Loreena Isabel Irene McKennitt, CM OM (born February 17, 1957 in Morden, Ma… Read Full Bio ↴Loreena Isabel Irene McKennitt, CM OM (born February 17, 1957 in Morden, Manitoba, Canada) is a Canadian musician, composer, harpist, accordionist, and pianist who writes, records and performs world music with Celtic and Middle Eastern themes. She is self-managed, self-produced and head of her own record label - Quinlan Road. In a recording career spanning three decades, McKennitt's “eclectic Celtic” music has won critical acclaim worldwide and gold, platinum and multi-platinum sales awards in fifteen countries across four continents. Her most successful record is 1997's "The Book of Secrets", which spun off the single "The Mummers' Dance", a surprise hit on American Top 40 and alternative rock radio.

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).

Coventry Carol
Loreena McKennitt Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child
By by, lully, lullay, thou little tiny child
By by, lully lullay

O sisters too, how may we do
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling
For whom we do sing

By by, lully lullay?

Herod, the king
In his raging
Charged he hath this day
His men of might
In his own sight,
All young children to slay

That woe is me
Poor child for thee!
And ever morn and day,
For thy parting

Neither say nor sing
By by, lully lullay!

Overall Meaning

The Coventry Carol is a traditional Christmas carol, dating back to the 16th century, originating in Coventry, England. The song narrates the story of the Slaughter of the Innocents, where King Herod ordered his soldiers to massacre all male children under the age of two in Bethlehem, in the hopes of killing baby Jesus. The first verse starts with a gentle soothing melody, where the singer addresses the baby Jesus, calling him a 'little tiny child.' The second and third verses follow with a more mournful tune, where three sisters question how they can protect the young baby from Herod's wrath. The fourth verse changes pace again, and describes King Herod's fury, his order to kill all the children, and the grief of the mothers of Bethlehem.

The song's music is in the time signature of 6/8, which gives it a gentle lullaby-like quality that contrasts with the dark nature of its subject matter. The lyrics convey the message that, amidst the chaos and senseless violence of the world, the innocent suffer the most. Despite being a Christmas carol, it does not have the usual joyous tone of typical Christmas songs.

Line by Line Meaning

Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child
Sleep, sleep, you tiny little baby

By by, lully, lullay, thou little tiny child
Sleep, sleep, bye bye to you little baby

By by, lully lullay
Sleep, sleep, bye bye

O sisters too, how may we do
Oh sisters, what can we do

For to preserve this day
To save this day

This poor youngling
This poor little baby

For whom we do sing
For whom we sing this carol

By by, lully lullay?
Sleep, sleep, bye bye?

Herod, the king
King Herod

In his raging
In his anger

Charged he hath this day
Commanded on this day

His men of might
His powerful soldiers

In his own sight,
In his presence

All young children to slay
To kill all the young children

That woe is me
Oh, how sad I am

Poor child for thee!
Poor child, this happened to you!

And ever morn and day,
Every morning and day,

For thy parting
For your loss

Neither say nor sing
We can't express our grief through words or songs

By by, lully lullay!
Sleep, sleep, bye bye

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TRADITIONAL, EVAN JOLLY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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