In her native country, the vocal capacities of Petra Berger are often compa… Read Full Bio ↴In her native country, the vocal capacities of Petra Berger are often compared to those of Andrea Bocelli or Céline Dion. "She doesn’t sound Dutch at all!" people often say. They don’t mean to be impolite; coming from a Dutchman it is a great compliment! Dutch singers with a vocal range comprising more than three octaves usually sing opera and don’t bother with pop music. In addition to her technical qualities, Petra Berger is tremendously musical in an emotional sense. She has the gift to stir up an audience to great highs and lows, because she personally wants to experience the significance of each and every note and word that she sings. Petra is a perfectionist. And besides being a perfectionist, she is very ambitious when it comes to the content of a song. "A beautiful melody," she explains, "simply won’t do. Each song has to be about something."

That quality, often lacking in pop musicians, has resulted in two ambitious musical projects that were composed and written with a certain theme in mind. Eternal Woman (2001) is about the lives of eleven great women, ranging from Maria Magdalena and Cleopatra to Marie-Antoinette and Catharina the Great. This project was followed in 2003 by another ‘concept’ album (Mistress), this time about the fate of famous and tragic lovers such as Catharina de Medici, Frida Kahlo and even Hillary Clinton. Both albums were a huge international success and Eternal Woman even became platinum.

However, on tour Petra came to realize that these wonderful historical productions, how interesting they were and still are, had nothing to do with her own life. She doesn’t play a role in the political arena and she is definitely not a tragic lover. Furthermore, Petra and her husband Jeroen Englebert (composer/producer) are now the proud parents of a son and a daughter, which has altered their perspectives on life and work tremendously. "It was time to look for repertoire that not only appeals to me musically. Its content should also reflect who I am and what makes me tick at this moment in my life," she says.

"As a result, this is the most intimate and tender record I can think of. I wonder if I will be able to stay as true to myself in the future. Love, in all its manifestations, is the central theme of this album, ranging from the love of a son for his deceased father (If came the hour), romantic love (happy or not) and, for instance, the love between two fighting friends who don’t want to let go of each other (Can’t let go). They are able to forgive because they realize that their friendship is more important than their wounded egos. It’s a beautiful duet with Simone Kleinsma, whom I know very well, having co-starred with her in the musical Sweeny Todd many years ago. Then there are two compositions especially for my children, one of them being Conta sempre su di me, which means: whatever you do, you can always count on me. The music was written by Tjeerd Oosterhuis, who also produced this album. The Italian lyrics are a faithful translation of the lyrics about the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child that I wrote for this song. It’s a different relationship from any other. It’s true: you bring them into this world, look into their eyes and you know: this is forever. Liberta, the other song, is an encouragement for my children to become who they truly want to become."

Last but not least, there is the all-revealing title track ‘Here and Now’, which reflects the overall emotional significance of the album both in its lyrics (Petra Berger) and music (After Forever). Based on the books of mystic Eckhart Tolle, it is a spirited and intensely cheerful recommendation to us all to let go of our past disappointments and pain; to no longer be afraid and just live in the NOW.

(taken from her official site)

You Raise Me Up
Petra Berger Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

instrumentaal
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

You raise me up... To more than I can be.
modulatie en inzet koor
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Petra Berger's You Raise Me Up are a beautiful expression of finding strength and comfort through a spiritual connection with someone else. The song begins by describing a moment of weakness and weariness, when troubles and burdens are weighing heavily on the singer's heart. In this state of vulnerability, the singer waits patiently in silence until the one who raises her up arrives to sit with her, offering comfort and support.

Then the chorus comes in, describing the transformative power of this connection. The one who raises the singer up elevates her to new heights, giving her the strength to stand on mountains and walk on stormy seas. When she is on the shoulders of this person, she feels invincible, able to be more than she ever thought possible.

Overall, the lyrics of You Raise Me Up are a beautiful reminder of the power of connection and faith, and the ways that these things can lift us up when we are feeling weak or lost.

Line by Line Meaning

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When I am feeling low and my entire being is tired and drained;

When troubles come and my heart burdened be
When difficulties arise and my heart is weighed down by the challenges;

Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
In those moments, I become calm and wait quietly in solitude,

Until you come and sit awhile with me.
Until you come and offer your presence and comfort beside me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You lift me up so that I can conquer any obstacle with ease;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
You elevate me so that I can navigate through difficulties effortlessly;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
I gain immense strength when I am carried by your support and guidance;

You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You elevate me to a level greater than I ever thought possible.

You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You continually lift me up to new heights of greatness and purpose.

Writer(s): Rolf U. Lovland Copyright: Universal Music Publishing AB

Contributed by Aria O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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