‘Paint the Sky with Stars’ released on 7 November 1997 is a best of compilation that sums up the first ten years of Enya’s career. The featured tracks range from well-known up-tempo singles to slow ballads and instrumentals. There are also two previously unreleased pieces, ‘Only If…’ and ‘Paint the Sky with Stars’.

The album is certainly a great starting point for new fans and a good choice for casual listeners who do not wish to buy all the albums.

Tracklist

01 Orinoco Flow 4:25 English
02 Caribbean Blue 3:58 English
03 Book of Days 2:56 English/Gaelic
04 Anywhere Is [edit] 3:43 English
05 Only If… 3:17 English/French
06 The Celts 2:56 Gaelic
07 China Roses 4:47 English
08 Shepherd Moons 3:42 Instrumental
09 Ebudae 1:54 Gaelic/Vocalisation
10 Storms In Africa 4:10 Gaelic
11 Watermark 2:24 Instrumental
12 Paint the Sky with Stars 4:12 English
13 Marble Halls 3:53 English
14 On My Way Home [remix] 3:35 English
15 The Memory of Trees 4:18 Instrumental/Vocalisation
16 Boadicea 3:30 Instrumental/Vocalisation


Some tracks have been remastered from their original album versions.

Song selection

I thought it would be fun to relive those moments of writing all those melodies. It was kind of like a musical diary and I really enjoyed it. I started in February, trying to select the obvious ones, the hits, and others. There was a lot of trial and error. It was a little bit difficult to pick selections that would cross over for everyone and to have some of my favorites on as well.Enya, Boston Globe, 1997
enyabookofdays.com

I must say I enjoyed the experience. I relived the songs completely: the beginning, the middle, the end, the writing of the melody, the parts that worked wonderfully and the parts that didn’t work. It’s like a diary of what I did each day. Musically I was quite happy because though sometimes it’s very subtle, I know there’s a progression on each album and my voice has been maturing.Enya, NY Times, 1997
enyabookofdays.com

Visuals

Album artwork

The dreamy artwork was designed by a Belgian calligrapher and visual artist Brody Neuenschwander. The booklet features a collage of Enya photos and handwritten song titles but no lyrics. Brody also worked on the ‘A Box of Dreams’ collection released in the same year.

While the booklet design stays identical on all issues, the colour of the cd changes in some countries (silver in Australia, white in Malaysia, black in Colombia).

Music Videos

The music video for ‘Only If…’ was directed by Dan Nathan and shot at Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire, England.

Promotion

Enya promoted the album during November and December 1997 in Europe, Japan and the US.

Performances

Venue Song Date Details
Unknown TV Show (Japan) Only If… 1997 Lip-synced
Rosie O’Donnell Show (USA) Only If… Dec 12, 1997 Lip-synced
Late Show with David Letterman (USA) Only If… Dec 1997 Lip-synced
Royal Variety Performance (UK) Only If… Dec 1, 1997 Lip-synced
The Kenny Show (Ireland) Marble Halls Nov 15, 1997 Lip-synced


Awards

‘Paint the Sky with Stars’ won the Japanese Grand Prix Award for the album of the year.

Discography

Album

Paint the Sky with Stars

Paint the Sky with Stars
Orinoco Flow – Caribbean Blue -Book of Days [English]
Anywhere Is [edit] – Only If… – The Celts – China Roses
Shepherd Moons – Ebudæ – Storms In Africa – Watermark
Paint the Sky with Stars – Marble Halls
On My Way Home [remix] – The Memory of Trees – Boadicea


Single

cover

Only If…
01 Only If…
02 Willows on the Water
03 Oíche Chiúin


Collection

‘The Best of Enya’ cd was accompanied by a release of a limited deluxe boxset containing three thematic cds and an illustrated booklet.

A Box of Dreams

cover

OCEANS
01 Orinoco Flow
02 Caribbean Blue
03 Book of Days [English-Gaelic lyrics]
04 Anywhere Is [edit]
05 Only If…
06 The Celts
07 Cursum Perficio
08 I Want Tomorrow
09 China Roses
10 Storms in Africa
11 Pax Deorum
12 The Longships
13 Ebudæ
14 On My Way Home [remix]
15 Boadicea


CLOUDS
01 Watermark
02 Portrait (Out of the Blue)
03 Miss Clare Remembers
04 Shepherd Moons
05 March of the Celts
06 Lothlórien
07 From Where I Am
08 Afer Ventus
09 Oriel Window
10 River
11 Tea-House Moon
12 Willows on the Water
13 Morning Glory
14 No Holly for Miss Quinn
15 The Memory of Trees


STARS
01 Evening Falls…
02 Paint the Sky with Stars
03 Angeles
04 Athair ar Neamh
05 La Soñadora
06 Aldebaran
07 Deireadh an Tuath
08 Eclipse
09 Exile
10 On Your Shore
11 Evacuee
12 Marble Halls
13 Hope Has a Place
14 The Sun in the Stream
15 Na Laetha Geal M’Óige
16 Smaointe…


Credits

Music composed and performed by Enya

Produced by Nicky Ryan
Arranged by Enya and Nicky Ryan
Lyrics by Roma Ryan
Marble Halls (Traditional) arranged by Enya and Nicky Ryan
All tracks published by EMI Songs Ltd
Principal photography: David Schneinmann
Calligraphy and Design: Brody Neuenschwander
Mastered by Arun

To all who hold us in their hearts – thank you.
Mar as gnáth…buióchas do Rob Dickins