The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a large choir of The Church of Jesus Christ … Read Full Bio ↴The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a large choir of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). Since July 15, 1929, the choir has performed a weekly radio broadcast called Music and the Spoken Word which is the longest-running continuous network broadcast in the world. The show has been televised since the early 1960s and is now broadcast worldwide through some 1,500 radio, television, and cable stations.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is made up of some 360 men and women, all of whom are volunteers. There are many husband-wife combinations and many families have participated in the choir for generations. Choir members are currently limited to twenty years of participation, allowing new members to join the choir on a regular basis.

The choir was founded in August 1847, one month after the Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. The choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to support their organization. Choir members are not paid for their participation or performances.

Although the choir has traditionally been recognized for its sound quality, the most recent director, Craig Jessop, a student of Robert Shaw, has made changes designed to improve the overall quality of the choir. Jessop's efforts to add vitality to the choir's sound include the formation of The Orchestra at Temple Square, the 2005 addition of The Bells on Temple Square (a hand bell choir), and continual refinement of the choir's tone, enunciation, and repetoire. The minimum age for participation has been reduced from 30 to 25. In addition, new choir members participate in The Temple Square Chorale training choir, a combination music theory/performance school led by associate director and composer/arranger Mack Wilberg.

The White Cliffs of Dover
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics

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We'll never forget the people we met
Braving those angry skies
We remember well as the shadows fell
The light of hope in their eyes

And though we're far away
I still can hear them say
Bombs up

But when the dawn comes up

There'll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover
Tomorrow just you wait and see
There'll be love and laughter and peace ever after
Tomorrow when the world is free

A shepherd will tend his sheep
The valley will bloom again
And Jimmy will go to sleep
In his own little room again

There'll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover
Tomorrow just you wait and see

There'll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover
Tomorrow just you wait and see
There'll be love and laughter and peace ever after
Tomorrow when the world is free

A shepherd will tend his sheep
The valley will bloom again
And Jimmy will go to sleep
In his own little room again

There'll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover
Tomorrow just you wait and see

Overall Meaning

The White Cliffs of Dover is a song that expresses hope and optimism during the dark and trying times of World War II. The lyrics allude to the people who braved the war and hardships brought by the angry skies with the strength of hope in their eyes. They recall the promise of the blue skies and the return to peace and joy after the storm. The song refers to the White Cliffs of Dover, an iconic landmark of Britain that has been a symbol of hope and optimism for the country throughout the ages.

The White Cliffs of DoverMormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics

The White Cliffs of Dover
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics