"Exile" is the fifth track by Irish singer, songwriter and musician Enya, from her second studio album, Watermark (1988), the song was released as the fourth single for the album on May 20, 1991 by WEA, to mark the use of the included tracks in the "Green Card" (1990) and "L.A. Story" (1991) movie soundtracks.
Background[]
Liner Notes[]
| “ | The exile of lonely words…
the exile of heart and soul. |
” |
Notes by Roma Ryan
A Box Of Dreams, 1997
| “ | Exile, in this song, is the seperation from one whom you love and is more than merely a physical experience. Yet in the loneliness of this song there is hope and determination. | ” |
Notes by Roma Ryan
Only Time - The Collection, 2002
Quotes About The Song[]
In fact it was Rob Dickins who argued that the music that would become ‘Exile’ should have lyrics rather than the mouth music which Enya began with. “He said, ‘You know Wilfred Owens poetry, that would be very suitable for that piece of music’,” Roma explains, “The air is melancholy and it reminded me of an exile but I knew some of Wilfred Owens work, and I trued to write the piece in that kind of style. I think my approach to lyric writing is ‘poetic’ in its feel anyway.”
- Going With The Flow, Hot Press, 1988
Nicky Ryan: “On ‘Exile’ we wanted to use shakuhachi (the Japanese flute) but we couldn’t find a good player, so we got a gypsy guy to play the flute.”
- Watermark Recording Process, Sonics, 1989
enyabookofdays.com
Lyrics[]
Cold as the Northern winds
In December morning
Cold is the cry that rings
From this far distant shore
Winter has come too late
Too close beside me
How can I chase away
All these fears deep inside?
I'll wait, the signs to come
I'll find a way
I will wait, the time to come
I'll find a way home
My light shall be the moon
And my path - the ocean
My guide the morning star
As I sail home to you
I'll wait, the signs to come
I'll find a way
I will wait, the time to come
I'll find a way home
Who then, can warm my soul?
Who can quell my passion?
Out of these dreams - a boat
I will sail home to you
Music Video[]
The music video was directed by Michael Geoghegan, features scenes from the film "L.A. Story" that used the song.
Trivia[]
- A vocalised version of the song was released as a B-Side track "As Baile" in 1991. "Exile" was the first lyric that Enya's lyricist Roma Ryan wrote for the album.[1]