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
Waiting for the Snow
Karan Casey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Starve us with your right
I will lie in a cold tent
While you are warm tonight
While we watch the same sunset
And the same stars fall
We have nothing
You have it all
(Chorus:)
As the march moves on
We've nowhere left to turn
Fighting to survive
While waiting for the snow
We curse the dusty mountains
The aching desert storm
Hear our children crying
Hungry in the morn
Their feast lies not in this world
But in another place
So stand up and listen
Take the smile from your face
(Chorus)
Our fate lies in your hands
While your world looks on
Politicians squirm about
Wondering what's gone wrong
Millions taking to the roads
It's happened yet again
I say now is the time
Come on now is the time
Now is the time to heal the pain
The lyrics of Karan Casey's song "Waiting for the Snow" describe the struggle of survival when living in harsh conditions while also feeling the inequality of the situation. The first verse speaks metaphorically about being fed with one hand and starved with the other, highlighting the feeling of being both helped and hurt by the same group of people. The image of lying in a cold tent while others are warm also shows the inequality of the situation, with some having more comfort and resources than others. Despite sharing the same sunset and stars, those with less are left with nothing while those with more have it all.
The chorus then speaks of being stuck in this situation with nowhere left to turn, fighting to survive while waiting for salvation. The second verse focuses on the pain of children and their hunger, emphasizing the frustration and sadness of not being able to provide for them in the current circumstances. The lyrics also suggest that there may be another place beyond this world where they can find their feast, alluding to the hope and faith that keeps them going.
Line by Line Meaning
Feed us with your left hand
You give us the bare minimum
Starve us with your right
You deny us access to what we need to survive
I will lie in a cold tent
I will suffer in the harsh elements
While you are warm tonight
While you are safe and comfortable
While we watch the same sunset
We see the same evening sky
And the same stars fall
We see the same constellations above
We have nothing
We lack the basic resources for a decent life
You have it all
You possess wealth and plenty
Chorus: As the march moves on
As we soldier on in this difficult journey
We've nowhere left to turn
We've exhausted all options
Fighting to survive
We are struggling to stay alive
While waiting for the snow
We hope for a change of fortune
We curse the dusty mountains
We rail against the harsh terrain
The aching desert storm
The brutal conditions that beat us down
Hear our children crying
Our young ones suffer along with us
Hungry in the morn
They wake up with empty stomachs
Their feast lies not in this world
Their happiness and well-being won't come from this life
But in another place
They will find their reward in another realm
So stand up and listen
Pay attention and take action
Take the smile from your face
Put aside your contentment and address our struggles
Chorus
Reaffirming our predicament
Our fate lies in your hands
Our destiny is subject to your choices
While your world looks on
As you and the rest of the world observe our plight
Politicians squirm about
Our leaders struggle to find a solution
Wondering what's gone wrong
Trying to understand why things are so difficult
Millions taking to the roads
So many of us are forced to flee our homes
It's happened yet again
We face recurring struggles with seemingly no end
I say now is the time
We must act without delay
Come on now is the time
Urging others to join in the effort
Now is the time to heal the pain
We can make things better and relieve our suffering
Contributed by Joseph F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.