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Enya — Storms in Africa
Album: Paint the Sky with Stars
Avg rating:
7.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2375









Released: 1997
Length: 4:07
Plays (last 30 days): 2
(no lyrics available)
Comments (233)add comment
 Jelani wrote:

I wish we could hear parts one and two consecutively here. That would be great!



Oh, it is!
 dandueck07 wrote:


So, it brings you  joy and satisfaction.  Why be sorry? 


Lol
I listened to Enya while in the hospital.  Her music kept me calm and my spirits high.  Thanks Enya!
I wish we could hear parts one and two consecutively here. That would be great!
 thewiseking wrote:

sorry but Enya's music reminds me of happy ending massage parlors



So, it brings you  joy and satisfaction.  Why be sorry? 
This is the third track off her 1988 album Watermark.

Lyrics, according to genius.com:
(followed by English translation, below)

Enya - Storms in Africa

[Intro]
Na-na-na, na-na
Na-na, na-na
Na-na-na, na-na
Na-na, na-na

[Verse 1]
Cá fhad é ó...
Na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na
Cá fhad é ó...
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Siúl tríd na stoirmeacha
Na-na, na-na
Na-na-na, na-na
Dul tríd na stoirmeacha
Na-na, na-na

[Verse 2]
Cá fhad é ó
Na-na, na-na
An tús don stoirm?
Na-na, na-na
Cá fhad é ó
Na-na, na-na
An tús go deireadh?

[Verse 3]
Tóg do chroí
Na-na, na-na
Siúl tríd na stoirmeacha
Na-na-na, na-na
Tóg do chroísa
Na-na, na-na
Dul tríd na stoirmeacha
Na-na-na, na-na

[Verse 4]
Turas mór
Na-na-na, na-na
Tar tríd na stoirmeacha
Na-na-na, na-na
Turas fada
Na-na, na-na
Amharc tríd na stoirmeacha
Na-na, na-na


English translation (skipping the na's):

[Verse 1]
How long is it since…

How long is it since…

Walk through the storms

Go through the storms

[Verse 2]
How long is it since

The start of the storm?

How long is it from

The beginning to the end?

[Verse 3]
Take heart

Walk through the storms

Take heart

Going through the storms

[Verse 4]
A great journey

Come through the storms

A long journey

Look through the storms

Your task: Write a song about Africa using a Roland D-50 synthesizer with lots of strings, pizzicato, and layering, accompanied by an Irish female vocal.  It's amazing that it actually worked.
 LaurieinTucson wrote:

when I had my first baby, I played this album a lot, after bringing him home from the hospital
this song always returns me to that time, with my baby in my arms, and the smell of newborn scalp in my nose
that baby is 26 years old now...



I think there are a lot of Enya babies out there
: )
I'm a long time fan of hers starting with 'the flow'. What I like here is that she releahed only a picture of herself...in the present day. She's comfotable with aging. I like that.
 ExpatLarry wrote:
Well A "wise" king certainly wouldn't.

Reminds me of a crossword clue about self-abuse and a pale monarch...

 smartn1 wrote:

Why would anybody be ashamed of loving this song? An 8 from me. 



Great way to end my Friday work day. I was getting really frustrated and then this song came on, immediately calmed me down and I finally finished my last task. 
 radiotoe wrote:
When my two boys were babies/toddlers, I'm sure I couldn't count the number of nights I put them to bed with Enya music. 

Fond memories from nearly 3 decades ago, holding those little guys, watching them nod off, and listening to soothing music. 


My 38 yr old son listens to Enya,  for the above reasons. 
Why would anybody be ashamed of loving this song? An 8 from me. 
 timmus wrote:

Does anyone check these listings?  Storms in Africa is totally incorrect, this is off the Watermark album from 1988.



Not totally incorrect, I mean, it is on this greatest hits album too
Does anyone check these listings?  Storms in Africa is totally incorrect, this is off the Watermark album from 1988.
When my two boys were babies/toddlers, I'm sure I couldn't count the number of nights I put them to bed with Enya music. 

Fond memories from nearly 3 decades ago, holding those little guys, watching them nod off, and listening to soothing music. 
It would be great if part one and part two could be played consecutively here.
Fantastic tune. Nothing short of 10   
It's always lovely to hear songs as gaeilge on International radio!
10'000 Maniacs
Remember listening to this song when watching a storm in Africa. Overwhelming.
Gorgeous song. 
I know at one time Enya was overplayed, but it's about time I heard this song again. Thank you.
 drawcard wrote:

I swear I have heard this song in about 1000+ banking and insurance ads.




Good for you!
I swear I have heard this song in about 1000+ banking and insurance ads.
 geonuine wrote:
thewiseking wrote:
sorry but Enya's music reminds me of happy ending massage parlors 

dwhayslett wrote:
Not everyone would admit that they know this.

I would never pay for it regardless what ending is offered 
 
What do you mean? Enya? Massage? Or parlors?
please! spare us!
thewiseking wrote:
sorry but Enya's music reminds me of happy ending massage parlors 

dwhayslett wrote:
Not everyone would admit that they know this.

I would never pay for it regardless what ending is offered 
when I had my first baby, I played this album a lot, after bringing him home from the hospital
this song always returns me to that time, with my baby in my arms, and the smell of newborn scalp in my nose
that baby is 26 years old now...
Of all places, I was introduced to Enya's music during a 1992 episode of "Northern Exposure" (U.S. TV comedy); "Caribbean Blue" was played during the show.  Soon thereafter, I purchased the "Shepherd Moons" CD, and I've been an Enya fan ever since.

One side benefit of Shepherd Moons: my wife and I used numerous songs on the album to help both of our sons fall asleep when they were toddlers... 
Driving through the Rocky Mountains listening to Enya... 👍🏻
 merobreno wrote:
Right up there with Philip Glass for aural lobotomies or the need therefore.

Oh goodness, this is nowhere near the grinding pain of Glass. More just neutral pap. But here's a thumbs up for a funny comment.
This and part II are best listened to at very high volume.
 mrtuba9 wrote:
I know it might be a long shot, but any chance Bill that you could play Storms in Africa II? Love the thunder!
 

*shameless bump*
 LaurieinTucson wrote:
when my first son was born, I played this album a lot
haven't heard it in years
takes me right back to when he was a newborn
 
Time machine😁
Right up there with Philip Glass for aural lobotomies or the need therefore.
when my first son was born, I played this album a lot
haven't heard it in years
takes me right back to when he was a newborn

From Watermark, 1988
Holy cow, Wikipedia says shes sold an estimated 75 million records.    But only one karaoke hit
Another song that helped my kiddo get through many nights of serious illness. Music is powerful. 
Absolutely brilliant segue from Call It Clear to Storms in Africa.
Thanks for letting us listen.
as long as it's a happy ending is this a problem?



 
dwhayslett wrote:

Not everyone would admit that they know this.
 
 thewiseking wrote:
sorry but Enya's music reminds me of happy ending massage parlors

been in Donegal more than once. Easy to understand where Enya took all the inspiration for her music.
 thewiseking wrote:
sorry but Enya's music reminds me of happy ending massage parlors
 
Not everyone would admit that they know this.
 vaiodon wrote:
Enya's musical journey may have taken her through Venezula but it very definitely started at home in Crolly, Co. Donegal, Ireland.

Amaya_Stone wrote:
Enya started her musical journey in my country, Venezuela... she knows the most ancient lands on this planet, the Auyantepui... the Angel Falls, highest waterfall in the world discovered by an American pilot, Jimmy Angel... This is reflected in her music, love her soul!
 
 

 
Yes, her family has a pub there called Leo's, which has a great music scene thanks to Enya's sister Moira. If you've ever visited this part of Donegal, you can totally hear the landscape here reflected in both Enya's music, as well as her siblings' band Clannad.
I know it might be a long shot, but any chance Bill that you could play Storms in Africa II? Love the thunder!
sorry but Enya's music reminds me of happy ending massage parlors
Many years ago, when I was in the throes of writing my thesis, Enya (who then had three albums) was the soundtrack to which I wrote.  Songs like this one -- driving but calming all at once -- were exactly what my particular brain needed in order to keep going and keep a level head during and through the stress.
Enya's musical journey may have taken her through Venezula but it very definitely started at home in Crolly, Co. Donegal, Ireland.

Amaya_Stone wrote:
Enya started her musical journey in my country, Venezuela... she knows the most ancient lands on this planet, the Auyantepui... the Angel Falls, highest waterfall in the world discovered by an American pilot, Jimmy Angel... This is reflected in her music, love her soul!
 
 

Enya started her musical journey in my country, Venezuela... she knows the most ancient lands on this planet, the Auyantepui... the Angel Falls, highest waterfall in the world discovered by an American pilot, Jimmy Angel... This is reflected in her music, love her soul!
 
 JasondotG wrote:
Been so long... forgot how pretty this was. 

 
Agreed.
 Rhinofin wrote:
I usually don't admit that I used to like Enya.  And I hardly ever  tell anyone that I still love this song.

 
I would freely admit I like this song, anytime, to anyone.
 JasondotG wrote:
Been so long... forgot how pretty this was. 

 


Been so long... forgot how pretty this was. 
I usually don't admit that I used to like Enya.  And I hardly ever  tell anyone that I still love this song.
It's pretty nice if someone has found his or her own style. But not when theres nothing but spheric sounds, drums and humming. And in every song!
I completely agree WL; it's an intelligent post

 
WonderLizard wrote:

I know I'm responding to a five-year-old post, but this one is so good, it's hard not to respond to something that is also wonderfully literate. Besides, I know this guy's still around. It illustrates another one of RP's, albeit more infrequent, attributes: the longer post that informs as much as it entertains. Thanks, guy!
 


 cohifi wrote:
this could be good played on a bose
 
Volume to ELEVEN.
this could be good played on a bose

Billy, help grampa stick this fork in the outlet.
Beautiful end of summer kind of song...Still love Enya
I have only heard this song once on RP, before today, but I bought the CD after first hearing it and I like it very much.  It is a "greatest hits" compilation but a great starter for anyone not familiar with Enya music.
I may have said before...to me Enya is GOD-ESS......but play something other than her commercial stuff too...
Timeless
 runningtwig wrote:
I've been known to do the occasional triathlon. Even though most of my best friends are triathletes, I gotta admit that triathletes tend to be somewhat high-strung, type-A folks. So it should come as no surprise that the vibe at some of the bigger races can be pretty intense. For example, the races produced by Ironman North America —- 2000 racers, 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking, 26.2 miles of running —- are some of the most "intense" (vibe-wise) races around. Most people who start spend many hours a week for many months training to complete the race. Then you have race week, which is like a big carnival of fit, intense tri geeks jogging around in their little speedos and biking around town on their $4000 bikes.

Yeah, so it's a wild show. As race day gets closer, everything just builds and builds and all the type-A triathletes who have cut back on their training to save their energy for race day get closer and closer to the edge. Then race morning rolls around. Folks get up at 4:00am to do final preparations for a race that will take most people between 10 and 17 hours to finish, and to start getting ready for the mass start (2000 racers, 4000 arms spinning and 4000 legs kicking through the water when the cannon sounds) at 7:00am.

At smaller races, in the early morning hours, when people are getting ready, race managment will pump high energy music through the sound system. You know, they want to get people hyped up! But at the big Ironman North America races, they know that people are already hyped up. Most competitors are so on-edge that they're about to snap. So how does race management keep people calm? They play Enya. First time I did one of those races, I wondered why they weren't playing the high energy dance music you hear befoer shorter races. Then I looked around, and noticed how calm and mellow Enya was keeping all the high-strung triathletes. It's friggin' brilliant!

So now, whenever I hear Enya, it makes me think I'm about to do a long race.
 
I know I'm responding to a five-year-old post, but this one is so good, it's hard not to respond to something that is also wonderfully literate. Besides, I know this guy's still around. It illustrates another one of RP's, albeit more infrequent, attributes: the longer post that informs as much as it entertains. Thanks, guy!

 Imkirok wrote:
I'll never forget the first time I heard Enya.  I was staying at a friend's cabin in the Finger Lakes area of NY.  Beautiful scenery, an idyllic setting.  On that Sunday morning, I was awakened by the smell of coffee and woodsmoke and the sounds of Enya coming over the stereo.  I asked our host who it was, and he told me that putting this album was part of his Sunday morning ritual.  Very calming and surreal.  I've loved it ever since.
 
Nice!

 imklammer wrote:
See the Perpetuum Jazzile version at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05ip-N0H1Ig
 
Very cool performance, but not a version of Enya's song.  It's a rendition of "Africa" by Toto, with the words "rains down in Africa."

Heard one Enya, heard 'em all. But this did give me some great inspiration to pull out some 90's ambient grooves on LaLa :)
Enya was the first thing i wanted to listen to when i was a child (age 7) {#Daisy}
See the Perpetuum Jazzile version at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05ip-N0H1Ig
Enya on RP - groovy!
 zaknafein wrote:
"Thank you for calling XYZ Corp customer care. Please stay on the line, your call will be handled in the order in which it was received."

 

True, but have you listened to this with headphones on? Enya takes an awful lot of time to get the sound exactly right if played in the right situation (not when you are waiting to have a rant at XYZ) it is much like a classical composition.
The best defusing I found was being put on hold and they happened to play one of my favourite classical pieces just as they picked up the call and I nearly asked to be put back on hold to finish the last minute of it.
 agnes wrote:
One of my favorite pick-up lines: Dude: Hey, do you like Enya? Chick: Sure, yeah. Dude: Well, how'd ya like ME Enya?
Thank you, I'm here all week.
 
{#Laughing}  Is this an audience or an oil painting?  I know you're out there; I can hear you breathing.

I'll never forget the first time I heard Enya.  I was staying at a friend's cabin in the Finger Lakes area of NY.  Beautiful scenery, an idyllic setting.  On that Sunday morning, I was awakened by the smell of coffee and woodsmoke and the sounds of Enya coming over the stereo.  I asked our host who it was, and he told me that putting this album was part of his Sunday morning ritual.  Very calming and surreal.  I've loved it ever since.
 mjwstickings wrote:
From one of Steve Martin's best, L.A. Story. Who knew an Enya soundtrack could do so much for a movie?
 
This song is not in LA Story. Enya did write a couple songs for that film, but this is not one of them. 

Here's the list:  https://tinyurl.com/ntfoux

So there you go.

"Thank you for calling XYZ Corp customer care. Please stay on the line, your call will be handled in the order in which it was received."

 kaosmonkey wrote:
I used to like Enya in the late 80's because of her similarity (in my mind) to the cocteau twins. Then my mom got ahold of my CD and used to blast Orinoco Flow all night and day.

Sorry mom. You ruined it for me.

 
Hahaha, I can relate!

 agnes wrote:
One of my favorite pick-up lines:

Dude: Hey, do you like Enya?

Chick: Sure, yeah.

Dude: Well, how'd ya like ME Enya?


Thank you, I'm here all week.
 
I didn't use quite this pick-up but that album went on repeat the entire night, we couldn't be bothered to get up and change it. =)
 dmax wrote:
Eno, creator of the genre of New Age, distances himself from it with this explanation: "Not enough menace."
 
bump

Lovely talent —surreal sound
 agnes wrote:
One of my favorite pick-up lines: Dude: Hey, do you like Enya? Chick: Sure, yeah. Dude: Well, how'd ya like ME Enya?
Thank you, I'm here all week.
 
Hey Mister!  Wanna buy a duck?


One of my favorite pick-up lines: Dude: Hey, do you like Enya? Chick: Sure, yeah. Dude: Well, how'd ya like ME Enya? Thank you, I'm here all week.
Muzak!
i like Toto's version better.
manleywoman wrote:
Okay, I'll admit it. I like listening to Enya on occasion. (and I love the movie LA Story too. Totally underrated.)
Ditto on both. Not all the time but, yeah, every now and then it's great.
Peaceful bliss, nice and easy listening.
Okay, I'll admit it. I like listening to Enya on occasion. (and I love the movie LA Story too. Totally underrated.)
I used to like Enya in the late 80's because of her similarity (in my mind) to the cocteau twins. Then my mom got ahold of my CD and used to blast Orinoco Flow all night and day. Sorry mom. You ruined it for me.
67nj wrote:
cicily.... sicily?
Cicily, Alaska. The fictious town in Alaska in the TV series Northern Exposure. From the early 90's I believe.
From one of Steve Martin's best, L.A. Story. Who knew an Enya soundtrack could do so much for a movie?
Still a great song.
Ericac wrote:
SWEET! Fun to hear again. Reminds me of the old TV program "Northern Exposure". Africa...could be Cicily, Alaska!
cicily.... sicily?
Let the Angels sing..lovely
SWEET! Fun to hear again. Reminds me of the old TV program "Northern Exposure". Africa...could be Cicily, Alaska!
perfect song for a very gray rainy day in the Northeast...
Gives me goosebumps everytime!
wferrier wrote:
Beyond Excellent
I guess you give it a 9 like me then. :) I like it that RP can play music that was big once. It is still good.
Jelani wrote:
To anyone knocking this tune - you haven't heard it until you've played it at undistorted earth shaking volume
I agree but try playing it on a trombone with your grandmother accompanying you on her bazooki....bloody tricky to get those notes quite right.
Nice, but anything from the Celts album is better.
Jelani wrote:
To anyone knocking this tune - you haven't heard it until you've played it at undistorted earth shaking volume
...or in a really good set of headphones.
Beyond Excellent
Enya Brennan, Sister is Moira Brennan from Clannad. Enya and Clannad way cool back in the 80's and 90's. Bono did some vocal work on a Clanad tune that was excellent.
dmax wrote:
Eno, creator of the genre of New Age, distances himself from it with this explanation: "Not enough menace."
This is such a good quote I thought it deserved to bob back to the surface.
To anyone knocking this tune - you haven't heard it until you've played it at undistorted earth shaking volume
...i remember how stunning this track was when first i heard it in 1988...
I'm always critisized for liking Enya. So I listen to it by myself.
agnes wrote:
Christ, just what the world needs: a Best of Enya disc. Does it come with a free party pack of melatonin and Depends?
My mother so resembles that remark. I'm a wicked kid for laughing; i love her; She loves this CD.
Watermark is remarkably good driving music. Drove from Columbus, OH to NYC with this on continuous loop when it first came out. I find this stuff helps me focus.
Gryn wrote:
This song is the best song ever realeased. Healing, beautiful.. with a purpose. Intellectual, spiritual, everything a song should be.
Outstanding!!!!
Hmmm...I feel like drinking a Crystal Lite all of a sudden.
dapower wrote:
Don't knock Enya- she hails from an accomplished musical family and has her roots in the most tradtional forms of traditional Irish music.
Respect to Enya as a pioneer in "World Music."
ho-hum just does not do it for me can't have it all, I guess.
ce wrote:
Yes it sounds nice, but is that Enya or is it just the massive reverb (is it also "galm" in English?) in the production?
Oh yeah the thing is soaked in reverb and delay as well as swelling pads to soften the perceived attack on the vocal snippets. it's very "wet".
sig listens to this while he's grocery shopping
I didn't used to (?) think she belonged here, but now....yeah. 8. (Especially since LOTR)