Morning Has Borken by Cat Stevens Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Dawn of Hope and Renewal

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Cat Stevens's Morning Has Borken at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word

Sweet, the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dew fall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass

Mine is the sunlight
Mine is the morning
Born of the One Light Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God’s recreation of the new day

Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word

As dawn’s light filters through the gossamer veil of night, a timeless melody accompanies the emerging radiance, a song that has threaded its way through the consciousness of generations. ‘Morning Has Broken,’ performed by Cat Stevens, is a simple yet profound hymn celebrating the dawn, both literally and metaphorically. The song, with its serene imagery and gentle invocation of praise, has often been mistaken for a quaint relic from a bygone era. Yet, its deeper meanings offer a universal message that resonates across temporal and spiritual divides.

It’s more than just a wake-up call; it’s an anthem to creation, an ode to the freshness of beginnings and the cycle of renewal that sustains life itself. Through a careful exploration of the lyrics, one can discern not merely a melodic description of the daybreak but a tapestry of philosophical reflections on human existence, our place in the universe, and the source of light in our lives.

A Dawn Chorus: The Spiritual Awakening in Every Line

To dissect ‘Morning Has Broken’ is to wade into a river of spiritual awakening. Stevens, with a troubadour’s touch, captures an essence of purity in each verse that belies the complexities of the world outside. This song is an invocation that celebrates the eternally recurring miracle of morning. It is as if each ‘first morning’ is both a memory and a prophecy, reminding listeners of the very first dawn at the inception of creation while simultaneously heralding the continual rebirth of the world.

Each verse, blooming with references to nature and the divine, encourages a reflection on the interconnectedness of life. When the blackbird speaks ‘like the first bird,’ there is an acknowledgement of an ancient and ongoing conversation—a continuous praise that exists as long as life itself. The simplicity of this idea offers an intricate lens through which the secular and the sacred blend, informing a perspective of gratitude for the perpetual newness that each day offers.

Veiled References: The Edenic Echoes of Brighter Days

Stevens doesn’t merely paint with broad strokes; he imbues each phrase with biblical allusion, invoking Edenic imagery of a paradise where man and nature lived in harmonious proximity. As the lyrics unfold, ‘Mine is the sunlight / Mine is the morning / Born of the One Light Eden saw play,’ listeners are spirited back to the origins of innocence, before history, before strife. It is both profoundly personal and universally resonant, a celebration of divine light manifest in each new day.

The song, in its essence, is a hymn without the heavy-handedness often found in overtly religious texts. It’s a piece that transcends dogmatic barriers, while still embracing a sense of spirituality that speaks to many. When Stevens refers to the garden ‘sprung in completeness where His feet pass,’ it’s more than just religious metaphor—it suggests a universe suffused with intention and grace, accessible at the breaking of every morning.

The Dew of Renewal: Environmental Undertones and Human Responsibility

The environmental undertones of ‘Morning Has Broken’ are not lost on the discerning listener. In celebrating the rain’s ‘new fall, sunlit from heaven,’ Stevens subtly calls to our stewardship of the earth. Appreciating nature in its purest forms, as noted in the song, provides a gentle reminder of the fragile beauty of our environment and the care it requires to remain undisturbed and ‘sweet.’

This aspect of the song encourages a deeper ecological consciousness, suggesting that the morning praise is not only a reverence for the creator but an appreciation for the creation that humans are tasked to preserve. In rejoicing in the untouched freshness of the garden, there’s an inherent message to maintain its sanctity—as nature is not just a gift for the present generation but a legacy for those yet to behold the breaking of morning.

The Resonance of Elation: How a Song Captured the Heart of Gratitude

Encapsulating profound joy in a melody is no easy task, yet ‘Morning Has Broken’ seems to do so effortlessly. Stevens’s call to ‘praise with elation’ reaches into the heart of gratitude that is universally understood. It speaks of a deep emotional response to the splendors of the everyday—a response that requires no grand gestures, only recognition and a moment of quiet elation.

This message is amplified in the very music of the song—its gentle piano accompaniment, uncomplicated in its structure, evokes the humble beauty of a new morning. The sense of pure appreciation for life’s daily rebirths encourages listeners to find their own hymns of praise in the mundane, forever altering the way one might greet each coming dawn.

The Hidden Meaning: A Lost Verse and the Completion of the Message

Beneath the serene surface of Stevens’s rendition lies a hidden layer—the song was originally a Christian hymn written by Eleanor Farjeon, which included a seldom-heard final verse. This absent verse speaks of the sorrow and imperfection of life, acknowledging the pain that exists alongside beauty. It’s an ending that Stevens opted to exclude, changing the song’s context subtly, arguably shifting the listener’s focus towards an uninterrupted celebration of the new day.

This omission is powerful, indicating Stevens’s intent to emphasize the potential for renewal and hope rather than the melancholic acceptance of life’s struggles. The absence of this verse allows ‘Morning Has Broken’ to resonate as a testament to optimism, serving as a call to embrace the promise of each day, unclouded by the shadows of yesterday’s grief.