Last summer I at last fulfilled a longtime wish to visit the Norwegian fjords, several previous plans had to be scrapped for a variety of different reasons. At Geirangerfjord we visited a wooden octagonal church set at the head of the fjord on a vantage point looking directly up the fjord, the views were breathtaking, and we were treated to an afternoon of music and song by a group of local musicians. It was one of the highlights of the trip for me and one of the songs performed was Secret Garden’s “You Raise Me Up”, which is a favourite of mine and a song we often do a choral version of in my choir.

Many people are unaware that this song has a Norwegian connection, possibly knowing it best for the cover version by American singer Josh Groban. It was in fact written by Norwegian composer Rolph Loveland, lyrics by Brendan Graham who is Irish, and it was first performed by Norwegian/Irish band Secret Garden. Secret Garden were originally a musical duo comprising pianist & arranger Loveland and Irish singer /violinist Fionnuala Sherry who won the Eurovision Song Contest for Norway in 1995 with an instrumental piece called “Nocturne” - the first time a predominantly instrumental song had won the competition.
In 2001 Loveland wrote You Raise Me Up with lyrics by Brendan Graham, for his mother’s funeral, and the group subsequently recorded it shortly afterwards for their Once In A Red Moon Album.

The song has now been covered more than a hundred times, the most notable versions being Josh Groban (2003) and Westlife (2005).
This is the original version by Secret Garden with Irish singer Brian Kennedy on vocals. Brian Kennedy also sang this song live at the televised funeral of football legend George Best in Belfast in 2005.