Isle Of Hope Isle Of Tears
Isle Of Hope Isle Of Tears
The Irish Tenors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴On the first day of January,
Eighteen ninety-two,
They opened Ellis Island and they let
The people through.
And first to cross the threshold
Of that isle of hope and tears,
Was Annie Moore from Ireland
Who was all of fifteen years.
Isle of hope, isle of tears,
Isle of freedom, isle of fears,
But it's not the isle you left behind.
That isle of hunger, isle of pain,
Isle you'll never see again
But the isle of home is always on your mind.
In a little bag she carried
All her past and history,
And her dreams for the future
In the land of liberty.
And courage is the passport
When your old world disappears
But there's no future in the past
When you're fifteen years
Isle of hope, isle of tears,
Isle of freedom, isle of fears,
But it's not the isle you left behind.
That isle of hunger, isle of pain,
Isle you'll never see again
But the isle of home is always on your mind.
When they closed down Ellis Island
In nineteen forty-three,
Seventeen million people
Had come there for sanctuary.
And in springtime when I came here
And I stepped onto it's piers,
I thought of how it must have been
When you're fifteen years.
Isle of hope, isle of tears,
Isle of freedom, isle of fears,
But it's not the isle you left behind.
That isle of hunger, isle of pain,
Isle you'll never see again
But the isle of home is always on your mind.
Isle of hope, isle of tears,
Isle of freedom, isle of fears,
But it's not the isle you left behind.
That isle of hunger, isle of pain,
Isle you'll never see again
But the isle of home is always on your mind.
The isle of home is always on your mind.
The isle of home is always on your mind.
Overall Meaning
The Irish Tenors' song "Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears," is a touching tribute to the millions of immigrants who traveled to the United States through Ellis Island. The song tells the story of Annie Moore, a young Irish girl who was the first person to pass through Ellis Island on January 1, 1892. On that day, Moore and over 700 immigrants made their way from the steamship S.S. Nevada to the immigration processing station. The song depicts the island as a place of both hope and sadness, freedom and fear.
The lyrics reflect on the significance of leaving one's homeland for a new country, with Moore carrying a little bag that held her past and history, as well as her hopes and dreams for the future in America. The song highlights the courage it takes to leave behind one's old world, but also acknowledges the difficulties that come with leaving behind the "isle of hunger, isle of pain" that many immigrants experienced in their home countries.
The song's chorus emphasizes the strong emotional connection immigrants had to their homeland, with the isle of home always on their minds, even as they began their new lives in America. The lyrics also touch on the island's historical context, with the immigration processing station eventually closing down in 1943 after more than 17 million people had passed through its doors.
Line by Line Meaning
On the first day of January,
The opening day of Ellis Island was January 1, 1892.
Eighteen ninety-two,
The year when Ellis Island opened.
They opened Ellis Island and they let
The US government opened Ellis Island to allow the immigrants to come to the US.
The people through.
Immigrants were allowed into the US through Ellis Island.
And first to cross the threshold
The first immigrant to arrive at Ellis Island was Annie Moore.
Of that isle of hope and tears,
Ellis Island was known as the 'isle of hope and tears' because it represented a new life in America but also the sadness of leaving behind one's homeland and family.
Was Annie Moore from Ireland
The first immigrant to arrive at Ellis Island was Annie Moore, who came from Ireland.
Who was all of fifteen years.
Annie Moore was only fifteen years old when she arrived at Ellis Island.
Isle of hope, isle of tears,
Ellis Island was both a place of hope and happiness for new immigrants but also a place of sadness and tears for those leaving their home and family behind.
Isle of freedom, isle of fears,
Ellis Island represented freedom to some but also fear of the unknown.
But it's not the isle you left behind.
Ellis Island was not the same as the homeland the immigrants left behind.
That isle of hunger, isle of pain,
The homeland that some immigrants left behind was a place of hunger and pain.
Isle you'll never see again
Many immigrants knew they would never see their homeland again.
But the isle of home is always on your mind.
Although immigrants were starting a new life in America, they always had their homeland on their mind and in their heart.
In a little bag she carried
Annie Moore carried all her belongings in a little bag when she arrived at Ellis Island.
All her past and history,
Annie Moore brought with her all her memories and experiences from her homeland.
And her dreams for the future
Annie Moore also brought her hope and aspirations for the future in America.
In the land of liberty.
Annie Moore dreamed of a new life in America where she could experience the freedom and opportunity she never had in her homeland.
And courage is the passport
Immigrants needed courage and determination to leave all they knew behind and start anew in America.
When your old world disappears
Immigrants had to leave behind their old world and the life they created there.
But there's no future in the past
Immigrants knew they had to let go of their past and heritage to make a new life in America.
When you're fifteen years
Annie Moore was only fifteen years old when she arrived at Ellis Island, which makes her bravery and determination all the more remarkable.
When they closed down Ellis Island
Ellis Island stopped functioning as an immigrant station in 1943.
In nineteen forty-three,
The year when Ellis Island stopped functioning as an immigrant station.
Seventeen million people
During its time as an immigrant station, Ellis Island processed around seventeen million immigrants.
Had come there for sanctuary.
Ellis Island was a place where immigrants could find refuge and start a new life in America.
And in springtime when I came here
The singer of the song visited Ellis Island in the springtime.
And I stepped onto it's piers,
The singer stepped on the piers of Ellis Island, which hold so much history and significance for millions of immigrants.
I thought of how it must have been
The singer reflected on what it must have been like for the immigrants who arrived at Ellis Island seeking a better life.
When you're fifteen years.
The singer references the young age of Annie Moore again, emphasizing her courage and determination at such a young age.
The isle of home is always on your mind.
No matter how long they stayed in America or how much they assimilated, immigrants always had their homeland on their mind and in their heart.
Writer(s): BRENDAN GRAHAM
Contributed by Aria A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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