Written and first recorded by Secret Garden (2001).
Hit versions by Daniel O’Donnell (UK #22 2003), Josh Groban (US #73/MOR #1/UK #74 2003), Westlife (UK #1 2005), Wesley Klein (NETH #4 2010).
From the wiki: “‘You Raise Me Up’ was composed by the duo, Secret Garden, with music by Rolf Løvland and lyrics by Brendan Graham.
“The song was originally written as an instrumental piece titled ‘Silent Story’. Parts (most musicologists would claim) of the melody are based on a traditional Irish tune (especially the opening phrase of its chorus), ‘Londonderry Air’, which is best known as the usual tune to the 1910 song ‘Danny Boy’. Løvland approached Irish novelist and songwriter Graham to write the lyrics to his melody after reading Graham’s novels.
“Although the original version did not chart internationally, the song has now been covered more than 125 times, with the most successful covers being by Daniel O’Donnell (2003), Josh Groban (2003), Westlife (2005), and Dutch Popstars winner Wesley Klein (2010).
“Groban’s recording was nominated for a 2005 Grammy award, and was performed by him at Super Bowl XXXVIII, in a special NASA commemoration for the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.”
Daniel O’Donnell, “You Raise Me Up” live performance @ The Helix, Dublin (2003):
Josh Groban, “You Raise Me Up” (2003):
Westlife, “You Raise Me Up” (2005):
Wesley Klein, “You Raise Me Up” (2010):