3 Songs From Each Album…

Choose three songs from each album: one group song, one solo, and one other! (Note: the albums Voices Of Angels, Postcards From Ireland, and Nollaig: A Christmas Journey do not have any non-solo or group songs, so I’ll be skipping that one. Also, I haven’t listened to enough of Home For Christmas to do that one, so I will skip that and come back to it eventually.)

CELTIC WOMAN

Group: You Raise Me Up (also the only one other than Jesu Hoy Of Man’s Desiring if I recall correctly)

Solo: Isle Of Innisfree (it was hard to choose between this and Danny Boy, but Órla’s voice and harp won out.)

Other: Orinoco Flow (it’s very catchy and I love Lisa K, Méav, and Órla’s voices so much!! If Muirgen didn’t exist, I’d consider the first three the holy trinity of CW!!)


A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

Group: Let It Snow (I’m normally not that fond of more “pop-style” Christmas music, but this is fun and it’s cool to see Celtic Woman in such a different format! And Chloë’s “You tell ‘em, Lis!” and Máiréad’s whispered “~Let it snow~” are iconic! Also, am I the only one who thought that Máiréad was mute? That moment genuinely shocked me.)

Solo: Carol Of The Bells (I actually prefer this as a largely instrumental solo than as a group like on the DVD or later in The Magic Of Christmas or live…the song is much more suited for a choir than a group like CW…although it would be nice to see a rearrangement with more attention given to the singers’ individual voices)

Other: Don Oíche Úd I mBeithil (sheer magic…the combination of Máiréad’s fiddle and Órla’s harp are electrifying and Méav and Chloë’s voices are wondrous!)


A NEW JOURNEY

Group: The Sky And The Dawn And The Sun (it was hard to choose between this and Mo Ghile Mear, but Máiréad’s violin solo won out!)

Solo: The Voice (kind of self explanatory…have you heard Lisa sing this?)

Other: The Last Rose Of Summer (again, it was very difficult to choose between this and At The Céilí, but I eventually decided on this, as it never fails to give me chills and Méav and Hayley are pure goddesses in this!)


SONGS FROM THE HEART

Group: Níl Sé’n Lá (a fun song, it’s nice to see them dancing on YouTube or the DVD if you have it, and Máiréad’s fiddle is magical in this!)

Solo: My Lagan Love (very hard as there’s so many great ones on here…The Lost Rose Fantasia, Slumber My Darling/The Mason’s Apron, and Carolina Rua were also high contenders…but I chose this one because Lynn’s voice shines really well in this and I love the original song!)

Other: The New Ground/Isle Of Hope, Isle Of Tears (I might move this, but I am fairly certain that Máiréad is not present on this track. Anyway, I’ve spoken before about how much I’m enchanted by The New Ground, and Isle Of Hope, Isle Of Tears is a great song)


BELIEVE

Group: Téir Abhaile Riú (Máiréad’s fiddle…!!! And it’s a very fun song.)

Solo: Mná na hÉireann (I love Máiréad’s songs that transition from sombre to fun! They show off both her emotive and energetic capabilities perfectly, and this is no exception!)

Other: Walking The Night (Chloë and Lisa L’s voices are magical together and it’s a sweet song)


(skipping Home For Christmas as mentioned above)


EMERALD

Group: Níl Sé’n Lá (great arrangement and wonderful vocals!)

Solo: Caledonia (Although I still prefer Lisa K’s original, I love the approach Susan takes to this!)

Other: The New Ground (one of the most beautiful pieces ever…)


DESTINY

Group: Westering Home (very hard to choose between this and Siúil A Rún…but this is a very fun and wholesome song!)

Solo: The Hills Of Ireland (again, I am absolutely enamoured by the haunting powers of Máiréad Nesbitt and her spell-casting fiddle…also, I love the whistle in the beginning!)

Other: Ride On (I believe the only one of its kind on this album, but also, Mairéad Carlin and Éabha’s voices together are magical, and I love how Máiréad N’s fiddle unites them!)


VOICES OF ANGELS

Group: Níl Sé’n Lá (Although I wish there was more Irish, I love the haunting aspects of this song, and wish it was on the album!)

Solo: For The Love Of A Princess (sheer, incandescent, haunting utterances of the soul…the violin is a truly bewitching instrument…)


HOMECOMING

Group: The Kesh Inn (hard to choose between this and Westering Home, but I love seeing all of the lassies play instruments and it’s a fun tune!)

Solo: Ard Uí Chuain/Sadhbh Ní Bhruinneallaigh (I love seeing Éabha’s Irish roots shine in this! It’s rather shocking that this is her only entirely-Irish solo, seeing how well known she is for her Sean-Nós training and her promotion of the Irish language. If Éabha McMahon were a mineral, this song would be considered the purest form, and it’s lovely to see her emotive and happy parts unite in this!)

Other: Floorplay (apparently Anto Byrne is a master of the drums as well as the bagpipes!!)


ANCIENT LAND

Group: Ancient Land (sheer magnificence…although one could argue this is really more of a Tara solo than a true group song soif that doesn’t count, I’d put either Ballroom Of Romance or Mná na hÉireann)

Solo: Moorlough Shore (extremely hard to choose between this, Shenandoah, and County Down, but Éabha’s voice and the piano refrain in this give me chills, and this is what truly made me fall in love with Éabha…also, this is one of my most sung songs in the shower!)

Other: Be Still (again, more because this and Over The Rainbow are the only ones of their kind on this album, and I prefer this to the latter.)


THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS

Group: Feliz Navidad (I fear my inner Texan might be showing in this one…but like with Let It Snow, it’s fun to see CW take on such a different song!)

Solo: Dia Do Bheatha (catchy and I love Éabha’s voice!)


POSTCARDS FROM IRELAND

Group: Mise Éire (to be honest, the only songs I really like from this album so far are The Lakes Of Pontchartrain and The Calm Of The Day/The Banshee because of the abhorrent mixing, which is a shame as this is my favourite concept of all the albums! But this is still tolerable and reading the poem does bid me to weep for the chained Éire, so I put this. I might actually do The Dawning Of The Day though…be not surprised if this changes. I might need to re-listen to this album…)

Solo: The Lakes Of Pontchartrain (I love bittersweet romances and Megan’s voice is beautiful in this!)


20TH ANNIVERSARY

Group: I Know My Love (this song is the gold standard of group songs for me. First of all, it’s a beautiful display of Mairéad, Muirgen, and Emma’s voices, with Mairéad delightfully floating atop the melody, Muirgen hamming the emotions up, and Emma striking a dainty balance between the two. It’s also spread relatively equally, except for Mairéad getting the first and last verses, but to be honest, this song was made for her, and it’s a nice nod to this having once been a solo for her.)

Solo: A Stór Mo Chroí (this is a magical song, Muirgen is incredible and so utterly haunting in this!)

Other: Sionann (Shannon) (it was either this or Tread Lightly, and I am fairly certain I prefer this one.)


NOLLAIG: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY

Group: Codail A Linbh (sheer majesty…and Muirgen is indescribably incredible in this!! Her power knows no bounds!)

Solo: The Bells Of Dublin/Christmas Eve/Navan In The Snow (extremely catchy and I love the Uileann pipes!!)