"We've Got the World" topped the Irish billboard singles chart.
In 2006, he released his third studio album "Live and Learn". In 2003, he recorded a cover version of Beyoncé Knowles's Crazy In Love for Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 1, and in 2004 a cover version of Eamon's Fuck It (I Don't Want You Back) (albeit without the Fuck It part).
The Island
Mickey Harte Lyrics
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Those mighty cedars bleeding in the heat
They're showing pictures on the television
Women and children dying in the street
And we're still at it in our own place
Still trying to reach the future through the past
Still trying to carve tomorrow from a tombstone...
But Hey! Don't listen to me!
This wasn't meant to be no sad song
We've heard too much of that before
Right now I only want to be here with you
Till the morning dew comes falling
I want to take you to the island
And trace your footprints in the sand
And in the evening when the sun goes down
We'll make love to the sound of the ocean
They're raising banners over by the markets
Whitewashing slogans on the shipyard walls
Witchdoctors praying for a mighty showdown
No way our holy flag is gonna fall
Up here we sacrifice our children
To feed the worn-out dreams of yesterday
And teach them dying will lead us into glory...
Repeat chorus
Now I know us plain folks don't see all the story
And I know this peace and love's just copping out
And I guess these young boys dying in the ditches
Is just what being free is all about
And how this twisted wreckage down on main street
Will bring us all together in the end
And we'll go marching down the road to freedom...
Freedom
Freedom
Mickey Harte's "The Island" is a poignant commentary on the ongoing conflict between Ireland and the United Kingdom, and the futility of violence and nationalism. The song opens with a reference to the war in Lebanon, setting the stage for a comparison with the violence and bloodshed in their own country. The imagery of the "mighty cedars bleeding in the heat" is contrasted with the everyday struggle of trying to "reach the future through the past" and "carving tomorrow from a tombstone". In a sense, the conflict in Ireland is portrayed as a microcosm of the larger global conflicts that have ravaged the world.
In the chorus, Harte changes the tone of the song from one of lament to one of hope and love. He urges us not to listen to the sad songs of the past, but to focus on the present moment and the potential for love and connection. The island he refers to is presumably Ireland, and the image of tracing footprints in the sand and making love to the sound of the ocean speaks to the beauty and peace that can be found even amid violence and turmoil.
The second verse offers a more specific commentary on the conflict in Ireland, with references to raising banners, whitewashing slogans, and sacrificing children. Harte suggests that these actions are rooted in a misguided belief in the glory of dying for a cause, and that they ultimately serve only to perpetuate the cycle of violence and suffering. The final lines of the song offer a glimmer of hope, as Harte suggests that even the twisted wreckage of the conflict can serve to unite people in the pursuit of freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
They say the skies of Lebanon are burning
Reports of fires in Lebanon are being circulated
Those mighty cedars bleeding in the heat
Heat is making the cedars vulnerable and causing them to release sap
They're showing pictures on the television
Images of the situation are being broadcast on TV
Women and children dying in the street
Innocent people are suffering and dying in the conflict
And we're still at it in our own place
Similar conflicts are occurring in our own country
Still trying to reach the future through the past
We are using old-fashioned ways to address modern problems
Still trying to carve tomorrow from a tombstone...
We are trying to make progress despite facing significant obstacles
But Hey! Don't listen to me!
The singer is acknowledging that he may not fully understand the situation
This wasn't meant to be no sad song
The song is not meant to be a melancholic one
We've heard too much of that before
Too many songs about despair and tragedy have been written already
Right now I only want to be here with you
The singer wants to live in the moment with his/her partner
Till the morning dew comes falling
Until the next day arrives
I want to take you to the island
The singer wants to take his/her partner to a peaceful place
And trace your footprints in the sand
The singer wants to enjoy the island's natural beauty with his/her partner
And in the evening when the sun goes down
The singer wants to spend a romantic evening with his/her partner on the island
We'll make love to the sound of the ocean
The peaceful sounds of the ocean will accompany their intimate moment
They're raising banners over by the markets
People are protesting near the markets by waving flags
Whitewashing slogans on the shipyard walls
People are painting over messages on the walls of the shipyard
Witchdoctors praying for a mighty showdown
People are seeking divine intervention to win a conflict
No way our holy flag is gonna fall
We are determined to defend our sacred beliefs
Up here we sacrifice our children
People in power are willing to sacrifice the youth to achieve their goals
To feed the worn-out dreams of yesterday
The dreams of the past that may not be relevant are being pursued
And teach them dying will lead us into glory...
People are indoctrinating the youth with a misguided notion that martyrdom leads to honor and glory
Now I know us plain folks don't see all the story
The singer acknowledges that ordinary citizens may not comprehend the full picture
And I know this peace and love's just copping out
The singer believes that peace and love alone cannot solve everything
And I guess these young boys dying in the ditches
The singer suspects that the youth are the ones suffering the most in the conflicts
Is just what being free is all about
The singer suggests that this is the unfortunate reality of what it means to be free
And how this twisted wreckage down on main street
The destruction and chaos occurring in the central area of the city
Will bring us all together in the end
The singer believes that people will eventually unite to overcome adversity
And we'll go marching down the road to freedom...
The singer is optimistic that people will collectively strive towards freedom
Freedom
The central theme of the song
Contributed by Connor D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.