Cara Dillon (born 21 July 1975 in Dungiven, County Derry, Northern Ireland)… Read Full Bio ↴Cara Dillon (born 21 July 1975 in Dungiven, County Derry, Northern Ireland) is an Irish folk singer. In 2001, she launched her career as a solo artist in the UK with the eponymous Cara Dillon album. Prior to this, Dillon had been a member of the folk groups Óige and Equation. She and Sam Lakeman (whom she married in 2002) left Equation and signed to Blanco y Negro records going under the name 'Polar Star' (though there do not appear to be any recordings).

Dillon released her eponymous first solo album in 2001, a mixture of tradtional songs with two original compositions. This album garnered the best newcomer award and the best song for 'Black is the Colour' at the 2002 Radio 2 folk awards.

The follow up 'Sweet Liberty' was released in 2003 with her third album 'After the Morning' following in 2006.

In January 2008 Dillon and her band recorded a DVD The Redcastle Sessions in County Donegal which led to an extensive tour starting in the May and continuing through the folk festival season to the winter of 2008/9. This tour took-in venues across Ireland, Great Britain and The USA and introduced guitarist John Smith as a duet partner on the single If I Prove False, this single and a fourth album Hill of Thieves (released 26 January 2009) saw Dillon move to her own label Charcoal Records.

I Wish You Well
Cara Dillon Lyrics

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The leaves fall from the trees like gold
And I tell you that I love you so
The river sings, it's time to go
What lies ahead we'll never know

And summer brings sweet memories
When we danced all night on the dusty streets
With an angel watching over me

Your love has brought me to my knees

[Chorus]
Well I've loved you and I wish it so,
Wherever you decide to go
Yes I've loved you well I wish it so,
Wherever you decide to go

We kissed under the tired moon
And the stars shone down for me and you
We listen for the cock to crow
Come break of day you had to go

[Chorus]

I didn't want to let you leave
I didn't wanna tell you no
'Cause I know how to make you feel
And I don't wanna let you go

I didn't want to let you leave
I didn't wanna tell you no
'Cause I know how to make you feel
And I don't wanna let you go

Laa la la la ohh
La la la la

[Chorus]

Yes I've loved you well I wish it so,
Wherever you decide to go
Yes I've loved you well I told you so
Wherever you decide to go

I've loved you well
Wherever you decide to go

I've loved you well

Winter brings sweet melodies
Come back to me
Winter brings sweet melodies
Come back to me
Winter brings sweet melodies
Come back to me

Winter brings sweet melodies
Come back to me

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Cara Dillon's "I Wish You Well" seem to describe the changing of seasons, but they can also be interpreted as a metaphor for change. The leaves falling from trees like gold represents the shedding of old ideas and experiences, making way for new ones. The singer tells us that she loves someone, but it appears that their paths are diverging, and they are unsure what lies ahead. She reminisces about the summers they shared, dancing on dusty streets, with an angel watching over her. Their love has been powerful, bringing her to her knees, but she appears to have accepted that it may not last forever.

In the second verse, the couple kisses under the moon and the stars, but when morning arrives, one of them must leave. It is this parting of ways that seems to be at the core of the song's message. The singer cannot hold onto her lover, and even though she doesn't want to let them go, she recognizes that she must. The bridge contains a repeated phrase that echoes this feeling: "I didn't want to let you leave, I didn't wanna tell you no." The final verse sees the singer begging her lover to come back to her in the winter, as it brings sweet melodies. This could be interpreted as symbolizing the hope of reconciliation, of being able to start anew.

Overall, "I Wish You Well" is a song about acceptance and the realization that there are some things in life that we cannot control. The singer has loved her partner well, but she must let them go and wish them well on their journey.

Line by Line Meaning

The leaves fall from the trees like gold
The leaves falling from the trees remind me that things which were once vibrant may fade away, just like how our love has faded away.

And I tell you that I love you so
Although our love has faded, I still want you to know that I loved you deeply and genuinely.

The river sings, it's time to go
The river's gentle sound is like a reminder to let go of the past and move forward to something new in life.

What lies ahead we'll never know
Even though we cannot predict the future, I hope you take this opportunity to pursue your own happiness.

And summer brings sweet memories
When the warmth of summer returns, I will think back to the sweet memories we shared together.

When we danced all night on the dusty streets
I will treasure the moments we shared together, dancing and simply enjoying each other's company, even if it was in less than glamorous conditions.

With an angel watching over me
I feel like you were my guardian angel, always watching over and protecting me throughout our relationship.

Your love has brought me to my knees
Your love was so intense and powerful that it had the ability to humble me and bring me to my lowest point.

Well I've loved you and I wish it so, Wherever you decide to go
No matter where life takes you, I will always love you and wish you well.

We kissed under the tired moon And the stars shone down for me and you
One of my fondest memories of us was when we shared a kiss under the moon and stars. It was as if everything had aligned perfectly for us.

We listen for the cock to crow Come break of day you had to go
As night turned into morning, I knew that our time together was coming to an end and you had to leave.

I didn't want to let you leave I didn't wanna tell you no
Even though I knew it was best for you to go, I didn't want to accept it or tell you to leave as I wanted you to stay.

'Cause I know how to make you feel And I don't wanna let you go
I know how to make you happy and feel loved, and I don't want to let that go.

Yes I've loved you well I wish it so, Wherever you decide to go
No matter where life takes you, I will always love you and wish you well.

Laa la la la ohh La la la la
These are simply sounds to add to the musical enjoyment of the song.

Winter brings sweet melodies Come back to me
Winter reminds me of the moments we shared together, and I wish you would come back into my life.

I've loved you well Wherever you decide to go
Throughout our relationship, I loved you deeply and genuinely and will continue to do so, no matter where life takes you.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CARA DILLON, SAM LAKEMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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