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
The Liberty Tree
Karan Casey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The French did plant an olive tree
The symbol of great liberty
And the people danced around it
O wasn’t I telling you,
The French declared courageously
That Equality, Freedom and Fraternity
Would be the cry of every nation
In ’94 a new campaign
The tools of darkness did maintain
Gall’s brave sons they did form a league
And their foes they were dumb-founded
They gave to Flanders liberty
And all its people they set free
The Dutch and Austrians home did flee
And the Dukes they were confounded
Behold may all of human-kind
Emancipated with the French combine
May laurels green all on them shine
And their sons and daughters long wear them
May every tyrant shake with dread
And tremble for their guilty head
May the Fleur-de-Lis in dust be laid
And they no longer wear them
For Church and State in close embrace
Is the burden of the Human Race
And the people tell you to your face
That you will long repent it
For Kings in power and preaching drones
Are the cause of all your heavy groans
Down from your pulpits, down from your thrones
You will tumble unlamented.
O wasn’t I telling you,
The French declared courageously
That Equality, Freedom and Fraternity
Would be the cry of every nation
The Liberty Tree by Karan Casey is a song that highlights the significance of liberty and freedom, particularly in France in the years 1793 and 1794. The song's lyrics describe the planting of an olive tree, which became a symbol of liberty for the French people, and how they danced around it, rejoicing in their newfound freedom. The French declaration of "Equality, Freedom and Fraternity" is also mentioned as a cry that would be heard from every nation.
The song goes on to describe a campaign in 1794, where Gall’s brave sons formed a league and fought for liberty. They were triumphant, setting the people of Flanders free, and causing the Dutch and Austrians to flee. The Dukes were confounded by their defeat. The lyrics then posit the idea that all of humanity should be emancipated by joining with France, and every tyrant should shake with dread at the thought of being overthrown. The final verse calls out the burden of the church and state's close embrace, stating that the people will eventually overthrow their oppressors and that the French call for equality, freedom, and fraternity will continue to echo throughout the nations.
Line by Line Meaning
It was the year of ’93
In the year 1793, the events of this song took place.
The French did plant an olive tree
The French planted an olive tree, which became a symbol of liberty.
The symbol of great liberty
The olive tree was seen as a symbol of freedom and liberty.
And the people danced around it
The citizens celebrated by dancing around the olive tree.
O wasn’t I telling you,
The singer repeats the phrase for emphasis.
The French declared courageously
The French bravely declared their ideals of equality, freedom, and fraternity.
That Equality, Freedom and Fraternity
These were the principles that the French people believed in, and which they aimed to spread.
Would be the cry of every nation
The French believed that these ideals would eventually become universal, and that every nation would adopt them.
In ’94 a new campaign
The following year, 1794, saw a new campaign for liberty and freedom.
The tools of darkness did maintain
The forces of oppression and tyranny persisted.
Gall’s brave sons they did form a league
The brave sons of France formed a league to fight for their independence.
And their foes they were dumb-founded
Their enemies were caught off guard and defeated.
They gave to Flanders liberty
The French forces secured liberty for the people of Flanders.
And all its people they set free
The French liberated the entire population of Flanders from oppression and tyranny.
The Dutch and Austrians home did flee
The Dutch and Austrian forces retreated to their homelands in the face of the French advance.
And the Dukes they were confounded
The dukes and rulers who tried to suppress the uprising were defeated and bewildered.
Behold may all of human-kind
The singer now speaks directly to the listener, urging them to take note of what follows.
Emancipated with the French combine
The singer is hopeful that all people will one day be free, working together with the French in the fight for liberty.
May laurels green all on them shine
May the French, and all those who fight for freedom, be celebrated and honored like victors in a competition.
And their sons and daughters long wear them
May the achievements of the French and other freedom fighters be remembered and celebrated by future generations.
May every tyrant shake with dread
The singer hopes that tyrants all over the world will be afraid of the power of the people, and will ultimately be overthrown.
And tremble for their guilty head
The tyrants should feel guilty for their crimes against the people, and should be afraid of the consequences.
May the Fleur-de-Lis in dust be laid
The symbol of the French monarchy should be cast aside and forgotten, as it represents oppression and tyranny.
And they no longer wear them
The French should reject their royal past and embrace a new era of freedom and democracy.
For Church and State in close embrace
The singer addresses the connection between the church and the state and how it oppresses citizens.
Is the burden of the Human Race
This oppressive relationship has been a burden for people all over the world.
And the people tell you to your face
The people are speaking to the oppressors directly, urging them to change their ways.
That you will long repent it
The oppressors will one day regret their actions and face the consequences of their crimes.
For Kings in power and preaching drones
The people are critical of the behavior of those in power, who are hypocritical and unresponsive to the needs of the people.
Are the cause of all your heavy groans
The rulers are the cause of all of the pain and suffering that the people experience.
Down from your pulpits, down from your thrones
The people want those in power to step down and relinquish their authority.
You will tumble unlamented.
The rulers will fall from power, and nobody will grieve for them or miss them.
Contributed by Addison P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.