Download Josh Groban had a hit with this contemporary hymn here in the United States, but the version I much prefer was done by an Irish boy band called “Westlife”.
“Westlife” originally auditioned for Simon Cowell of American Idol fame. Mr. Cowell, being the totally honest brute that he is, declared he wouldn’t sign them unless three of the four members were replaced – they were too ugly. Their manager was so salivating to work with Simon Cowell that he agreed to do just that. He found three “good-looking” chaps who could sing and told the “ugly” threesome to take a hike… and Cowell signed them on for a record contract.
Our little Irish boy band didn’t want to record “You Raise Me Up” when it was first presented to them. They thought it was “too religious” (so what’s wrong with that?). But smarter people convinced them it was the thing to do and it became a #1 hit in England. They later admitted it was a turning point in their career. In their video, there is little to suggest anything of a religious nature, but I don’t see how you can possibly miss the sacred quality of this great song.
I played cello for the lead vocal line in this backup because of the sweetness of the instrument. Well, I didn’t actually play the cello, but used a cello voice on my keyboard. Trust me, the cello is way beyond my meager talents. But I think you’ll agree it works here. This backup sequence is well-suited for a church setting and I hope you’ll download and sing it at your next service. It’s on the Sacred/Gospel list…. without the cello.
Here is Westlife:
Stageworthy Backing Tracks by Dave Zobrist 