse describes cases of violence and oppression that are taking place in different parts of the world, such as South Africa, Nicaragua and China. The songwriter denotes the grim reality of the troubled hearts of people in such countries, which are damaged by the brutalities in their surroundings. The chorus repeats the message of resilience and strength, urging the listeners not to cave in and succumb to the weight of the heartache. The final verse ends on a hopeful note, suggesting that while it may take time for change to occur, it is still worth fighting for, and that hope will eventually outweigh the brutality.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear some distant drumbeat
I sense a vague rhythm
A heartbeat pulsing low
A slow and steady beat
Is it coming from within
Is it originating from myself
A heartbeat I don't know
A pulse unknown to me
A troubled heart knows no peace
An uneasy heart finds no solace
A dark and poisoned pool
A contaminated and dismal situation
Of liberty now lost
Of freedom that has disappeared
A pawn an oppressor's tool
A victim of someone's unjust actions
Oh my heart be strong
My inner strength come to me
And guide when eyes grow dim
And help me through difficult times
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When words are meaningless and irrelevant
When I know there's life within.
When I feel the existence of life
A gunfire shatters silence
A sudden loud noise breaks the stillness
Where birds once sweetly sang
Where there was once nature's music
A mother cradles a child now dead
A parent holding their child who has passed away
Now death where life began
Where birth used to happen there is now death
From the troubled heart of South Africa
From a country in distress
Nicaragua's festering sore
A painful and difficult situation in Nicaragua
The turmoil on the streets of China
A chaotic situation in China
Death crying out for more
More death is being called for
A change is slow in coming
Change is happening at a slow pace
My eyes can scarcely see
I can barely perceive
The rays of hope come streaming
But there is hope that is shining through
Through the smoke of apathy
Despite an attitude of indifference
May the spirit never die
May the will to live remain strong
Though a troubled heart feels pain
Although troubled hearts suffer
When the long winter is over
When the difficult time comes to an end
It will blossom once again.
There will be new life and growth.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dan Richeson
"Breaking The Silence"
I hear some distant drumbeat
A heartbeat pulsing low
Is it coming from within
A heartbeat I don't know
A troubled heart knows no peace
A dark and poisoned pool
Of liberty now lost
A pawn, an oppressor's tool
Oh my heart be strong
And guide when eyes grow dim
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When I know there's life within
A gunfire shatters silence
Where birds once sweetly sang
A mother cradles a child now dead
Now death where life began
From the troubled heart of South Africa
Nicaragua 's festering sore
The turmoil on the streets of china
Death crying out for more
A change is slow in coming
My eyes can scarcely see
The rays of hope come streaming
Through the smoke of apathy
But oh my heart be strong
And guide when eyes grow dim
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When I know there's life within
May the spirit never die
Though a troubled heart feels pain
When this long winter is over
It will blossom once again
Zaomi Pro
i turned to this when my father passed away suddenly when i was thousands of miles away from home
he was all alone
i felt immense sorrow amplified by this masterpiece
it helped me in my grieving
that man deserved all of my tears
Cruz del Sur
Escucho algo de tambor lejano
Un latido latente bajo
¿Viene de adentro?
Un latido que no conozco
Un corazón turbado no conoce la paz
Una piscina oscura y envenenada de libertad ahora perdida
Un peón, la herramienta de un opresor.
Oh mi corazón se fuerte
Y guía cuando los ojos se vuelven tenues
Cuando los oídos se vuelven sordos con palabras vacías
Cuando sé que hay vida dentro.
Un tiroteo rompe el silencio
Donde los pájaros alguna vez cantaron dulcemente
Una madre acuna a un niño ahora muerto
Ahora la muerte donde comenzó la vida
Desde el turbulento corazón de Sudáfrica
Dolor supurante de Nicaragua
La agitación en las calles de China
La muerte clama por más
Un cambio tarda en llegar
Mis ojos apenas pueden ver
Los rayos de esperanza vienen fluyendo
A través del humo de la apatía
Pero oh mi corazón se fuerte
Y guía cuando los ojos se vuelven tenues
Cuando los oídos se vuelven sordos con palabras vacías
Cuando sé que hay vida dentro.
Que el espíritu nunca muera
Aunque un corazón con problemas siente dolor
Cuando termine el largo invierno
Florecerá una vez más
Willcelso Shemhamforash samael hamsiel
Esta música tem me ajudado a me libertar de muita coisa que estava presa dentro de mim, poder falar abertamente sobre coisas que sofremos ao longo da vida e que tentaram fazer com que não falássemos é libertador.Devemos nos perdoar por não conseguirmos amar a todas as pessoas. Cristo nos deu o maior mandamento , que é amar aos nossos inimigos, mas não tenhamos vergonha de reconhecer que nem sempre conseguimos.Já me dou por satisfeito por não guardar ódio de ninguém no coração.A cada dia Jesus tem carregado meu fardo e dado em troca o dele que é leve.Traumas de infância , como o do Paraná em que meu próprio pai desligou todas as luzes e entrou em casa em silêncio após fingir estar no movimento sem terra,com a intenção de matar toda a família para continuar como era antes de casar, só parando na última hora por não ter encontrado forças pra levar este crime adiante, minha tia na infância , na mesma cama que eu, no escuro, se aproveitando de meu corpo pra se satisfazer, uma relação abusiva atrás da outra, ter visto minha avó sendo esbofeteada pelo próprio filho,sem poder fazer nada pra defendê-la das duas vezes em que isto aconteceu, tudo eu posso ver ficando para trás.Estoiu vencendo.Esta semana comemoramos o dia do professor dia 15.Sou feliz por ter escolhido esta profissão.Obrigado Loreena por compor uma música tão sublime como esta que tem servido como um bálsamo pra sarar minhas feridas na alma.Nunca nos deixe, rainha!
fred putnam
One of the great protest songs of the 20th century--Loreena is a brilliant writer and performer. Thanks for posting this.
Dan Richeson
"Breaking The Silence"
I hear some distant drumbeat
A heartbeat pulsing low
Is it coming from within
A heartbeat I don't know
A troubled heart knows no peace
A dark and poisoned pool
Of liberty now lost
A pawn, an oppressor's tool
Oh my heart be strong
And guide when eyes grow dim
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When I know there's life within
A gunfire shatters silence
Where birds once sweetly sang
A mother cradles a child now dead
Now death where life began
From the troubled heart of South Africa
Nicaragua 's festering sore
The turmoil on the streets of china
Death crying out for more
A change is slow in coming
My eyes can scarcely see
The rays of hope come streaming
Through the smoke of apathy
But oh my heart be strong
And guide when eyes grow dim
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When I know there's life within
May the spirit never die
Though a troubled heart feels pain
When this long winter is over
It will blossom once again
Cheryl de Boissiere
Sounds like a woman who has lost a stillborn fetus, not just one imperiled by the usual oppression of men...
mirta guerrero
Muy grande Loreena!!!!! Un tema maravilloso!!!!!
Joarn Shand
My favorite artist her voice and songs take me to a very deep level. Thank you Loreena!
Charles Williamson
Like animals, Loreena's music is a gift from God so that we humans can experience His Love.
Renwick Pam
Totally true " voice from heaven"
Zsuzsa Farkas
This is the most beautiful for me...the music, the lyrics...
Wladimir Uchoa
Música linda demais.