Enya

The Whole Of The Moon(two versions with lyrics)

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 5 Comments

Today I have been listening to The Whole Of The Moon– two versions repeatedly. Someone posted this in Twitter and before I knew it I was hooked going back and forth like what you do in a seesaw. It s a boring Monday and I have been doing paper works with that song in the background. Oh and I have to tell you I am doing this on a break-not during work.

There’s something about the lyrics that captivated my imagination. It’s originally done by The Waterboys in 1985 from the album This Is The Sea. In the early 90’s, Irish singer Terry Reid covered this.  Enya collaborated with him on this track providing backing vocals and keyboards.

The Whole Of The Moon lyrics
Songwriters: Scott, Michael;

I pictured a rainbow, you held it in your hands
I had flashes but you saw then plan
I wandered out in the world for years while you just stayed in your room
I saw the crescent, you saw the whole of the moon
The whole of the moon

You were there in the turnstiles with the wind at your heels
You stretched for the starts and you know how it feels
To reach too high, too far, too soon
You saw the whole of the moon

I was grounded while you filled the skies
I was dumbfounded by truth, you cut through lies
I saw the rain dirty valley, you saw Brigadoon
I saw the crescent, you saw the whole of the moon

I spoke about wings you just flew
I wondered I guessed and I tried, you just knew
I sighed and you swooned
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/w/waterboys-lyrics/the-whole-of-the-moon-lyrics.html ]
I saw the crescent, you saw the whole of the moon
The whole of the moon

With a torch in your pocket and the wind at your heels
You climbed on the ladder and you know how it feels
To get too high, too far, too soon
You saw the whole of the moon, the whole of the moon, hey yeah

Unicorns and cannonballs, palaces and piers
Trumpets, towers and tenements, wide oceans full of tears
Flags, rags, ferryboats, scimitars and scarves
Every precious dream and vision underneath the stars

Yes, you climbed on the ladder with the wind in your sails
You came like a comet, blazing your trail
Too high, too far, too soon
You saw the whole of the moon

Oh, how [Incomprehensible] did you see the whole of the moon

© DIZZY HEIGHTS MUSIC PUBLISHING LT;

According to GrecoCelt: On a less speculative note, Mike Scott (The Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist/Pianist of the Waterboys) has said that the song’s subject is “a composite of many people”, including C.S. Lewis.

from Song Meanings website.

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If you are in Cornwall and looking for a place to hang out for some Celtic music, then try Rule 7 Bar try this link for a complete info: http://www.folkmusicfestivalsandsessions.com/2011/02/friendly-traditional-english-irish.html

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Now for some Scottish Puirt a Beul is Sileas.

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Fisherman’s Friends from Port Isaac Cornwall will receive BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Good Tradition .

From  http://www.independent.co.uk:

Once known as a safe haven for fishermen and sailors on the merciless north Cornish coast, Port Isaac, with its typical whitewashed cottages and cobbled lanes, is now a place more recognisable as the setting for television dramas such as Doc Martin and films such as Nigel Cole’s Saving Grace.

However, the Fisherman’s Friends have proved that home-grown talent can grab the headlines, too. The choir, who have sung together for 16 years, first came to critical attention when they released their first album, Port Isaac’s Fisherman’s Friends, on Universal Records at the end of April 2010. Since then, they have performed at Glastonbury, the Cambridge Folk Festival, the Royal Festival Hall, Union Chapel and, slightly closer to home, the Boardmasters Festival in Newquay and the Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/ship-comes-in-at-last-for-cornish-folk-singers-2206359.html

Happy Birthday Roma Ryan

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 1 Comment

Roma describing the recording of A Day Without Rain in 2000

January 20th marks the birthday of Roma Ryan the Grammy award lyricist for Enya. I would describe Roma’s work as delicate, beautiful and timeless. Her works are something that one would describe as calm, thoughtful but with an underlying depth and current. Her poetry just grabs you gently and before you know it, you are drawn to her magical world. It is a world where Tolkien’s Elves would be seen. But it can also reflect the human condition yet never losing its elegance in a world of buildings and mechanical noise. Enya,  stated that the importance of Roma’s and Nicky Ryan’s contributions are such that without them, “Enya” would not exist. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roma_Ryan So happy birthday Roma.

Roma Ryan, Enya and Nicky Ryan.

More on Roma: http://www.romaryan.com/

Enya singing May it Be live at the Academy Awards. Lyrics by Roma Ryan.

Speaking as a Capricorn who also shares the same birth sign, I got this quick facts off the net.

Traditional
Capricorn Traits


Practical and prudent
Ambitious and disciplined
Patient and careful
Humorous and reserved


On the dark side….

Pessimistic and fatalistic
 Miserly and grudging

    LIKES 

  • Reliability
  • Professionalism
  • Knowing what you discuss
  • Firm Foundations
  • Purpose
    DISLIKES

  • Wild Schemes

  • Fantasies
  • Go-nowhere jobs
  • Ignominy
  • Ridicule

What do you think?


Enya, in Her Own Words

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 7 Comments

Enya Writes For Irish Roots Magazine


Thanks to Nigel and the rest of the gang at Unity for this information:

‘Enya recalls a special day that would change her life forever’

It was a hot and sultry summers day when I stepped down from the bus which had taken me from Milford Loretto College to my home in Ghaodobhair, County Donegal. I had just turned seventeen and It was the last time I would make this journey. My Suitcase in hand and a bag over my shoulder, my College days were over. There was no big fuss for this homecoming girl but after all there were nine of us with all of the trappings that such a big family commands. I was just happy to be home. It was the time of day that my Dad was in Meenaleck tending to the Pub (Leo’s Tavern) and Mum was tutoring her Church choir.

My grandfather Aodh O Dugain, was the headmaster of the local Primary School in Dore where my Grandmother also taught. ‘’Gog’’, as we called him, was also a founder of Aisteoiri Ghaodobhair, the ‘Gweedore Theatre company’. Every time I returned home I always made a point of reporting to ‘Gog’ not only out of respect , but because he always took a very serious interest in how I had progressed and, after all, he had paid my way in College. ‘’I’ll see him tomorrow ‘’I thought, ‘’ but first I’ll catch up with the girls’’.

Not much had changed. My grandmother was gently scolding my siblings for making too much noise and at the same time she waved a big warm welcome at me. The family dog ran to greet me and made a nice mess of my skirt with his big friendly paws, but it was lovely to see him and to be welcomed home, besides, my school uniform would no longer be needed now. I found myself caught up in the general excitement but very soon I felt the need for some quiet. I had gotten used to the peace and quiet of College so I sneaked off to see how the new litter of kittens were doing. ‘Peewee’ and her kittens had made their home in our disused ‘bunkhouse’. I sat among them and watched them play. The sun beat down, the odd car would whoosh by and eventually the noise just faded away and I was left to relax with the mewing of the kittens and the buzzing of bees as my thoughts drifted to what the future might hold for me. As far as I was concerned Music would be my future, absolutely nothing else would do, but how that would come about I just had no idea. Even in the disused bunkhouse I was surrounded by real and vivid reminders of the musical heritage of my family.

There was a full kit of Premier drums showing the wear and tear of many years on the road. My grandmother, ‘Minna’ on my father’s side, had played those drums, and my grandfather Harry, played piano. He had a heart attack while performing one night and was taken to hospital. He insisted that the Band continued with the gig. Sadly he died that very night. Sometime later my mother joined the band and she too played piano and sang. A ‘Kay’ semi solid electric guitar lay against the wall, sadly waiting for someone to pick it up again. I reached out ,and in sympathy strummed it where it stood. Then there was the Selmer Saxophone, my father’s main instrument in the Band , the Accordion played by my aunt, Rosemary. My dad’s brother, affectionately known as ‘La La’, played trumpet and his other brother Tony , also on accordion. All these instruments came from my dad’s Dance Band ‘The Slieve Foy’, here in their final resting place after thousands of miles on the road and hundreds of Ballrooms all over Ireland and Scotland.

Taking up the baton from my father and mother, my two brothers and eldest sister formed the group Clannad along with my two uncles Padraig and Noel.

It was unthinkable to me that anything other than music would be part of my life , I was only three when I sang at my first Feis Ceol competition. Music was never far from my mind but contrary to popular belief my ambitions were in no way connected to those of my family, as I knew I wanted to have my own career and make my own mark, but I just had no idea how to make that happen. While I pondered on the future I could not even imagine any other choice. I had taken up Classical music in Milford and joined the ‘School’ choir on the first day I arrived, even this was not my first choir. I felt so fortunate to have the opportunity to learn more about my favourite subject.

My thoughts drifted to Sister Evelyn, my Music tutor, a meticulous and dedicated lady, and so generous in the way she imparted her great knowledge of music to me, but now the future lay before me, my thoughts were in full flight when suddenly, my cosy daydreaming was rudely interrupted as one of my sisters called my name ‘’Enya, it’s Nicky Ryan on the phone, he wants to speak to you’’… and so the future began.

http://www.irishrootsmedia.com/

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I think this is a wonderful piece of information about the celebrated Irish musician Enya. I’ve always admired her story. There’s this fairy tale quality to it. And most of her music says that feeling. I have known all along that she is intelligent and warm-hearted as her music. I am glad this coincidence happened to her. What if Nicky didn’t call that day?

With her style of writing, I’d say she has the gift of gab. I like her prose. It is rich and atmospheric. There is such emphasis on detail. And it’s nice to hear that she has a loving family . This is something al Enya fans would love to read about. Please share the news. Also visit and become a member of unity.enya.com the official Enya forum.

Back to the 90s

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 3 Comments

Tubular Bells II Live from Edinburg Castle.


Mike Oldfield is probably the world’s best instrumentalist-move over Yngwie Malmsteem, and the rest of the so-called guitar legends. Not only that his repertoire is wide, he is also ambitious in his stage performances incorporating not only countless instrumentalists to back him up, but a fireworks display at the end of this 1992 performance.

The DVD sound quality is so shockingly clear that you can hear every instrument from the tubular bells to the glockenspiel. He combines theater, movie, highland music as well as Americana to create a seamless concert that progresses from one track to another without interruption. Here he displays his virtuosity in all types of guitars, keyboards, vocal and percussion. Most world renounce guitars are only good in..well, playing guitars. But Mike can play everything.

Mike’s music is a combination of folk, rock and classical elements. Those who saw him live can attest to the fact that it’s always a transporting experience. He has the power to draw you to another realm. Elements introduced me to Mike Oldfiled’s music. From then on I started discovering his albums and realize that he is a class by himself. Critics would argue saying legends like Zappa rules. Well, that’s for rockers to decide-and rock is just one branch of a big tree known as music. And Mike is the trunk.

The Celts by Enya


Originally release in 1987 in the heyday of New Wave, bad hair and padded shirts, The Celts was a rare bird in the jungle of music. Originally made for a BBC documentary of the same title, The Celts was the start of the true Enya sound. What’s so good about this is her use of vocals, Piano, Juno 60, DX7, Emulator II and Kurzweil which were the most reliable at that time. Guest musicians like Arty McGlynn (electric guitar) , Liam O’Flynn(Uillean Pipes)…..added their talents making this effort a one of a kind album. The sound engineering was still at its first stage and you can tell the difference in the sound if you play it side by side with her other albums. In 1990 it was reissued probably due to the popularity of Watermark and Shepherd Moons. This album version has also undergone re-mastering.

The album opens with The Celts which became the theme of the series. There is a war like cadence in the music punctuated by Gaelic words with a corresponding choral aahhs in the background.

Aldebaran the second track is inspired by Ridley Scott, this has a Blade Runner, floating feel to it. I tell you when I heard this the first time, the hair at the back of my neck stood.  This is a gorgeous piece with the arpeggios and Enya hitting the high notes close to the end of the track.

I Want Tomorrow is the only song that has verse chorus verse structure. There is this wonderful music video accompanying it with Enya setting a car on fire with her finger tips. Her voice at this time was young but there is that unmistakable ethereal quality to it.  The electric guitar added a rock feel to this ballad. It has a slow marching rhythm to it.

March of the Celts was actually the song that made BBC decide to sign her up for a full 72- minute soundtrack. There is a long story which you could find in her A Life in Music Documentary. The piano melody is layered by a synthesizer organ sound along with her choral  aahhs and in the end a marching  synth drum beat and a dissonant aahs before the amazing coda.

Deireadh On Tuath would sound creepy to some due to the scale she uses. There is the one article I’ve read about the time when she had to spend countless hours practicing the book of scales in high school while her siblings played out in the sun. Her voice also gets really low which is a  kind of a wonder given her usually light soprano at the time. This is when the argument comes in about her as a soprano with an alto range.

The Sun in the Stream is one song whose melody is done entirely in Uillean pipes. The mix of the melody track was also very sharp to a point that the pipes were really highlighted making it totally sharper. Again more minor chords and vocal harmonies.

To Go Beyond is an intro to the complete To Go Beyond II which is the last track.

Fairytale is akin to a fugue with it’s keyboard melodies layered over one another until it builds up. This anthem about the fairy princess Etain had been feature in TV shows . In her harmony vocals, Enya sounds as if she is blowing raspberry seeds into the mic. This is really an inventive harmonizing I never heard any singer did.

Epona is a playful keyboard piece with has a swaying and hop step feel to it.

Triad is a song cycle in three parts. Again Enya sings in low vocals that could probably be painful if done by ordinary singers. The Gregorian chant like piece is followed by an instrumental that sounds modern but the melody sounds almost medieval. It is closed by what appears to be a choral piece in an odd time signature. Down beat is the perfect description to this type of pattern or rhythm.

Portrait(Out of the Blue) is something that lovers of Rachmaninov and any romantic composers would love. This piano piece is timeless and the emotion it evokes is that of longing, wonder and melancholy.

Boadicea. Now this song has become so popular in recent times that even rappers sampled it. But when it was heard the first time, I am sure this one evoked fear, wonder and a sense of victory upon listeners-especially those who are familiar with the lore of this Iceni queen.

Bard Dance is another piece with a medieval melody. The drum part was mixed by Nicky Ryan so low it threatens even state o f the art speakers.

Dan Y Dwr is a song done in Welsh. Like Deireadh On Tuath, there is that odd scale and bell sound. And yes Enya once again singing in a vocals so low it sounds eerie and lovely at the same time.

To Go Beyond II closes this album with its crystalline light vocal mix. The violin of Patrick Halling was mixed in a lush way that like the Uillean Pipes previously, it sounds so sharp.

Over all, The Celts provides a rewarding experience that makes you dig up your music knowledge in polyphony, contrapuntal, scales, baroque and sacred hymns. I never dare mention ambient here because this is never meant to be just a background music . I don’t know, I never treat mellow music as such. For me pure musical geometry can only be studied when the music is unhurried or sounding as if they are horses charging and chasing after one another. Fast and loud are not synonymous with clever and inventive. They’re just…fast and loud.

More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enya_(album)

Gael Force


I bought this DVD for the sole reason of watching Clannad. Then I realized that acts like The Afro Celt Sound System, Ashley MacIsaac, DeDannan ,The Chieftains ,Christy Moore. Brian Kennedy among the rest are never to be missed. This is Celtic music education all in one DVD from 1997.

Ronan Hardiman: Solas


Aside from being the composer for dancer extraordinaire Michael Flatley, Ronan Hardiman is also a best selling album artist. Solas from 1998 proves to the world that electronic music, Irish melodies and a sense of the mystical can make listeners jump into the bandwagon and cry out for more. Elegant, pop and yet traditional, Solas shines as work of art in a time dominated by trying hard composers and performers selling out to the likes of David Foster.

Secret Garden: Songs from a Secret garden


Emotional, cinematic and dense and Neo Classical. The duo of Norwegian Rolf Lovland and Irish Fionuala Sherry created this one of a kind album that not only heals but is also very visual. In this 1995 recording, they incorporated stringed orchestra as well as folk musicians to create a music that spans two nations and also time. From the opening Nocturne up to Ode to Simplicity, the album feels like a trek into the magical woods. If you are a Tolkien fanatic then this is something you will never pass up. Fionuala’s violin playing is elegant as you would expect from someone who used to play with the RTE. When you mix bright Norwegian melodies and melancholic Irish atmosphere, what you get is a walk into Hansel and Gretel’s forest.

From the Vault:Enya’s The Frog Prince

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 5 Comments

In early 80’s, Enya was approached by Time Warner’s David Puttnam to write a soundtrack fo a teen romance set in France. The Frog Prince was the result of the effort which paved the way for her successful career. Now we have to remember that this is the Enya before she’s able to really solidified her style. There are still traces of 60’s pop, jazz and folk in her tunes. This is a good collection in a sense that it will make you think what if….what if… indeed Enya moved to another direction of music. The video above is called ‘Dreams” taken from the same album.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Frog_Prince_(album)

P.S. This is a big OMG! There was a power outage in the middle of this and I was shocked to find my whole writing so horrible posted. I am so sorry. Anyway I added another song by the same artist and the same movie.