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
Danny Boy
The Celtic Tenors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From glen to glen and down the mountainside.
The summer's gone and all the roses falling,
Tis you, tis you must go and I must bide.
But come you back when summer's in the meadow,
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow.
Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow.
O Danny boy, O Danny boy, I love you so.
But when you come and all the flowers are dying,
If I am dead as dead I well may be,
You'll come and find the place where I am lying,
And kneel and say an Ave there for me.
And I shall hear though soft you tread above me,
And all my grave shall warmer, sweeter be
For you will bend and tell me that you love me,
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.
The lyrics to The Celtic Tenors' song Danny Boy are a heartfelt and melancholic plea to a departing loved one. As the pipe's melody calls to the listener, the singer bids farewell to the addressee who must depart, leaving the singer behind. The first stanza of the song describes the beauty of nature, with the pipes carrying the sound of the message across glens and mountainsides. The mood turns somber as the singer acknowledges that summer has ended, and the roses are falling, signaling the passing of time. The singer implores the addressed to return- "tis you, tis you must go, and I must bide. But come you back when summer's in the meadow or when the valley's hushed and white with snow. Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow." The singer is assuring of their love and willingness to wait, no matter how long it takes for the addressee to come back home.
In the second stanza, the singer addresses the inevitability of death and longs for the addressee to remember them. If flowers are dying, and the singer is dead, the addressee should come to where they are buried to say an Ave, a prayer of comfort for their soul. The singer hopes to hear their steps above their grave, and as they tell them of their love, the grave would become warmer and sweeter. It is a hopeful sentiment that even in death, the addressee's love will bring warmth and light to the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
O Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
O Danny boy, you hear the sound of the bagpipes calling you
From glen to glen and down the mountainside.
The sound of the bagpipes echoes through the valleys and mountains
The summer's gone and all the roses falling,
Summer has ended and the flowers are fading away
Tis you, tis you must go and I must bide.
You must leave and I must stay behind
But come you back when summer's in the meadow,
Return to me when the meadows are filled with summer flowers
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow.
Or come back when the valley is silent and covered in snow
Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow.
I will be here waiting for you, whether it's sunny or dark
O Danny boy, O Danny boy, I love you so.
Oh Danny boy, I love you deeply
But when you come and all the flowers are dying,
When you return and the flowers have withered away
If I am dead as dead I well may be,
If I have passed away, as I may have done
You'll come and find the place where I am lying,
You will come and locate my resting place
And kneel and say an Ave there for me.
And you will kneel and say a prayer for me
And I shall hear though soft you tread above me,
Even though you step lightly above me, I will hear you
And all my grave shall warmer, sweeter be
My final resting place will feel more comforting and warm because of your visit
For you will bend and tell me that you love me,
You will lean down and tell me that you love me
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.
And I will rest in peace until you come to join me
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Traditional
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@elliottswanson9307
Outstanding. Bang on pitch and harmony.
@laurabaut2184
Saw them in concert...EVEN BETTER IN PERSON!
@SailxOne
The best rendition I have ever heard!!! That is one talented trio!!!
@LibsOK
sang with these guys. they're just really nice people!
@lightrachel
Absolutely beautiful... Mesmerizing.
@scoot5940
I used this to play violin same.and what harmony wonderful!!!
@ChampaignCelt
Wonderful version of feeling wihout being sappy ,just as it should be.
@rodahmbera1865
lovely,,hoping to see you soon my dear.
@geikogecko
needs more reverb
@ltbugaf
I was really loving this until the song was cut off in the middle.