Paint The Sky With Stars (1997)

Album Overview

Released on 3 November 1997 in Europe by WEA and 11 November 1997 in the United States by Reprise Records, Paint the Sky with Stars: The Best of Enya is the definitive first greatest hits collection by Irish singer and composer Enya.

Spanning 16 tracks across a total length of 57:46, the album takes listeners on a sweeping retrospective through a decade of celebrated recordings made between 1986 and 1997.

Stream or download Enya songs

Curated Career Retrospective

The collection features 14 carefully selected works from her self-titled debut Enya (1987), her global breakthrough Watermark (1988), the multi-platinum Shepherd Moons (1991), and The Memory of Trees (1995).

Enya described assembling the compilation as being "like a musical diary," with each melody evoking vivid personal memories and distinct creative milestones.

New Track Additions

Intertwined within this retrospective are two newly written compositions: the title track "Paint the Sky with Stars" and the vibrant single "Only If...".

The lead single "Only If..." was released on 10 November 1997 to accompany the worldwide release of the album.

Critical Reception & Commercial Success

Paint the Sky with Stars received universal acclaim from music critics, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic awarding it a perfect 5 out of 5 stars rating.

The album swiftly ascended global music charts, reaching number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and securing the number 30 position on the Billboard 200 in the United States.

Global Sales & Accolades

United States: Certified 4× Platinum by the RIAA for shipping over 4,000,000 copies by 2005.
Japan: First non-Japanese album under the Warner label to receive a Japan Gold Disc Award in the Grand Prix Album category for selling over 1,000,000 copies.
Worldwide: Reached total global sales exceeding 12,000,000 copies.
Europe: Awarded a 3× Platinum certification by the IFPI for selling over 3 million units across the continent.

To promote the release, Enya embarked on an extensive media circuit featuring television broadcasts and international interviews.

Jump to lyrics, videos list, liner notes and credits.

Lyrics list

The complete 16-song tracklist featured on Paint the Sky with Stars includes both vocal masterpieces and celebrated instrumental compositions:

Orinoco Flow (from Watermark)
Caribbean Blue (from Shepherd Moons)
Book Of Days (English lyrics) (from Shepherd Moons)
Anywhere Is (from The Memory of Trees)
Only If... (Previously unreleased)
The Celts (from Enya / The Celts)
China Roses (from The Memory of Trees)
Shepherd Moons (Instrumental) (from Shepherd Moons)
Ebudæ (from Shepherd Moons)
Storms In Africa (from Watermark)
Watermark (Instrumental) (from Watermark)
Paint The Sky With Stars (Previously unreleased)
Marble Halls (from Shepherd Moons)
On My Way Home (from The Memory of Trees)
The Memory Of Trees (Instrumental) (from The Memory of Trees)
Boadicea (Instrumental) (from Enya / The Celts)

Videos

Lyrics

Orinoco Flow lyrics

EnyaTube has a video of "Orinoco Flow".

Also known as "Sail Away".

Roma Ryan

Let me sail, let me sail, let the orinoco flow,
Let me reach, let me beach on the shores of Tripoli.
Let me sail, let me sail, let me crash upon your shore,
Let me reach, let me beach far beyond the Yellow Sea.

CHORUS:
Sail away, sail away, sail away...
Sail away, sail away, sail away...
Sail away, sail away, sail away...
Sail away, sail away, sail away...

From Bissau to Palau - in the shade of Avalon,
From Fiji to Tiree and the Isles of Ebony,
From Peru to Cebu hear the power of Babylon,
From Bali to Cali - far beneath the Coral Sea.

Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up, up, up, adieu...
Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up, up, up, adieu...
Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up, up, up, adieu...

CHORUS

From the North to the South, Ebudæ into Khartoum,
From the deep sea of Clouds to the island of the moon,
Carry me on the waves to the lands I've never been,
Carry me on the waves to the lands I've never seen.

We can sail, we can sail, with the Orinoco flow
We can sail, we can sail...
Sail away, sail away, sail away...

We can steer, we can near with Rob Dickins at the wheel,
We can sigh, say goodbye Ross and his dependencies
We can sail, we can sail...
Sail away, sail away, sail away...

We can reach, we can beach on the shores of Tripoli,
We can sail, we can sail...
Sail away, sail away, sail away...

from Bali to Cali - far beneath the Coral Sea,
we can sail, we can sail...
sail away, sail away, sail away...

from Bissau to Palau - in the shade of Avalon,
we can sail, we can sail...
sail away, sail away, sail away...

we can reach, we can beach far beyond the Yellow Sea,
we can sail, we can sail...
sail away, sail away, sail away...

from Peru to Cebu hear the power of Babylon,
we can sail, we can sail...
sail away, sail away, sail away...

Caribbean Blue lyrics

EnyaTube has a video of "Caribbean Blue".

Roma Ryan

... Eurus...
... Afer Ventus...

... so the world goes round and round
with all you ever knew
They say the sky high above
is Caribbean blue...

... if every man says all he can,
if every man is true,
do I believe the sky above
is Caribbean blue...

... Boreas...
... Zephryus...

... if all you told was turned to gold,
if all you dreamed was new,
imagine sky high above
in Caribbean blue...

... Eurus...
Afer Ventus...
... Boreas
Zephryus...
... Africus...

Book Of Days (English lyrics)

EnyaTube has a video of "Book Of Days".

Roma Ryan

One day, one night, one moment,
my dreams could be, tomorrow.
One step, one fall, one falter,
east or west, over earth or by ocean.
One way to be my journey,
this way could be my Book of Days.

Ó lá go lá, mo thuras,
an bealach fada romham.
Ó oíche go hoíche, mo thuras,
na scéalta nach mbeidh a choích.

No day, no night, no moment,
can hold me back from trying.
I'll flag, I'll fall, I'll falter,
I'll find my day may be, Far and Away.
Far and Away.

One day, one night, one moment,
with a dream to believe in.
One step, one fall, one falter,
and a new earth across a wide ocean.
This way became my journey,
this day ends together, Far and Away.

This day ends together, Far and Away.
Far and Away.

Anywhere Is lyrics

Roma Ryan

I walk the maze of moments
but everywhere I turn to
begins a new beginning
but never finds a finish
I walk to the horizon
and there I find another
it all seems so surprising
and then I find that I know

CHORUS:
You go there you're gone forever
I go there I'll lose my way
if we stay here we're not together
Anywhere is

The moon upon the ocean
is swept around in motion
but without ever knowing
the reason for its flowing
in motion on the ocean
the moon still keeps on moving
the waves still keep on waving
and I still keep on going

CHORUS

I wonder if the stars sign
the life that is to be mine
and would they let their light shine
enough for me to follow
I look up to the heavens
but night has clouded over
no spark of constellation
no Vela no Orion

The shells upon the warm sands
have taken from their own lands
the echo of their story
but all I hear are low sounds
as pillow words are weaving
and willow waves are leaving
but should I be believing
that I am only dreaming

CHORUS

To leave the thread of all time
and let it make a dark line
in hopes that I can still find
the way back to the moment
I took the turn and turned to
begin a new beginning
still looking for the answer
I cannot find the finish
It's either this or that way
it's one way or the other
it should be one direction
it could be on reflection
the turn I have just taken
the turn that I was making
I might be just beginning
I might be near the end.

Only If... lyrics

EnyaTube has a video of "Only If...".

Roma Ryan

When there's a shadow, you follow the sun.
When there is love, then you look for the one.
And for the promises, there is the sky.
And for the heavens are those who can fly.

CHORUS:
If you really want to, you can hear me say
Only if you want to will you find a way.
If you really want to you can seize the day.
Only if you want to will you fly away.

Da da da da, da da da da da.
da da da da, da da da da da,
da da da da.

When there's a journey, you follow a star.
When there's an ocean, you sail from afar.
And for the broken heart, there is the sky.
And for tomorrow are those who can fly.

CHORUS

Da da da da, da da da da da.
da da da da, da da da da da,
da da da da.

Ooh go doe bay mwa.
Ooh go doe bay mwa.

Chorus

Ah! Je voudrai voler comme un oiseau d'aile
Ah! Je voudrai voler comme un oiseau d'aile, d'aile...

Ooh go doe bay mwa.
Ooh go doe bay mwa.

Chorus

If you really want to you can seize the day.
Only if you want to will you fly away.

Notes
"Je voudrai voler comme un oiseau d'aile, d'aile..." in French means "I wish I could fly like a winged, winged bird..."
"Ooh go doe bay mwa" meaning: this huming is not from a known language, but it sounds a bit like "Abandonez moi", French for "Leave me".

The Celts lyrics

EnyaTube has a video of "The Celts".

From the BBC documentary The Celts.

Roma Ryan

Hi-ri, Hi-ro, Hi-ri.
Hoireann is O, ha hi, ra ha, ra ho ra.
Hoireann is O, ha hi, ra ha, ra ha ra.
Hi-ri, Hi-ra, Hi-ri.

Saol na saol,
Tús go deireadh.
Tá muid beo
Go deo.

Saol na saol,
Tús go deireadh.
Tá muid beo
Go deo.

Hi-ri, Hi-ra, Hi-ri,
Hoireann is O, ho hi, ra ha, ra ha ra.

Repeat

Translation

Life of lives,
[From the] Beginning to the end.
We are alive
Forever.

Notes
"Hi-ri, Hi-ra, Hi-ri" and "Hoireann is O, ho hi, ra ha, ra ha ra" are Celtic spells, and don't have a translation.

China Roses lyrics

Roma Ryan

Who can tell me if we have heaven,
who can say the way it should be;
Moonlight holly, the Sappho Comet,
Angel's tears below a tree.

You talk of the break of morning
as you view the new aurora,
Cloud in crimson, the key of heaven,
one love carved in acajou.

One told me of China Roses,
One a Thousand nights and one night,
Earth's last picture, the end of evening:
hue of indigo and blue.

A new moon leads me to
woods of dreams and I follow.
A new world waits for me;
my dream, my way.

I know that if I have heaven
there is nothing to desire.
Rain and river, a world of wonder
may be paradise to me.

I see the sun.
I see the stars.

Ebudæ lyrics

Roma Ryan

Amharc, mná ag obair lá 's mall san oích,
Ceolann siad ar laetha geal, a bhí,
Bealach fada anonn 's anall a chóich.

Translation

Look, women working by day and late at night,
They sing of bright days that were,
A long way back and forth forever.

Storms In Africa lyrics

EnyaTube has a video of "Storms In Africa" (English version).

Roma Ryan (Irish adaptation by Enya)

Cá fhad é ó
Cá fhad é ó

Siúl tríd na stoirmeacha.
Dul tríd na stoirmeacha.

Cá fhad é ó
an tús don stoirm.
Cá fhad é ó
an tús go deireadh.

Tóg do Chroí.
Siúl tríd na stoirmeacha.
Tóg do chroísa.
Dul tríd na stoirmeacha.

Turas mór.
Tor tríd na Stoirmeacha.

Turas fada.
Amharc tríd na Stoirmeacha.

Translation

How long is it since
How long is it since
Walk through the storms
Go through the storms

How long is it since
The start of the storm
How long is it
From beginning to end

Lift your heart
Walk through the storms
Lift your heart!
Go through the storms

Great Journey
Heavy, through the storms

Long Journey
Look through the storms

Marble Halls lyrics

Alfred Bunn

I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls
with vassals and serfs at my side,
and of all who assembled within those walls
that I was the hope and the pride.
I had riches all too great to count
and a high ancestral name.

But I also dreamt which pleased me most
that you loved me still the same,
that you loved me
you loved me still the same,
that you loved me
you loved me still the same.

I dreamt that suitors sought my hand,
that knights upon bended knee
and with vows no maidens heart could withstand,
they pledged their faith to me.
And I dreamt that one of that noble host
came forth my hand to claim.

But I also dreamt which charmed me most
that you loved me still the same
that you loved me
you loved me still the same,
that you loved me
you loved me still the same.

On My Way Home lyrics

Roma Ryan

I have been given one moment from heaven
as I am walking surrounded by night,
Stars high above me
make a wish under moonlight.

On my way home
I remember only good days.
I'm on my way home
I can remember every new day.

I move in silence with each step taken,
snow falling round me like angels in flight,
Far in the distance
is my wish under moonlight.

On my way home
I remember only good days.
On my way home
I remember all the best days.
I'm on my way home
I can remember every new day.

Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up, up, up, adieu.
Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up, up, up, adieu.

On my way home
I remember only good days.
On my way home
I remember only good days.

Liner notes

Written by Enya's lyricist, Roma Ryan, in Only Time: The Collection.

Watermark

Has the night taken from you
the one who loves you?
No. Love is forever.
In your eyes is the sadness of one
who remembers their loss.
Love will not leave you.

Love does not fall under a name or
the mark on a page.
Love is unencumbered,
it's free and it's pure and it's brave.
In your heart is the island
where memories wash on the shore.
Love is an ocean.
Has the night taken from you
the one who belongs to you?

No. Love is forever.

The title of the track from the album "Watermark" was inspired by a poem I had written at that time. It remained as a poem and was not adapted for lyric. This is the first time the poem has been in print.

The track was later dedicated and used for the official tribute album for Princess Diana, the proceeds of which went directly to the memorial fund set up in her name after she expressed her personal fondness for the piece.

Boadicea

Boadicea or Boudicca, meaning "Victorious," was the Queen of the Iceni tribe of East Anglia.

She led a fierce rebellion in 60 A.D. against the Romans, destroying the cities of Colchester, St. Albans, and capturing London.

She was eventually defeated by the Romans, and rather than be humiliated by them, she poisoned herself.

Storms in Africa

There are two recorded versions of "Storms in Africa"—one sung in Gaelic and one in English.

The Gaelic version is our personal favourite, which we have included here on this collection after both versions were released as singles in 1989.

The Celts

This was the main title theme for the BBC television series. There were six programmes in the series with 72 minutes of original music recorded.

The director incorporated various pastiches in the programme and requested music to complement them, ranging from a "Spaghetti Western" to The Third Man and The Haunted House.

What happened to the remaining unreleased tracks? We still have them in our studio vaults!

Orinoco Flow

Although it was the last track written for the album Watermark, it was chosen as the lead single and met with monumental success, reaching number 1 in the United Kingdom.

There was a profound sense of discovery in creating this album—a sense of new beginnings and adventure that "Orinoco Flow" perfectly captures for us.

Ebudae

Ebudae, Latin for the Hebrides islands in Scotland, is referred to in Ariosto's Orlando Furioso as the Dreadful Isle or the Isle of Tears.

It is also home to traditional Scottish "waulking songs," the rhythm of which served as direct inspiration for this piece.

"Waulking songs" originate from the heritage of women weaving and chanting to the unrelenting rhythm of wool looms.

Book of Days

"Book of Days" was adapted from its original Gaelic instrumental form on Shepherd Moons for director Ron Howard's film Far and Away, starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.

The English lyrics were rewritten around the core cinematic themes of the film.

Shepherd Moons

In 1980, the Voyager space probe transmitted pictures to Earth revealing two tiny new moons orbiting the outer F ring of Saturn.

Numbered 1980S26 and 1980S27, these shepherd moons work ceaselessly on either side of the ring to keep cosmic particles together like a shepherd guiding a flock.

Caribbean Blue

Like Afer Ventus (the wind from Africa) or Zephyrus (the gentle west wind), human imagination is free to chart its own voyage.

Released as a hit single in November 1991, "Caribbean Blue" represents the pursuit of an ideal that can be summarized in three words: believe in yourself.

Marble Halls

An operatic piece originally scored by the Irish composer and baritone Michael William Balfe (1808–1870) with lyrics by Alfred Bunn.

Also known as "The Dream," it comes from the 1843 opera The Bohemian Girl and was praised by Johann Strauss, who called Balfe a "Master of Melody."

This ambient adaptation was later featured in director Martin Scorsese's 1993 film The Age of Innocence.

The Memory of Trees

In ancient Celtic belief, trees held sacred spirits within them and served as guardians of memory and lore.

The Druids recorded their wisdom using a secret alphabet called Ogham, named after Ogma, the God of poetry and eloquence.

With the modern destruction of the world's rainforests, the title takes on a bittersweet meaning—where trees may soon become nothing more than a memory.

Anywhere Is

A spirited single released in 1995 that explores life's unexpected journeys.

Well, it is, isn't it?

China Roses

Everyone possesses a unique vision of heaven created by memories, wishes, and desires—from a changing sky to the crimson flower of the keys of heaven.

This personal sanctuary is reflected in the Latin quotation: Denique non omnes eadem mirantur amantque (All men, in short, do not admire and love the same things).

Credits

Personnel and production credits for Paint the Sky with Stars:

Music Composed & Performed by: Enya
Produced by: Nicky Ryan
Arranged by: Enya and Nicky Ryan
Lyrics by: Roma Ryan
Marble Halls (Traditional): Arranged by Enya and Nicky Ryan
Publishing: All tracks published by EMI Songs Ltd
Principal Photography: David Scheinmann
Calligraphy & Design: Brody Neuenschwander
Mastered by: Arun Chakraverty (credited as "Arun")

To all who hold us in their hearts — thank you.
Mar as gnáth—buíochas do Rob Dickins

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