On Eagle's Wings
{{Short description|Christian hymn by Michael Joncas}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox musical composition
| name = "On Eagle's Wings"
| type = Religious hymn
| image = On_Eagle's_Wings_1979.jpeg
| alt =
| caption = Cover art of the 1979 album
| composer = Michael Joncas
| genre = Folk hymn
| occasion = Funeral of H. Douglas Hall
| text = by Michael Joncas
| language = English
| publisher = Oregon Catholic Press
| written =
| based_on = {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Psalm|chapter=91}}
| meter = Irregular
| composed = {{Start date|1976|01}} {{endash}} {{End date|1976|04}}
| first_recording = {{Start date|1979}}
| duration = {{Duration|m=4|s=15}} (original 1979 recording)
| premiere_location = Omaha, Nebraska
| premiere_date = April 27, 1976
| misc =
}}
"On Eagle's Wings" is a Christian hymn by Fr. Michael Joncas. Originally composed for the funeral of a friend's father in 1976 and published in 1979, the song unexpectedly gained significant popularity in both Catholic and Protestant hymnody. It has been quoted several times by former U.S. president Joe Biden, has been performed by Michael Crawford and Lana Del Rey, and was performed at the funerals of Beau Biden and Luciano Pavarotti. While it has also been criticized for its saccharine and folksy approach to scripture, it is a popular hymn at Christian funerals. Originally written in English, it has been translated into Italian, Spanish, and Polish.
Composition
In January 1976, Jan Michael Joncas was visiting a friend, Doug Hall, a seminarian of the Archdiocese of Omaha, at the Catholic University of America. Hall asked Joncas if he would compose a hymn for the funeral of his father, H. Douglas Hall, who had recently suffered a heart attack and had a poor prognosis. H. Douglas Hall died in April, and on April 27, 1976, "On Eagle's Wings" was performed for the first time at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church in Omaha.{{cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Michael |title=At Omaha accountant's funeral, song first soared |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald-at-omaha-accountants/168813986/ |access-date=March 25, 2025 |work=Omaha World-Herald |date=March 30, 2014 |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald-omaha-parish-where-so/168814151/ 7] |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1979, Joncas recorded and published the work, and in 1980 was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.{{cite news |last1=Wiering |first1=Maria |title=Local priest-composer 'honored and humbled' by Biden quoting his 'On Eagle's Wings' |url=https://news.arcasearchdev.com/csvirth/pdfs/spm-2020-11-19-0-014.pdf |access-date=March 26, 2025 |work=The Catholic Spirit |date=November 19, 2020 |page=14}} In 2014, a $5,000 plaque was anonymously donated to St. Robert Bellarmine parish, commemorating the first performance of the composition.{{cite news |title=A permanent reminder of beloved song's origin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald-a-permanent-reminder/168816322/ |access-date=March 25, 2025 |work=Omaha World-Herald |date=July 9, 2014 |pages=8 |via=Newspapers.com}} Joncas gave the original handwritten manuscript to the Hall family.
=Text and music=
{{Listen
| filename = On Eagle's Wings first refrain.ogg
| title = "On Eagle's Wings"
| description = The first refrain of "On Eagle's Wings" from the original 1979 recording.}}
The hymn is based on the text of Psalm 91, with references to Exodus 19 and Matthew 13. The psalm itself contains no references to eagles, but the analogy of an eagle follows the mention of angels from on high sent by God for protection.{{cite news |title=Response to 'On Eagle's Wings over the years humbling for composer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-catholic-advance-response-to-on-eag/168815922/ |access-date=March 25, 2025 |work=The Catholic Advance |agency=Catholic News Service |date=January 3, 2014 |pages=11 |via=Newspapers.com}} It is a non-rhyming, close paraphrase of the psalm with a free versification. The song requires a wide vocal range; it contains six- and seven-note leaps, as well as a leap of an entire octave jump from one eighth note to another.{{cite news |last1=Esolen |first1=Anthony |title=Let’s Bring Back Gregorian Chant |url=https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/lets-bring-back-gregorian-chant |work=Crisis Magazine |date=February 2, 2022}} It spans from a low A to a high E – the same range as the Star Spangled Banner. The tune has been described as a "lilting pop melody" with "sweet God talk", and has been criticized for its overly warm and "reformed-folk" style, with an "casual, la-dee-da" melody that allegedly casts the singer as the main character rather than God.{{cite book |last1=Day |first1=Thomas |title=Why Catholics Can't Sing: The Culture of Catholicism and the Triumph of Bad Taste |date=1992 |publisher=Crossroad Publishing Company |isbn=9780824511531 |pages=62–63 |url=https://archive.org/details/whycatholicscant0000dayt |access-date=March 25, 2025}}{{cite journal |last1=Poterack |title=Joseph Ratzinger’s Theology of Sacred Music, the Dangers of Systemization, and Some Thoughts on Culture: A Reply to Justin Pizzo |journal=Sacred Music |date=Spring 2021 |volume=148 |issue=1 |pages=54–66 |issn=0036-2255}} At an awards banquet at the University of Saint Thomas, fellow composer David Haas teased Joncas for having the only hymn that begins with "yoo-hoo", playing off the opening line: "You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord".{{cite news |last1=Gibeau |first1=Dawn |title=Liturgical Music: If played in church, it may be Twin Cities sound |work=National Catholic Reporter |date=May 12, 1995 |page=10}}
Usage
The song was used during Pope John Paul II's various visits to the United States in the 1980s, which helped the it gain popularity. It soon began to be used at both Catholic and Protestant churches. It has been performed at baptisms, weddings, and funerals at Catholic, mainline Protestant, charismatic, and other denominations' communities.{{cite journal |last1=Grindal |first1=Gracia |title=Contemporary American Poetry and Current American Hymnody |journal=Jahrbuch für Liturgik und Hymnologie |date=1994 |volume=35 |pages=164–165 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24200634 |issn=0075-2681}} Joncas was surprised by the popularity of the hymn.
The hymn was sung by Susan Powell during a nationally telecast memorial service after the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.{{cite news |last1=Allen |first1=John |title=Once again TV makes us one in its coverage |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-muskegon-chronicle-once-again-tv-mak/168849093/ |access-date=March 26, 2025 |work=The Muskegon Chronicle |date=April 30, 1995 |pages=2F |via=Newspapers.com}} Similarly, it was used at the funerals of many victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It has been translated into Italian, Spanish, and Polish, among other languages.{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Kay |title=Joncas: Trying to help people sing their faith |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-joncas-trying-to-help-peop/168815745/ |access-date=March 25, 2025 |work=Star Tribune |date=July 13, 1996 |pages=E10 |via=Newspapers.com}} Native American Catholics have found a special connection to the song because of the eagle motif, and it is frequently sung at the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel.{{cite news |title=Priest never anticipated popularity of his song 'On Eagle's Wings{{'-}} |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-catholic-advance-priest-never-antici/168816065/ |access-date=March 25, 2025 |work=The Catholic Advance |agency=Catholic News Service |date=March 9, 2001 |pages=16}} In 1998, the tenor Michael Crawford released his album, On Eagle's Wings, on which a cover of Joncas's song is the first track.{{cite journal |last1=Price |first1=Deborah Evans |title=Crawford's choirboy roots show on Atlantic's 'Wings.{{'-}} |journal=Billboard |date=February 7, 1998 |volume=110 |issue=6 |page=12 |issn=0006-2510}} An Italian version of the hymn, "On the Arms of the Eagle" ({{Langx|it|Sulle Braccia dell'Aquila}}), was sung at Luciano Pavarotti's funeral.{{cite news |last1=Dulle |first1=Colleen |title={{-'}}On Eagle's Wings': The simple origin of the song that makes the world cry |url=https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2017/12/28/eagles-wings-simple-origin-song-makes-world-cry |access-date=March 25, 2025 |work=America Magazine |date=December 28, 2017 |language=en |archive-date=April 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230402093333/https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2017/12/28/eagles-wings-simple-origin-song-makes-world-cry |url-status=live }} The song is used season 8, episode 6 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.{{cite news |last1=Borja |first1=Melissa |title=It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia: "Charlie’s Mom Has Cancer" |url=https://www.avclub.com/its-always-sunny-in-philadelphia-charlie-s-mom-has-ca-1798174996 |access-date=March 25, 2025 |work=AV Club |date=November 16, 2012 |language=en}}
Former American president Joe Biden has referenced the song, which was played at the 2015 funeral of his son Beau Biden, on several occasions.{{cite news |last1=Mattingly |first1=Terry |title=Yes, Joe Biden is an 'On Eagle's Wings' American Catholic |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republican-yes-joe-biden-is-an-on/168816537/ |access-date=March 25, 2025 |work=The Republican |date=February 10, 2024 |pages=B5 |via=Newspapers.com}} He quoted the hymn in his 2020 presidential election victory speech, stating that the song "captures the faith that sustains me and sustains America", and "now together, on eagle's wings, we embark on the work that God and history has called upon us to do." After the speech, Lana Del Rey posted a cover to Instagram.{{cite news |last1=Peters |first1=Mitchell |title=Lana Del Rey Covers 'On Eagle's Wings' Hymn in Honor of Joe Biden's Acceptance Speech |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/lana-del-rey-eagles-wings-hymn-cover-joe-biden-speech-9480265/ |access-date=March 25, 2025 |work=Billboard |date=November 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927034354/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/lana-del-rey-eagles-wings-hymn-cover-joe-biden-speech-9480265/ |archive-date=September 27, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=DeSmith |first1=Christy |title=What 'On Eagle's Wings' means for Joe Biden and the priest who wrote it |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-what-on-eagles-wings/168816871/ |access-date=March 25, 2025 |work=The Boston Globe |date=November 11, 2020 |pages=B8 |via=Newspapers.com}} Joncas said he was "honored and humbled" that Biden would quote his hymn. Biden quoted it again at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2024, mistakenly referring to it as being taken from Psalm 22.
Fr. Doug Hall, whose father's death had been the stimulus for the hymn, died in 2018; Joncas performed the song at Hall's wake and funeral. Joncas has stated that he does not know whether it will be played at his own funeral.{{cite journal |last1=Sullivan |first1=Mark |title=Catholic composer sounds off on liturgical music |journal=Our Sunday Visitor |date=February 1, 2009 |volume=97 |issue=40 |page=12 |issn=0030-6967}}