Brennan grew up as the eldest in a very musical family in a remote parish in the northwest of Ireland, a place where the Irish language and tradition was and still is very much alive. She sang along with her siblings in the family pub, Leo's Tavern. She also took part in many pantomimes in Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair, the local theatre, usually dancing and singing.
It was during 1970 that she joined her two brothers Pól and Ciarán and their mother's two twin brothers Noel and Pádraig Ó Dúgáin and eventually formed Clannad. After enjoying a decade of being the world's foremost traditional Irish act, they graduated to chart success in 1982 with the album Magical Ring. Moya Brennan was at the forefront of the group's success and her voice suddenly became synonymous with celtic music and Irish music at the time. She has recorded 17 albums with Clannad and has won a Grammy, a BAFTA and an Ivor Novello award with the quintet.
Moya Brennan released her first solo album in 1992, Máire, on Atlantic Records. Misty Eyed Adventures on BGM followed three years later. In 1998, Brennan signed with Word Records and released Perfect Time, and Whisper To The Wild Water a year later. The album was nominated in the Grammy Awards of 2001 for Best New Age Album. Her music is usually classified as New Age or Celtic. She accepts the Celtic label, but has at times indicated a slight discomfort with being seen as "New Age" as much of her music is strongly Christian, with several of her songs centering on maintaining a relationship with Jesus Christ. Some of her songs show influences from her Catholic upbringing or seem relational due to her own views concerning the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In total Brennan has recorded 25 albums, and has sold over 20 million records. Since 2002, she has promoted herself as Moya Brennan — a spelling closely resembling the phonetic pronunciation of her name for those not familiar with the Irish variant of the spelling.
Brennan, along with Clannad, are considered as the inventors of contemporary celtic music and are held in high esteem for their vast contribution to modernizing old Irish songs. It is Brennan's haunting voice that has left the most lasting legacy, it has become synonymic with Clannad's work and with Irish music in general. Her ethereal vocalization is considered the archetypal sound of Ireland and strains of her style have been acquired in the soundtracks to Titanic and Riverdance. Brennan is also famous for her harp playing, she has featured it on many Clannad records and her album Two Horizons is based on the discovery of the harp.
Moya is also a member of Irish traditional group, T with the Ms.
Mothers Of The Desert
Moya Brennan Lyrics
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Secret songs are somewhere in the desert
Don't let me stray
A light will shine bringing liberty
Scattered clans, scattered lands
Waiting for me
Hear their voice, the mothers of the desert
Daring to dream, a prayer, a hope
Peaceful harmony
Turning lies, turning tides
Turning for me
In "Mothers Of The Desert," Moya Brennan sings about a search for something that is not yet found. The lyrics begin with the question "Where will we run?" which implies that the singer is seeking an escape from their current situation. The next line "Sacrifice our time" suggests that the journey will be a long and difficult one. The following lines, "Secret songs are somewhere in the desert, Don't let me stray," indicate that the singer is not going on this journey alone - they have companions and they fear getting lost in the vast expanse of the desert. The final line of the first stanza, "A light will shine bringing liberty," suggests that the singer will find what they're looking for; however, they need to keep faith that they will eventually find it.
The second stanza introduces the idea of a journey to find scattered clans in scattered lands. The line "Waiting for me" implies that the singer is on a mission to unite these clans. The third line of the second stanza, "Reaching frontiers, warriors of the past," implies that the singer is following in the footsteps of those who came before them. The "mothers of the desert" are the wise women who have previously ventured out into the desert and can offer guidance to the singer on their journey. The stanza ends with the line "Peaceful harmony," which implies that the journey will bring people together and unite them in a common cause.
The final stanza begins with the line "Turning lies, turning tides, turning for me," which could imply that the singer's worldview is changing as they undertake this journey. They are realizing truths that they had not considered before. The last line of the song is "Dancing for me," which suggests that the journey has been successful and that the singer has found what they were searching for - a reason to celebrate.
Line by Line Meaning
Where will we run? Sacrifice our time
We should determine where to go and be willing to dedicate our time to what we are passionate about.
Secret songs are somewhere in the desert
There are hidden messages of hope and inspiration that can be found in the hardest of times.
Don't let me stray
Guide me through life's journey and keep me focused on the right path.
A light will shine bringing liberty
There is always hope, even in the darkest moments, and a bright future is possible.
Scattered clans, scattered lands
People are spread out and separated, but still share common ground and goals.
Waiting for me
I have a responsibility to take action, even if it feels like a burden.
Reaching frontiers, warriors of the past
We are following in the footsteps of those who have come before us and paved the way for our success.
Hear their voice, the mothers of the desert
We should listen to and learn from those who have endured hardships and overcome adversity.
Daring to dream, a prayer, a hope
We should have the courage to pursue our aspirations, and have faith that they can come true.
Peaceful harmony
A world where everyone lives in peace and works together towards a common goal is possible if we commit to making it a reality.
Turning lies, turning tides, Turning for me
The truth will eventually be revealed, and even the most difficult obstacles can be overcome with resilience and determination.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MOYA BRENNAN, ROSS CULLUM, FEARGAL COLM MURRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind