Orinoco Flow
| "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)" | ||||
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| Single by Enya | ||||
| from the album Watermark | ||||
| Released | 15 October 1988 | |||
| Format | Cassette, CD single, 7" single | |||
| Recorded | 1988 at Orinoco Studios, London | |||
| Genre | New Age | |||
| Length | 4:25 | |||
| Label | Reprise / EMI | |||
| Writer(s) | Enya & Roma Ryan | |||
| Producer | Enya Nicky Ryan |
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| Enya singles chronology | ||||
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Orinoco Flow, also known as Orinoco Flow (Sail Away), is a 1988 song written and recorded by Irish singer Enya. It is also featured on Enya's second studio album, Watermark.
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Background [edit]
The song is often incorrectly referred to as "Sail Away", a phrase repeated during the chorus. However, the song was actually retitled, Orinoco Flow (Sail Away). Released as the lead single from Enya's second studio album in October 1988, the song became a success for the singer-songwriter, and achieved global recognition.
Orinoco Flow peaked at #1 in several countries, including the United Kingdom, where it stayed at the top of the music charts for three weeks. In the US, the song peaked at #24 in early 1989. The song was also highly popular in the early 1990s and was featured on many pop music compilations.
In 1994, the song was licensed to Virgin Records for the best-selling New Age music compilation album Pure Moods, and in 1998 a special-edition 10th-anniversary remix single was released.
Part of its name is derived from Orinoco Studios (now Miloco Studios), where it was recorded, and its altered use of the Roland D-50 synthesizer's "PizzaGoGo" patch is highly recognizable.[1]
Locations referenced in lyrics (in order of mention) [edit]
- Orinoco River, Venezuela, Colombia
- Tripoli, Libya
- Yellow Sea
- Bissau
- Palau or Palau, Sardinia
- Avalon
- Fiji
- Tiree
- Isles of Ebony
- Peru
- Cebu
- Babylon
- Bali
- Cali
- Coral Sea
- Ebudae (also the title of another Enya song released at a later date).
- Khartoum
- The Sea of Clouds, possibly Mount Huangshan, China
- Island of the Moon (Comoros) (also an island in Lake Titicaca or Isle Maree.[2]
- Ross Dependency or Ross.
Uses in popular culture [edit]
Samples of the backing track are used in Rebel MC's hit single Tribal Bass (1991).
In season 1, episode 6 of South Park (Death), Stan's grandfather locks him in a room and plays a parody of the song to illustrate what it feels like to be old.
The song is featured during a climactic torture sequence in David Fincher's adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
In 1989, iris breeder Cy Bartlett named a cultivar Orinoco Flow.[3]
Track listings [edit]
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Cover versions [edit]
- Celtic Woman – Celtic Woman and Celtic Woman: A New Journey
- Libera – New Dawn
- Sarah McCaldwin – Destiny
Certifications [edit]
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK[5] | Silver | 1 November 1988 | 200,000 |
Charts [edit]
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| Preceded by Desire by U2 |
Irish IRMA number-one single 22 October 1988 – 12 November 1988 (4 weeks) |
Succeeded by Stand Up for Your Love Rights by Yazz |
| Preceded by One Moment in Time by Whitney Houston |
UK number-one single 29 October 1988 – 12 November 1988 (3 weeks) |
Succeeded by The First Time by Robin Beck |
| Preceded by Teardrops by Womack & Womack |
Dutch number-one single 3 December 1988 – 17 December 1988 (3 weeks) |
Succeeded by Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson |
| Preceded by A Groovy Kind of Love by Phil Collins |
Swiss number-one single 11 December 1988 – 8 January 1989 (5 weeks) |
Succeeded by Bring Me Edelweiss by Edelweiss |
References [edit]
- ^ Paolo Di Nicolantonio (Unknown). "Famous Sounds". Synth Mania. Paolo Di Nicolantonio. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
- ^ Philip Coppens (Unknown). "Feature Articles - The sacred island of the Moon". Philip Coppens. Philip Coppens. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
- ^ Orinoco Flow, at WorldIris.com; published 2004; retrieved 30 September 2012
- ^ "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away) (12" single at Discogs)". Retrieved 2010-08-07.
- ^ UK certifications Bpi.co.uk (Retrieved 5 September 2008)
- ^ a b c d e f "Orinoco Flow," in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved 10 April 2008)
- ^ "De Nederlandse Top 40, week 48, 1988". Retrieved 2008-03-26.
- ^ German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de (Retrieved 10 April 2008)
- ^ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved 10 April 2008)
- ^ UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved 10 April 2008)
- ^ a b c Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved 5 September 2008)
- ^ 1989 Australian Singles Chart aria.com (Retrieved 5 September 2008)
- ^ 1989 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch (Retrieved 3 September 2008)
External links [edit]
- Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
- Orinoco Flow at Discogs (list of releases)
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