Lorrena McKennitt, go Canada!

[0Ash0Tree0]

I'm my opinion is the best songstress to come out of Canada. If you haven't heard her before I recomend the song Dante's Prayer.

[TandVh]

No doubt in my mind! She enchants me on all of her cd's. I truly love The Mummers Song. Her Nights of the Alhambra video is one of my fvorites.

[0Ash0Tree0]

Have you heard Dante's Prayer? For some reason I know how he feels (in the song). I'd rather listen than watch...it's better in my head.
There's something about heartbreaking beauty that draws me in...Bittersweet is my favorite emotion...how Celtic.

Lyrics:

When the dark wood fell before me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride say there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone


I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
When the dawn seemed forever lost
You showed me your love in the light of the stars


Chorus:
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me


Then the mountain rose before me
By the deep well of desire
From the fountain of forgiveness
Beyond the ice and the fire


Chorus


Though we share this humble path, alone
How fragile is the heart
Oh give these clay feet wings to fly
To touch the face of the stars


Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares


Chorus


Please remember me
Please remember me, ...

[Aaediwen]

I've considered Dante's Prayer as eerily prophetic considering what happened not long after the release of Book of Secrets. I've got a complete collection of Loreena McKennitt CDs, VHS, and DVDs (although I probably should see if I can get "Mask and the Mirror" on Vinyl. Parallel Dreams was one of the first 2 Celtic CDs I ever had in my collection and was part of my introduction to the genre. She generally takes an extreme length of time between CDs. I guess with everything else she does though, this makes sense. And her CDs are always worth the wait! Between Loreena McKennitt, and Heather Dale, I'm convinced there's something in the water in that area. Two of my favorite artists who live not 100 miles apart from each other.

[0Ash0Tree0]

You mean what happened to her boyfriend, right?

[Aaediwen]

Exactly what I was referring to. Such a tragedy....

[thecelticgiraffe]

I consider Lorena McKinnit one of the best Celtic artist out there. Her songs take you on an amazing journey in your mind. Dantes Prayer is one of her best, and hard not to get teary-eyed and or chills when listening. Her talent is amazing to me, and her voice one of the best Celtic female voices. I love her mix of cultural influences..Celtic with Middle Eastern styles, etc. Not just your typical Celtic artist!

[0Ash0Tree0]

I completley agree! I'm trying to sing...but I have no reason to...do you need a reason? *I am super shy* But I did post a link to me singing on youtube in Celtic Hearts...*gulp*

[oldraven]

Good call. She's got a talent for placing the listener in the song. I still can't listen to The Highwayman without being very frustrated by the end.

One thing I'll always regret it not going to see her when she played at the Edmonton Folk Festival a couple of years back. I think it was her first major show since her fiancée passed. I may be wrong in that, but I recall someone making that statement when promoting the event.

[TandVh]

Speaking of haunting Ullian pipes- her song "Two Trees" is an excellent example-


Beloved, gaze in thine own heart
The holy tree is growing there;
From joy the holy branches start
And all the trembling flowers they bear.
The changing colors of its fruit
Have dowered the stars with merry light;
The surety of its hidden root
Has planted quiet in the night;
The shaking of its leafy head
Has given the waves their melody.
And made my lips and music wed,
Murmuring a wizard song for thee,
There the Loves a circle go,
The flaming circle of our days,
Gyring, spiring to and fro
In those great ignorant leafy ways;
Remembering all that shaken hair
And how the winged sandals dart
Thine eyes grow full of tender care;
Beloved, gaze in thine own heart.


Gaze no more in the bitter glass
The demons, with their subtle guile,
Lift up before us when they pass,
Or only gaze a little while;
For there a fatal image grows
That the stormy night receives,
Roots half hidden under snows,
Broken boughs and blackened leaves.
For all things turn to bareness
In the dim glass the demons hold,
The glass of outer weariness,
Made when God slept in times of old.
There, through the broken branches, go
The ravens of unresting thought;
Flying, crying, to and fro,
Cruel claw and hungry throat,
Or else they stand and sniff the wind,
And shake their ragged wings: alas!
Thy tender eyes grow all unkind:
Gaze no more in the bitter glass.
Beloved, gaze in thine own heart,
The holy tree is growing there;
From joy the holy branches start,
And all the trembling flowers they bear.
Remembering all that shaken hair
And how the winged sandals dart,
Thine eyes grow full of tender care;
Beloved, gaze in thine own heart.


The Two Trees By:Loreena McKennitt

[j Padraig moore]

One Loreena McKennitt cd I do not own is "The Visit". Recently I had a chance to listen to some of the songs from that album. Wow! I was blown away with the beauty of those songs.
A new favorite of mine is "The Lady of Shalott", based on the Tennyson poem. Being something of an envrionmentalist, "Bonny Portmore" really strikes a chord within me. Also really love the melody. Also loved "Cymbelline".
Well, thats it! I am just going to have to go out and purchase this CD!!!

[Aaediwen]

The first time I heard "All Soul's Night" was a deep spiritual experience. The CD never stopped spinning for a solid 48 hrs and never got past track one. Eventually I managed to mate some words to some of the feelings that song gave me, which became the first stanza of "Waters of Life"