++ Rita MacNeil Official Site: Discography ++

FULL CIRCLE

Without music, we would never stop and listen to our hearts. It is a gift of the soul, a gift of healing, a gift of joyous spontaneity. I sang first because I was compelled to, as if it were a freeing of my spirit, but soon I realized I was giving a part of myself to others. To watch my mother as I sang "Danny Boy" was a privilege. And singing to all the audiences around the world who have cheered me on has been a privilege too.

Click song titles for lyrics, speaker icons for Real Audio sound clips

Track Listing & Sound Clips

1.    View From The Heart
2.    Rene (live)
3.    I'm Not What I Seem (live)
4.    Part Of The Mystery
5.    Flying On Your Own (live)
6.    Working Man
7.    Black Rock
8.    Home I'll Be
9.    Shining Strong
10. On A Friday Afternoon
11. Field of Daisies

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View From The Heart

When I was a young child and rather early
I had a feeling of being weary
I was wise for my years, I was lonesome for my age
I had a burning desire to be loved someday

So with mixed emotions and a few kind words
Some stolen moments in a brand new world
I followed my heart around every corner
Believing in love like there was no tomorrow

My hands in my pocket and my heart on my sleeve
i had a feeling that was way down deep
I was eager for learning I was learning to please
I had a burning desire to find my dream

So with sweet devotion and a candle burning
I made my way while the world was turning
And I followed my heart around every corner
Believing in love like there was no tomorrow

Chorus
Now you know me I've got my life together
And the pieces that are missing are lost forever
But the view from the heart keeps getting better
And love's looking good to me

The tree's peeping through the fog in the morning
The days grew bright and the nights grew warmer
I was set in my ways it was a long time coming
I had a burning desire to love somebody

So I climbed the mountain and I felt the tumble
But I still believe that love will conquer
And I followed my heart around every corner
Believing in love like there was no tomorrow

Repeat Chorus (2)

Words and Music by Rita MacNeil
1996 Big Pond Publishing and Production Limited

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Rene

Rene wore a dress of white
White was her colour
And on her face
She wore a smile
I’ve seen on no other

And when she danced
She was dazzling
And when she smiled
She was pretty

Anyway you looked at her
She sure was a beauty

Chorus

And the life she led
And the dreams she had
were like so many another
Rene in your dress of white
It soon may change its colour

Rene walked the village proud
As long as I can remember
And though her heart
Lie heavy then
She still went on pretending

Chorus

Rene wore a dress of brown
Brown was her colour
And on her face
She wore a look
I’ve seen on no other

And the life she led
And the dreams she had
They were all lived for others
Rene in your dress of white
It soon may change its colour
Rene in your dress of white
It soon may change its colour

Words and Music by Rita Mac Neil
©1975 Skinners Pond Music

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I'm Not What I Seem

I'm not what I seem and I'm not what you're seeing
I'm a re-creation of somebody's dream
Somebody's nightmare somebody's mistake
But it all depends on who is doing the looking

It's taken past thirty to find where I'm going
And it's caused me many of unhappy moments
Plenty of darkness before there was light
But it all depends on who's doing the walking

I've listened to people who've gone on before me
And I've tried to learn from the things that they’ve told me
But it all depends on who's doing the talking

I'm not what I seem and I'm not what you're seeing
I'm a re-creation of somebody's dream
Somebody's nightmare somebody's mistake
But it all depends on who is doing the looking

Words and Music by Rita MacNeil
© 1983 Big Pond Publishing and Production Limited (SOCAN)

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Part Of The Mystery

I don't know what I'm gonna do
When all of my travelling is finally through
And I'm back on the rocks
With my thoughts and memories of you
The medicine woman she gave me the warning
Wear only the colours that heal the soul over
Stay out of the colours where evil will penetrate through

Chorus:
Now did you ever feel like a wick in a candle
Part of the question and part of the answer
Part of the mystery far greater than me or you

I don't know what I'm gonna do
When I'm flying so high and away from the view
And the storm clouds paint me a different
image of you
My thoughts and my feelings are caught in the middle
I'm holding together like some kind of riddle
Now I need answers to questions I'm turning to you

Chorus

I don't know what I'm gonna do
When all of my travelling is finally through
And I'm home on the rocks with my thoughts
And memories of you
The medicine woman she gave me the warning
Wear only the colours that heal the soul over
Stay out of the colours where evil will penetrate
Through

Chorus (Repeat)

Words and Music by Rita MacNeil
© 1985 Big Pond Publishing and Production Limited

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Flying On Your Own

You were never more strong girl
You were never more alone
Once there was two, now there's
Just you
You're flying on your own

You were never more happy girl
You were never oh so blue
Once heartaches begin
Nobody wins
You're flying on your own

Chorus:
And when you know the wings you ride
Can keep you in the sky
There isn't anyone holding back you
First you stumble, then you fall
You reach out and you fly
There isn't anything that you can't do

You were never more wise girl
You were never more a fool
Once you break through
It's all up to you
You're flying on your own

You were never more together
You were never more apart
Once pieces of you were all that
You knew
You're flying on your own

Chorus
Repeat Chorus

Words and Music by Rita Mac Neil
©1987 Big Pond Publishing and Production Limited

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Working Man

Chorus
It’s a working man l am
And I’ve been down under ground
And I swear to God if lever see the sun
Or for any length of time
I can hold it in my mind
I never again will go down under ground

At the age of sixteen years
Oh he quarrels with his peers
Who vowed they’d never see another one
In the dark recess of the mines
Where you age before your time
And the coal dust has heavy on your lungs

Chorus

At the age of sixty-four
Oh hell greet you at the door
And hell gently lead you by the arm
Through the dark recess of the mines
Oh hell take you back in time
And hell tell you of the hardships that were had

Chorus
(Repeat Chorus)
(Repeat Chorus)

God I never again will go down under ground

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Black Rock

When I saw the black rock
The first thing that I thought
I'd fill up with sadness and cry
But I sang

And the blue sky hung over
The fast moving water
And I stood on the rocks
And the memories began

Chorus:
Can you imagine to overcome sadness
A trip to the black rock is all that it takes
And the waves will wash o'er me
And the black rock will hold me
And keep me from drifting away

Down on the black rocks
I take all of my thoughts
And I hang them to lie
On the wind and the waves

Now the rock has been worn down
By time and by water
And I have been worn down
By time and myself

Chorus

When I saw the black rock
The first thing that I thought
I'd fill up with sadness and cry
But I sang

And the moon shone above me
And the darkness fell on me
And I slept on the rocks
'Til the morning time came

Chorus

Words and Music by Rita MacNeil
© 1979 Big Pond Publishing and Production Limited

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Home I'll Be

I see the mountains, feel the salt air
I have reasons to behold
All the wonders that never cease to be
You're as timeless as the water
You're as gentle as the fields
I caress you oh Cape Breton in my dreams

And you never let the hard times
Take away your soul
And you stopped the tears from falling
As you watched the young ones go
You're as peaceful as a clear day
You're as rugged as the seas
I caress you oh Cape Breton in my dreams

Chorus:
And home I'll be
Home I'll be
Banish thoughts of leaving
Home I'll be

I see the blue lakes, feel the passion
I have reasons to believe
There are places that will bring you to your knees
I hear voices they are calling
I have reason to pay heed
I caress you oh Cape Breton in my dreams

And you kept your arms wide open
To let your children know
Wherever there is distance
The heart is always home
You're as soulful as a choir
You're as ancient as the hills
I caress you oh Cape Breton in my dreams

Chorus /Repeat Chorus

Banish thoughts of leaving, Home I'll be

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Shining Strong

I'd like to see you before the snow flies
I hope to make it down that long long drive
I'll bring my greetings from me to you
So put your feet up, I got a story for you

There's not much happening with me these days
A whole lotta work and not much play
I rise and fall with the sun and the moon
I keep on moving, now how about you

Chorus
Do you still get your mail at the end of the road
Do the pipes all freeze when the weather gets cold
Is the radio playing all night long
Is the light in your window still shining strong

I hear you don't go to town anymore
You sold off some acres to some people I know
You take it easy whenever you can
A whole lotta spare time and not much change

I hope you keep the home fires burning
I love to see the smoke from your chimney
And the welcome smile I see in your eyes
You know that's something that money can't buy

Chorus
Repeat Chorus

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On A Friday Afternoon

I found the Poncho and Lefty tape
We played it time and time again
Has anything changed since the good old days
Well, I can name a few

There's a lot more water under the bridge
And we don't live as close to the edge
The time that's left
And the time we spent
Chasing after our dreams

Chorus:

So I called you up for the hell of it
I chilled the wine for the love of it
Remembering what we've not forgotten
On a Friday afternoon
And it was good to see you smile again
You sure light up the room
And it was good to see you leave before we got to close
Oh we both knew we would

Now there's a rumour that's going round
A generation of the lost and found
The dance is slower and the music's down
A different point of view

There's a lot more dinners by candlelight
Some easy talks and early nights
And I can see through that moon
That played with my heart

Chorus

We spent the day on the life we lead
We talked it over and we both agreed
There's no more running if you're really free
And we're not running now

There's a two lane highway running through this town
And every weekend it's the same old crowd
They're just as crazy and they're just as loud
As we were way back then

Chorus

And it was good to see you smile again
You sure light up the room
And it was good to see you leave before we got to close
Oh we both knew we would

Words and Music by Rita MacNeil
@ 1996 Big Pond Publishing and Production Limited

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Field Of Daisies

I'd like to lie in a field of daisies
And feel the sun shine down on me
I have often walked Glengarry road
In the warm summer heat
And I've seen the land
Pass from hand to hand
And the tourists
They come and they go
When the sun goes down
On this patch of ground
It's where I leave my soul

Seventeen years
On the same back porch
We both decided to leave
Enough of the small town
And of the small talk
We had bigger dreams

So we waved goodbye to the gathering
A send-off of family and friends
When the car turned the last corner
We knew everything would change

I like to watch the sun dance on water
See the moonbeam through the trees
I have often walked the old shore road
In the cool evening breeze
And I've seen the land
When the cold comes down
And the tourists
They come and they go
When the sun goes down
On this patch of ground
It's where I leave my soul

Never again
Will I see the light
Waiting for my return
Surrounded by loved ones
Now onto new ground
So much for us to learn

So we wrote a book between us
And some of the pages don't fit
But it's an easy read
In a familiar theme
And sometimes it makes me weep

Repeat first verse