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
When Will We All Be Free
Karan Casey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They live like Kings and Queens
They go about all dressed up
Well encased in their dreams
Most of us go from day to day
With the feeling we have no clout
The gods they say it's better that way
(Chorus:)
Life is for living
And living is for loving
Loving is for giving
If we can be free
|: When will we all be free :|
Our politicians run to the altar of gold
To line their pockets with greed
Turning a blind eye to all around
Especially the ones in need
McDowell's welcome is naught
He builds barriers along our shores
At night he stops buses and takes people off
If they don't look anything like ours
(Chorus)
We've only dreamed of what we can do
We've hardly seen the colour of angels
When will we open our hearts to sing
Let the stars fall out and lets begin
The song "When Will We All Be Free" by Karan Casey is a social commentary on the current state of society where the divide between the rich and the poor is ever-increasing. The opening verse describes how some people enjoy living the high life, dressed in their luxurious clothes and surrounded by their dreams, while others struggle to make ends meet. It suggests that the gods keep the poor people in their place, ensuring that they continue to live hand-to-mouth, furthering the divide between the rich and poor. The chorus of the song emphasizes that living is for loving and giving and that freedom is essential to attain this love and happiness. It raises the critical question of when all people can finally be free to live, love and give in equal measure without any discrimination.
The second verse of the song takes aim at politicians and their corrupt behavior. The lyrics point out how politicians are willing to do anything for money, including turning a blind eye to the plight of those in need. It talks about how Michael McDowell, a politician from Ireland, has built barriers along the seashore to keep immigrants out and is even stopping buses at night and taking people off if they don't appear to belong. This verse highlights the hypocrisy of politicians who claim to have the best interests of the country at heart but are driven by greed.
The final verse of the song suggests that we have the potential to do great things but have barely scratched the surface. It talks about opening our hearts and allowing everyone to join together for a common goal. The lyrics encourage singing, and the music encourages the listener to come together and create a communal feeling. The song ultimately sends a message of hope, urging everyone to work towards an equal and just society where everyone can live their lives to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
Some people live the high life
There are individuals who lead an extravagant life
They live like Kings and Queens
These people live lavishly like royalty
They go about all dressed up
They dress in fancy clothes
Well encased in their dreams
They are shielded by their own aspirations
Most of us go from day to day
The majority of people live their lives with no significant changes
With the feeling we have no clout
These people hardly have any influence
The gods they say it's better that way
The higher authority seems to believe that it is the best course of action
To keep us going from hand to mouth
To maintain us with the bare necessities of life
Life is for living
Life should be spent enjoying each day
And living is for loving
Love should occupy a significant portion of our lives
Loving is for giving
To love someone else, one must give them something in return
If we can be free
If we can achieve freedom
|: When will we all be free :|
The question of when everyone will become free is raised
Our politicians run to the altar of gold
Politicians across the board are too focused on monetary gain
To line their pockets with greed
Their avarice causes them to fill their pockets with money
Turning a blind eye to all around
They are deliberately ignoring the issues that plague their country
Especially the ones in need
They are ignoring the people who most require help
McDowell's welcome is naught
McDowell's hospitality is lost
He builds barriers along our shores
He constructs walls on the coastline
At night he stops buses and takes people off
He forcefully removes people from buses at nighttime
If they don't look anything like ours
If they don't resemble his idea of the right kind of people
We've only dreamed of what we can do
We've only imagined what we are capable of achieving
We've hardly seen the colour of angels
We've barely witnessed any miracles
When will we open our hearts to sing
When will we open our hearts to joyfully celebrate and experience life
Let the stars fall out and lets begin
Let go of all inhibitions and start a new chapter in life
Contributed by Aaliyah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dolebob
what's the song? sounds amazing despite the quality
Abigail Barletta
KARAN GO GO GO! LOVE U! My fave singer rules