Global interest in Boyle was triggered by the contrast between her powerful voice and her plain appearance on stage. The juxtaposition of the audience's first impression of her with the standing ovation she received after her performance led to an international media and Internet response. Within nine days of the audition, videos of Boyle — from the show, various interviews, and her 1999 rendition of "Cry Me a River" — had been watched over 100 million times, an online record. Despite the sustained media interest, she later finished in second place in the final of the show, behind dance troupe Diversity.
Boyle's first album, I Dreamed a Dream, was released on 23 November 2009, and has become Amazon's best-selling album in pre-sales. Its first single is a cover of the Jagger/Richards song "Wild Horses." The album includes "You'll See," "I Dreamed a Dream," and "Cry Me a River." According to Billboard, "The arrival of "I Dreamed a Dream" ... marks the best opening week for a female artist's debut album since SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991."
Find more info on her album at Susan Boyle Music
In the Bleak Midwinter
Susan Boyle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow
In the bleak midwinter, long ago
Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain
Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day
A breast full of milk, and a mangerful of hay
Enough for Him, whom angels fall down before
The ox and us and camel which I adore
What can I give Him, poor as I am
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb
If I were a wise man, I would do my part
Yet what can I give Him give my heart
The song "In the Bleak Midwinter" is a classic Christmas Carol, originally written by Christina Rossetti in the 19th century. It speaks of the harsh winter landscape, where the earth is frozen solid and the snow continues to fall--a reflection of the challenges and hardships in life. The first verse almost paints a picture of despair, with the cold wind moaning, and the earth seeming impenetrable, as if nothing good can possibly grow.
However, in the second verse, the focus shifts to the eternal nature of God, who is so great that even heaven cannot contain Him. Yet, this great God chose to come down to earth as a little baby, with only a humble stable for a home. The song reminds us that even the smallest and most humble of places can be enough for the mighty King of Kings, Jesus Christ.
The final verse brings a feeling of personal reflection--what can a poor, simple person like myself give to this great God? The answer, according to the song, is to give Him our hearts--to love and honor Him completely.
Overall, "In the Bleak Midwinter" is a song that speaks to both the difficulties and the wonders of the Christmas season, and reminds us to keep the true meaning of Christmas in our hearts.
Line by Line Meaning
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan
Amidst the desolate winter, the howling wind cried out
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone
The ground was as firm as metal, water frozen solid
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow
Snow had accumulated, layer upon layer, until it seemed endless
In the bleak midwinter, long ago
In the past, during a harsh and barren winter
Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain
Our God is too great to be contained by heaven or earth
Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign
When God returns to rule, everything as we know it will be upended
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
Even a humble stable was good enough to shelter the newborn king
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ
Jesus, the all-powerful Lord God
Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day
A mere mangerful of hay and a mother's breast are sufficient for the one who is worshipped by angelic beings continually
A breast full of milk, and a mangerful of hay
The simple provisions of a nursing mother and a feeding trough
Enough for Him, whom angels fall down before
What little we can offer is enough for the one who is worshipped by angels
The ox and us and camel which I adore
Even the animals around the manger are worthy of our reverence
What can I give Him, poor as I am
What can a humble person possibly offer?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb
If I had something of value, I would bring it as a gift
If I were a wise man, I would do my part
If I had wisdom or knowledge, I would use it to contribute
Yet what can I give Him give my heart
But ultimately, the only thing of real value we can give is our own devotion and love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd
Written by: STEVEN JOHN ANDERSON, DP, ROBIN WOMPHREY, CLIFFORD DAVID MASTERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
P Turner
Her voice is ethereal. Absolutely stunning and peaceful version.
Drusymom
Her angelic voice gave me chill bumps the whole time I listened. ❤️
Akasha Lonsdale
My absolute favourite carol. Thank you for singing it so beautifully; stripped back, simple and pure. It brought tears to my eyes.
peter scott
Hello Akasha..hope you are enjoying your holiday🎄 and staying safe?
Damian Wayne • Robin
I’m not a Christian but holy heck this rendition brought me to tears. Even as I type this out I’m getting choked up
Charles Ade
DW I pray that if you are not a Christian that you will consider following Jesus. God bless
Cathy Fleming
I bless you to give Jesus your heart. He loves you!
Charles Ade
@Cathy Fleming God bless you Cathy. Wishing you a very happy Christmas.
mean Qkie
I am a Christian, about her age, and I've never before heard this song. It will be a new favorite! Come back to Meshiach. He would have still come to be beaten and sacrificed for you, even if you were the only one on the earth. That's how much He loves you.
Anna Klein
I call it Holy Spirit and a beautiful voice😀🙏