You Raise Me Up

"You Raise Me Up"
Song

"You Raise Me Up" is a popular song in the inspirational mould. The music was written by Secret Garden's Rolf Løvland and the lyrics by Brendan Graham. The song has now been covered more than 125 times.

The song was originally written as an instrumental piece and titled "Silent Story." The melody is based on a traditional Irish tune (especially the opening phrase of its chorus), the Derry Air, which is best known as the usual tune to the 1910 song Danny Boy. Løvland approached Irish novelist and songwriter Brendan Graham to write the lyrics to his melody after reading Graham's novels. It was originally released on the 2002 Secret Garden album "Once in a Red Moon," with the vocals sung by Irish singer Brian Kennedy, and sold well in both Ireland and Norway. Originally, Brian Kennedy was supposed to follow Secret Garden on their Asian tour in 2002, but fell ill, and could not attend. He was replaced by Norwegian singer Jan Werner Danielsen, who also later recorded the song together with Secret Garden, but it was never released.

Covers

British singer Becky Taylor covered the song on her sophomore album Shine (01 July 2003). The song was subsequently recorded by Daniel O'Donnell in 2003 and was a hit throughout Ireland and the UK. Later in 2003, David Foster decided to produce the song after being introduced to it by Frank Petrone of peermusic, the song's publisher. He chose the up-and-coming Josh Groban to record the song, which was accompanied by the great tenor Craig Von Vennik of the Establishment, which proved very popular in the US. His version made it to the top of the Billboard adult contemporary chart and remained there for six weeks. Groban also performed it at Super Bowl XXXVIII, in a special NASA commemoration for the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. A special surprise performance by Groban, for Oprah Winfrey's 50th birthday, also gave "You Raise Me Up" massive international prominence. The Groban recording also was nominated for a 2005 Grammy award. Groban also performed it at the first Idol Gives Back Concert, along with the African Children's Choir. Brian Kennedy re-released the single after performing it at legendary Northern Irish football player George Best's funeral, the song again climbing the UK Charts to No. 4 in January 2006 (named "George Best — A Tribute"). The song has also been released by Aled Jones, Ronan Tynan, Westlife (UK number 1 hit in 2005) Sissel Kyrkjebø, Russell Watson, Selah, Celtic Woman, David Tibenovski, Tommy Fleming, Michael Ball, and the Celtic Tenors with Samantha Mumba, this time with an R&B flow to it. Åsa Jinder has written lyrics in Swedish, "Rör vid min själ," and that version has been recorded by Sanna Nielsen. The song was also recorded by Daniel Beck, a Mormon musician. The song was used for EFY's 2007 CD Power in Purity. Il Divo recorded a Spanish version, using Westlife's instrumentation and titled "Por Ti Seré." In the first Celtic Woman CD album, Lisa Kelly recorded a solo version. In spring 2009, Paul Byrom of Celtic Thunder, from the same producer of Celtic Woman, has recorded a cover. The song was also covered in Japanese by Korean-American singer Lena Park as the opening theme to the Japanese TV anime series Romeo x Juliet, which premiered in Japan on April 2007. Park also covered an English version of the song, which was featured in episodes 7 and 24 of the English version of the series, released in two sets in both June and August of 2009. Paul Potts and Il Divo separately recorded a Spanish version of this song called Por Ti Seré. This loosely translated version appears on Pott's One Chance album and Il Divos' Siempre. Connie Talbot included "You Raise Me Up" on her re-released album Over the Rainbow (16 June 2008). Talbot also included "You Raise Me Up" as the second track on her two singles "Three Little Birds" (20 June 2008) and "I Will Always Love You" (15 June 2009). Australian duo Generation Gap recorded the song (complete with both verses) for their album, A New Beginning, which was released in December 2009. German musical actor Andreas Bieber sang the song as a duet with international star Pia Douwes on his album No Frontiers. A Finnish version of the song was recorded by Kari Tapio titled "Kuin taivaisiin". Japanese seiyuu Ayahi Takagaki covered the song on the Opening Theme single to the anime Occult Academy (21 July 2010).

Popularity

In 2004, the song was played more than 500,000 times on American radio. In late 2005, there were over 80 versions available in USA alone, and it has become nominated for Gospel Music Awards four times, including "Song of the Year." This version by Christian group Selah (with both verses included, as originally written) also went to No. 1 on Billboard's Christian charts.

On 21 September 2006, "You Raise Me Up" became the first song to have sold over 20,000 copies of the score on the popular sheet music website musicnotes.com.

Westlife version

"You Raise Me Up"
Song

"You Raise Me Up" was the debut single from Westlife's fifth studio album, Face To Face. The single peaked at #1 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the band's 13th Number One. It was the first song to be released following the depature of Brian McFadden from the group. The song is rarely performed live to contractual rights.

Tracklisting

UK CD1

1. "You Raise Me Up" – 4:00
2. "World Of Our Own" (Acoustic Version) – 3:30

UK CD2

1. "You Raise Me Up" – 4:00
2. "Flying Without Wings" (Acoustic Version) – 3:30
3. "My Love" (Acoustic Version) – 3:48

Use in popular culture

• Shizuka Arakawa, the 2006 Olympic gold medalist in figure skating, used the piece as an exhibition number for many shows and professional competitions from 2005–2010. Michelle Kwan skated to the song during the 2004 Champion on Ice Tour and other competitions in 2005. Caroline Zhang skated this song in her exhibitions in the 2006–2007 and 2007–2008 skating season.
• In 2004, Australian Idol Top 12 contestant Daniel Belle sang the song for his "Pop" song selection, and it has become one of the most performed songs on similar shows across the world.
• Westlife, together with original composer Secret Garden, performed the song at the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize concert.
• Brian Kennedy sang the song at George Best's funeral on 28 November 2005
• RTE (Ireland's national television station), screened a Roy Esmonde produced documentary titled You Raise Me Up on New Year's Day 2006. First screened a year earlier, this updated edition included the most recent successes for the song, as well as the story of how the song first came to be written by Løvland and Graham.
• I.K. Start, a Norwegian football club, uses this song as a club anthem.
• On April 4, 2007, a Japanese version of the song was used for the opening theme song to the anime series Romeo x Juliet, titled "Inori - You Raise Me Up" and covered in English with the same title, also appearing as an insert in several episodes of the show. The song is performed by Korean singer Lena Park.
• On April 25, 2007, Josh Groban performed the song with the African Children's Choir on American Idol, Idol Gives Back episode.
• On May 8, 2007, the song was played at the historic opening of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
• On May 26, 2007, Josh Groban appeared on BBC's talent show Any Dream Will Do and selected one of the remaining contestants (or Joseph's) to perform the song with him. He chose show favourite, Lee Mead.
• On July 26, 2007, the song was performed on 6th International Competition Of Young Singers of Popular Music the "New Wave" (Jūrmala, Latvia) by Andris Ērglis representing Latvia on this contest. Song accompaniment recorded by Swedish producers from "Sunday Music" for Latvian music company "Microphone Records."
• On August 10, 2007 Josh Groban performed it with the African Children's Choir on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
• X Factor judge Simon Cowell has named "You Raise Me Up" one of his favourite songs.
• On November 10, 2007 the song was performed live in series 4 of UK show, The X Factor by contestant, Rhydian Roberts. The performance received highly positive praise from all four judges, Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue. Five weeks later, on December 15, 2007, Rhydian Roberts performed the song on The X Factor with Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins.
• On December 5, 2007, Terry Wogan gave the song an airing on the breakfast show on BBC Radio 2 in the United Kingdom.
• On February 18, 2008, You Raise Me Up was released as the title of an album with '40 uplifting songs' including Elton John, Russell Watson, Girls Aloud and Shane Hampsheir.
• On March 28, 2008, runner-up, Laura, performed the song live in the final of the Danish X Factor.
• On May 10, 2008, Austin Blackburn performed the song as part of his Britain's Got Talent audition using a common hardware saw as his instrument of choice.
• On May 6, 2008, Manu Castellano performed the Spanish version ("Por Ti Seré") in Operación Triunfo
• In July 2008, Donald Braswell II was auditioning for the third season of America's Got Talent, and at first didn't please anyone, but after halfway through the song, the whole crowd cheered as he finished the song.
• On September 2, 2008, Tom WIlliams performed the song on Australian Idol in the Top 24
• On September 27, 2008, Korean Idol group TVXQ performed the song with blind pianist Ye-Eun on SBS Chocolate.
• On October 19, 2008, the song was performed by later winner Freek Bartels in the semi-finals of 'Op zoek naar Joseph' (the Dutch version of BBC's talent show Any Dream Will Do).
• On November 16, 2008, the song [1] was performed by Michael Hirte from Potsdam in the show "Das Supertalent" (German version of "America's Got Talent") using his harmonica.
• On November 22, 2008, Ola Onabule performed it together with the Royal Philharmonic Ensemble (conducted by David Eaton) and the Vienna Peace Choir at the Global Peace Festival in Excel Centre, London [2] [3]
• On 27 - 29 March, 2009, The Australian Foster Care Conference in Fremantle, Western Australia used the title of the song "You Raise Me Up" as the Conference Theme and the song lyrics were posted on their website. "'Raise me up' in the context of foster care carries the dual meaning of 'raising, bringing up or growing up - the foster child', and in doing so 'lifting them up' high and giving them the opportunity to achieve great things."[4]
• On April 21, 2009, Celtic Woman performed "You Raise Me Up" on the popular American TV show Dancing with the Stars.
• On May 2, 2009, famous musician David Foster's protege, Charice, released her mother's day special album with her own moving rendition of "You Raise Me Up." This song was produced by Star Records of the Philippines.
• On May 9, 2009, Transmontuna (Tuna Universitária de Trás-os-Montes e Alto-Douro [5])performed "Por ti seré" [6][7], the spanish version of "You raise me up" together with an Orchestra that joined teachers and students from the Conservatório Regional de Musica de Vila Real, conducted by maestro Vasco Sousa. Luis Rocha, Gaiato, the soloist of this cover, was considered the best voice that ever stood on Vila Real's Theatre stage.
• On May 9, 2009, Girls' Generation member Jessica and solo artist Lena Park performed "You Raise Me Up" at the Korea Times Music Festival at the Hollywood Bowl in LA.
• On August 3, 2009, Rhap Salazar rendered the song at the necrological service of former Philippine President Corazon Aquino
• On December 11, 2009, Westlife performed it again at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize concert celebrating US President Barack Obama.
• On January 29, 2010, the song was used in the final of the Dutch talentshow Popstars. Both finalists sang the song, the winner, Wesley Klein, used it as his first solo song.
• On January 2010, a Tahitian adaptation, titled " E AO MÄ'OHI"[8] ( It's a polynesian world) by COJT (Committee of young people of The Tävini Huira'atira political party whose aim is the independence of French Polynesia, led by Mr Oscar TEMARU.) was released.
• On February 17, 2010, this song was performed by Korean girl group Brown Eyed Girls to commemorate the return of the nation's popular Mnet Countdown 2010. It is also to perform for the survivors of the Haiti Earthquake.
• On February 18, 2010, this song was again performed by Korean artistes on the KBS Music Bank, ranging from Jokwon of 2AM, Kim Jong Kook, Taeyeon and Jessica of Girls' Generation, Jang Hee Young, Ming Kyung Hoon and Jung Yonghwa of CN.Blue. It is also to perform for the survivors of the Haiti Earthquake.
• On June 8, 2010, the song was used in a mash-up with Olivia Newton-John's "Magic" on the season 1 finale of Glee.
• On 23rd July 2010, the song was used as background for the announcement of the winners of the "Time of My Life" duet winners on Big Brother Ten as part of the series' two day Glee themed task.

Trivia

The tune of the song could have had inspiration from the popular Irish tune , "Danny Boy".

References

7. http://generationgap.net.au/discography.html