If there is one song that has never failed to pick me up whenever I was down and has helped me believe in the promise of spring whenever I was in the midst of my darkest winters, it is this classic – You Raise Me Up originally composed by Irish-Norwegian duo Secret Garden. I first heard a soulful rendition of this song during Sunday Mass more than a decade ago, but the beautiful saxophone melodies played by the choir member on that day made me sway with fervour, gratitude, faith and hope in one collective burst of emotion. Ever since then, I have turned to this song in troubled times or it has miraculously appeared in my life whenever I have been going through a negative phase in my life or simply needed a reassuring voice telling me that everything would eventually work out.

The song was written by and for Løvland himself and performed for the very first time at the funeral of Løvland’s mother. He noted “there’s something about the song people are embracing – which becomes emotionally strong. I believe people think of it as a song they use for their own stuff.”

Here is Josh Groban’s Version of the song.

 

“You Raise Me Up”

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up to more than I can be.

Some more trivia about the song –

1. After the song was performed early in 2002 by the Secret Garden and their invited lead singer, Brian Kennedy, the song only became a minor UK hit. Since then, the song has been recorded by more than a hundred other artists.
2. “You Raise Me Up” is also sung as a contemporary hymn in church services.
3. Although the original version did not chart internationally, the song has now been converted more than 125 times, with the most successful versions being by Josh Groban and Westlife.
4. In 2004, the song was played more than 500,000 times on American radio.
5. In late 2005, there were over 80 versions available in USA alone.
6. It has been nominated for Gospel Music Awards four times, including “Song of the Year.”
7. Groban performed the song at Super Bowl XXXVIII, in a special NASA commemoration for the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.