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Dante's Prayer Lyrics
Artist: Loreena McKennitt
Album: The Book Of Secrets
When the dark wood fell before me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride say there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone
I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
When the dawn seemed forever lost
You showed me your love in the light of the stars
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
Then the mountain rose before me
By the deep well of desire
From the fountain of forgiveness
Beyond the ice and the fire
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
Though we share this humble path, alone
How fragile is the heart
Oh give these clay feet wings to fly
To touch the face of the stars
Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me...
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Comments/Interpretations
Who is the "You"? God or a Lover? I think its a lover but I'm not sure. Beautiful anyway.
Could really be either, I've always assumed God given the significance of Dante, his task, and the refrences to forgiveness, ice and fire.
Thinking about it I seem to remember reading a commentary from her on the song that refrenced a more religious feel, but I can't find it again for a refrence, so I may have imagined that bit. :)
I think it can be read as either, or maybe even both. The mystics of Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam have a long tradition of speaking of God as a lover, and the Hebrew Scriptures frequently refer to the relationship between God and Israel as a marriage of two lovers.
Why, Dante is of course speaking to Beatrice Portinari, his unrequited true love, who inspired the Divine Comedy and, in that epic poem, led Dante from the top of the Mountain of Purgatory and into Paradise.
Yes, there is a certain unconcerned mixing of earthly and divine love. John Donne would have appreciated it.
The "YOU" is both, or someone who believes in you. I believe this because they---God, a love, or friend/parents---give you courage to go on.
I always interpreted the "you" to refer to both God and Beatrice, the woman from the Divine Comedy (who also existed in Dante's real life).
I interpret the 'you' to be God because of one line:
'Lift this mortal veil of fear'
If it was just 'veil of fear' this could speak of fear of rejection, of judgement, of the negative reguard of his lover. Instead it was 'mortal veil of fear' which to me sounds like the fear of death which all living things have and must overcome in order to look forward to the delights of heaven.
it has to be lover!I always was sure of that and that's why i felt in love with this song.
My best friend had cancer and had a long hard fight untill his death.. he wantet this song played in his funural... Thanks
I love music, and have enjoyed many wonderful, fun, and beautiful songs over the years, but this is one that echoed straight into my soul. It sums up, beautifully, that moment of sad and inspiring clarity that so many look for in life.
As for the "you" in the song, I have to say that it refers to both God and a lover. The way I figure it, isn't until we find love here on Earth(not necessarily of the romantic variety) that we can even begin to realize the love of God.
Actuo hace unos dias en Barcelona Loreena Mckennitt, fue un placer descubrirla. Gente entre el publico al escuchar esta cancion no podian parar de derramar lagrimas. Mientras escribo la estoy oyendo, mias lagrimas tambien se derraman. Es un tema precioso. La vida aveces te regala para los oidos temas tan y tan profundos como Dante´s prayer. Gracias por dejarme oirte Loreena.
All life started from the sea. cast your soul to the sea. it's about the grand creator.
Definitely God. All of her songs are about God, in one way or another. Look at Dark Night of the Soul, a song based on the poem from St. John of the Cross and it sounds like a love song, it is a spiritual song however. If you look at the Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon) in the Old Testament (of the Bible), you will see this imagery is well suited to God the lover of our souls.
I strongly believe with all my heart that the you is for God. First
You came to me in the night when the dawn seemed forever lost is an ending to mortal life
You will face only the spirits creator at a time like this. Lift this mortal veil of fear also speaks to God. Who else can do that ?
This sounds like someone meeting his maker.
A nonbeliever given a chance to believe .
That's my viewpoint.
Its better to believe and die to find out it wasn't real than to not believe then find out it was real. A lot of us die not believing till the last minute. This is a perfect representation for it. ?
What's this about Dante and Beatrice ? I never heard of this story so what's the name of the book I can read about them ? Thank u
I think she refers to God. "Please remember me" sounds like Luke 23, 42. "Jesus, remember me when you'll enter your reign." Sorry guys, I can have translated this quotation not properly because I'm not English!
The Divine Comedy written by Dante Alighieri.
i think it could mean either. its such a beautiful song...and that's an understatement!! Way to go, Loreena!
I think it could be ether, and I suppose it depends on what the listener wants it to mean. To me, its about a lover.
I believe it's about the listener - magnificent, truly inspirational song, one to be played in the most momentous occasions.
Isn't wonderful that so many people see so many things in this song. This song moves me strongly when I'm working on my family history. It inspires me to keep looking. Making sure I find everyone.
We had a death in the family recently....a much beloved pet of 13 years. When the ordeal was over I made a tribute video and used the last 3:30 seconds of the song; at that time I did not know all the lyrics. I have since read them and have come to believe they are a message....of peace and release. I gave his clay feet wings to fly.....
her music actually gets me through life it self i can seperate myself from the world and dream of being some where else i feel this song is speaking of my life
Isn't that the sign of a truly gifted poet; each of us finds meaning in their words?
Personally, Dante's Prayer is all about the sense of hopelessness and the desire and need for some "one" in the Universe to remember us.
That's my two cents worth.
It is whatever the listener wants it to be, in my case both. When the love of my life lay dying she gave me this song and said, "You gave me wings to fly, and now I will use them to find God." That was nine years ago and when I have the courage to listen to this song, I am with her again....
I'm pretty certain it's meant to be God, based off the line "you showed me your love in the light of the stars" ... talking about how in the darkness of night when dawn is past, God continues to offer a means of light (and love) via the stars. Not something a mortal lover could do.
Hi well it seems this song been really feel a meaning full sense , this is mystic true but just now i discovered it (well da track was DL 3mnths back but i nvr checked)
Ya i thing its love with God........
Rly misteriyes song ......Good
I had always wanted Enya "exile" at my funeral, but i changed my mind to this lol
Truely beautiful song as are most of Loreena Mckennitt's
I'm not sure, i mean it could be about God, but I heard she wrote this song shortly after her fiance died in a boating accident? I think it's her talking to him... especially when she sings "cast your eyes on the ocean, cast your soul to the sea, when the dark night seems endless, please remember me"
It is a prayer, the voice of God is in the chorus text.
The verse is the voice of man.. Sad, downtrodden, afraid, lacking hope who's spirit was crushed in the machine.
the soul's haunting is timeless--LM has captured our deepest desire to connect, to be loved, remembered... This piece is reminiscent of the ancient lays of a wanderer, seafarer, prophet in the desert, indeed Dante... It speaks the heart of the old telling, an "ubi sunt" motif. Brilliant--at once universal, and so deeply, intimately personal.
a yaaa ;)
It can be eather. But the reason I found this is because it fits a Role Play i am doing with a friend so well. In my interpitation of it, using my role play, it is a lover. but truley it can be either. It just relates to someone very close to you.
I think You is supposed to be who ever or whatever you want it to be. You want it to be god then it is, a lover? Again that is was it is. I don't think there is a specific person for You
Will asked: "Who is the "You"? God or a Lover? I think its a lover but I'm not sure."
In the context of the Commedia, it's both. Dante's initial impetus for the journey is to see his earthly love, Beatrice, again, for it was she who sent Virgil to guide him through Hell and Purgatory. Eventually, Dante does transfer this affection for Beatrice directly to God.
"Beautiful anyway."
Yes it is...
Several of you mentioned the "please remember me" section of the refrain. The souls in Purgatorio ask Dante to remind their surviving friends and family to pray for them because their prayers can shorten their time of purgation and allow them to reach Heaven more quickly.
The "you" could be either lover or God, but all that really matters is the feeling of love and that the being holds a divine place in your heart.
I always play this song when I'm feeling really down. In that way it's connected to my moments of deepest loneliness or sorrow. I don't believe in a god, but still this song has a very intense and special meaning to me. "Please remember me" is my reminder of my place in this world, of the goodness and joy I can bring to other people. It's like a small voice deep in my heart crying at me that I do make a difference to some people, that, though times may be difficult and I might feel lonely, there's still my own strength and care for others that I can count on. "Please remember me" means to me: please remember all the people that do love me and would not like to do without me...
This song is haunting. Cuts right through my soul. Am in tears again now listening to it.
I think that it does not matter who the you is. The main point is the plaintive cry for the person to be remembered. Each of us wants to be remember, to be forgotten is akin as to never ever having existed. Whether it is God that is being asked to remember or a lover, friend or family member, we all want someone to remember who we were. The first time I heard the song it moved me. Years later when my younger brother died, I found that it spoke to me both in my desire to be remembered not only by the living but by those who are on the other side.
I think the song is a meditation. Asking god to light your path with a star. please don't forget me on my path just like dante. This song always helps me when I feel lost.
We had this sung at our wedding! It's a transcendent song, capable of being interpreted in so many ways. That's why it speaks to so many of us. We imagine it just the way we need to. As a songwriter myself, there could be nothing better...
I think ther person sings the verses while GOD is singing the chorus
I love this song. Before, I used to love The Highwayman and Skellig as my favorites, but now this is my favorite.
I'm Atheist and don't believe in God, but I find the songs the refer to God tend to be the most beautiful, so it doesn't matter to me.
I'm only a kid, but when I grow up and get married I'm going to have this song played at the wedding.
I'm almost sure, Loreena's singing about Dante's feeling for his lost love in the Divine Comedie. But maybe she aslo talking about her and one of her stories. Who knows. But that what I like with McKennitt: lyrics are always a bit mysterious and we can imagine whatever we want.
R.I.P Raven,the most precious thing I ever knew in life. This is the song you wanted me to hear should you die before me. I know why now.
It sounds kind of like "Remember me" that Josh Groban sang for Troy (which is another great song). They both talk of love and death in some way and refer to remembrance if they do not return from their quests. Dante I think it speaking to a lover about finding his faith, rather than speaking to faith (God) itself. I love McKennitt's songs, they give people the chance to perceive their own meaning to the songs. The first one I listened to was 'The Mystic's Dream' that had a feature in the movie "The Mists of Avalon".
I like to think of death as my shadowlover, and every time I extricate myself from his embrace I find the words to this song running through my mind. Faith in myself, my God, and humanity keep me alive. They also keep me from fearing death. Mourn for the living, but never for the dead. To me, that's what this song is about.
Who is 'You' that helps us to overcome attachment and moral fear? Whoever understand us more than our own self? If ‘You’ is our reasoning mind, then anything else is the object of her scrutinized eyes on the ocean and soul to the sea.
I guess the 'You' is about Beatriz that in the Divine Comedy, she is represented as the "Hope" to get through everything in life, that takes you to get through your own hell up to the Heaven. So I think this is about hope. Hope and Faith are the only things that help you to get through any kind of problem in this life and not God, God would just be there to see you and be sure how capable you are to rise yourself from problems. I guess God is more our advocate, not our behavioral Lord.
God is love, and love is god,
the Eternal Beloved,
he hides behind every being...
As being the only one that exists
-assuming many roles-
he is you and me,
lover and beloved...
he is Loreena singing...
he is her sweet and deep voice...
he is the wind that takes it to the stars,
he is the stars shining every night...
though hidden, he listens to the cry of a lonely heart
The truth is hiding behind a veil,
she will reveal her nakedness, but firs we must do so...
our heart in our sleeves...
Don´t analyze love with your mind,
it´s like trying to have the privilege of seeing with your ears...
the song "is"
as God is "I am"
by arthur on 10/9/2008 4:47am
The Divine Comedy written by Dante Alighieri.
by Greg on 6/5/2008 4:07pm
Why, Dante is of course speaking to Beatrice Portinari, his unrequited true love, who inspired the Divine Comedy and, in that epic poem, led Dante from the top of the Mountain of Purgatory and into Paradise.
Yes, there is a certain unconcerned mixing of earthly and divine love. John Donne would have appreciated it.
by Angela on 6/11/2008 2:44pm
I always interpreted the "you" to refer to both God and Beatrice, the woman from the Divine Comedy (who also existed in Dante's real life).
Most other people seem to be fucking idiots. It's a dedication song for Dante Alighieri, there is also a game out,There's also a game out now, called Dante's Inferno.Basically A God Of War knock-off that seems a parody of the art that was his epic, poetic journey.
I personally think it as God.
mydantes prayer was sung at his funeral mass it was so appropiate beloved son david who died in december 2008 is 24 today 2nd march
This song was written for her fiancee. He died before they got married.
Isn't it about the love between Dante and Beatrice from the divine comedy? *shrugs*
i love irish music.
This song is gift to our soul.Great job ,Loreena!!!
its for the lover read the Divine comedy ull see
it's really wonderfull i listen it many times and it helps me -i still have a hope . thanks a lot Loreena
If any of you have ever seen her sing this song live she tells you where and why she wrote the song and it has nothing to do with GOD, or her fiancee. Watch her video live on you tube she will tell you why.
This song is quite simply breath-taking!!!!!!! It makes me think of every person I love in this world and (i realise ths sounds lame) but it even gives me hope that there is some sort of afterlife (btw i'm not a religious person). Also, it seems to sum up the relationship between the two main charaters in one of my fave series of books (Sword of Truth series Terry Goodkind)
Reminds me of the pre-raphaelite theme Dante and Beata :)
not so divided we are again... to me i hear my brothers and sisters are coming together once more... and for the extended families, attract them home, thats who we waiting for...
LM is amazing
As we come into Easter this beautiful song, lyrics, melody and harmonies bring to mind, Jesus's time in the Garden of Gethsemane. He is saying it to God and to the rest of humanity. A pity this is not played on Holy Thursday night.
Had this song at the end of my husband's funeral he was my love and my life for 47 years
Y'all do know that this is a satire towards Catholicism and God, right? That's what the book she based it on was about
You imply that Dante is a "she"? How ignorant of you.
The brilliance of a song is its maleability to your own circumstance.
For me this song is sung by the ghost of someone very close to me who passed a decade ago. I feel him in the starlight. He is with me, yet I walk alone. And once I swear I saw him standing at the foot of my bed in the night... although I still am uncertain that I believe in that sort of thing.
She lost. In 1998, McKennitt's fiancé, Ronald Rees, his brother Richard (not the British actor), and their close friend Gregory Cook, drowned during a boating incident on Georgian Bay.
Read the liner notes preceding the lyrics in the CD, and you will see from the journal entries that she choose to put before this song that the lyrics are written from the point of view of her Father, who is dead, speaking to her. Either her father's name was Dante, or, because it is written from her father's point of view in Heaven, she is associating her father with Dante as a sort of tribute to her father.
P.S. I don't believe in anything supernatural.
I lay listening to this song one night and for some unfathomable reason I just had to say 'Our father...'. Now, not being a Christian and rather involved with Mayanism, I didn't know the entire prayer but had the desire to recite it, so I went to good ol' mr google and on the first link, read the prayer, scrolled right down and a thrill of excitement ran through me when I saw an image of a Mayan pyramid. I decided to redirect from a link beneath the prayer, to a full explanation of the prayers meaning... Half way down the page I came across a quote from Dante and again that thrill shot through me. The explanation not only correlated in such a great way to the Mayan story of creation, here I was reading about Dante when it's this very song that led me to the prayer that night. Call me crazy by all means but it felt like a moment with God right there. Anyway I know it's totally off the topic. I just felt like sharing that with someone or a bunch of someones. :) Stay blessed!
Bella, Thank you for sharing your beautiful spiritual experience. Those, including me, who have lived special spiritual moments will identify with your story as it can change the way we perceive our world forever.
I have been listening to this song for years and it still moves me greatly, cant explain why but it never fails me. I've requested it be played at my funeral, my husband claims it sounds depressing unlike my personality but to me, I want my close ones to know there is something bigger then all of that is joyious and loving, just as I am and will be when "I rise above these earthly cares". Just saying...
Loreena.....thank u..
This song was written for her Fiance, who died in a tragic accident, I think.
I of course believe it is the Goddess as she is both Lover and God in the wiccan tradition. for to follow the path of wicca one must face unsurmontable doubt and fear. Until divine intervention one can not stray from tradition.
"You" in this poem could refer to Beatrice or to the God but my first association is that "you" actually refers to Virgil, his guide through the afterlife, who appeared as a salvor to Dante when he was lost in his sins or as it says in this poem "when the dark wood fell before him". The poem seems like a conversation between Dante and Virgil where Dante begs the latter to show him the way of anscention to the Heaven ("...to touch the face of the stars...")over the mount Purgatory, and later through the rest of his life. The refrain is Virgil's respond to Dante's prayers saying that he should always remember his guidance and the way to salvation he had shown him, which will shorten "the endless dark nights". I don't know if this is what the poem's author meant but this seems as an interesting interpretation to me.
Do not analyse this - we are weak and want greater knowledge - understanding. We aso need to belong. Truth is beauty and this song is true.
Great comments through time. Thank you all.
I think the "you" in this, that relates to us all equally, is life.
tnx loreena, it reminds me the magnificance of sea in babolsar where i fell in love with fateme
Really, you people should read the Divine Comedy. You have to remember that Beatrice, in the Divina Commedia, isn't only a woman. By loving her, Dante is coming close to God - hiss love for her is what will lead him to God. In the Comedy she also represents Philosophy and Faith.
The initial part of the song is full of reference directly from the Comedy - the dark forest, the mountain, the love in the light of the star. This is the part where Virgilio appears and tells Dante to join him in his journey. So, he's basically singing this 'summary' from the comedy until the chorus ("Cast...") which should be sing by God.
The following part - after the second chorus - sounds like Dante speaking directly to God, praying for the humanity - in the Comedy, Dante (as a character) is told to tell the World what he saw, for all man's sake.
Anyway, wonderful song.
I just officiated a funeral today and this was the closing song. It was absolutely beautiful. The daughter requested it in honor and memory of her mother. I agree that the interpretation is all in the eye of the beholder. God bless!
To run away with the characters in a good book is always the goal of a great writer. Writing so that many readers can interpret for their own experiences and needs is the ultimate writers accomplishment. Why do you think that the bible has lasted so long.
I had a little Yorkshire terrier , Billy Bones he rode with me on my motor bike everywhere but being a trucker he loved the truck and i would always play Dante's Prayer and The old ways billy would come across the cab of my truck and rest his head on my lap and look up at me as if to say i will always be with you , he as been gone 4 yrs now and i sill cry for him i will cry a million tears and a million more before we meet at rainbow bridge whiskers in the wind my sweet prince ,
The line ''Please remember me'' reminds me of when Dante's in the inferno. Whenever he speaks to a soul, this one asks Dante to remind his name to the living, once he goes back among them.
A lot of people fear to be forgotten once they are dead.
Feeling apart of a very sensitive and spirit-aware collective reading other comments. Just come away from singing this beautiful song - to hear it is one thing, to sing it is to fly far and deep into the mysterious soul of the song itself - Thankyou Loreena for your heavenly creations.
It has to be for Beatrice! I never looked at it any other way ...
When I am sad i find confort when I listen this song ! Thanks Loreena for the most beautiful song ever ! I have requested it to be played at my funeral !!!!
I have requested two songs to be played at my funeral, this one and "Into The West" sung by Annie Lenox, for me, both are very moving and inspirational.
Found this again after many years absence a truly moving peace timeless and haunting Thanks
its the love of thoes who trulie love you
Love me like I loved you.....for Annika X
This is certainly open to our individual views but one to consider is that it is about our individual spirit/soul and coming to find it outside of the ego. Just a thought
I believe that this song is about Loreena's love who was killed in a boat accident some years ago (before the song.) I can't help but believe she is singing to him.
It really does not matter where her heart was when she wrote this truly beautiful song. What matters is what you believe, and how the music and words resonate in your soul. I played this song for a dear friend as she lay dying... It touched her deeply. It was played for her, at her request, at her service. God speed Madeline