"Storms in Africa" is a song by Irish singer-songwriter Enya from her second studio album, Watermark, released on September 19, 1988. The song is the fourth track and the album's third single.
There are two versions of "Storms in Africa", one in Gaelic and one in English. The Gaelic version is a fan favorite.
A rearranged version with English lyrics of the song called "Storms In Africa (Part II)", was included in some later pressings of Watermark, and released as a single.
The song also appeared on the soundtrack for the film Green Card (1990).
Watermark Album Cover
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Inspiration and Composition
Enya shared the story behind the song's creation:
Enya: "The title actually came from Nicky for this one. It was an instrument, the Juno 60, and it’s got this arpeggiator, and he had set it, and he had said to me 'I'd love you to write the melody with this sound and the arpeggiator' and he left me for a few hours. And what happened was the chord sequence for 'Storms in Africa.' So I worked very closely with him on the theme, because, once he had heard the initial chord sequence with this sound, he came up with the title 'Storms in Africa,' and so we took it. He guided the direction, the arrangement to that song."
Gaelic Lyrics
The Gaelic version of "Storms in Africa" features evocative lyrics:
nanananana….nananana….
An tús don stoirm?
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Tóg do chroí!
Siúl tríd na stoirmeacha.
Tóg do chroísa!
Dul tríd na stoirmeacha.
Turas mór.
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Tar tríd na stoirmeacha.
Turas fada.
Amharc tríd na stoirmeacha.
To storms in Africa.
Will journey this way?
Enya - Storm In Africa
Release and Chart Performance
"Storms In Africa" first appeared on Watermark in its original Irish Gaelic version. The following year, Enya re-recorded the song with English lyrics and released the new version entitled "Storms in Africa (Part II)" as a single. The single came out in June 1989, four months after the original deadline that was pushed because of Enya’s busy promotion schedule.
The single reached number 41 on the UK Singles Chart. Some countries subsequently included "Storms in Africa (Part II)" as the last track on Watermark.
Storms in Africa Music Video
The music video includes the English version of the song.
"Storms in Africa" was the first of two major tracks by Enya to be recorded in Gaelic and English versions, the other being "Book of Days".
Chart Performance
- UK Singles Chart: Reached number 41
Release Timeline
- September 19, 1988: "Storms in Africa" released on the album Watermark
- June 1989: "Storms in Africa (Part II)" released as a single
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