In 2000, Matthew "Gilly" Gilsenan replaced Paul Henessey and the Celtic Tenors were then formed and signed to EMI. Singing a mixture of Celtic, Operatic and re-worked popular songs, the group have travelled extensively with many tours concentrated in the USA, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands. The group have performed with some of the world's leading orchestras including The Toronto Symphony, the Cincinnati Pops, and the Vancouver Symphony orchestra.
In June 2006, Niall Morris bowed out of the group and a young tenor from Omagh in Northern Ireland Daryl Simpson stepped into the group.
The Celtic Tenors have released four records with the EMI, Telarc and Dara labels. Their first album went on to achieve double platinum status in their homeland, Number 1 in Ireland and Germany, Number 2 in the UK, and won them the "Echo Award" for ‘Best Classical Crossover Act’ in Germany. They have recently recorded their fifth album entitled 'Hard Times'. It is an album comprising solely of American Song writers including Bob Dylan, David Baerwald, Randy Newman and Stephen Foster. The album was released by Compass Records in the USA on June 2, 2009.
For further information check their website www.celtic-tenors.com
So Strong
The Celtic Tenors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The taller I become
The further you take my rights away
The faster I will run
You can deny me
You can decide
To turn your face away
Something inside so strong
I know that I can make it
But you're doing me wrong, so wrong
Thought that my pride had gone, oh no
Something inside so strong
Something inside so strong
The more you refuse to hear my voice
The louder I will sing
You hide behind walls of Jericho
Your lies will come tumbling
Deny my place in time
You squander wealth that's mine
My light will shine so brightly, it will blind you
Because there's
Something inside so strong
I know that I can make it
But you're doing me wrong, so wrong
Thought that my pride had gone, oh no
Something inside so strong
Something inside so strong
(Brothers and sisters)
Brothers and sisters
(Brothers and sisters)
When they insist we're just not good enough
(Good enough)
(Brothers and sisters)
Well you know better
(Brothers and sisters)
Just look him in the eyes and say
We're gonna do it anyway
We're gonna do it anyway
We're gonna do it anyway
Something inside so strong
I know that I can make it
But you're doing me wrong, so wrong
Thought that my pride had gone, oh no
Something inside so strong
Something inside so strong
Something inside so strong
Something inside so strong
The Celtic Tenors' song "So Strong" is a powerful anthem of perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity. The lyrics describe the relationship between an individual and their oppressor, with the former rising higher and stronger as the latter tries to strip away their rights and freedoms. The first verse speaks of the barriers that the oppressor puts up in an attempt to suppress the individual, but as those barriers grow taller, the individual becomes even stronger and more determined to succeed. The second verse describes the refusal of the oppressor to listen to the individual's voice, leading to the individual raising their voice even louder in protest.
The chorus of the song features the repeated line "Something inside so strong," which refers to the inner strength and resilience of the individual. This inner strength is what drives them to keep fighting for their rights and never give up, even in the face of adversity. The powerful message of the song is carried by the soaring vocals of The Celtic Tenors, whose harmonies and passion bring the lyrics to life.
Overall, "So Strong" is a stirring call to action for anyone who has faced oppression, discrimination, or adversity. It encourages listeners to tap into their inner strength and believe in their ability to overcome any obstacle, no matter how tall the barriers in their path may seem.
Line by Line Meaning
The higher you build your barriers
The more obstacles you put in my way
The taller I become
The stronger I will become to overcome them
The further you take my rights away
The more you oppress me and take away my freedoms
The faster I will run
The more motivated I will be to fight for justice
You can deny me
You can ignore me or pretend I don't exist
You can decide
You can choose to ignore my pleas for fairness
To turn your face away
To refuse to acknowledge my struggles
No matter 'cause there's
However, I know that
Something inside so strong
I have an inner strength
I know that I can make it
I am confident in my ability to succeed
But you're doing me wrong, so wrong
But you are treating me unfairly and unjustly
Thought that my pride had gone, oh no
I may have felt defeated at times, but my spirit has not been broken
The more you refuse to hear my voice
The more you ignore my concerns and opinions
The louder I will sing
The more I will speak up and demand to be heard
You hide behind walls of Jericho
You use barriers and lies to protect yourself and your power
Your lies will come tumbling
Eventually, the truth will be revealed and your deceit will have consequences
Deny my place in time
Rejecting my existence and experiences
You squander wealth that's mine
You waste resources that should benefit all, including me
My light will shine so brightly, it will blind you
My power and strength will become so evident that you cannot ignore it
Brothers and sisters
Addressing all fellow human beings
When they insist we're just not good enough (Good enough)
When others demean or belittle us because of our differences or perceived inadequacies
Well you know better
We know our worth and value despite their criticisms
Just look him in the eyes and say
Just confront them with confidence and conviction
We're gonna do it anyway
We are going to persevere and succeed despite their attempts to hold us back
Something inside so strong
We have a deep inner strength that keeps us moving forward
Something inside so strong
We have a core of resilience and empowerment
Something inside so strong
We will not be defeated or discouraged
Something inside so strong
Our spirit remains unbroken despite all challenges
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LABI SIFFRE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sally Freestone
Came across this randomly on YouTube and what a lovely surprise! Love it. Very pleased to see that you're still doing great with the singing, Matthew; it was clearly a good move all those years ago! Best wishes, Sally Freestone (was Daines).
van Eyll Simon Pierre
I 've liked so much your interpretation in Villers-la-Ville this Friday 30 august 2019 Congratulations !!!! I thank you !
Marci Girling-McPeak
Lovely, a beautiful interpretation of the song! <3
Veronica PR Manager For Creatures Of Clay
love this song. great job on it.. 👍
Veronica PR Manager For Creatures Of Clay
@matthew gilsenan you are welcome. Have a wonderful week.
matthew gilsenan
Thanks V
Liz Lohmeyer
amazing! 👌❤
Linda Peterson
Love the song and setting. Have a great tour.
Buchbahnhof
Gänsehaut. Sehr schöne Version.