Morning Has Broken

"Morning Has Broken" is a favorite and well-known hymn, especially popular in children's services.

Pop and folk singer Cat Stevens included an acoustic version on his 1971 album Teaser and the Firecat. It became a signature song for Stevens when it reached number 6 on the US pop chart and #1 on the US adult contemporary chart in 1972.

The lyrics were written by Eleanor Farjeon in 1922 and are found in the hymnals of many denominations. The original poem can be found in the anthology "Children's Bells" under Farjeon's original title A Morning Song (For the First Day of Spring), published by Oxford University Press in 1957. The tune to which it is normally sung is called "Bunessan", based upon a Scottish Gaelic traditional melody. Before Farjeon's words, it was used as a Christmas carol which began "Child in the manger, Infant of Mary", translated from the Gaelic lyrics written by Mary MacDonald. The English-language Roman Catholic hymnal also uses the tune for the hymn "This Day God Gives Me".

Writing credit for "Morning Has Broken" has occasionally been erroneously attributed to Stevens, who popularized the song abroad. The familiar piano arrangement on Stevens' album was performed by Rick Wakeman, a classically trained keyboardist with the English progressive rock band Yes. 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" to be omitted from the credits, adding that he never received the money either.

The familiar piano intro and general structure of the piece may be attributed to Stevens or to Wakeman. Although some sources report that the song was released on Floyd Cramer's 1961 album Last Date, discographies of the artist demonstrate that the song is not on that album. In fact, Cramer did not record the song until 1972, when he used the arrangement that he attributed to Cat Stevens.

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[laurabrake1]

Excellent video and song. Laura

[DeputyDoug829]

@laurabrake1 Thank you Laura, I enjoyed putting the video together and even though I've heard the song thousand's of times I still perk up when I listen to it. :)

[henrynevins]

Have always loved this song, I play it on the piano. Coincidence that you uploaded in on Sept 11 (2008). I worked in NYC four blocks from World Trade Center and oddly enough Sept 11, 2001 was one of those unusually bright clear wonderful mornings until 8:46 AM came. Heard, saw and experienced more than I cared to that day.

[DeputyDoug829]

@henrynevins Thank you for sharing your comments. I'd gone to a Prayer for Peace in my city on Sept 11, 2008 and was inspired to put this video together when I got home.

[vickiefranklin]

I love this song. Very nice Job! smiles Vickie

[DeputyDoug829]

@vickiefranklin Thank you so very much. :)

[rjmendera]

nice fotos !!! In 1972 i slept alone by a small beach in Trout Creek in B.C. Canada under a weeping willow and turned my portable radio on at the break of dawn.....on cue this amazing tune played and left me in awe...it was as though the singer was speaking directly to me..a coincidence ,of course,.....the mystical magic of MUSIC..cheers rjmendera

[dominikaschwager]

Hello, my dearest friend Deputy Doug!!! Thanks for the invite to your awesome channel! Very nice channel!! Great guitar and very nice singing! Bravo! Very well-playing guitar. Awesome music and brilliant playing! Awesome acoustic guitar talent. You are a talented player. Love your performance. My best wishes for your career. I subbed!!! Have a great day!!!!

Dominika from Russia with Love, xxxxx, Dominika

[justsayno2hate]

such an awesome video, doug! peace2u! eric

[Tonquita67]

Después de escuchar una canción y ver imágenes como éstas,me cuesta entender que alguien no crea en Dios.

[piu1pau]

mitä tarkoittaa biisin nimi morning has broken?

[Wildwoodflowerify]

thanks, great song and video :)

[SuperNevile]

@AnnaJohnsonMusic Yes, that for me raises this from a great Cat Stevens track to a fantastic Cat Stevens track, and on 'Teaser', keyboards and guitar are credited to Cat. Rick's in good company though, with Martin Carthy, who wasn't credited for his arrangement of the traditional Scarborough Fair. The arrangement is interesting in that the intro is in the key of D, the first two verses are in C and Rick's clever arrangement takes it back to D for the last verse.

[AnnaJohnsonMusic]

Thanks for taking the time to research and educate us about this song. It's important to give credit where it is truly due! Gorgeous piano arrangement - Thank you, Rick Wakeman!

[832existentialiste]

thank you, brings back memories of my good ol' school days. this song served as 'our bell', when it played...i ran with all my might because i'll be late if i didn't. lol.

blessings!

❤