''Elemental'' is the debut album by

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

singer-songwriter and instrumentalist

Loreena McKennitt Loreena Isobel Irene McKennitt, (born February 17, 1957) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer who writes, records, and performs world music with Celtic and Middle Eastern influences. McKennitt is known for her ...

and the vehicle with which she launched the Quinlan Road label. The album was recorded in one week in July 1985 and released later in the year. The studio was a barn in southern

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, situated in a field of sunflowers. It sold 67,000 pieces worldwide.

Track listing

# "

Blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

" (traditional, McKennitt) – 3:20 # " She Moved Through the Fair" (traditional,

Padraic Colum Padraic Colum (8 December 1881 – 11 January 1972) was an Irish poet, novelist, dramatist, biographer, playwright, children's author and collector of folklore. He was one of the leading figures of the Irish Literary Revival. Early life Col ...

, McKennitt) – 4:05 # "Stolen Child" (McKennitt,

W. B. Yeats William Butler Yeats (13 June 186528 January 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and became a pillar of the Irish liter ...

) – 5:05 # "The Lark in the Clear Air" (traditional, McKennitt) – 2:06 # " Carrighfergus" (traditional, McKennitt) – 3:24 # "Kellswater" (traditional, McKennitt) – 5:19 # "Banks of Claudy" (traditional, McKennitt) – 5:37 # "Come by the Hills" (traditional, McKennitt) – 3:05 # "Lullaby" (

William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual art of the Romantic Age. ...

, McKennitt) – 4:26

Song information

* "Stolen Child" is based on the

William Butler Yeats William Butler Yeats (13 June 186528 January 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and became a pillar of the Irish liter ...

poem "

The Stolen Child "The Stolen Child" is an 1889 poem by William Butler Yeats, published in ''The Wanderings of Oisin and Other Poems''. Overview The poem was written in 1886 and is considered to be one of Yeats's more notable early poems. The poem is based on I ...

". * The main vocals of "Carrighfergus" are sung by Cedric Smith. * "Lullaby" uses the words of a poem by

''Prologue intended for a dramatic piece of King Edward the Fourth''. The song was written for the 1983

Stratford Festival of Canada The Stratford Festival is a theatre festival which runs from April to October in the city of Stratford, Ontario, Canada. Founded by local journalist Tom Patterson in 1952, the festival was formerly known as the Stratford Shakespearean Festival ...

production of ''

Blake Blake is a surname which originated from Old English. Its derivation is uncertain; it could come from "blac", a nickname for someone who had dark hair or skin, or from "blaac", a nickname for someone with pale hair or skin. Another theory, presuma ...

'' by

Elliott Hayes Elliott Hayes (June 22, 1956 – February 28, 1994) was an aspiring Canadian playwright when he was killed in a car accident by a drunk driver. Elliott Hayes was born in Stratford, Ontario to a theatrical family. He was the grandson of class ...

and performed by Douglas Campbell.

Notes

1985 debut albums Loreena McKennitt albums {{1980s-folk-album-stub