China Roses;
Enya; Lyrics
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Who can say the way it should be;
Moonlight holly, the Sappho Comet,
Angel's tears below a tree.
You talk of the break of morning
As you view the new aurora,
Cloud in crimson, the key of heaven,
One told me of China Roses,
One a thousand nights and one night,
Earth's last picture, the end of evening
Hue of indigo and blue.
A new moon leads me to
Woods of dreams and I follow.
A new world waits for me;
My dream, my way.
I know that if I have heaven
There is nothing to desire.
Rain and river, a world of wonder
May be paradise to me.
I see the sun.
I see the stars.
The lyrics to Enya's "China Roses" are steeped in deep contemplation about the mysteries of heaven and the beauty of nature. The lyrics encourage the listener to ponder existential questions regarding the afterlife, and what form it might take. The opening lines, "Who can tell me if we have heaven, Who can say the way it should be," ask the listener to engage in this philosophical inquiry.
The lyrics then go on to describe a range of natural imagery, invoking the moon, holly, comets, and angels' tears. The language paints an evocative picture of a natural wonderland, as the singer reflects on a new world waiting for them, their dream, their way. The lyrics ultimately conclude that if the singer has heaven, there is nothing else to desire, as the natural world, which is "rain and river, a world of wonder," is already a paradise to them.
Overall, Enya's "China Roses" is a meditation on spiritual and natural themes, combining a deep reverence for the natural world with a sense of awe at the mysteries of the universe. It encourages the listener to reflect on these themes and engage with their own spiritual journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Who can tell me if we have heaven,
The singer wonders if heaven truly exists.
Who can say the way it should be;
The singer ponders whether there is a correct depiction of heaven.
Moonlight holly, the Sappho Comet,
The singer describes the beauty of the natural world.
Angel's tears below a tree.
The artist imagines the presence of heavenly beings.
You talk of the break of morning
The artist is addressing someone who speaks of optimism.
As you view the new aurora,
The singer refers to the new dawn.
Cloud in crimson, the key of heaven,
The singer describes the red sky, commonly associated with heaven.
One love carved in acajou.
The artist refers to the idea of love.
One told me of China Roses,
The artist is informed about roses from China.
One a thousand nights and one night,
The artist references the classic tale 'Arabian Nights'
Earth's last picture, the end of evening
The singer sees the final moments of the evening.
Hue of indigo and blue.
The artist observes the colors of the sky.
A new moon leads me to
The singer follows the crescent moon.
Woods of dreams and I follow.
The singer wanders into the land of fantasy.
A new world waits for me;
The singer anticipates a new experience.
My dream, my way.
The artist asserts their autonomy.
I know that if I have heaven
The artist asserts their satisfaction with heaven.
There is nothing to desire.
The singer feels content in heaven.
Rain and river, a world of wonder
The singer appreciates the beauty of the natural world.
May be paradise to me.
The artist believes that the natural world could be paradise.
I see the sun.
The artist observes the sun.
I see the stars.
The artist observes the stars.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NICKY RYAN, ROMA RYAN, EITHNE NI BHRAONAIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind