Enya was born into a musical family. Her father, Leo Brennan, was the leader of the Slieve Foy Band, a popular Irish show band; her mother was an amateur musician. Most important to Enya's career were 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, claiming that she was uninterested in following the pop direction the group had begun to pursue. Within a few years she was commissioned, along with producer/arranger Nicky Ryan and lyricist Roma Ryan, to provide 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. "Orinoco Flow," the first single, became a number one hit in Britain, helping the album eventually sell eight million copies worldwide. Enya spent the years following the success of Watermark rather quietly; her most notable appearance was a cameo on Sinéad O'Connor's I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got. She finally released Shepherd Moons, her follow-up to Watermark, in 1991. Shepherd Moons was even more successful than its predecessor, eventually selling over ten million copies worldwide; it entered the U.S. charts at number 17 and remained in 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 Trees entered the U.S. charts at number nine and sold over two million copies within its first year of release. In 1997 came the release of a greatest-hits collection, Paint the Sky with Stars: The Best of Enya, which featured two new songs. Enya's first album of new material in five years, A Day Without Rain, was released in late 2000. In 2001, she contributed material to the first film in Peter Jackson's award-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy, scoring a hit with the single "May It Be." Amarantine, her first full-length recording since Day Without Rain, followed in November of 2005, and has so far sold nearly five million copies.
(Much of the above content of this biography has been taken from http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0ifoxqe5ldhe~T1.)
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, her song "Only Time" (from A Day Without Rain) was used as a backdrop in many radio and TV reports about the attacks. She initially frowned upon this use, especially when many bootlegged versions of Only Time mixed with sound effects from the attack began to appear.
Enya eventually agreed to release a special edition of the song with funds going to the families of victims. Many Enya fans, however, are resentful that her music has been linked with the attacks; an example of this occurred on a 2002 appearance on CNN's Larry King Live when images of battle in Afghanistan were shown on screen as she performed "May It Be", a song with little war connection. This sparked some complaints within Enya's fan community.
Enya is admittedly a slow worker when it comes to composing music. As a result, fans have had to wait as long as five years between albums. In September 2004, a new song, set to words from a Japanese poem Roma Ryan had written and called "Sumiregusa" ("Wild Violet") was unveiled in Japan as part of an advertising campaign for Panasonic. In announcing the new recording, Warner Music Japan stated that Enya's next album was scheduled for release (in Japan at least) in mid-November. Enya issued a press release on her official Web site on 19 September stating that this was a mistake and no new album was immediately forthcoming.
Enya was awarded the World's Best-Selling Irish Act award at the World Music Awards in London on 19 November 2006. On February 11, 2007 Amarantine won Enya her fourth Grammy when it was awarded the Best New Age Album award.
Recent Releases
In November of 2005, a new album, entitled Amarantine, was released. It won the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album for 2007.
In 2006, Enya released several Christmas-themed CDs with newly recorded material. On October 10, 2006, Sounds of the Season was released containing six songs: the previously released "Oíche Chiúin" (a.k.a. "Silent Night") and "Amid the Falling Snow", new recordings of the standards "Adeste Fideles" (a.k.a. "Oh Come All Ye Faithful") and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" as well as two original songs, "Christmas Secrets" and "The Magic of the Night". This CD was released only in the United States in an exclusive partnership with the NBC television network and the Target department store chain.
In later November two new editions of Amarantine were released. In North America, it was reissued as Amarantine - Special Christmas Edition with a second disc containing the four new Christmas songs previously issued on Sounds of the Season (the original album already had "Amid the Falling Snow" while "Oíche Chiúin" is a recording dating back to 1988 which had already been featured on numerous collections). The UK received a deluxe version of this release (Amarantine - The UK Special Edition) which also included three postcards and a copy of Roma Ryan's book Water Shows the Hidden Heart which is referenced on the original album. Canadian fans could choose from the Special Christmas Edition of Amarantine, or an EP entitled Christmas Secrets which only contained the four new songs.
Coinciding with these releases was the relaunch of Enya's official website on Nov. 2, 2006. On November 16, 2006 Enya mentioned on ITV1's that she is working on a new album. A month later, in a Japanese interview Enya said that the album will be a complete Christmas album and it will be released in the winter of 2007. There is no schedule for the release date itself.
Enya's album, "And Winter Came", was released in November 2008. It contains twelve tracks - ten brand new songs plus a newly recorded choral rendering of Oiche Chiuin (Silent Night) and a stunning version of the traditional Christmas hymn 'O come, o come Emmanuel'
China Rose
Enya Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who can say the way it should be;
Moonlight holly, the Sappho Comet,
Angel's tears below a tree.
You talk of the break of morning
As you view the new aurora,
Cloud in crimson, the key of heaven,
One told me of China Roses,
One a thousand nights and one night,
Earth's last picture, the end of evening
Hue of indigo and blue.
A new moon leads me to
Woods of dreams and I follow.
A new world waits for me;
My dream, my way.
I know that if I have heaven
There is nothing to desire.
Rain and river, a world of wonder
May be paradise to me.
I see the sun.
I see the stars.
The song China Rose by Enya is a mysterious and ethereal composition that deals with themes of the unknown, the otherworldly and a quest for answers concerning the mystical and spiritual aspects of existence. The song begins with the question "Who can tell me if we have heaven, who can say the way it should be?" This ambiguous query sets the tone for the whole song, which deals with the search for something that may or may not exist, and for which there may or may not be any answers. The following lines describe various images that add to the sense of mystery and wonder, including a moonlit holly tree, the Sappho Comet and Angel's tears. All of these are evocative of something celestial, ethereal and beyond our grasp.
The song then moves to a conversation about the break of morning and the new aurora. Enya sings about "one love carved in acajou," which might be taken as a reference to the ephemeral and fleeting nature of human love. The song then goes on to mention China Roses and a thousand nights and one night. These references conjure up images of mystical and exotic lands, and of adventure and exploration. The song finishes with a declaration of hope for the future as the singer follows a new moon to woods of dreams, where a new world awaits her.
Line by Line Meaning
Who can tell me if we have heaven,
Enya questions the existence and nature of heaven, and wonders if it truly exists.
Who can say the way it should be;
Enya questions how heaven should be, and suggests that there might be different versions of heaven.
Moonlight holly, the Sappho Comet,
Enya mentions a rare plant and a celestial event, which could be symbols of hope and beauty in life.
Angel's tears below a tree.
Enya uses a metaphor of tears shed by angels to convey a sense of sadness or loss, which could be contrasted with the beauty of the natural world.
You talk of the break of morning
Enya addresses someone who talks about the beginning of a new day, which could signify hope or renewal.
As you view the new aurora,
Enya mentions the dawn of a new day, which could be seen as a metaphor for a new beginning or a spiritual awakening.
Cloud in crimson, the key of heaven,
Enya describes a red cloud, which could represent a symbol of divine power or judgment.
One love carved in acajou.
Enya refers to a carved inscription, which could symbolize a message of love or faith that endures over time.
One told me of China Roses,
Enya mentions hearing about a particular type of flower, which could symbolize beauty, fragility, or cultural diversity.
One a thousand nights and one night,
Enya alludes to a famous collection of stories, which could suggest an interest in mythology, fantasy, or romance.
Earth's last picture, the end of evening
Enya describes the sunset or twilight, which could be viewed as a moment of nostalgia or transition.
Hue of indigo and blue.
Enya uses colors to evoke a sense of melancholy or introspection, and hints at the theme of duality or contrast.
A new moon leads me to
Enya talks about the lunar cycle, which could be associated with change, growth, or spirituality.
Woods of dreams and I follow.
Enya refers to a forest, which could be seen as a symbol of the unconscious mind, the unknown, or the spiritual realm.
A new world waits for me;
Enya suggests that there might be a different reality or a better future that she hopes to find or create.
My dream, my way.
Enya asserts her individuality or independence, and implies that she has a personal vision or goal that she wants to pursue.
I know that if I have heaven
Enya expresses a belief or hope that she will find a place of peace or happiness after death.
There is nothing to desire.
Enya implies that the ideal state of being is to be content or fulfilled, and suggests that heaven could provide that.
Rain and river, a world of wonder
Enya mentions natural elements, which could represent the beauty and harmony of the natural world.
May be paradise to me.
Enya suggests that paradise could be found in simple pleasures or experiences, and implies that it is a personal choice or preference.
I see the sun.
Enya describes a solar phenomenon, which could symbolize light, warmth, or life.
I see the stars.
Enya mentions celestial objects, which could be seen as symbols of hope, transcendence, or mystery.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NICKY RYAN, ROMA RYAN, EITHNE NI BHRAONAIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind