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| Morning sickness? | Morning sickness? |
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| SMASHED HITS Pop lyrics re-appraised by the Magazine | SMASHED HITS Pop lyrics re-appraised by the Magazine |
| Cat Stevens, top left, is among many who have covered the hymnCampaigners are trying to save the cottage where Morning Has Broken was written, from demolition. Is the hymn-cum-pop song worthy of such efforts? | Cat Stevens, top left, is among many who have covered the hymnCampaigners are trying to save the cottage where Morning Has Broken was written, from demolition. Is the hymn-cum-pop song worthy of such efforts? |
| Just a few of the opening bars are enough to transport many unsuspecting souls back to the school assembly halls of their childhood. | Just a few of the opening bars are enough to transport many unsuspecting souls back to the school assembly halls of their childhood. |
| "Morning has broken, like the first morning; Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird." | "Morning has broken, like the first morning; Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird." |
| Others though, will find their thoughts drifting to that pin-up of early 1970s easy listening, Cat Stevens, who turned the hymn into his signature song. | Others though, will find their thoughts drifting to that pin-up of early 1970s easy listening, Cat Stevens, who turned the hymn into his signature song. |
| And any church traditionalist who says they don't wince just a little when they see it listed on the hymn board is probably being economical with the truth. | And any church traditionalist who says they don't wince just a little when they see it listed on the hymn board is probably being economical with the truth. |
| Join in if you know the wordsMorning Has Broken occupies a somewhat paradoxical place in the nation's hearts - a favourite hymn for a nominally secular society. Now it's become the focus of a campaign to save the cottage where its lyrics were penned by the late Eleanor Farjeon. | Join in if you know the wordsMorning Has Broken occupies a somewhat paradoxical place in the nation's hearts - a favourite hymn for a nominally secular society. Now it's become the focus of a campaign to save the cottage where its lyrics were penned by the late Eleanor Farjeon. |
| The owner of the cottage, in the pricey London suburb of Hampstead, has applied for permission to bulldoze the property to build new homes. Among those opposing the plans are Poet Laureate Andrew Motion. | The owner of the cottage, in the pricey London suburb of Hampstead, has applied for permission to bulldoze the property to build new homes. Among those opposing the plans are Poet Laureate Andrew Motion. |
| If the fortunes of the cottage were to rest solely on purists' attitudes to Farjeon's work, its future would be far from secure. | If the fortunes of the cottage were to rest solely on purists' attitudes to Farjeon's work, its future would be far from secure. |
| Merits of tune | Merits of tune |
| "It's alllll right," says John Ewington, general secretary of the Guild of Church Musicians, stretching the cadence of his "approval" to imply, at best, a lukewarm endorsement. | "It's alllll right," says John Ewington, general secretary of the Guild of Church Musicians, stretching the cadence of his "approval" to imply, at best, a lukewarm endorsement. |
| "I don't think you could compare it with something like When I Survey the Wondrous Cross or one of those Wesleyan pieces." | "I don't think you could compare it with something like When I Survey the Wondrous Cross or one of those Wesleyan pieces." |
| A veteran of hundreds of church weddings, he says the hymn is a favourite among brides planning their big day, "along with Jerusalem and I Vow to Thee My Country. | A veteran of hundreds of church weddings, he says the hymn is a favourite among brides planning their big day, "along with Jerusalem and I Vow to Thee My Country. |
| "People who have a chip on their shoulder about modern hymns might say it's a bit trite." | "People who have a chip on their shoulder about modern hymns might say it's a bit trite." |
| He does, however, warm to its words: "It's a lovely poem, but it's not a 'liturgical piece' as I would call it." | He does, however, warm to its words: "It's a lovely poem, but it's not a 'liturgical piece' as I would call it." |
| Like so many of the hymns that one sang as a child and were overplayed, I couldn't face it for 20 years or so Robert Canham class="" href="http://www.allspirit.co.uk/morning.html">Lyrics: Morning Has Broken The "morning" in question, is not a literal break of dawn - rather a reference to God's creation of the heavens and the earth, as told in the first book of the Old Testament, Genesis. | |
| The words were commissioned from Farjeon - pronounced farr-jon - in 1931 by a local vicar who was compiling a new edition of the hymnbook Songs of Praise. He asked Ms Farjeon to write a poem to the melody, a Gaelic tune from the 19th Century. | The words were commissioned from Farjeon - pronounced farr-jon - in 1931 by a local vicar who was compiling a new edition of the hymnbook Songs of Praise. He asked Ms Farjeon to write a poem to the melody, a Gaelic tune from the 19th Century. |
| "He wanted a hymn about creation, but not necessarily specifically Christian," says Mr Ewington. | "He wanted a hymn about creation, but not necessarily specifically Christian," says Mr Ewington. |
| With its rich imagery of rain, dewfall, sunlight, blackbirds, grass and "the wet garden", the focus of the three verses is not so much the Creation as the Garden of Eden. | With its rich imagery of rain, dewfall, sunlight, blackbirds, grass and "the wet garden", the focus of the three verses is not so much the Creation as the Garden of Eden. |
| Yet the ill deeds of Adam and Eve are overlooked, says Robert Canham, of the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland, in favour of "saying how wonderful this Creation is". | Yet the ill deeds of Adam and Eve are overlooked, says Robert Canham, of the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland, in favour of "saying how wonderful this Creation is". |
| "It's certainly not specifically Christian, echoing some sort of harmony with Judaism and Islam, I'd imagine." | "It's certainly not specifically Christian, echoing some sort of harmony with Judaism and Islam, I'd imagine." |
| The hymn is a wedding standardYet in skirting around specific Christian imagery, Mr Canham confesses its obliqueness left him a little stumped as a schoolboy in the 1950s. | The hymn is a wedding standardYet in skirting around specific Christian imagery, Mr Canham confesses its obliqueness left him a little stumped as a schoolboy in the 1950s. |
| "The line 'Born of the one light, Eden saw play' confused me. Anthony Eden was prime minister at the time and I hadn't a clue what it was about." | |
| Some 50 years on, how does he rate the song? | Some 50 years on, how does he rate the song? |
| "Like so many of the hymns that one sang as a child, like All Things Bright and Beautiful, and were overplayed, I couldn't face it for 20 years or so. But lately I've come to appreciate them for what they are." | "Like so many of the hymns that one sang as a child, like All Things Bright and Beautiful, and were overplayed, I couldn't face it for 20 years or so. But lately I've come to appreciate them for what they are." |
| The same goes for the fortunes of the hymn itself, which was widely shunned initially, but, says Mr Ewington, enjoyed a renaissance in schools in the 1960s. So much so, that many still believe Cat Stevens himself composed it. | The same goes for the fortunes of the hymn itself, which was widely shunned initially, but, says Mr Ewington, enjoyed a renaissance in schools in the 1960s. So much so, that many still believe Cat Stevens himself composed it. |
| Smashed Hits is compiled by Jonathan Duffy | Smashed Hits is compiled by Jonathan Duffy |
Send us your comments, using the form below: | Send us your comments, using the form below: |
| It's not a song, it's an anthem and it was Cat Stevens who brought it to the publics attention. Everyone knows it, and to all who were around when 1960's it reminds them of their past. Knocking down the cottage where it was written / composed would be like bulldozing the cavern in Liverpool or demolishing Abbey Road. It's history and should have a blue plaque on it, there's loads of places in London that coild be knoked down for housing, Buckingham Palace would be prime for developers , lakes and parks nearby and in the middle of town.Bryan George, Cardiff | |
| The reason brides most commonly choose Morning Has Broken, Jerusalem and I Vow To Thee My Country is because most of them haven't been to church for at least fifteen years. They know Jerusalem and I Vow... from sport on telly, and they remember Morning Has Broken from primary school. A vicar friend says Lord of the Dance is very popular too, along with the less-well-known: "Oh, vicar, do we have to have hymns and prayers?"Lucy Jones, Manchester | |
| I think it is a case of the simplier the words the deeper the meaning. The song express wonder at the world god made and it is very appropriate for a wedding since each marriage creates its own garden of eden.Michael Franks, London | |
| Golly, it's mindless! Run for the hills! No excuse for it when there are so many great Christian hymns to be sung. , | |
| I got into Wrose Junior School choir as a squeaky 8-year old treble by auditioning with this! Don't like the Cat Stevens version, we used to take it a bit faster. I don't think it merits 'saving' the house where it might have been written, where's the point in that?David, Bradford | |
| I remember singing that song at school. I think the cottage should be saved. We saved Paul MaCartney's house and John Lennon's so why not this cottage? I am a british citizen and I think somethings are worth saving.Linda Hurd, Milan Italy | |
| I always thought St Francis of Assisi wrote the lyrics to that poem/hymn?Richard McLeod, Riverside, California | |
| Rather strangely, I dislike it when it's sung in church as a hymn, but I like the Cat Stevens version. I've no idea why - except that quite possibly Cat Stevens sings better than your average congregation. Kitty, Coventry, UK | |
| The hymn was a favourite of my late wife's, and she requested it be sung at her funeral, which it was. It seemed apt, and the congregation sang wholeheartedly. I think it is a beautiful hymn.Barry StevensBarry Stevens, Sumburgh, Shetland Isles | |
| The mysterious line is "born of the one light Eden SAW play" - ie the same light from the beginning of creation.James Sergeant, London UK | |
| I loved singing "Morning Has Broken" at school assembly so much that when I married in 1973 it was among my choices for the service (along with "Jerusalem" and "Love Devine, All Loves Excelling". I'm not a religious person but I think the words of "Morning Has Broken" are indicative of a new start and most appropriate for a wedding. Incidentally, after 34 years, we are still together....Jackie Steele, Toronto, Canada | |
| Anyone who, as I did, had a Catholic education in Britain in the 70s and 80s was exposed to some pretty dreadful 'hymns' - 'Colours of Day' anyone? Steve, Bristol, UK | |
| As a child I used to love this song, I used to sing it in school at every oppourtunity I got, then one day my teacher announced she was getting married and asked me if i'd sing it at her wedding, I was heartbroken because I had a crush on her, I did sing it at her wedding but I cried halfway through. I was only 10 but I never sang it again.Roberto Di Deavario, Liverpool | |