Amarantine is an
album by
Irish musician Enya. The album was
released on
November 22,
2005. It won the
Grammy
Award for
Best New Age Album
for 2007.The release date was announced by
Roma Ryan on
September
23,
2005, at the official Enya forum. It
was subsequently leaked to the Internet on
November 11,
2005.
Two songs from the album were released as singles: the title track
"
Amarantine" and "
It's in the Rain."
"Someone Said Goodbye"
was released as a promotional single in the United States
as well. The album was very successful and
sold more than 6.5 million copies overall.
Album Editions
Standard release
The standard release was released in 2005. This edition has 1 disc,
and contains 12 tracks. A booklet with lyrics is included
Amarantine Special Christmas Edition
This two-disc set in a 2-CD jewel case and cover sleeve was
released in 2006. It features the previously released 12 tracks on
the first disc. The second disc has 4 newly recorded Christmas
songs:
Adeste, Fideles,
The Magic of the Night,
We Wish You a Merry
Christmas and
Christmas Secrets.The standard
booklet with lyrics is included.
Amarantine Deluxe Collector's Edition
This limited edition box set contains the standard release of
Amarantine, the second edition of the book
Water Shows
The Hidden Heart by
Roma Ryan and
three exclusive photos in a back-cover pocket. All is packaged in a
red velvet box.
Track listing
Standard release
- Less Than a Pearl – 3:44 *
- Amarantine – 3:13
- It's in the Rain – 4:08
- If I Could Be Where You Are – 4:01
- The River Sings – 2:49 *
- Long Long Journey – 3:17
- Sumiregusa (Wild Violet) – 4:42
- Someone Said Goodbye – 4:02
- A Moment Lost – 3:08
- Drifting – 4:12
- Amid the Falling Snow – 3:38
- Water Shows the Hidden Heart – 4:39 *
- This is, to date, the only Enya album where the title track has
not been in first position in the track listing.
Amarantine Special Christmas Edition
Disc 1
- Less Than a Pearl – 3:44 *
- Amarantine – 3:13
- It's in the Rain – 4:08
- If I Could Be Where You Are – 4:01
- The River Sings – 2:49 *
- Long Long Journey – 3:17
- Sumiregusa (Wild Violet) – 4:42
- Someone Said Goodbye – 4:02
- A Moment Lost – 3:08
- Drifting" – 4:12
- Amid the Falling Snow – 3:38
- Water Shows the Hidden Heart – 4:39
Disc 2
- Adeste, Fideles - 3:58
- The Magic of the Night - 3:34
- We Wish You a Merry
Christmas - 3:40
- Christmas Secrets - 3:47
Amarantine Deluxe Collector's Edition
- Less Than a Pearl – 3:44 *
- Amarantine – 3:13
- It's in the Rain – 4:08
- If I Could Be Where You Are – 4:01
- The River Sings – 2:49 *
- Long Long Journey – 3:17
- Sumiregusa (Wild Violet) – 4:42
- Someone Said Goodbye – 4:02
- A Moment Lost – 3:08
- Drifting" – 4:12
- Amid the Falling Snow – 3:38
- Water Shows the Hidden Heart – 4:39 *
- *Lyrics in Loxian
language taken from the book Water Shows The Hidden Heart
by Roma Ryan.
- Note: The songs found on the second disc of
the Amarantine Special Christmas Edition were also
released separately in the United States on the CD Sounds of the
Season: The Enya Holiday Collection, and in Canada as the
Christmas Secrets EP.
Production
- All instruments and vocals performed by Enya
- Lyrics by Roma Ryan, except
Adeste, Fideles
(traditional) and We
Wish You a Merry Christmas (traditional).
- Arranged by Enya and Nicky Ryan
- Mixed by Enya and Nicky Ryan
- Recorded at Aigle Studio
- Engineered by Nicky Ryan
- Mastered by Dick Beetham of 360 Mastering, London
- Digital technical advisor and engineer: Daniel Polley
- Loxian language and font by Roma
Ryan
- All titles published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd
- Photography by Simon Fowler
- Conceptual cover design by Nicky Ryan
and Ebony Ryan
- Inner sleeve design and layout by Ebony Ryan and Roma Ryan
- Inner sleeve artwork by Roma Ryan and
Persia Ryan
- Cover and inner sleeve production by Intro
Loxian
Loxian is an
artistic language
created by writer and lyricist
Roma Ryan.
It's been described in news releases as "a futuristic language from
a distant planet." Loxian was used in three songs from Amarantine.
There is also a book published in December 2005 by
Roma Ryan called
Water Shows The Hidden
Heart, which uses this language.The inspiration for Loxian
was, in part, the
Elvish languages created by
J. R. R.
Tolkien. Enya sang several songs in
Tolkien's languages for the soundtrack of the movie trilogy
The Lord of the
Rings.
Premature label announcement
In
September 2004 a new Enya song named
"Sumiregusa (Wild Violet)" was released in Japan
as part of
an advertising campaign for Panasonic. As part of the announcement of
the new song,
Warner Music
Japan stated that
Enya's next album would
be released in November 2004. On
September
19,
2004,
Enya made a
press release available via her website stating that no release was
immediately planned. "Sumiregusa" has been included as one of the
tracks on the
Amarantine album.
Usage in TV commercials
The "Sumiregusa" song was also used by
Panasonic to advertise its products in Japan,
featuring in TV commercials advertising its "Viera" and "Diga"
range of flat-screen TVs and DVD recorders. The commercials
appeared on several national TV channels for several weeks, helping
both Panasonic and Enya's sales.
Certifications, peaks and sales
Country |
Peak position |
Certification (if any) |
Sales/shipments |
Australia |
13 |
Platinum |
70,000+ |
Austria |
4 |
|
|
Belgium |
1 |
Platinum |
40,000+ |
Brazil |
|
Gold |
60,000+ |
Canada |
4 |
|
|
Czech Republic |
4 |
|
|
Denmark |
7 |
Gold |
15,000+ |
Finland |
22 |
|
|
France |
5 |
Platinum |
300,000+ |
Germany |
3 |
3x Platinum |
600,000+ |
Hungary |
7 |
Gold |
5,000+ |
Ireland |
15 |
Platinum |
15,000+ |
Italy |
8 |
2x Platinum/4x Gold |
170,000+ |
Japan |
1 |
2x Platinum |
500,000+ |
Mexico |
|
Gold |
50,000+ |
Netherlands |
5 |
Platinum |
70,000+ |
New Zealand |
10 |
Platinum |
15,000+ |
Norway |
13 |
|
|
Poland |
|
Gold |
20,000+ |
Portugal |
5 (2 Weeks) |
Platinum |
20,000+ |
Spain |
9 |
Gold |
40,000+ |
Sweden |
4 |
Gold |
20,000+ |
Switzerland |
3 (3 Weeks) |
2x Platinum |
80,000+ |
United Kingdom |
8 |
Silver |
60,000 |
United States |
6 |
Platinum |
1,000,000+ |
|
Charting Singles
Year |
Single |
Chart |
Position |
2005 |
"Amarantine" |
Adult Contemporary (U.S.) |
10 |
2006 |
"Someone Said Goodbye" |
Adult Contemporary (U.S.) |
26 |
2005 |
"Amarantine" |
UK Singles
Chart |
53 |
2005 |
"Amarantine" |
Oricon Weekly Single
100 |
67 |
|
Awards
Grammy Awards
References
External links