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).
Moon Cradle
Loreena McKennitt Lyrics
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Where a cloud and a cloud go by
Silently rocking and rocking
The moon-cradle out in the sky.
Then comes the lad with the hazel
And the folding star's in the rack
'Night's a good herd' to the cattle,
But the bond woman down by the boorie
Sings with a heart grown wild
How a hundred rivers are flowing
Between herself and her child.
'The geese, even they trudge homeward
That have their wings and the waste,
Let your thoughts be on Night the Herder,
And be quiet for a space.'
The moon-cradle's rocking and rocking,
Where a cloud and a cloud go by,
Silent rocking and rocking
The moon-cradle out in the sky.
The snipe they are crying and crying
Liadine, liadine, liadine
Where no track's on the bog they are flying:
A lonely dream will be mine!
The lyrics of Loreena McKennitt's "Moon Cradle" is a hauntingly beautiful poem that describes the moon as a cradle, slowly rocking in the sky as clouds pass by. The first stanza describes the peace and solitude of the moon's cradle, a tranquil scene that sets the stage for the following verses. In the second stanza, we meet a man who sings about the night, claiming that it brings everything back. The third stanza introduces a woman who is separated from her child by a hundred rivers. This is a metaphor for the distance that she feels from her child, and the pain of being unable to be with him. The final stanza is about the snipe, a bird that is known for its haunting cry, and the lonely dreams that it represents.
The lyrics evoke a sense of longing and sadness, but they are also deeply rooted in the natural world. The moon, the stars, and the birds are all associated with the passing of time and the cycles of life. The man who sings about the night is both a herder of cattle and a keeper of time, while the woman who sings about the rivers represents the power of nature and the emotional bonds that unite us.
Overall, "Moon Cradle" is a song that explores the themes of nature, time, and human emotion. It is a hauntingly beautiful poem that taps into our deepest emotions, allowing us to connect with the world around us on a deeper level.
Line by Line Meaning
When the moon-cradle's rocking and rocking
As the moon appears to sway back and forth in the night sky
Where a cloud and a cloud go by
As clouds pass over the moon and drift away
Silently rocking and rocking
The moon is silently and peacefully swaying
The moon-cradle out in the sky
The moon is compared to a cradle that holds the stars
Then comes the lad with the hazel
A young man arrives holding a hazel stick
And the folding star's in the rack
A bright star appears in the sky
'Night's a good herd' to the cattle,
The young man sings that night is a good time for the cattle to come home
He sings, 'She brings all things back.'
He believes that the night causes all things to return to their rightful place
But the bond woman down by the boorie
A woman who is bound and enslaved is located by the barn
Sings with a heart grown wild
She sings with a passionate and untamed heart
How a hundred rivers are flowing
She describes how a hundred rivers flow between her and her child
Between herself and her child.
She is separated from her child by many obstacles
'The geese, even they trudge homeward
The young man sings that even the geese know to return home
That have their wings and the waste,
Even birds who fly over long distances know where their home is
Let your thoughts be on Night the Herder,
He encourages the listener to focus on the guiding force of the night sky
And be quiet for a space.'
He advises the listener to be still and calm for a moment
The snipe they are crying and crying
Small birds called snipe are heard crying out
Liadine, liadine, liadine
The sound of their cries is expressed in Gaelic
Where no track's on the bog they are flying:
The birds are flying over a bog where there are no tracks, symbolizing loneliness
A lonely dream will be mine!
The singer expresses her own feeling of loneliness and isolation
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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