One song of hers, in the soundtrack of a movie, captured me instantly...
This is the true story of how I came to appreciate the music of songwriter Enya.
At the request of @bleujay, I selected this topic as my next post from a list of "future articles" that I maintain here ...
L.A. Story - Los Angeles - Photo courtesy of Josh Rose and http://unsplash.com
Can you guess what Enya song it may have been?
If you are an Enya fan, you probably have your own Enya favorites. The first Enya song I ever heard, and still my favorite, is this song: "Exile."
Video courtesy of YouTube
I was watching the movie "L.A. Story," starring that comedian I almost always enjoy, Steve Martin. Suddenly, I was immersed in that haunting, deeply moving music and song.
Here are a few phrases from the lyrics to "Exile:"
Cold as the northern winds
In December mornings,
Cold is the cry that rings
From this far distant shore...
How can I chase away
All these fears deep inside?...
I will wait the time to come.
I'll find a way home...
When the deep, resonant sounds of "Exile" began playing, I was instantly smitten, and became desperate to know who the artist was. Of course, I later learned that it was Enya. Since that day, I have taught myself to play "Exile" on the keyboard. I generally access some kind of layered string voices when I do.
"How Can I Keep From Singing?"
Enya has also "covered" another wonderful, yet quite old, Christian hymn, "How Can I Keep From Singing".
Video courtesy of YouTube
"How Can I Keep From Singing" was written by an American Baptist minister, Robert Wadsworth Lowry, and first published in 1868.
Even though the lyrics have drifted in a more "secular" direction as this hymn has been adopted by succeding generations of songsters, the underlying Christian truths are still strongly foundational in its lyrics, now in the public domain. I'll comment on some of them here:
My life goes on in endless song
Above earth's lamentations,
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation.
Jesus/God, creator of all things, has promised to one day restore and renew this fallen universe to — and even beyond — its original pristine beauty. My friend and reader - may I invite you to join me in that New Creation? You can read more about it in my article here:
Heaven? No, I Mean the Real, Ultimate Heaven...
And, of course, I welcome your inquiries about the New Creation in the "comment" section below.
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear it's music ringing,
It sounds an echo in my soul.
How can I keep from singing?
Although we presently must tolerate the dire effects of the curse, we can still see and hear the echos of the original beauty of creation. Every soul who recognizes that beauty longs for its restoration. Every soul who has been personally touched by the grace of Jesus, the LORD of all, waits in expectation of the ultimate re-creation of our present, fallen realm, into New Heavens and New Earth, "the home of righteousness."
While though the tempest loudly roars,
I hear the Truth, it liveth.
And though the darkness 'round me close,
Songs in the night it giveth.
Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man comes unto the Father, but by me." - John 14:6
No storm can shake my inmost calm,
While to that Rock I'm clinging.
Since Love is LORD of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?
Scripture portrays Christ Jesus as "The Rock" - a place of refuge for His own, yet a Stone that would crush oppressing tyrants.
When tyrants tremble in their fear
And hear their death knell ringing,
When friends rejoice both far and near
How can I keep from singing?
This stanza makes me think of Psalm 2, a song in which the Messiah literally laughs at all the earthly pretenders to the throne, the tyrants who have oppressed humanity.
In prison cell and dungeon vile
Our thoughts to them are winging,
When friends by shame are undefiled
How can I keep from singing?
Throughout history, men of faith have been imprisoned, tortured, and martyred because they have refused to bow the knee to tyrants.
L.A. Story - Los Angeles - Photo courtesy of Henning Witzel and http://unsplash.com
I hope you've enjoyed my story about how I came to appreciate Enya and her music. Thanks, and a tip of the hat to @bleujay for helping me focus on this article.
Thanks also to my faithful followers for reading, upvoting, and following me. I write this stuff for you, and without you to read and appreciate it, I wouldn't be here at all.
I have very eclectic interests and hope, over time, to write about all of them.
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