You Raise Me Up by Westlife

Album: Face To Face (2005)

Charted: 1

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Songfacts®:

Secret Garden, a Eurovision Song Contest winning instrumental duo, originally recorded this song in 2001 for their album Once in A Red Moon. Irishman Brian Kennedy contributed vocals. In the United States, the best known version is by Josh Groban, who got a big boost when he sang it on Oprah Winfrey's show in 2004. The Irish boyband Westlife was the 100th artist to record the song, and in 2005, their cover topped the UK chart and won UK Record of the Year.
This song was composed by Norwegian pianist Rolf Lovland, a member of the piano/violin duo Secret Garden. It was originally an instrumental piece called "Silent Story," but Løvland asked the Irish novelist and songwriter Brendan Graham to add lyrics after reading Graham's novel The Whitest Flower.
Michael Ball, Daniel O'Donnell and Russell Watson also recorded popular versions of this song.
In 2004, various versions of "You Raise Me Up" were played over 500,000 times on American radio.
In 2004, Josh Groban performed this song at Super Bowl XXXVIII in commemoration of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.
In the 2008 UTV documentary Westlife Back Home, the boys admitted that "You Raise Me Up" was most likely the song that saved their career, which some thought was on the wane at that stage.
A digital download of Josh Groban singing "You Raise Me Up" with the African Children's Choir peaked at #76 in the Hot 100 in May 2007. It was taken from when Groban performed the song on the American Idol charity special Idol Gives Back. Three years previously he'd reached #73 with a different recording of this song.

Comments: 7

Siahara Shyne Carter from United StatesThis song is makes Everyone Cry!!!!! especially When you loss someone "This also played in Burial" also the song "DANCE WITH MY FATHER"

Absolutely all people will give money to the dead ;-( If this song was played

I like WESTLIFE Songs because Its just very relaxing and enjoying thier music you don't need to turn your speakers to 10 because thier voice is really clear and It's perfect in low volume
Larry from Coral Springs, FlThis song is so beautiful it can move you. ONe radio station I was listening in on which played this song commented it similar to Danny Boy
Robert from Boston, MaIt's amazing how many renditions of this song have been sung in many different parts of the world. Check out this duet by two students from the Philippines and Russia sung in Taiwan. Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feoMCF8Skao
Ahmed Kakembo from Kampala, Ugandahi oh i like this song so much and i like those composed it every day when i wake up i just tune on 5this song i like it very much wonderful
Blake from London, United KingdomBeautiful song, unbelievable...there should be more like this around instead of the modern songs that revolve around sex, drugs, crime, rebelling etc...
Love it.
Adrianna from Bloomington, InOh, neat; I didn't realise this song existed before Josh Groban's version. And yeah, I think this is so popular for American Idol because, if I remember right, it's one of Simon's favorites. So anyone who nails it gets bonus points with him. ;)
Marina from Seattle, WaThis song, I believe, has to be one of the most popular American Idol audition songs for males.

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