Wednesday, November 5, 2014

THIS SONG


Bright Morning Stars Are Rising
(photographs of Massachusetts by me)
 
The Wailin' Jennys
Clark Center for the Performing Arts
Arroyo Grande, California
February 2010

Bright morning stars are rising
Bright morning stars are rising
Bright morning stars are rising
Day is a-breaking in my soul


Oh where are our dear fathers
Oh where are our dear fathers
They’re down in the valley a-praying
Day is a-breaking in my soul

 
Oh where are our dear mothers
Oh where are our dear mothers
They’ve gone to heaven a-shouting
Day is a-breaking in my soul 




Abigail Washburn with Raghu Dixit
Kai Welch and fiddler Ross Holmes
London June 2012
http://youtu.be/qr__UNoFiq4
Abigail Washburn and Kai Welch
The Front Hall
August 2010
http://youtu.be/HfvWVx2daNQ

Inner Mongolian Music Ensemble
Ih Tsetsn and Abigail Washburn incross-cultural collaboration 
Smithsonian Folklife Festival
 2014
http://youtu.be/hmlQENlJiSM  
The song originates in the Appalachian region of North America
There is lively debate as to how old it is, and fervent debate as to whether it is a
Christiansong or not.  Lyric adaptations are frequent in church settings

The Corpus Christi Contemporary Music Group
Pre-Christmas Candlelight Mass,
Toledo, Ohio 

December 2011

http://youtu.be/gXLhKPQofD8 

 
The Incredible String Band 
added these verses:

Pale mist is softly fading
Pale mist is softly fading
Pale mist is softly fading
Day is breaking in my soul.

Friend they are all gathering
Friend they are all gathering
Friend they are all gathering
Day is breaking in my soul.

  
Judy Collins 
Adapted the original and wrote new verses:

Bright morning stars are rising.
The night is almost gone.
The sycamores are bending their branches to the dawn.
The wind sighs on the river.
The willows bend to pray.
And dawn is breaking gently upon a brand new day.
Day is breaking in my soul.

Bright morning stars are rising.
Bright morning stars are rising.
Bright morning stars are rising.
Day is breaking in my soul.

Bright morning stars are rising.
The promise comes again,
That heals the broken hearted
That pleads our wars to end.
 
The silver moon light scatters like tears upon the lawn,
But eases sorrow.
We greet a bright new dawn.
Day is breaking in my soul.
Bright morning stars are rising.
Bright morning stars are rising.
Bright morning stars are rising.
Day is breaking in my soul.

Bright morning stars are rising.
My soul is now renewed.
My love ones safe in heaven,
A better world in view.
And all our pain and pleasure,
Our struggles to break free,
Can lead us in this new dawn
To true serenity.
 

See one last glorious image at
Somewhere Sometime

 

7 comments:

Yvette said...

it moves me so much Michelle!

jude said...

judy collins brought me right back into it.

Ms. said...

Me too Yvette. Jude, I was unable to embed the Judy Collins because of copyright protection I guess...but you can find it on You tube and listen. I love her voice....but I love all the voices and versions. I just LOVE the song.

grace Forrest~Maestas said...

to find Abigail Washburn here...

i have so FEW CDs but one is hers...
Song of the Traveling Daughter

the whole CD is just Searingly Hauntingly BEAUTY FULL. jUST Otherworldly

Peggy said...

I loved this, Michelle -- Abigail Washburn, wow -- thank you. I wish I could play this song for my cousin who is in her last hours/days on the planet, her soul soon to enter pure Light. Light a-breaking in her soul. xo

Ms. said...

I'm learning to sing it but have not yet picked out the notes on a tiny toy piano I have....Sing it to her dear Peggy.

Ms. said...

Ah Grace...now I can imagine what she sounds like to the goats and Tay, and almost hear it vibrating out over the Mesa. Lovely.