To start with, I can't point out any single track of this album as all of them are priceless in terms of lyrics, rythme, tunes and music, not to forget the sublime voice of Enya. I am a hardcore rock fan and swear by my Scorpion, LedZeps and Metallica. THen there's Bonjovi, Van Halen-- B. Adams, Def Leppard and Country singers and the whole lot. They will be there. Let me say a few things that may infuelnce your thoughts about Enya and her music. Most of the time she's like an unknowm entity.
My first tryst with Enya was her back ground music in Lord Of the Rings which ran for the oscars. It was that amazing, lilting strain, surreal melancholy of her voice, like the gentle stream of of breeze wafting through the hills and forests--- Who is this Enya? I just couldn't forget that voice. It went straight to my heart. And the effect was magical.
Today I am a die hard fan of this amazing lady from my old Ireland. She has been a movie background singer for quite a long time, had her own band, but now sings/composes solo.
Remember "The Last of The Mohicaans:?-- the 'No matter where, you are' song--- That's Enya's voice too.
Born Eithne Ní Bhraonáin
Since EITHNE was difficult for people to pronounce, she used 'Enya' because it's Gaelic and the TH in Gaelic isn't pronounced. But the second part is very difficult, it's"Ní Bhraonáin"(Ni = Daughter of & Bhraonáin = Brennan), so she became 'Enya'.
With her blend of folk melodies, synthesized backdrops, and classical motifs, Enya created a distinctive style that more closely resembled new age, than the folk and Celtic music that provided her initial influences.
Enya is from Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland, which she left in 1980 to join the Irish
band Clannad. She stayed with Clannad for two years, then left, hooking up with producer friend Nicky Ryan and lyricist Roma Ryan, with whom she recorded film and television scores. Enya then recorded Watermark (1988), which featured her distinctive, flowing music and multi-overdubbed trancelike singing; the album sold four million copies worldwide. Watermark established Enya as an international star and launched a successful career that lasted well into the '90s.
Enya was born into a musical family. Her father, Leo Brennan, was the leaderof the Slieve Foy Band, a popular Irish show band; her mother was anamateur musician. Most importantly to Enya's career, was her siblings,who formed Clannad in 1976 with several of their uncles. Enya joined the band as a keyboardist in 1979, and contributed to several of the group's popular television soundtracks. In 1982, she left Clannad,claming that she was uninterested in following the pop direction thegroup had begun to pursue. Within a few years, she was commissioned,along with producer/arranger Nicky Ryan and lyricist Roma Ryan, toprovide the score for a BBC-TV series called The Celts. The soundtrack was released in 1986 as her eponymous solo album.
Enya didn't receive much notice, but Enya and the Ryans' second effort,Watermark, became a surprise hit upon its release in 1988. "OrinocoFlow," the first single, became a number one hit in Britain, helpingthe album eventually sell eight million copies worldwide. Enya spentthe years following the success of Watermark rather quietly; Shefinally released Shepherd Moons,her follow-up to Watermark, in 1991. Shepherd Moons was even moresuccessful than its predecessor, eventually selling over ten millioncopies worldwide; it entered the U.S. charts at number 17 and remainedin the Top 200 for almost four years.
Again,Enya was slow to follow up on the success of Shepherd Moons, spending nearly four years working on her fourth album. The record, entitled Memory of Trees, was released in December of 1995. Memory of Treesentered the U.S. charts at number nine and sold over two million copies within its first year of release. 1997 saw the release of agreatest-hits collection, Paint the Sky with Stars: The Best of Enya,which featured two new songs. Enya's first album of new material infive years, Day Without Rain, was released in late 2000.
Enya released several singles and remixes in 2001, and in 2002 wasincluded on the soundtrack to the movie The Lord Of The Rings - TheFellowship of The Ring. She was nominated for an Oscar that year forone of her songs "May It Be" from the soundtrack album. She went on in2002 to win the Grammy. In 2002 Enya got a Golden Globe and Oscarnominationfor "best original song" with "May It Be". Wins a new GrammyAward for "Best New Age Album" with A Day without Rain. Wins three World Music Awards: "best- selling Female artist", "best-selling NewAge artist" and"best-selling Irish artist", and wins the award for "best pop-rocksingle" with "Only Time" in the Echo Awards (Germany).
Amazing lady, amazing artist. Fabulous voice: They just dont come any greater than her and I must admit, she makes Celine Dion sound like a rusty old can! Just close your eyes and listen to her. I completely agree that her music has this spiritual quality-- it cleanses your mind and body-- thats the magic of that Irish voice. I work in a high stress IT environment--When I need peace and solace I know where to find it. Her music is a very effective stress reliever. Give Enya a try.You (if you call youself a music lover) will be amazed to see how her voice lifts you into the realms of sublime and you are face to face with peace. I swear, No one can do that to me. Pick up any of her albums-- Any--. "Day without rain" can start you off. Or listen once more to "May it Be" from LOTR-FEllowship of the Rings . Beauttiful lyrics reflecting themes on love and nature-- A voice as sweet as honey, as sublime as the celestial bells-- No I won;t even try to describe it. I can't! If you've seen Lord of the rings-- You're bound to have heard her voice. It is unfortunate though that I need to refer to a movie to draw attention to Enya.
"Ever close your eyes, ever stop and listen,
Ever feel alive, and there's nothing missing--
You don't need a reason-- let the rain go on and on-----" Listen to this when it rains.
Enya is around 45 yrs old, unmaried and lives a very solitary and private life now in Killiney in Co.Dublin.She rarely appears in public. Sh'e not the type.She has recently purchased an old
castle (Ayesha Castle) reportedly for £2.5 million, and is renovating it so she can move in. She lives on her own now and says she feels thatit's better that way. Here's a pic of her---
You must be wondering a few things. She is a practising witch and my inspiration for Wicca as well. My only regret is, not being able to sit with her and listen to her singing. May the spirits bless this grand lady-- I'd love to die with her voice in my ears-- I will die a content man.... I salute her...
NB: Buying tips-- Now that's a pain in India. You won't get most of her Albums. Then some albums have this problem of having a good number of the same songs. Enya's albums are priced Rs 455 onwards. "Day without Rain", "Paint The stars", "Amarantine" are worth collecting . (allofmp3.com is a good site where you pay a nominal charge to download whatever you want.
