WESTLIFE - YOU RAISE ME UP

You Raise Me Up

Westlife

PLACE: (Live At Croke Park Stadium)

SONGWRITERS: ROLF LØVLAND & BRENDAN GRAHAM

COUNTRY: IRELAND

ALBUM: FACE TO FACE

LABEL: SONY BMG

GENRE: POP

YEAR: 2004

"You Raise Me Up" originally titled Söknuður (Into the light) is an Icelandic song originally sung by Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson know as 'Villi Vill' in 1977. In 2002 Secret Garden released the song under the title 'You Raise Me Up'. This was an almost identical version of the 1977 song to which Secret Garden claimed to be original composed by Secret Garden's Rolf Løvland, with lyrics by Brendan Graham. Icelandic Composer Jóhann Helgason filed a lawsuit claiming that the song is a copy. An English version of Söknuður has been released to underline the similarity between the two songs. 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. The song has been recorded by more than a hundred other artists under the name 'You Raise Me Up' including Josh Groban, who popularized the song in 2003; his rendition became a hit in the United States. The Irish band Westlife then popularized the song in the UK and the rest of the world two years later. On 29 November.

"You Raise Me Up" was released as the lead single from Westlife's sixth studio album Face to Face. This version is one of the most successful covers of the song, peaking at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, the only version to do so. This was the band's 13th number-one single as well as the first single to be released following Brian McFadden departure from the group. It debuted with 97,288 combined physical and download sales in the UK alone. The single has sold 540,000 copies in the UK so far. In South Korea, it entered the Official South Korean Year-end Downloads Singles Chart in 2010 with 130,759 sales. Later, it stayed in the top 75 of the Official International Karaoke Charts since the inception of the charts in December 2010 up to its recent chart released.

Westlife performed this song with Secret Garden at the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize concert. On December 11, 2009, they performed it again at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize concert celebrating US President Barack Obama. The backing track is re-used in the Spanish version of this song, "Por Ti Sere", performed by Il Divo in their Siempre album. When Louis Walsh suggested the band to record it, Filan, Egan, Byrne, and Feehily were against it saying it was a church song, and would not be a success. They also said they did not want to record it. However, they have since claimed in 2011, six years after the single's release, that the song changed their careers and were glad they recorded it. It was composed in the traditional verse–chorus form in Eb major, with Filan and Feehily's vocal ranging from the chords of Bb3 to Bb5.

Westlife's official music video for "You Raise Me Up" was shot in late-2005 and is directed by Alex Hemming. It is currently the most played "You Raise Me Up" official music video version on YouTube with 73 million views as of January 2019. It is also their most-streamed single of all time with 19.7 million listens in the United Kingdom as of January 2019. It is the band's third best selling single of all-time on both paid-for and combined sales categories. While it is their eighth most streamed song of all time from their home country, the Republic of Ireland, as of 2 April 2019. It is the second best-selling single of 2005 in Ireland.

The song was reinstated in the live bonus disc album of the band's Greatest Hits in 2011. After the band broke up in 2012, the single was performed solo in many live instances by three of band members Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily. In 2018, the single was re-recorded by its member Shane Filan for his solo album Love Always - Deluxe Version. On 12 May 2018, the song was performed on South Korean music programme 'Immortal Songs 2' by Sohyang. Filan was the featured 'Legend' and judged the participants.

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary

When troubles come and my heart burdened be

Then, I am still and wait here in the silence

Until you come and sit awhile with me

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

There is no life, no life without its hunger

Each restless heart beats so imperfectly

But when you come and I am filled with wonder

Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity

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.