Music and Lyrics: Loreena McKennitt O light the candle, John The daylight has almost gone The birds have sung their last The bells call all to mass Sit here by my side For the night is very long There's something I must tell Before I pass along I joined the brotherhood My books were all to me I scribed the words of God And much of history Many a year was I Perched out upon the sea The waves would wash my tears, The wind, my memory I'd hear the ocean breathe Exhale upon the shore I knew the tempest's blood Its wrath I would endure And so the years went by Within my rocky cell With only a mouse or bird My friend; I loved them well And so it came to pass I'd come here to Romani And many a year it took Till I arrived here with thee On dusty roads I walked And over mountains high Through rivers running deep Beneath the endless sky Beneath these jasmine flowers Amidst these cypress trees I give you now my books And all their mysteries Now take the hourglass And turn it on its head For when the sands are still 'Tis then you'll find me dead O light the candle, John The daylight is almost gone The birds have sung their last The bells call all to mass
[00:04.39]Music and Lyrics: Loreena McKennitt [00:46.72]O light the candle, John [01:24.84]The daylight has almost gone [01:29.23]The birds have sung their last [01:33.34]The bells call all to mass [01:37.62]Sit here by my side [01:41.71]For the night is very long [01:46.20]There's something I must tell [01:50.54]Before I pass along [01:54.85]I joined the brotherhood [02:00.98]My books were all to me [02:05.54]I scribed the words of God [02:09.84]And much of history [02:14.14]Many a year was I [02:18.25]Perched out upon the sea [02:22.86]The waves would wash my tears, [02:27.25]The wind, my memory [02:34.25]I'd hear the ocean breathe [02:38.07]Exhale upon the shore [02:42.32]I knew the tempest's blood [02:46.79]Its wrath I would endure [02:51.20]And so the years went by [02:55.62]Within my rocky cell [03:00.00]With only a mouse or bird [03:03.87]My friend; I loved them well [03:10.95]And so it came to pass [03:14.54]I'd come here to Romani [03:19.37]And many a year it took [03:23.26]Till I arrived here with thee [03:27.96]On dusty roads I walked [03:32.29]And over mountains high [03:36.59]Through rivers running deep [03:40.77]Beneath the endless sky [04:24.97]Beneath these jasmine flowers [04:28.76]Amidst these cypress trees [04:32.99]I give you now my books [04:37.48]And all their mysteries [04:41.92]Now take the hourglass [04:46.39]And turn it on its head [04:50.75]For when the sands are still [04:54.33]'Tis then you'll find me dead [04:59.38]O light the candle, John [05:03.45]The daylight is almost gone [05:08.10]The birds have sung their last [05:12.10]The bells call all to mass
