The hymn originally appeared in the second edition of Songs of Praise (published in 1931), to the tune "Bunessan", composed in the Scottish Islands. In Songs of Praise Discussed, the editor, Percy Dearmer, explains that as there was need for a hymn to give thanks for each day, English poet and children's author Eleanor Farjeon had been "asked to make a poem to fit the lovely Scottish tune." Farjeon later included a slight variation on the original hymn text under the new title, "A Morning Song (For the First Day of Spring)", in her collection of poems for children entitled The Children's Bells, published by Oxford University Press in 1957. The song is noted in 9 4 time but with a 3 4 feel.
After appearing in Lachlan MacBean's Songs and Hymns of the Gael, "Bunessan" was used in the Revised Church Hymnary (1927) and the Appendix (1936) to the Irish Church Hymnal (1919) paired with the nativity text "Child in the Manger" by the Scottish poet Mary MacDonald (1789–1872), who lived on the Isle of Mull and was born there, near the village of Bunessan, for which the tune is named. After its rise to popularity with Farjeon's text, the tune was used for the James Quinn hymns "Christ Be Beside Me" and "This Day God Gives Me", both texts adapted from the traditional Irish hymn "St. Patrick's Breastplate". Michael Saward's hymn "Baptized In Water" also uses the tune.
Text
1931 version, under the title "Thanks for a Day," as published in the hymnal 'Songs of Praise, 2nd ed.'
1957 version, under the title "A Morning Song (For the First Day of Spring)," as published in the anthology 'The Children's Bells'
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 Word!
Sweet the rain's new fall
Sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall 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 saw play! Praise with elation, Praise every morning, God's re-creation Of the new day![4]
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 From the first Word.
Sweet the rain's new fall,
Sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall In the first hour.
Praise for the sweetness
Of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness From the first shower.
Mine is the sunlight!
Mine is the morning
Born of the one light Eden saw play.
Praise with elation,
Praise every morning
Spring's re-creation Of the First Day![5]
Cat Stevens' recording, with piano arranged and performed by Rick Wakeman, led to international recognition of the song.
When shaping "Morning Has Broken" for recording, Stevens started with the hymn, which took around 45 seconds to sing in its basic form. Producer Paul Samwell-Smith told him he could never put something like that on an album, and that it had to be at least three minutes, though an acoustic demo of an early Stevens version lasts almost three minutes.[8] Prior to the actual recording Stevens heard Wakeman play a rough sketch of what would later become "Catherine Howard" from his album The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973). Stevens told Wakeman that he liked it and wanted something similar as the opening section, the closing section and, if possible, a middle section as well. Wakeman told Stevens he could not as it was his piece destined for a solo album, but Stevens persuaded him to adapt his composition.[9][10] The single reached #9 on the UK Singles Chart and #6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1972, becoming Stevens's most successful single on the latter chart (later tied by his rendition of "Another Saturday Night").
In 2000, Wakeman released an instrumental version of "Morning Has Broken" on an album of the same title. That same year he gave an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live in which he said he had agreed to perform on the Cat Stevens track for £10 and was "shattered" that he was omitted from the credits, adding that he never received the money either.[citation needed] In 2002, Wakeman said Stevens apologized for the original non-payment and had the record company pay him. Wakeman gave the money to one of Stevens' schools.[11] In March 2020, the pair performed the song at the Music for the Marsden charity concert at the O2 Arena in London.[12]
On a documentary aired on British television, Wakeman stated that he felt Stevens's version of "Morning Has Broken" was a very beautiful piece of music that had brought people closer to religious truth, for which he expressed satisfaction in having contributed.[citation needed] Wakeman included a 3:42 version on his 2017 album of piano arrangements, Piano Portraits.[citation needed]
The Stevens arrangement changes key four times, with the first, second, and fourth verses of the song in C major, while the instrumental introduction, third verse, and the instrumental ending are in D major.
The song has been translated into German ("Schön ist der Morgen", performed by Nana Mouskouri, and by Jürgen Henkys "Morgenlicht leuchtet" and included in the hymnal of the Protestant Church in Germany, Evangelisches Gesangbuch, under Nr. 455, and also in the hymnal of the Protestant (Reformed) Church of Switzerland, RG (reformiertes Gesangbuch), under Nr. 533. Also, the song has been translated into French ("Matin brisé", performed by Eva on her 1972 album L'orage), Dutch (Licht Op De Lakes performed by Rowwen Hèze[27]) and other languages.[28]
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