The band has recorded many albums of instrumental Irish folk music, as well as multiple collaborations with popular musicians of many genres, including Country music, Galician traditional music, Cape Breton and Newfoundland music, and rock and roll. They have performed with Van Morrison, The Rolling Stones, Sting, Roger Daltrey, Elvis Costello, Tom Jones, Sinéad O'Connor, James Galway, Jackson Browne, Nancy Griffith and numerous Country-western artists. In 1975, the group won praise for their playing of "Women of Ireland" for Stanley Kubrick's movie Barry Lyndon.
They have won six Grammy Awards and have been nominated eighteen times. In 2002 they were given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the UK's BBC Radio 2. The front covers of the first four albums were designed by Edward Delaney.
Paddy Moloney is the band's leader, and composes or arranges most of the band's music. While the band's members changed numerous times in the band's early history, the membership solidified in 1979 when Matt Molloy replaced Michael Tubridy.
From then until 2002, members included:
Paddy Moloney (uilleann pipes, tin whistle, button accordion, bodhrán)
Matt Molloy (flute, tin whistle)
Kevin Conneff (bodhrán, vocals)
Seán Keane (fiddle, tin whistle)
Martin Fay (fiddle, bones) (born 1938; died 14 November 2012)
Derek Bell (Irish harp, keyboard instruments, oboe) (born 21 October 1935; died 17 October 2002)
In 2002, Fay retired from active membership. In the same year, Bell died due to complications following a minor operation. Fay died on 14 November 2012.
Morning Has Broken
The Chieftains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken
Like the first bird
Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing
Sweet, the rain's new fall
Sunlit from heaven
Like the first dew fall
On the first grass
Praise for the sweetness
Of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness
Where His feet pass
Mine is the sunlight
Mine is the morning
Born of the one light
Eden say play
Praise with elation
Praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day
Morning has broken
Like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken
Like the first bird
Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing
Fresh from the world
The Chieftains' "Morning has broken" is a beautiful and inspiring hymn that celebrates the new day and the glory of creation. The opening lines "Morning has broken, like the first morning, blackbird has spoken, like the first bird" describe the beauty and freshness of the dawn as the blackbird sings for the first time in the day. The song acknowledges and praises the new day as a fresh start, a new beginning.
Throughout the song, the lyrics praise the beauty of God's creation and give thanks for the sunlight, rain and dew that bring new life to the world. The line "Praise for them springing, fresh from the world" beautifully acknowledges the new growth and rebirth that comes with each new day.
The ending lines of the song declare that the morning is a time to praise and be grateful for God's recreation of the new day. The repetition of the opening verses illustrates the cyclical nature of life and the beauty of a new beginning each morning.
Line by Line Meaning
Morning has broken
The dawn of a new day has arrived
Like the first morning
It feels like a new beginning, just like the first morning in the world
Blackbird has spoken
The sound of a bird is heard, signifying the start of a new day
Like the first bird
The bird song is as fresh and new as the first song ever sung by birds
Praise for the singing
Let us appreciate the beauty of the sound of nature awakening
Praise for the morning
Let us give thanks for the gift of a new day
Praise for them springing
Let us celebrate the new life that emerges with the new day
Fresh from the world
This new life comes directly from the source of all creation
Sweet, the rain's new fall
The new rain is refreshing and gentle
Sunlit from heaven
The sun's rays shine down from the sky
Like the first dew fall
The dew is as pure and untouched as the first ever dewfall
On the first grass
The new growth of grass is a symbol of rebirth and renewal
Praise for the sweetness
Let us give thanks for the pleasant smell and taste of nature
Of the wet garden
The garden is full of new life, and everything is damp and fresh
Sprung in completeness
Every aspect of this new life is complete and perfect in its own way
Where His feet pass
This newfound perfection reflects the presence of God
Mine is the sunlight
I feel the warmth and light of the sun on my skin
Mine is the morning
I own this morning, it belongs to me
Born of the one light
This new life is created by the same force that powers the sun
Eden say play
This new life is meant to be enjoyed and celebrated, just as life in Eden was
Praise with elation
Let us give thanks with great joy and enthusiasm
Praise every morning
We should make giving thanks for each new day a daily habit
God's recreation of the new day
We can see God's hand in the constant renewal and rebirth of the world with each new day
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARK STEVENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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