What is the origin of "Morning has broken" hymn?

[James_2_24]

Who wrote this? Catholic? non-Catholic? when was it written?

 

[robertaf]

This song is absolutely moving! Quite beautiful!

Should we care who wrote it? Or maybe there isn’t a negative point.

Sorry, see so much negative stuff I am getting gunshy.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

The words were written by Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965). The tune is “Bunessan” (sp?).

 

[Emmaus]

Text: Elenor Farjeon, 1931 (Lam. 3:22-23)
Music: Trad. Gaelic melody;
eldrbarry.net/rabb/farj/farj.htm

eldrbarry.net/rabb/farj/farj.htm#February%2013th

 

[Kielbasi]

“Morning has broken” was played on Top 40 radio in the early 70s almost constantly, as sung by Cat Stevens.

Its a good song, but after hearing it 8000 times on the radio in the course of 6 months 30 years ago, I’m sort of sick of it.

That and “American Pie” and “one bad apple” as well.

 

[Deacon2006]

“Morning has broken” was played on Top 40 radio in the early 70s almost constantly, as sung by Cat Stevens.

Its a good song, but after hearing it 8000 times on the radio in the course of 6 months 30 years ago, I’m sort of sick of it.

That and “American Pie” and “one bad apple” as well.

What about The Night Chicago Died by paper lace?

 

[jimmy]

James_2:24:

Who wrote this? Catholic? non-Catholic? when was it written?

Cat Stevens wrote it I believe, atleast he sang it.

 

[jimmy]

Cat Stevens had alot of good music, too bad he became a Muslim and not a Christian.

 

[Brendan]

The music itself is Irish and quite old. There is a centuries old Irish hymn that uses the words from St. Patrick’s Breastplate.

As mentioned above the “Morining” words are from 1931, so Cat neither wrote the lyrics or the music.

 

[Bobby_Jim]

jimmy:

Cat Stevens had alot of good music, too bad he became a Muslim and not a Christian.

yeah, unfortunate, because I think he was at least nominally a Christian before that. I’m not sure, but he might have been Orthodox (I think he is of Greek descent).

 

[porthos11]

Here’s the pertinent information:

Title: Morning has Broken (4)
Melody: Bunessan 55.54D
Music: Old Gaelic Melody
Text: Eleanor Farjeon, 1881-1965.

The tune “Bunessan” is quite old, and as mentioned, is Gaelic (i.e. Irish) in origin. Cat Stevens only popularized it, but “Morning” is actually an old hymn.

“Morning has Broken” is printed in the US Liturgy of the Hours for Wednesday Weeks I and III in Ordinary Time. Another hymn in the Breviary,“This Day God Gives Me”, written by James Quinn, SJ, is sung to the same tune.

 

[maryceleste]

To answer the original poster’s question: the lyricist, Eleanor Farjeon, was a devout Catholic and a well-known children’s author in England. She also wrote Carol of the Advent (a.k.a. “People Look East”).

Both songs are favorites in my family, and we often sing them around the house. To be honest, though, I don’t really enjoy hearing them at Mass. I’d put them in the “too folksy” category…along with John Michael Talbot, Dana, and "They’ll Know We Are Christians (…by our bongos ) "

Call me a young fogey if you will, but I’d prefer to have classic, solemn hymns during the liturgy, and save the folk-fest for the car ride home.