Light One Candle
| "Light One Candle" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Peter, Paul and Mary | |
| from the album No Easy Walk to Freedom | |
| Published | December 11, 1982 (1982年12月11日) |
| Released | 1986 |
| Genre | Folk |
| Length | 3:04 |
| Label | Gold Castle |
| Songwriter(s) | Peter Yarrow |
"Light One Candle" is a song by the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary. The trio performed the song in concerts starting in 1982, before recording it for their 1986 studio album No Easy Walk to Freedom .
A popular Hanukkah song, "Light One Candle" features lyrics commemorating the war of national liberation fought by the Maccabees against the Seleucid Greek empire from 167 to 141 BCE. The war, and Maccabee victory, is described in the Books of the Maccabees and celebrated during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. It's reflected in the opening lyrics:
"Light One Candle for the Maccabee Children With Thanks that their light didn't die, Light One Candle for the pain they endured When their right to exist was denied".
The song's title is mentioned a total of eight times in the first two verses, reflecting the number of days that Chanukah is observed.
The Third verse asks two questions with a very important answer:
"What is the memory that's valued so highly That we keep it alive in that flame? What's the commitment to those who have died That we cry out they've not died in vain? We have come this far always believing That justice would somehow prevail. This is the burden, This is the promise, This is why we will not fail".
After two repeats of the Chorus, the songs ends with repeating the Chorus line "Don't Let the Light go out" three times.
History
[edit ]"Light One Candle," written in 1982 by Peter Yarrow and first performed at Carnegie Hall, [1] [2] was a pacifist response to the 1982 Lebanon War as reflected in the lyrics:
"Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice justice and freedom demand, "Light one candle for the wisdom to know when the peacemaker's time is at hand."[3] [1]
In 1983, when Peter, Paul and Mary performed the song in Jerusalem - in a country torn over the Lebanon War - they added lyrics to address the political complexities faced by their audience:
"Light one candle for the strength that we need to never become our own foe. "Light one candle for those who are suffering, pain we learned so long ago. "Light one candle for all we believe in, let anger not tear us apart. "Light one candle to bind us together with peace as the song in our heart..."[3]
When they repeated the chorus, "Don't let the light go out, it's lasted for so many years, Don't let the light go out, let it shine through our love and our tears," the politically mixed audience cheered.[3]
References
[edit ]- ^ a b Chisvin, Sharon (9 December 2017). "Hearing the sweet sounds of peace". Winnipeg Free Press . Retrieved 14 December 2017.
- ^ "Copyright Catalog (1978 to present): Light one candle / words and music by Peter Yarrow". cocatalog.loc.gov. Library of Congress. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ a b c Rubin, Trudy (24 June 1983). "Peter, Paul and Mary bring a song for peace to a divided Israel". Christian Science Monitor . Retrieved 14 December 2017.
