Sam Lee - The Moon Shines Bright feat. Elizabeth Fraser (Live at RAK Studios) with Bernard Butler

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Credits:

Director: Conor Gorman
Producer: Diāna Āboliņa
Director of Photography: George Allen
Editor: Alicja Rymarowicz
Colour Grader: Anna Barsukova
Sound Engineer: Nicholas O’Brien for Upcycled Sounds

Piano: James Keay
Violin: Joseph O’Keefe
Bass: Misha Mullov-Abbado
Percussion: Josh Green

Lyrics:

The moon shines bright
And the stars give a light
In a little while it will be day
The voice of love it calls upon us all
And bids us awake and pray

Rise, arise wake thee arise
Life she is calling thee
For it might be the mothering of your sweet soul
If you open your eyes and see

That the life of a man it comes with little plan
It flourishes like a flower
As tender in the heart into which you’re born
So cherish your every hour

For the summertime has come
And the trees are sweetly blooming
And the wild mountain thyme
Grows around the blooming heather
Will you go, lassie go,
And we’ll all go together
To pull wild mountain Thyme
All around the blooming heather

For our time is not long
Time’s an old folk song
No longer can we stay
Those that remember say
Blessed are you all
Who make it through this brawl
Long life and another good year
Blessed are you all
Who answer to the call
Long life and another good year
Long life and another good year

The moon shines bright
And the stars will be our height
Life she is calling thee
Rise, arise wake thee arise
And ever more watchful be

This adaptation of the ancient traditional folk song The Moon Shines Bright came as a ‘gift’ from Sam's good friend, the 93-year-old English Gypsy, Freda Black, who offered him a song to take on pilgrimage. It is also influenced by a Zuni prayer for greeting the sunrise and encouraging us to experience wonder in the here and now. This meaningful and pertinent track weaves together ‘messages of devotion from different lands to communicate the impermanence of life and the importance of recognising the sacred’.

Elizabeth Fraser’s (Cocteau Twins) vocals inject a haunting reminder into The Moon Shines Bright of the beauty and fragility of life, using a fragment of lyrics from a traditional Scottish folk song ‘Wild Mountain Thyme’.

Sam says ‘To me, the song is about the importance of being connected. In a time when religion and faith are in question in our western lives, its simplicity of form brings us back to the bare bones of essential life experience and is a call for us to pay attention to the bigger things in this world; “for our time is not long, time’s an old folksong”.

The Moon Shines Bright track is ‘a gentle yet potent wake up call to recognise the beauty of life in its purest form’.

#OldWow #TheMoonShinesBright #SamLeeMusic

[laurapalumbo]

I can't believe how clear and beautiful her voice still is. Pure gold

[PaulHofreiter]

Liz Fraser’s voice is insane. Like really unmatched.

[motrzysta]

you did one of the most amazing things in the world of music. you got Liz to sing again and you made her smile in the process. and you showed it to the whole universe of her fans. Sir, I salute you.

[gcvrsa]

It is wonderful to see and hear Elizabeth sing again. She will always in my opinion have one of the finest vocal talents humanity has ever produced, and I would not be the person I am today, if not for her music.

This song is lovely, as well. I actually wish I could be the drummer and/or bassist in an ensemble like this.

[idleuwi]

if this doesn't give you goosebumps listening to it then you are not alive.

[Northseacrashes]

This beautiful song was played at my Mum's funeral yesterday - she died 2 days after Christmas. The message of love and life going by so quickly has comforted me through a very difficult time. She had a long life and another good year before she left us. Knowing that helps enormously.

[MrOhioVoter]

The instant I heard Elizabeth Fraser in the early 80's, I fell in love. Her voice never ceases to make my heart soar, ache, burst and break as much as any love ever has. And though unrequited by nature, I take frequent, guiltless pleasure in overdosing on her opiates for the soul.

[MichaelCBorum]

Elizabeth is perfection. I especially love it when she gets a smile on her face while singing. She's feeling it.

[simongood]

Damn, she can still sing. The world is a good place again.

[robertklausch]

Oh my god, this is actually breathtaking...Liz is the greatest female vocalist of out times for me... <3

[gehennalife]

Liz's voice is still magic. Like fireflies dancing in the air on a clear solstice night.

[anishamm]

LOVE LOVE LOVE
From Lebanon, Romania and Canada to you dear Liz and to Sam, two beautiful voices and souls!!!
I used to listen to Cocteau Twin in MIDST OF THE WAR in LEBANON !!!! IMAGINE the sounds of bombs in the background??? SUREAL!!!

[calldwnthesky]

wow i can actually understand the words E. Fraser is singing here. all joking aside i can't believe how beautiful her voice is. i always thought it was lovely in Cocteau Twins songs, but here i feel like i get the full effect of how beautifully clear and smooth her voice is. out of this world

[janwashington]

Wow I sang this song as a child in the 70's.. woke this morning with this in my ear, Googled and then wow.. Merry Christmas! I love it.. you are so beautiful

[timandmonica]

OMG. How in the world does she still sound absolutely perfect 40 years later?!?!?

[Panto-elpw]

Sam Lee is a gloriously wonderful singer and archivist/interpreter of old folk songs.
How magical that he's here.
Of course the divine Elizabeth Fraser takes it elsewhere ... magic.


Our time is not long.
Blessed are you all - who answer to the call ...

[Eroblue]

So beautiful. I love both of their voices. It’s so nice to hear Elizabeth sing again. I’ve been a fan since Cocteau Twins.

[JF-kvgm]

Just watched this again...and I got the shivers when Sam started singing and when Elizabeth started singing. Sublime.

[kelleyfrench]

If emotions had sound, surely "joy" would sound like Elizabeth Fraser. It's the most beautiful sound I've ever heard.

[guyroberts]

Yep. Goosebumps. He's got a good voice too.