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The 1971 track with “the greatest opening line to any song ever written”, according to Paul Rodgers
Paul Rodgers named the opening words of “Morning Has Broken” as the greatest first line in any song, saying they evoke the world’s first morning and a sense of wonder. The song is best known through Yusuf/Cat Stevens’s 1971 recording, whose appeal lies partly in how its arrangement and delivery give the words emotional force.
The lyric comes from a Christian hymn written in 1931, which Stevens adapted about 40 years later. Rodgers praised its biblical feel, while the article also frames Stevens’s version as an example of how borrowing and reworking older ideas can help music evolve.
In short
- Paul Rodgers chose “Morning Has Broken” as music’s greatest opening line.
- The lyric originated in a 1931 Christian hymn.
- Yusuf/Cat Stevens adapted it for his 1971 recording.
Explained simply
“Morning Has Broken” is a Christian hymn first published in 1931. Its words describe the arrival of morning as a renewal of creation, drawing on the biblical story of the world’s beginning.
Singer-songwriter Yusuf/Cat Stevens made the hymn widely known with his 1971 recording, adapting it with a musical arrangement and performance that gave the words a distinctive feel. Paul Rodgers is a British singer best known for bands including Free and Bad Company; his praise reflects the song’s lasting appeal and its place in a long tradition of musicians reworking earlier material.