A Day Without Rain (2000)


A Day Withour Rain was released in 2000. It won the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album in 2002. The first single is "Wild Child".

It is best known for the song and second single "Only Time", which became a major success in 2000, and again in 2001 when it became identified with the September 11, 2001 attacks through exhaustive media use.

Three versions of A Day Without Rain were released. In most countries, the album includes "The First of Autumn." The U.S. version lacks this track, while the Japanese version replaced "The First of Autumn" with "Isobella".

Although highly acclaimed by fans, the album attracted criticism for its short running time, and the fact that the Canadian and Japanese versions of the album contained additional tracks.

A Day Without Rain went on to become Enya's biggest selling release of her career, moving more than 12 million copies.

Release date: November 21, 2000
Released as CD, cassette and mini-disc (UK only)
Album time: 37:33

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Lyrics list

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Lyrics

Wild Child

Roma Ryan

Ever close your eyes
Ever stop and listen
Ever feel alive
And you've nothing missing
You don't need a reason
Let the day go on and on

Let the rain fall down
Everywhere around you
Give into it now
Let the day surround you
You don't need a reason
Let the rain go on and on

CHORUS:
What a day, what a day to take to
What a way, what a way to make it through
What a day, what a day to take to
A wild child

Only take the time
From the helter skelter
Every day you find
Everything's in kilter
You don't need a reason
Let the day go on and on

Every summer sun
Every winter evening
Every spring to come
Every autumn leaving
You don't need a reason
Let it all go on and on

CHORUS 2X

What a day, what a day to take to
What a way, what a way to make it through
What a day, what a day to take to
Da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da
What a way, what a way to make it through
Da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da
Da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da
What a way, what a way to make it through
What a day, what a day to take to
A wild child
What a day, what a day to take to
A wild child

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Only Time

Roma Ryan

Who can say where the road goes,
Where the day flows?
Only time...

And who can say if your love grows,
As your heart chose?
Only time...

(chants)

Who can say why your heart sighs,
As your love flies?
Only time...

And who can say why your heart cries,
When your love dies?
Only time...

(chants)

Who can say when the roads meet,
That love might be,
In your heart.

And who can say when the day sleeps,
If the night keeps all your heart?
Night keeps all your heart...

(extended chants)

Who can say if your love grows,
As your heart chose?
Only time...

And who can say where the road goes,
Where the day flows?
Only time...

Who knows?
Only time...

Who knows?
Only time...
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Tempus Vernum

Roma Ryan

Ergo
Oceanus, maritimus,
Ergo
Opacare, matutinus,
Ergo
Septentrio, meridies,
Ergo
Occidens et orientis,
Ergo
Oceanus, maritimus,
Opacare, matutinus,
Septentrio, meridies,
Occidens et orientis,

Ergo
Terra, stella,
Hiems et aestas,

Ergo
Autumnus et tempus vernum,

Ergo
Radius solis
Et umbra,
Ignis, aqua
Caelum, luna,
Terra, stella,
Hierns et aestas,
Autumnus et tempus vernum...

Tempus vernum...

Translation

Spring Time
Therefore, ocean, sea
Therefore, dusk, dawn
Therefore, north, south
Therefore, west and east

Therefore, ocean, sea
Dusk, dawn
North, South
West and East

Therefore, earth, star
Winter and summer
Therefore, autumn and spring time
Therefore, ray of the sun and shade, fire, water
Sky, moon, earth, sta,
Winter and summer,
Autumn and spring time...
Spring time...
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Deora Ar Mo Chroí

Lyrics by Roma Ryan, Irish adaptation by Enya

Ba dheas an lá go oíche
Na glórtha binne i mo thaobh
'S aoibhneas i gach áit gan gruaim
Áthas ar mo chroí go deo
He-a-ro
He-a-o-ro

Ma shiúlaim ó na laetha beo
An ghrian 's an ghealach ar mo chúl
Nil uaim ach smaointe ó mo shaoil
Deora ar mo chroí go brón
He-a-ro
He-a-ro
He-a-o-ro

Translation

Tears On My Heart
It was beautiful all day
The sweet voices by my side
And beauty without dispair everywhere

Joy in my heart forever
He-a-ro
He-a-o-ro

If I walk from the alive days
The sun and the moon behind me
I'll only need thoughts from my life
Tears sorrowfully on my heart
He-a-ro
He-a-ro
He-a-o-ro
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Flora's Secret

Roma Ryan

Lovers in the long grass
Look above them
Only they can see where the clouds are going
Only to discover
Dust and sunlight ever make the sky so blue

Afternoon is hazy
River flowing
All around the sounds
Moving closer to them
Telling them the story
Told by Flora
Dreams they never knew

Silver willows
Tears from Persia
Those who come from a far-off island
Winter Chanterelle lies under cover
Glory-of-the-sun in blue

Some they know as passion
Some as freedom
Some they know as love
And the way it leaves them
Summer snowflake
For a season
When the sky above is blue
When the sky above is blue

Lying in the long grass
Close beside her
Giving her the name of the one the moon loves
This will be the day she
Will remember
When she knew his heart was
Loving in the long grass
Close beside her
Whispering of love and the way it leaves them
Lying in the long grass
In the sunlight
They believe it's true love
And from all around them
Flora's secret
Telling them of love and the way it breathes
And
Looking up from eyes of amaranthine
They can see the sky is blue
Knowing that their love is true
dreams they never knew
And the sky above is blue

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Fallen Embers

Roma Ryan

Once, as my heart remember,
All the stars were fallen embers.
Once, when night seemed forever
I was with you.

Once, in the care of morning
In the air was all belonging.
Once, when that day was dawning.
I was with you.

How far we are from morning.
How far are we
And the stars shining through the darkness,
Falling in the air.

Once, as the night was leaving
Into us our dreams were worth keeping.
Once, all dreams were worth keeping.
I was with you.

Once, when our hearts were singing,
I was with you.

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Pilgrim

Roma Ryan

Pilgrim, how you journey
On the road you chose
To find out where the winds die
And where the stories go.
All days come from one day
That much you must know,
You cannot change what's over
But only where you go.

One way leads to diamonds,
One way leads to gold,
Another leads you only
To everything you're told.
In your heart you wonder
Which of these is true;
The road that leads to nowhere,
the road that leads to you.

Will you find the answer
in all you say and do?
Will you find the answer
In you?

Each heart is a pilgrim,
Each one wants to know
The reason why the winds die
And where the stories go.
Pilgrim, in your journey
You may travel far,
For pilgrim it's a long way
To find out who you are...

Pilgrim, it's a long way
To find out who you are...

Pilgrim, it's a long way
To find out who you are...

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One By One

Roma Ryan

Here am I
Yet another goodbye!
He says Adiós, says Adiós,
And do you know why
She won't break down and cry?
- she says Adiós, says Adiós, Goodbye.

One by one my leaves fall.
One by one my tales are told.

It's no lie
She is yearning to fly.
She says Adiós, says Adiós,
And now you know why
He's a reason to sign
- she says Adiós, says Adiós, Goodbye.

One by one my leaves fall.
One by one my tales are told.

My, oh my!
She was aiming too high.
He says Adiós, says Adiós,
And now you know why
There's no moon in her sky
- he says Adiós, says Adiós, Goodbye.
- he says Adiós, says Adiós, Goodbye.

No Goodbyes
For love brightens their eyes
Don't say Adiós, say Adiós,
And do you know why
There's a love that won't die?
- don't say Adiós, say Adiós, Goodbye.

- don't say Adiós, say Adiós, Goodbye.
- don't say Adiós, say Adiós, Goodbye.
- don't say Adiós, say Adiós, Goodbye.

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Isobella

(On the Japanese version of the album only.)

Roma Ryan

I do bheatha sa tús, sa deireadh,
I do bheatha sa tús, sa deireadh.
Isobella, o
Isobella, o

I do lá 's tú go sámh
I do lá 's tú go fior.
Grá, anois go deo na ndeor.

I do bheatha sa tús, sa deireadh
I do bheatha sa tús, sa deireadh
Isobella, o
Isobella, o

I do lá 's tú gan buairt
I do lá 's tú gan brón
Grá, anois go deo
Grá, anois go deo na ndeor.

Translation

In your life in the beginning, in the end
In your life in the beginning, in the end
Isobella, o
Isobella, o

In your day while you were so peaceful,
In your day while you were so true,
Love, now forever and ever,

In your life in the beginning, in the end
In your life in the beginning, in the end
Isobella, o
Isobella, o

In your day while you were without trouble,
In your day while you were without sorrow,
Love, now forever,
Love, now forever and ever

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Lazy Days

Roma Ryan

Lazy old day
Rolling away
Dreaming the day away
Don't want to go
Now that I'm in the flow
Crazy amazing day

One red balloon
Floats to the moon
Just let it fly away
I only know
That I'm longing to go
Back to my lazy day

And how it sings and how it sighs
And how it never stays
And how it rings and how it cries
And how it sails away... away... away....

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Linear notes

From Only Time: The Colletion. More information on Enya.sk page on that colletion.

Isobella

A song for a child. A spirit-child. One whom both Enya and myself experienced yet know nothing about. A truly beautiful and peaceful child. We called the little spirit child Isobella and this song is for her.

Only Time

Who knows the way of love? Only time…

A Day Without Rain

"…No-one remembers as I do
how each word of love you gave was true.
So often do I dream of you
so my heart is not alone.

Can dreams be found
when the sun comes again?
Tears still fall down
in a day without rain…"

Originally we thought this track to be a song and began writing lyrics. However as work on the music progressed it became clear that it wanted to be an instrumental. The lyrics, although incomplete, are given here. We did however keep one of the lines as the title of the track.

Wild Child

The day is a wild child. It is unpredictable, it is reckless, it offers you no security, it promises nothing. It is what you make it. So make it good.

Flora's Secret

Tells of lovers lying in the long grass. Perhaps the girl is called Flora. Perhaps the "flora" in the song are the flowers they are surrounded by. Perhaps it is about the Goddess of flowers, Flora.

The Song was inspired by the various legends from classical mythology given to flowers. The "tears from Persia" are the Persian Iris. They are the tears of the Mourning Iris taken from the legend of Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, the Goddess of the Corn. Persephone was abducted by Hades, and was made to spend six months of each year in the underworld with him (hence winter) and the other six months on earth (hence summer). Ah, but who is the one the moon loves?

Fallen Embers

The memory of a special time with the one you love and a reflection of the loss of that love. Yet it is reminiscence filled with the tenderness of that love, as much as with the saddness of its loss. It is a celebration of that special time, and a lament that it is over.

Tempus Vernum

Our lives are entwined with each other and with everything in nature. Yet, although we are part of the cycle of life, we should remember that the earth can begin again - without us. Therefore…

Deora ar mo Chroí

This song continues the theme of Tempus Vernum, a reflection on the beauty of mother earth, and how, after we journey through our days with her, we move beyond. And still the earth sings…

One by One

Four tales from under the Cherry tree. Four tales, four seasons, four loves. Each tale tells a different story, each season has its own time, each love ends in a different way. One by one the tales of love are told, and one by one the pages upon which they are written fall as the leaves fall.

The First of Autumn

(Haiku)
Love is like the leaves;
some ever green, some fall on
the first of autumn.

Whilst writing poetry relating to the seasons, I had included some Haiku, the Japanese verse form, and from one of these came the idea for "the First of Autumn". The Haiku is printed here for the first time.

Lazy Days

In the helter skelter of life it is good for the heart and the soul to have a lazy day. One where you make time to dream, to consider, to meditate, to reflect. When simply to be is enough. When we do not worry about the moments that cause us such concern and distress, but enjoy the moment as it is. Whether summer or winter, whether watching the corn moving in the wind, or a single red balloon floating skywards.

Awards

Grammy Awards
Year Winner Category
2002 A Day Without Rain Best New Age Album

Charts

Album
Year Chart Position
2000 The Billboard 200 (US) 2
2000 Top Canadian Albums (Canada) 4
2000 Top Internet Albums (US) 1
2000 Top New Age Albums (US) 1
2000 Official Album Chart (UK) 6
Singles
Year Single Chart Position
2001 "Only Time" Adult Contemporary (US) 1
2001 "Only Time" Adult Top 40 (US) 1
2001 "Only Time" Canadian Singles Chart (Canada) 1
2001 "Only Time" The Billboard Hot 100 (US) 10
2001 "Only Time" Top 40 Mainstream (US) 11
2001 "Only Time" Top 40 Tracks (US) 7
2002 "Only Time" Top 40 Adult Recurrents (US) 2
2000 "Only Time" Official Singles Chart (UK) 32
2001 "Wild Child" Official Singles Chart (UK) 72
2001 "Only Time" Official German Top 100 Charts 1

Credits

Produced by Nicky Ryan

Engineered by Nicky Ryan
Mixed by Enya and Nicky Ryan
Recorded at Aigle Studios
Composed by Enya
Arranged by Enya and Nicky Ryan
All instruments and voices by Enya
Lyrics by Roma Ryan
Irish adaptation by Enya

Published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd
Additional strings by Wired Strings
Mastered by Dick Beetham at 360 Mastering

Recorded in the digital domain by an analogue brain
Design and art direction by Stylorouge
Front cover photography by Sheila Rock
All other photography by Sheila Rock and Simon Fowler
Costume design by The Handsome Foundation

Acknowledgements

"Enya, Nicky & Roma would like to express their appreciation to Roger Ames and Nick Phillips.

"We would also like to say BIG THANKS to all our friends at WARNER MUSIC WORLDWIDE who worked so hard on our behalf, with a special mention to Tony McGuinness and to the SOLID STATE LOGIC's Product Support Team with special thanks to John Jeffery and Derek Hobbs.

"A special thanks to our long time friend & publisher Peter Reichardt."

(Credits info taken from Out of the Blue: The Enya Website (Enya.sk), one of the best resources about Enya on the web.)

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