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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox song {{Infobox song
| name = Orinoco Flow | name = Orinoco Flow
| cover = OrinocoFlow cover.jpg | cover = OrinocoFlow cover.jpg
| alt = | alt =
| type = single | type = single
| artist = ] | artist = ]
| album = ] | album = ]
| B-side = "Smaoitím... (D'Aodh Agus Do Mháire Uí Dhúgain)" | B-side = "Smaoitím..." (d'Aodh agus do Mháire Uí Dhúgain)
* "Out of the Blue" * "Out of the Blue"
| released = {{start date|df=yes|1988|10|3}} | released = {{start date|df=yes|1988|10|3}}
| recorded = | recorded =
| studio = | studio = * Aigle (], Ireland)
⚫ * ] (], England)
* Aigle (], Dublin, Ireland)
| genre = ]
⚫ * ] (London, England)
| genre = ] | length = 4:25
| length = 4:25 | label = ]
| label = ] | writer = * Enya
| writer =
* Enya
* ] * ]
| producer = ] | producer = ]
| prev_title = ] | prev_title = ]
| prev_year = 1987 | prev_year = 1987
| next_title = ] | next_title = ]
| next_year = 1988 | next_year = 1988
| misc = {{External music video| | misc = {{External music video|
{{YouTube|LTrk4X9ACtw|"Orinoco Flow"}}}} {{YouTube|LTrk4X9ACtw|"Orinoco Flow"}}}}
}} }}


"'''Orinoco Flow'''", also released as "'''Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)'''", is a song by Irish musician, singer-songwriter ] from her second studio album, '']'' (1988). It was released on 3 October 1988 by ] in the United Kingdom and by ] in the United States the following year. The song topped the ] for three weeks and received two ] nominations for ] and ] at the ]. '']'' ranked "Orinoco Flow" at number 77 on its list of the 100 greatest UK number-one singles in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/apr/27/the-100-greatest-uk-no-1s|title=The 100 greatest UK No 1s: 100-1|last1=Beaumont-Thomas|first1=Ben|last2=Petridis|first2=Alexis|last3=Snapes|first3=Laura|date=5 June 2020|website=]|access-date=27 July 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> "'''Orinoco Flow'''", also released as "'''Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)'''", is a song by Irish singer-songwriter ] from her second studio album, '']'' (1988). It was released on 3 October 1988 by ] in the United Kingdom and by ] in the United States the following year. The song topped the ] for three weeks and received two ] nominations for ] and ] at the ]. '']'' ranked "Orinoco Flow" at number 77 on its list of the 100 greatest UK number-one singles in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/apr/27/the-100-greatest-uk-no-1s|title=The 100 greatest UK No 1s: 100-1|last1=Beaumont-Thomas|first1=Ben|last2=Petridis|first2=Alexis|last3=Snapes|first3=Laura|date=5 June 2020|website=]|access-date=27 July 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>


==Background== ==Background==
The song was released as the lead single from Enya's studio album '']'' on 3&nbsp;October 1988.<ref name="ukrel">{{cite magazine|title=New Singles|magazine=]|page=31|date=1 October 1988}}</ref> It became a global success, reaching number&nbsp;one in several countries, including Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, where it stayed at the top of the ] for three weeks.<ref name="uk"/> In the United States, the song peaked at number&nbsp;24 on the ] in April&nbsp;1989.<ref name="hot100"/> The song was released as the lead single from Enya's studio album '']'' on 3&nbsp;October 1988.<ref name="ukrel">{{cite magazine|title=New Singles|magazine=]|page=31|date=1 October 1988}}</ref> It became a global success, reaching number&nbsp;one in several countries, including Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, where it stayed at the top of the ] for three weeks.<ref name="uk"/> In the United States, the song peaked at number&nbsp;24 on the ] in April&nbsp;1989.<ref name="hot100"/>


The title of the song is an allusion both to ] (now Miloco Studios), where it was recorded, and to the ]. Its ] chords, generated by altering the ] ]'s "Pizzagogo" ], are highly recognizable as a ] sound.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |title=Famous Sounds |url=http://www.synthmania.com/Famous%20Sounds.htm |work=Synth Mania |publisher=Paolo Di Nicolantonio |access-date=9 June 2012 |author=Paolo Di Nicolantonio}}</ref> Enya was signed to WEA by ], who served as executive producer of ''Watermark'', and the song pays homage to Dickins in the line "with Rob Dickins at the wheel".<ref>{{cite web |title=YouTube | website=] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKUTC6M5OZY |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307041551/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKUTC6M5OZY |archive-date=7 March 2016 }}</ref>{{Dead link|date=December 2023|fix-attempted}}{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}} Co-producer ] is referenced in the song with a pun on ]: "We can sigh, say goodbye&nbsp;/ Ross and his dependencies".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=18 November 2020 |title=Behind the Song: "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)" by Enya |url=https://americansongwriter.com/sail-away-by-enya-behind-the-song/ |access-date=18 March 2021 |website=American Songwriter |language=en-US}}</ref> The title of the song is an allusion both to ] (now Miloco Studios), where it was recorded, and to the ]. Its ] chords, generated by altering the ] ]'s "Pizzagogo" ], are highly recognizable as a ] sound.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |title=Famous Sounds |url=http://www.synthmania.com/Famous%20Sounds.htm |work=Synth Mania |publisher=Paolo Di Nicolantonio |access-date=9 June 2012 |author=Paolo Di Nicolantonio}}</ref> Enya was signed to ] by ], who served as executive producer of ''Watermark'', and the song pays homage to Dickins in the line "with Rob Dickins at the wheel".<ref>{{cite web |title=YouTube | website=] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKUTC6M5OZY |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307041551/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKUTC6M5OZY |archive-date=7 March 2016 }}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}} Co-producer ] is referenced in the song with a pun on ]: "We can sigh, say goodbye&nbsp;/ Ross and his dependencies".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=18 November 2020 |title=Behind the Song: "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)" by Enya |url=https://americansongwriter.com/sail-away-by-enya-behind-the-song/ |access-date=18 March 2021 |website=American Songwriter |language=en-US}}</ref>


===Lyrics=== ===Lyrics===
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In 1998, a special-edition 10th-anniversary remix single was released.<ref name=":2" /> In 1998, a special-edition 10th-anniversary remix single was released.<ref name=":2" />


In a 2015 interview with ''The Irish Times'', Enya said: “Longevity is all any artist dreams of”, rather than to dwell on how her songs are remembered.<ref name=":1" /> She credits "Orinoco Flow" for some of her cross-generational appeal, saying: "people who used to like Orinoco Flow are now playing my music to their children".<ref>{{Cite news |title=Enya: 'Love can be difficult as boyfriends tend to get jealous when they learn I need space to write music' |language=en-GB |work=belfasttelegraph |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/enya-love-can-be-difficult-as-boyfriends-tend-to-get-jealous-when-they-learn-i-need-space-to-write-music-34217179.html |access-date=18 March 2021 |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> In another interview, when asked whether people bring up "Orinoco Flow", she responded: "people say 'sail away' to me or whistle bits of it back to me. I think it’s wonderful—I never tire of it."<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 November 2015 |title=Enya: 'I feel comfortable singing in a variety of languages' |url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/nov/15/enya-dark-sky-island-album-feature |access-date=18 March 2021 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref> In a 2015 interview with '']'', Enya said: “Longevity is all any artist dreams of”, rather than to dwell on how her songs are remembered.<ref name=":1" /> She credits "Orinoco Flow" for some of her cross-generational appeal, saying: "people who used to like Orinoco Flow are now playing my music to their children".<ref>{{Cite news |title=Enya: 'Love can be difficult as boyfriends tend to get jealous when they learn I need space to write music' |language=en-GB |work=belfasttelegraph |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/enya-love-can-be-difficult-as-boyfriends-tend-to-get-jealous-when-they-learn-i-need-space-to-write-music-34217179.html |access-date=18 March 2021 |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> In another interview, when asked whether people bring up "Orinoco Flow", she responded: "people say 'sail away' to me or whistle bits of it back to me. I think it’s wonderful—I never tire of it."<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 November 2015 |title=Enya: 'I feel comfortable singing in a variety of languages' |url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/nov/15/enya-dark-sky-island-album-feature |access-date=18 March 2021 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref>


==Critical reception== ==Critical reception==
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{{Track listing {{Track listing
| headline = Japanese CD EP (1990)<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Orinoco Flow|others=Enya|year=1990|type=Japanese CD EP liner notes|publisher=WEA|id=WMC5-109}}</ref> | headline = Japanese CD 3 Tracks EP (1990)<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Orinoco Flow|others=Enya|year=1990|type=Japanese CD EP liner notes|publisher=WEA|id=WMC5-109}}</ref>
| title1 = Orinoco Flow | title1 = Orinoco Flow
| note1 = 7-inch version | note1 = 7-inch version
| length1 = 3:48
| title2 = ] | title2 = ]
| length2 = 3:49
| title3 = ] | title3 = ]
| note3 = single version | note3 = single version
| length3 = 3:01
}} }}


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| headline = Japanese CD single (1998)<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Orinoco Flow|others=Enya|year=1998|type=Japanese CD single liner notes|publisher=WEA|id=WPCR-1886}}</ref> | headline = Japanese CD single (1998)<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Orinoco Flow|others=Enya|year=1998|type=Japanese CD single liner notes|publisher=WEA|id=WPCR-1886}}</ref>
| title1 = Orinoco Flow | title1 = Orinoco Flow
| length1 = 3:47
| title2 = Hope Has a Place | title2 = Hope Has a Place
| length2 = 4:46
| title3 = Pax Deorum | title3 = Pax Deorum
| length3 = 4:57
| total_length =
}} }}


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|+Weekly chart performance for "Orinoco Flow" |+Weekly chart performance for "Orinoco Flow"
!Chart (1988–1989) !Chart (1988–1989)
!Peak<br/>position !Peak<br />position
|- |-
{{single chart|Australia|6|artist=Enya|song=Orinoco Flow|rowheader=true|access-date=23 October 2019}} {{single chart|Australia|6|artist=Enya|song=Orinoco Flow|rowheader=true|access-date=23 October 2019}}
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|25 |25
|- |-
!scope="row"| US Adult Contemporary ('']'')<ref>{{cite magazine|date=May 19, 1989|title=National Airplay Overview|magazine=]|page=104|id={{ProQuest|1017213355}}}}</ref> !scope="row"| US Adult Contemporary ('']'')<ref>{{cite magazine|date=19 May 1989|title=National Airplay Overview|magazine=]|page=104|id={{ProQuest|1017213355}}}}</ref>
| 5 | 5
|-
!scope="row"| US CHR ('']'')<ref>{{cite magazine|date=14 April 1989|title=National Airplay Overview|magazine=]|page=112|id={{ProQuest|1017218647}}}}</ref>
| 25
|-
!scope="row"| US New Rock ('']'')<ref>{{cite magazine|date=27 January 1989|title=New Rock|magazine=]|page=76|id={{ProQuest|1017213248}}}}</ref>
| 7
|- |-
{{single chart|West Germany|2|artist=Enya|song=Orinoco Flow|songid=1880|rowheader=true|access-date=23 October 2019}} {{single chart|West Germany|2|artist=Enya|song=Orinoco Flow|songid=1880|rowheader=true|access-date=23 October 2019}}
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|72 |72
|- |-
!scope="row"|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/index_chart?chart=3878|title=End of Year Charts 1989|publisher=]|access-date=23 October 2019}}</ref> !scope="row"|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1989-12-31|title=End of Year Charts 1989|publisher=]|access-date=23 October 2019}}</ref>
|34 |34
|- |-
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==Certifications== ==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "Orinoco Flow"}} {{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "Orinoco Flow"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Enya| title=Orinoco Flow|award=Gold|relyear=2000|source=radioscope|access-date=15 December 2024|certyear=2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|type=single|artist=Enya|title=Orinoco Flow|award=Gold|id=enya-orinoco-flow|relyear=1988|certyear=2024|access-date=October 13, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Enya|title=Orinoco Flow|award=Gold|relyear=1988|certyear=2024|id=4933-151-1|access-date=5 January 2024}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Enya|title=Orinoco Flow|award=Gold|relyear=1988|certyear=2024|id=4933-151-1|access-date=5 January 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
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|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/50256/products/301962/1/|title=オリノコ・フロウ {{!}} エンヤ|trans-title=Orinoco Flow {{!}} Enya|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=24 February 2024}}</ref> |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/50256/products/301962/1/|title=オリノコ・フロウ {{!}} エンヤ|trans-title=Orinoco Flow {{!}} Enya|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=24 February 2024}}</ref>
|} |}

==Covers==
{{sources|section|date=April 2021}}
* ] – '']'' and '']'' and '']'' and '']''
* ] – '']''
* ] –

===Samples and remixes===
* Samples of the backing track are used in ]'s hit single "Tribal Bass" (1991)
* ] sampled the chords in their song "No Hay Ley"
* South African group ] sampled the song as a backing track for the song "Orinoco Ninja Flow (Wedding DJ's Remix)" on their first album ] in 2008


==In popular culture== ==In popular culture==
After a wave of popularity, including regular rotation on MTV, the song became "a punch line",<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Greiving |first=Tim |date=19 October 2018 |title=Sail Away: How Enya's "Orinoco Flow" Went From a Hit to a Punch Line to a Pop Culture Anthem |url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2018/10/19/17996942/enya-orinoco-flow-sail-away-30-years |access-date=18 March 2021 |website=The Ringer |language=en}}</ref> representing a new-age cliché of "generic 'bubble bath' music". The song was used in scenes depicting relaxation and to highlight this in a jokey manner. In the 1997 '']''<ref name=":0" /> episode "]", ]'s grandfather locks Stan in a room and plays a parody of the song performed by ] to illustrate what it feels like to be old. In the '']'' episode "Crime and Punishment", character Jake Peralta mentions Enya as one of his favorite musical artists. Later on, "Orinoco Flow" plays as he walks, in slow motion, into a courtroom. Producer ] remarked, “We weren’t trying to attach ourselves to a history of making fun of it. The joke was just that it’s 100 percent the wrong music to play. It’s supposed to be this triumphant, badass moment, and instead we’re playing that song.”<ref name=":1" /> After a wave of popularity, including regular rotation on ], the song became "a punch line",<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Greiving |first=Tim |date=19 October 2018 |title=Sail Away: How Enya's "Orinoco Flow" Went From a Hit to a Punch Line to a Pop Culture Anthem |url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2018/10/19/17996942/enya-orinoco-flow-sail-away-30-years |access-date=18 March 2021 |website=The Ringer |language=en}}</ref> representing a ] cliché of "generic 'bubble bath' music". The song was used in scenes depicting relaxation and to highlight this in a jokey manner. In the 1997 '']''<ref name=":0" /> episode "]", ] (])'s grandfather Marvin Marsh (Parker) locks Stan in a room and plays a parody of the song performed by ] to illustrate what it feels like to be old. In the 2017 '']'' episode "]", character Jake Peralta (]) mentions Enya as one of his favorite musical artists. Later on, "Orinoco Flow" plays as he walks, in slow motion, into a courtroom. Producer ] remarked, “We weren’t trying to attach ourselves to a history of making fun of it. The joke was just that it’s 100 percent the wrong music to play. It’s supposed to be this triumphant, badass moment, and instead we’re playing that song.”<ref name=":1" />


In the 2002 '']'' episode "The Talented Mr. Alan", ] is caught singing the song to himself.<ref name=":1" /> The song is in "Funeral", the sixth episode of the first series of '']''; the video is shown and the song plays over the end credits. The song is played during ]'s announcement scene in the 2010 film '']''.<ref name=":0" /> It is in the first season of ''].''<ref name=":1" /> The song was used as the title song for the ] comedy-drama series '']'' starring ] and ]. In the 2002 '']'' episode "The Talented Mr. Alan", ] (Steve Coogan) is caught singing the song to himself.<ref name=":1" /> The song is in "Funeral", the 2003 sixth episode of the first series of '']''; the video is shown and the song plays over the end credits. The song is played during ] (])'s announcement scene in the 2010 film '']''.<ref name=":0" /> It is in the 2010 ] episode, "Letting You Go", of ''].''<ref name=":1" /> The song was briefly played during a monster cruise commercial in the 2018 film '']''. The song was also used as the title song for the ] comedy-drama series '']'' starring ] and ].


Alternatively, the song is used in media to create a dissonance between its calmness and starkly contrasting visuals. The song is featured during a sequence in ]'s ] of the novel '']'',<ref name=":0" /> in which the ] is tortured while the song plays. In the '']''<ref name=":0" /> episode "]", one of the characters listens to the song to relax "shortly before she’s torn apart by murderous drones" and effectively returned "Orinoco Flow" to the top of the new-age charts after the episode was released.<ref name=":1" /> Alternatively, the song is used in media to create a dissonance between its calmness and starkly contrasting visuals. The song is featured during a sequence in ]'s ] of the novel '']'',<ref name=":0" /> in which ] (]) is tortured while the song plays. In the 2016 '']''<ref name=":0" /> episode "]", one of the characters listens to the song to relax "shortly before she’s torn apart by murderous drones" and effectively returned "Orinoco Flow" to the top of the new-age charts after the episode was released.<ref name=":1" />


An exception to this is the use of the song in the 2018 ] film '']''. Burnham wrote to Enya directly for permission to use the song, and recognized it as a serious choice for the film; "in ''Eighth Grade'', 'Orinoco Flow' finally gets to be itself" rather than "fodder for ironic laughs".<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Neal |first=Sean |date=15 October 2018 |title=Eighth Grade and the Pop-Culture Redemption of Enya's 'Orinoco Flow' |url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/10/the-pop-culture-redemption-of-enyas-orinoco-flow.html |access-date=18 March 2021 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> An exception to this is the use of the song in the 2018 ] film '']''. Burnham wrote to Enya directly for permission to use the song, and recognized it as a serious choice for the film; "in ''Eighth Grade'', 'Orinoco Flow' finally gets to be itself" rather than "fodder for ironic laughs".<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Neal |first=Sean |date=15 October 2018 |title=Eighth Grade and the Pop-Culture Redemption of Enya's 'Orinoco Flow' |url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/10/the-pop-culture-redemption-of-enyas-orinoco-flow.html |access-date=18 March 2021 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

===Other uses===
* A version is performed by the main character of '']'' when he and his friend are sailing on a homemade raft.
* Australian tv show '']'' features the song in the opening scene of the first episode of its fourth season.
* In the 2018 animated film '']''.
* Played in the background during a scene in the 6th episode of season&nbsp;2 of '']'', when A-Train was being recruited to the Church of the Collective.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paige |first=Rachel |title='The Boys' Season 2 Hopes You Like Billy Joel |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/09/10008794/the-boys-season-2-soundtrack-songs-list-billy |access-date=18 March 2021 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en}}</ref>
* In the 2021 film '']''.
* The song appears briefly in the background of season 2 episode "The Moon" of Australian sitcom ], as one of the title characters reveals they purchased the CD during an extended stay at an airport.
* In the 2023 film '']'', when Jann Mardenborough listened to it to calm down before competing in the GT Academy heat with the Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3, in addition to his other song to calm down which is Kenny G's "Songbird".


===Advertisement=== ===Advertisement===
* In 1991, the song featured in an advert for ] paint.<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201092207/https://www.enyabookofdays.com/articles/sm-5.htm|url=https://www.enyabookofdays.com/articles/sm-5.htm|title=Enya Book of Days:Shepherd Moons Article|date=15 November 1991|archive-date=1 February 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> * In 1991, the song featured in an advert for ] paint.<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201092207/https://www.enyabookofdays.com/articles/sm-5.htm|url=https://www.enyabookofdays.com/articles/sm-5.htm|title=Enya Book of Days:Shepherd Moons Article|date=15 November 1991|archive-date=1 February 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* In 1992, the song was featured in a series of ads for ] beverage mixes. {{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j2Q3DRN9U8|title=1992 Crystal Light ad via YouTube|website=] }}
* The song is played towards the end of Hyundai Santa Fe ad (2021) in Australia.{{cn|date=April 2021}}


===Other references=== ===Other references===
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In the 2017 ] tribute to ], ''Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy'', ] recalls his mother listening to Enya driving in her ] with the top down.<ref>{{cite video |title=Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy |publisher=ITV |year=2017}}</ref> In the 2017 ] tribute to ], ''Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy'', ] recalls his mother listening to Enya driving in her ] with the top down.<ref>{{cite video |title=Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy |publisher=ITV |year=2017}}</ref>


] play this song often when they are put to sea <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.kreuzfahrt-coach.de/aida-cruises/aida-auslaufsong/ | title=AIDA Auslaufsong beim Sail Away - Kreuzfahrt-Coach.de &#124; Tipps & Infos für Kreuzfahrt-Urlauber | date=31 August 2022 }}</ref>
It was used as a ending theme in the documentary, Banig for PRTV 12 hosted by Dety Jane Atillo. {{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

German cruise line ] uses "Orinoco Flow" as sailaway music when their vessels leave port.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2yP03qIxIU | title=AIDAperla Auslaufen Sail away mit AIDAmar Gran Canaria Kanaren Weihnachten Silvester 20 Corona Reise | website=] }}</ref>


==References== ==References==
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] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]

Latest revision as of 13:58, 17 December 2024

1988 single by Enya This article is about the Enya single. For the Enya tribute album by the Taliesin Orchestra, see Orinoco Flow – The Music of Enya.

"Orinoco Flow"
Single by Enya
from the album Watermark
B-side"Smaoitím..." (d'Aodh agus do Mháire Uí Dhúgain)
  • "Out of the Blue"
Released3 October 1988 (1988-10-03)
Studio
GenreNew-age
Length4:25
LabelWEA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Nicky Ryan
Enya singles chronology
"I Want Tomorrow"
(1987) 		"Orinoco Flow"
(1988) 		"Evening Falls..."
(1988)
Music video
"Orinoco Flow" on YouTube

"Orinoco Flow", also released as "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)", is a song by Irish singer-songwriter Enya from her second studio album, Watermark (1988). It was released on 3 October 1988 by WEA Records in the United Kingdom and by Geffen Records in the United States the following year. The song topped the UK Singles Chart for three weeks and received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Music Video and Best New Age Performance at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards. The Guardian ranked "Orinoco Flow" at number 77 on its list of the 100 greatest UK number-one singles in 2020.

Background

The song was released as the lead single from Enya's studio album Watermark on 3 October 1988. It became a global success, reaching number one in several countries, including Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, where it stayed at the top of the UK Singles Chart for three weeks. In the United States, the song peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1989.

The title of the song is an allusion both to Orinoco Studios (now Miloco Studios), where it was recorded, and to the river of the same name. Its pizzicato chords, generated by altering the Roland D-50 synthesizer's "Pizzagogo" patch, are highly recognizable as a new-age sound. Enya was signed to WEA by Rob Dickins, who served as executive producer of Watermark, and the song pays homage to Dickins in the line "with Rob Dickins at the wheel". Co-producer Ross Cullum is referenced in the song with a pun on Ross Dependency: "We can sigh, say goodbye / Ross and his dependencies".

Lyrics

The lyrics have been likened to "an itinerary for the most expensive gap year of all time", mentioning an array of locations like a "global geography lesson". Locations mentioned in the song include Fiji, Tiree, Peru, Bali, and Cebu.

Legacy

In 1994, the song was licensed to Virgin Records for the best-selling new-age music compilation album Pure Moods, which contributed to further exposure and "helped provide a multi-platinum bonanza" to the record company.

In 1998, a special-edition 10th-anniversary remix single was released.

In a 2015 interview with The Irish Times, Enya said: “Longevity is all any artist dreams of”, rather than to dwell on how her songs are remembered. She credits "Orinoco Flow" for some of her cross-generational appeal, saying: "people who used to like Orinoco Flow are now playing my music to their children". In another interview, when asked whether people bring up "Orinoco Flow", she responded: "people say 'sail away' to me or whistle bits of it back to me. I think it’s wonderful—I never tire of it."

Critical reception

Ned Raggett from AllMusic described the song as "distinct" and "downright catchy". He noted "its implicit dramatics, gently charges instead of piling things on".

Music video

A video was made to accompany the song. It features Enya singing the song in front of footage of rivers, flowers and nature, edited to have the appearance of a painting. It was directed by Michael Geoghegan.

Track listings

7-inch and cassette single
No.TitleLength
1."Orinoco Flow" (edit)3:44
2."Out of the Blue"3:10
12-inch and mini-CD single
No.TitleLength
1."Orinoco Flow"4:25
2."Smaoitím..." (d'Aodh agus do Mháire Uí Dhúgain)6:05
3."Out of the Blue"3:10
Japanese CD 3 Tracks EP (1990)
No.TitleLength
1."Orinoco Flow" (7-inch version)3:48
2."Evening Falls..."3:49
3."Storms in Africa" (single version)3:01
Japanese CD single (1998)
No.TitleLength
1."Orinoco Flow"3:47
2."Hope Has a Place"4:46
3."Pax Deorum"4:57

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Orinoco Flow"
Chart (1988–1989) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) 6
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 8
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 1
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 4
Denmark (IFPI) 6
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) 5
France (SNEP) 16
Ireland (IRMA) 1
Italy (Musica e dischi) 20
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100) 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 2
Norway (VG-lista) 5
Portugal (AFP) 3
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 1
UK Singles (OCC) 1
US Billboard Hot 100 24
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 7
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard) 6
US Cash Box Top 100 25
US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records) 5
US CHR (Radio & Records) 25
US New Rock (Radio & Records) 7
West Germany (GfK) 2

Year-end charts

1988 year-end chart performance for "Orinoco Flow"
Chart (1988) Position
Belgium (Ultratop) 56
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 83
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 40
Netherlands (Single Top 100) 23
UK Singles (OCC) 18
1989 year-end chart performance for "Orinoco Flow"
Chart (1989) Position
Australia (ARIA) 43
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 60
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 72
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 34
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 19
West Germany (Official German Charts) 20

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Orinoco Flow"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ) Gold 15,000
Spain (PROMUSICAE) Gold 30,000
United Kingdom (BPI) Gold 500,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Orinoco Flow"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 3 October 1988
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
 WEA
Japan 25 February 1989 Mini-CD
25 June 1990 CD

In popular culture

After a wave of popularity, including regular rotation on MTV, the song became "a punch line", representing a new-age cliché of "generic 'bubble bath' music". The song was used in scenes depicting relaxation and to highlight this in a jokey manner. In the 1997 South Park episode "Death", Stan Marsh (Trey Parker)'s grandfather Marvin Marsh (Parker) locks Stan in a room and plays a parody of the song performed by Toddy Walters to illustrate what it feels like to be old. In the 2017 Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode "Crime and Punishment", character Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) mentions Enya as one of his favorite musical artists. Later on, "Orinoco Flow" plays as he walks, in slow motion, into a courtroom. Producer Dan Goor remarked, “We weren’t trying to attach ourselves to a history of making fun of it. The joke was just that it’s 100 percent the wrong music to play. It’s supposed to be this triumphant, badass moment, and instead we’re playing that song.”

In the 2002 I'm Alan Partridge episode "The Talented Mr. Alan", Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan) is caught singing the song to himself. The song is in "Funeral", the 2003 sixth episode of the first series of Peep Show; the video is shown and the song plays over the end credits. The song is played during Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dorhn)'s announcement scene in the 2010 film Shrek Forever After. It is in the 2010 first season episode, "Letting You Go", of Cougar Town. The song was briefly played during a monster cruise commercial in the 2018 film Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation. The song was also used as the title song for the Netflix comedy-drama series Living with Yourself starring Paul Rudd and Aisling Bea.

Alternatively, the song is used in media to create a dissonance between its calmness and starkly contrasting visuals. The song is featured during a sequence in David Fincher's 2011 adaptation of the novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, in which Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is tortured while the song plays. In the 2016 Black Mirror episode "Hated in the Nation", one of the characters listens to the song to relax "shortly before she’s torn apart by murderous drones" and effectively returned "Orinoco Flow" to the top of the new-age charts after the episode was released.

An exception to this is the use of the song in the 2018 Bo Burnham film Eighth Grade. Burnham wrote to Enya directly for permission to use the song, and recognized it as a serious choice for the film; "in Eighth Grade, 'Orinoco Flow' finally gets to be itself" rather than "fodder for ironic laughs".

Advertisement

  • In 1991, the song featured in an advert for Dulux paint.

Other references

"Orinoco Flow" has been used in reference to various object names including an iris cultivar Orinoco Flow by iris breeder Cy Bartlett in 1989, and Leporinus enyae, a species of fish from the Orinoco drainage basin named for the artist herself.

In the 2017 ITV tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, Prince Harry recalls his mother listening to Enya driving in her BMW with the top down.

AIDA cruise ships play this song often when they are put to sea

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External links

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