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'
S fagaim mo bhaile
Enya Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tá mo chroíse go brón 's fad ar shiúl m'óige
Oíche is mé liom féin
Spéartha dubh go domhain, a choích
Ag cuimhneach ar laethanta a bhí
Gan ghá agus gan ghruaim
Eistim leis an ghaoth
Deireadh an turas mór
Táim brónach, buartha 's briste
I mo dhiaidh nach mbeidh níos mó
Ach, tá sé I ndán dúinn, a pháistí
Is fada anois an lá a d'fhág mé mo bhaile
Níl áthas I mo chroí níl ann ach an marbh
The Enya song “S fagaim mo bhaile” tells a story of a person who is leaving home first thing in the morning, and is overwhelmed with sadness and regret. The opening line, “Maidin is tús an lae 's fágaim mo bhaile,” translates to “Morning is the beginning of the day and I leave my home.” The singer's heart is heavy with sorrow, as they reflect on their youth and how it seems so far away. They are alone at night, gazing into the vast darkness of the sky, reminiscing on days past that were carefree and without gloom. The lyrics’ next line, “ag cuimhneach ar laethanta a bhí, gan ghá agus gan ghruaim,” translates to “remembering the days that were without want and without grief.”
Enya’s tone in the song is mournful and weary, which is addressed in the next line, “Eistim leis an ghaoth/Uaigneas mór, go deo, a choích,” translating to “I listen to the wind, great loneliness forever in my heart.” The song is about accepting the end of a journey, or chapter, in the singer’s life. They are sorry and worried that there will be nothing more, but they understand that this is their fate. The final verse, “Is fada anois an lá a d'fhág mé mo bhaile/Níl áthas I mo chroí níl ann ach an marbh,” translates to “Long ago now, the day I left my home/There is no joy in my heart except death.”
Overall, the song is a beautifully tragic anthem about the realization of time's passage and the loss of what was, leaving one feeling hollow and empty.
Line by Line Meaning
Maidin is tús an lae 's fágaim mo bhaile
In the morning at the beginning of the day, I leave my home
Tá mo chroíse go brón 's fad ar shiúl m'óige
My heart is sad because my youth is gone for a long time
Oíche is mé liom féin
At night I am alone
Spéartha dubh go domhain, a choích
Deep black skies, oh night
Ag cuimhneach ar laethanta a bhí
Remembering the days that were
Gan ghá agus gan ghruaim
Without need and without sadness
Eistim leis an ghaoth
I listen to the wind
Uaigneas mór, go deo, a choích
Great loneliness forever, oh night
Deireadh an turas mór
The end of the big journey
Táim brónach, buartha 's briste
I am sad, troubled, and broken
I mo dhiaidh nach mbeidh níos mó
After me there will be no more
Ach, tá sé I ndán dúinn, a pháistí
But it's in store for us, my children
Is fada anois an lá a d'fhág mé mo bhaile
It's been a long time since I left my home
Níl áthas I mo chroí níl ann ach an marbh
There's no joy in my heart, only the dead
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@HowdyImSomeOne
Hopefully this pronunciation guide in Donegal Irish accent (where Enya hails from) will help those who wanna learn the lyrics :)
The phonic spellings I used are words pronounced in English, while some aren't. Enjoy!
Irish: English:
Maidin is tús an lae Morning and the day's beginning
(Mah-gin is toos ahn lair)
Is fágaim mo bhaile And I leave my home
(is fwair-game moh wa-luh)
Tá mo chroíse go brón My heart is breaking
(Tear mo khree-suh go brone)
Is fad ar shiúl m'óige My youth is long past
(s-fahd ayr hule moy-guh)
Oíche is mé liom féin Night and I am alone
(Ee-here s'may lohm heyn)
Spéartha dubh go domhain, a choích Endless deep black skies
(Spare-huh doo go dough-n uh hee)
Ag cuimhneach ar laethanta a bhí Remembering days that were
(Egg kwee-niah ayr lair-hun-tuh ah vee)
Gan ghá agus gan ghruaim Without want and without gloom
(Gun gare ah-guhs gun grime)
Eistim leis an ghaoth I listen to the wind
(Aysh-chim laysh un gwee)
Uaigneas mór, go deo, a choích Great loneliness forever, endless
(Why-g-nuhs more, go joe, ah hee)
Deireadh an turas mór The end of the long journey
(Jare-roo un taurus more)
Táim brónach, buartha 's briste I am sad, sorrowful and broken
(Time bro-nah, buar-huh is brish-cher)
I mo dhiaidh nach mbeidh níos mó After me there will be no more
(Emo yay nah may nees more)
Ach, tá sé I ndán dúinn, a pháistí But children, it is our destiny
(Ah tear shay ey nen doon, uh fwesh-chee)
Ach, tá sé I ndán dúinn, a pháistí But children, it is our destiny
(Ah tear shay ey nen doon, uh fwesh-chee)
Is fada anois an lá The day is long past
(s'fah-duh uh-neesh un lair)
A d'fhág mé mo bhaile When I left my home
(Uh deck may mo wa-luh)
Níl áthas I mo chroí There is no hope in my heart
(Kneel air-huhs ey mo khree)
Níl ann ach an marbh There is only death
(Neel un ah un mah-roo)
@danarduynna6761
Pour ceux de mon pays, qui aiment ou découvrent Enya ( Roma, Nicky, Eithne ), cette chanson traduit sa peine, lorsqu' elle a dû quitter sa maison natale.
Je propose cette interprétation :
" 'S Fagaim mo Bhaile "
Je quitte ma maison
Maidin is tús an lae
Tôt, au petit Matin
Is fágaim mo bhaile
Je quitte ma maison
Tá mo chroíse go brón
Mon coeur est triste
Is fad ar shiúl m'óige
Mon enfance est loin
Oíche is mé liom féin
La nuit je suis seule
Spéartha dubh go domhain, a choích
Les cieux sont ténébreux, pour toujours
Ag cuimhneamh ar laethanta a bhí
Se souvenir des jours passés
Gan ghá agus gan ghruaim
Inutile et sans morosité
Eistim leis an ghaoth
J' écoute le vent
Uaigneas mór, go deo, a choích
Grande solitude m' envahit, pour toujours
Deireadh an turas mór
La fin du grand voyage
Táim brónach, buartha 's briste
Je suis triste, inquiète et brisée
I mo dhiaidh nach mbeidh níos mó
Derrière moi il n'y aura plus
Ach, tá sé i ndán dúinn, a pháistí
Mais, c'est notre destin, les enfants
Is fada anois an lá
La journée est longue maintenant
A d'fhág mé mo bhaile
Je laisse derrière moi, ma maison
Níl áthas i mo chroí
Sans joie dans mon coeur
Níl ann ach an marbh
Seule avec les morts.
@TheImmutableTruth
Whenever we praise Enya, we should remember to show thanks to everyone else responsible for the writing and production of her music. The distinctive, soothing way the sounds blend and mix isn't a result of Enya's voice, but of the producer.
@Doremifasol558
That's right. the idea of 'multilayered voice' was by the producer, Nicky Ryan and the beautiful lyrics was done by Roma Ryan
@rarebreedewe
Well said!! 🎉
@MsSujoy
Enya is soft like petals yet sharp like platinum blade🙏🙏🙏
@katilalo3039
This hit me like a freight train :O I'm simply impressed by the emotion that Enya transports through her voice!
@ASorin-mi6su
Enya has always been Enya, never less. Will we ever love her enough ?
@Nash1965H
Huh? What do you mean "Enya has always been Enya?' I realize it's a compliment, but can you clarify what it is you mean. Thank you.
@LindaKey
This so sad and poignant. I love this... Roma and Enya are the best writing duo ever as well as the best collaborators of making the most beautiful ballads and melodies to stand the test of time. Thank you for uploading this
@jimaginata
You're welcome! Yes, Roma and Enya are definitely among the best! :)
@billyrasbury259
I listen to Enya every day. She says what I feel, and if it's not in her words, it's in the melody. But I've never heard this song. Thank you for putting this video up. I could watch wheat blowing all day long too! It's soothing.