The Book of Secrets (album)


The Book of Secrets is the sixth studio album by Loreena McKennitt, released in 1997. It reached #17 on the Billboard 200. The lead single of the album, "The Mummers' Dance," remixed by DNA, was released during the winter of 1997–98, and peaked at #18 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #17 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.
The album is certified double-platinum in the United States. It has now sold more than four million copies worldwide.

Track listing

All music written by Loreena McKennitt. All lyrics written by Loreena McKennitt except as noted.
  1. "Prologue" – 4:22
  2. "The Mummers' Dance" – 6:07
  3. "Skellig" – 6:07
  4. "Marco Polo" – 5:15
  5. "The Highwayman" – 10:19
  6. "La Serenissima" – 5:09
  7. "Night Ride Across the Caucasus" – 8:30
  8. "Dante's Prayer" – 7:11

Song information

  • The DNA remix of "The Mummers' Dance" was made into a music video.
  • "Skellig" relates the dying words of a monk from a monastery that existed during the 6th–12th centuries on the island Skellig Michael, 11.6 km west of Ireland.
  • "The Highwayman" is an adaptation of the poem of the same name by Alfred Noyes.
  • "Night Ride Across the Caucasus" appeared in the 1998 film Soldier.
  • The music from "Night Ride Across the Caucasus" was used in the song "Kokli" by Ulytau.
  • "Dante's Prayer" refers to Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy.

Personnel

This information is directly from the sleeve notes.

Production