Her family encouraged her to sing in the house, in a church choir and at school. At Waterford Regional Technical College she studied piano then took music at University College Dublin in 1987. Having learned to copy Ella Fitzgerald's scat singing, she performed in a Dublin bistro several nights per week while still a student. At the Royal Irish Academy of Music she studied classical music and sang in a jazz band, then a folk-ballad band, then another jazz band. She also fell under the influence of Dublin folk singer Frank Harte. During this time she also formed her own band, called Dorothy.
In 1993 Karan moved to New York City. There she studied jazz at Long Island University. When she encountered Irish traditional music sessions in New York she started singing Irish traditional music again. During this time she mostly sang in bars and locals. For most of 1994 she sang with a group called Atlantic Bridge. At the end of the year she joined Seamus Egan and others in Solas. She sang five songs on their first album in 1996. In the same year she sang in Tramps club in Manhattan, accompanied only by a percussionist. They mixed jazz and folk. In 1997 she recorded a solo album, Songlines, inspired by the novel of the same name by Bruce Chatwin. It was produced by Seamus Egan and included several members of Solas. There were a few traditional songs and some contemporary folk songs.
In 2000 Karan collaborated with several other singers on "Seal Maiden - A Celtic Musical". It was a musical version of the film "The Secret of Roan Inish", designed for children. It concerns the mythical creature called the selkie - a seal-woman. Since then Karan has recorded three further solo albums released in 2001, 2003 and 2005. In a salute to her Celtic roots, several tracks were recorded in her native Irish tongue. She also features on the DVD "Solas Live".
Her 2005 album Chasing the Sun includes a number of songs Casey wrote herself. Her records are released by Shanachie Records in the United States and Vertical Records in Europe.
Karan is now living in County Cork, and is married to Niall Vallely, a composer and player of traditional Irish music.
Solo albums
* Songlines (1997)
* Seal Maiden (2000)
* The Winds Begin To Sing (2001)
* Distant Shore (2003)
* Chasing The Sun (2005)
Recordings with Solas
* Solas (1996)
* Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers (1997)
* The Words That Remain (1998)
* Reunion: A Decade of Solas (2006, CD and DVD)
As session musician
* Dancing at Lughnasa (film) (1998)
* Waking Ned Devine (film) (1999)
* "Celtic Solstice" by Paul Winter
Ballad of Accounting
Karan Casey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the afternoon walked through its streets
Evening saw us leaving
We wandered through our days as if they would never end
All of us imagined we had endless time to spend
We hardly saw the crossroads and small attention gave
To the landmarks on the journey from the cradle to the grave
Cradle to the grave, cradle to the grave
Did you learn to dream in the morning?
Abandon dreams in the afternoon?
Wait without a hope in the evening?
Did you stand there in the traces and let them feed you lies?
Did you trail along behind them wearing blinkers on your eyes?
Did you kiss the foot that kicked you? Did you thank them for their scorn?
Did you ask for their forgiveness for the act of being born?
Act of being born, act of being born
Did you alter the face of the city?
Make any change in the world you found?
Or did you observe all the warning?
Did you read the trespass notice? Did you keep off the grass?
Did you shuffle off the pavement just to let your betters pass?
Did you learn to keep your mouth shut? Were you seen and never heard?
Did you learn to be obedient and jump to at a word?
Jump to at a word, jump to at a word
And did you ever demand any answer?
The who and the what and the reason why
And did you ever question the setup?
And did you stand aside and let them choose while you took second best?
Did you let them skin the cream off and then give to you the rest?
Did you settle for the shoddy? And did you think it right
To let them rob you right and left and never make a fight?
And never make a fight, never make a fight
What did you learn in the morning?
How much did you know in the afternoon?
Were you content in the evening?
And did they teach you how to question when you were at the school?
Did the factory help you grow? Were you the maker or the tool?
Did the place where you were living enrich your life and then?
Did you mix among the standing of all your fellow men?
All your fellow men, all your fellow men, all your fellow men
The lyrics to Karan Casey's "Ballad of Accounting" express a sentiment of reflection on a life lived, questioning whether one has truly made a difference or merely gone through the motions of societal norms. The verses describe the journey of life as building a city in the morning, walking through its streets in the afternoon, and leaving in the evening. Throughout this journey, the singer challenges the listener to think about whether they have truly lived their life to the fullest or merely followed the rules and expectations set forth by those around them.
The lyrics also reference the idea of being "seen and never heard," implying that one's voice and individuality may have been suppressed in pursuit of societal acceptance. The chorus repeats the phrase "cradle to grave," emphasizing the cycle of life that can often go unnoticed if one does not actively try to make a difference.
Overall, "Ballad of Accounting" is a thought-provoking song that encourages listeners to question their own lives and choices, pushing beyond the notion of simply going through the motions.
Line by Line Meaning
In the morning we built the city
Every day, we woke up and worked hard, building our lives and contributing to society.
In the afternoon walked through its streets
After our work was done, we enjoyed the fruits of our labor and explored the world around us.
Evening saw us leaving
As the day came to a close, we realized that time was slipping away and we couldn't hold onto it forever.
We wandered through our days as if they would never end
We lived our lives with a sense of invincibility, assuming that we would always have time on our side.
All of us imagined we had endless time to spend
We were all guilty of taking our time for granted, failing to realize that every moment is precious and not to be squandered.
We hardly saw the crossroads and small attention gave
We were so wrapped up in our daily routines that we failed to notice the choices and decisions that could have led us down different paths.
To the landmarks on the journey from the cradle to the grave
We didn't pay enough attention to the significant milestones and moments that marked our journey from birth to death.
Did you learn to dream in the morning?
Did you start your day with hope and optimism, dreaming of what was possible?
Abandon dreams in the afternoon?
Did you let the pressures of the day-to-day grind crush your dreams and aspirations?
Wait without a hope in the evening?
Did you end your day feeling hopeless and defeated, resigned to a life without meaning or purpose?
Did you stand there in the traces and let them feed you lies?
Did you blindly follow the crowd, accepting the lies and half-truths fed to you by those in power?
Did you trail along behind them wearing blinkers on your eyes?
Did you allow yourself to be willfully ignorant, ignoring the realities of the world and the consequences of your actions?
Did you kiss the foot that kicked you? Did you thank them for their scorn?
Did you submit to those who treated you poorly, thanking them for the abuse they heaped upon you?
Did you ask for their forgiveness for the act of being born?
Did you believe that you were somehow lesser or unworthy, and apologize for simply existing?
Did you alter the face of the city?
Did you take action to make the world a better place, effecting change and leaving your mark on the world?
Make any change in the world you found?
Did you use your resources and influence to make a positive difference, no matter how small?
Or did you observe all the warning?
Did you play it safe and stick to the status quo, ignoring the warning signs of deeper problems in society?
Did you read the trespass notice? Did you keep off the grass?
Did you follow the rules at all costs, even when those rules were unfair or unjust?
Did you shuffle off the pavement just to let your betters pass?
Did you bow down to those you believed were superior to you, relinquishing your own power and dignity?
Did you learn to keep your mouth shut? Were you seen and never heard?
Did you allow yourself to be silenced, never speaking up for yourself or those around you?
Did you learn to be obedient and jump to at a word?
Did you blindly follow orders and never question authority, even when those orders were harmful or immoral?
And did you ever demand any answer?
Did you ever stand up for what you believed in and demand accountability from those in power?
The who and the what and the reason why
Did you ask the tough questions and seek to understand the motivations and decisions that drove society forward?
And did you ever question the setup?
Did you challenge the status quo and push for a better world, even when it meant going against the popular opinion?
And did you stand aside and let them choose while you took second best?
Did you allow others to make decisions for you, settling for less than what you truly deserved?
Did you let them skin the cream off and then give to you the rest?
Did you allow those in power to hoard the best resources and opportunities, handing you only what was leftover or unwanted?
Did you settle for the shoddy? And did you think it right
Did you lower your standards and accept poor quality, believing that that was all that you were entitled to?
To let them rob you right and left and never make a fight?
Did you passively allow those in power to take advantage of you, never standing up for your own rights and dignity?
What did you learn in the morning?
What lessons did you take away from your early years, and how did they shape the rest of your life?
How much did you know in the afternoon?
As time progressed, did you continue to learn and grow, or did you become complacent and set in your ways?
Were you content in the evening?
At the end of your life, can you look back and say that you lived a life free of regrets, full of joy and contentment?
And did they teach you how to question when you were at the school?
Did you receive an education that encouraged critical thinking and questioning of authority, or were you taught to blindly accept what you were told?
Did the factory help you grow? Were you the maker or the tool?
Did your work and career help you develop and grow as a person, or did it simply turn you into a cog in the machine, existing only to serve someone else's bottom line?
Did the place where you were living enrich your life and then?
Did your physical surroundings bring you joy and enrich your life, or were you stuck in a soulless and depressing environment?
Did you mix among the standing of all your fellow men?
Did you surround yourself with people of different backgrounds and perspectives, or did you stay within a narrow echo chamber that reinforced your own beliefs?
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: EWAN MACCOLL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Blackheart
If only we took in the words. God blessed this world with Ewan McColl and Karen Casey
Kate Bates
Bravo and only kind words for the passionate Karan Casey & Euan, the flute is show stopper. Many thanks from 🇺🇸 USA Much ❤ 😍 💖 love
Paul Hynd
I love this song - Karan sings it with great gusto! I'm loving' the flute part.
trocarcat
stumbled across Karan & Solas in the 90's while working a local Irish Fest in CT. stopped me in my tracks- what a fantastic voice! saw her every now and then over the years ..some things never change. she's still utterly amazing.
josiahsdays
Stellar performance by all!
Boat Man
Powerful lyrics
florina madaule
Yeaaaahhhhh ! Thanks a million for posting this video again on youtube !!
Eis Lakkon
Unique!
...what else?
Kurt Ingalls
The Irish built America ....... Thank you from Texas USA
sean mac Eoin
👍