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
Lady Mary Anne
Karan Casey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And there she saw twa bonny laddies playing at the ball
And the youngest of them was the fairest of all
He's my bonny boy he's young and he's growing O
O father dearest father you have done me a great wrong
For to go and get married to a lad who is so young
For he being only sixteen years and I am twenty one
Daughter dearest daughter I have done you no wrong
For to go and get you married to a lad who is so young
He will be a match for you when I am dead and gone
He's your bonny boy he's young and he's growing O
Father dearest father then I'll tell you what we'll do
We'll send my love to college for another year or two
All around his college cap we'll bind the ribbons blue
To let the ladies know that he's married O
Well young Charlie Cochrane was the sprout of an oak
Blithe aye and bonny and straight was his neck
And the sun when it shone it was all for his sake
He will be the pride of the forest O
Lady Mary Anne was the flower among the dew
Blithe aye and bonny and straight was her shoe
The longer she blossomed well the sweeter she grew
For the lilly in the bud will be bonnier O
The summer it is gone and the leaves they were green
Happy were the days that both you and I have seen
Ah but far happier days I trust will come again
For my bonny boy he's young and he's growing O
Oh well at the age of sixteen years he was a married man
At the age of seventeen the father of his son
Ah but at the age of eighteen o'er his grave the grass grew green
Cruel death had put an end to his growing O
I will weave my love a shroud of the ornamental brown
While I am a weaving it the tears they will fall down
For once I had a true love but now he's lying low
I'll nurse his bonny boy while he's growing O
The song “Lady Mary Anne” is a traditional Scottish ballad that revolves around the story of a young girl named Lady Mary Anne who falls in love with a boy while watching him play from the castle wall. She asks her father’s permission to marry him but as he is just sixteen years old, he deems him too young for her. Her father, however, sees him as a good match for her and is convinced that he will be able to provide for her when he is no longer around. The two eventually get married, but tragedy strikes when the young boy dies at the age of eighteen. The song ends with Lady Mary Anne nursing her son, the only solace left after losing her beloved husband.
The lyrics of this song are deeply emotional and tragic. It speaks about the fleeting nature of youth, the inevitability of death, and the resilience of love. Lady Mary Anne’s love for her husband shines through in each verse, from her defense of him to her vow to care for the child they have together. The lyrics also depict the societal norms of the time, where a young girl needed her father's permission to marry someone.
Line by Line Meaning
Lady Mary Anne looked over the castle wall
Lady Mary Anne stands at the castle wall and gazes beyond.
And there she saw twa bonny laddies playing at the ball
Lady Mary Anne spots two handsome young lads playing ball in the distance.
And the youngest of them was the fairest of all
Of the two, the youngest is most attractive to Lady Mary Anne.
He's my bonny boy he's young and he's growing O
Lady Mary Anne is smitten by the youngest boy and speaks of him fondly.
O father dearest father you have done me a great wrong
Lady Mary Anne accuses her father of wrongdoing.
For to go and get married to a lad who is so young
Lady Mary Anne has married a younger man and her father disapproves.
For he being only sixteen years and I am twenty one
Lady Mary Anne's husband is only 16 years old and she is 21.
Daughter dearest daughter I have done you no wrong
Lady Mary Anne's father declares his innocence of wrongdoing.
He will be a match for you when I am dead and gone
Her father believes her young husband will be a good match for her once he passes away.
Father dearest father then I'll tell you what we'll do
Lady Mary Anne proposes a solution to her father.
We'll send my love to college for another year or two
She suggests her husband attend college for a few more years.
All around his college cap we'll bind the ribbons blue
They plan to decorate his college cap with blue ribbons to indicate his status as a married man.
To let the ladies know that he's married O
The blue ribbons will inform other women that he is already taken.
Well young Charlie Cochrane was the sprout of an oak
Charlie Cochrane is described as growing strong and robust like a sapling.
Blithe aye and bonny and straight was his neck
Charlie was cheerful and handsome and had a straight posture.
And the sun when it shone it was all for his sake
Charlie was the light of Lady Mary Anne's life.
He will be the pride of the forest O
Charlie will be a source of pride for Lady Mary Anne and for the forest as a whole.
Lady Mary Anne was the flower among the dew
Lady Mary Anne was beautiful and delicate like a flower in morning dew.
Blithe aye and bonny and straight was her shoe
Lady Mary Anne was cheerful and pretty with straight, elegant footwear.
The longer she blossomed well the sweeter she grew
Lady Mary Anne only grew more beautiful as she aged.
For the lilly in the bud will be bonnier O
Just like a lily growing from a bud to a blooming flower, Lady Mary Anne grew more beautiful as she aged.
The summer it is gone and the leaves they were green
The summer has ended and the leaves have changed color.
Happy were the days that both you and I have seen
Lady Mary Anne recalls happier days from the past.
Ah but far happier days I trust will come again
Despite the past's happiness, Lady Mary Anne believes that even happier days lie ahead.
Oh well at the age of sixteen years he was a married man
Lady Mary Anne's husband was only 16 years old when they got married.
At the age of seventeen the father of his son
By age 17, Lady Mary Anne's husband had become a father.
Ah but at the age of eighteen o'er his grave the grass grew green
Sadly, Lady Mary Anne's husband died at age 18.
Cruel death had put an end to his growing O
Death cut short Lady Mary Anne's husband's growth and life.
I will weave my love a shroud of the ornamental brown
Lady Mary Anne wishes to create a special burial shroud for her deceased husband.
While I am a weaving it the tears they will fall down
While she weaves the shroud, Lady Mary Anne knows she will cry for her lost love.
For once I had a true love but now he's lying low
Lady Mary Anne confirms that she loved her husband deeply, but he is now at rest.
I'll nurse his bonny boy while he's growing O
Lady Mary Anne will take care of her husband's son as he grows up, following in his father's footsteps.
Contributed by Harper B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.