The Loxian Gate
by Enya

Album: Dark Sky Island (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In 2005, Enya's lyricist Roma Ryan created a new language known as Loxian, inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's Elvish language. She devised it while writing the words for "Water Shows the Hidden Heart" an otherworldly track from the Amarantine album. Enya and her had tried writing the lyrics in Latin, Gaelic and English without success, so Ryan came up with a "a futuristic language from a distant planet".

    Ryan used the language on two other tracks from Amarantine: "Less Than a Pearl" and "The River Sings."

    Both this song and " The Forge of the Angels" was also penned in the Loxian language. They are futuristic narratives with a genesis that dates back to "Aldferbaran," a track from Enya's 1986 debut album, the soundtrack to the BBC documentary The Celts. That song explored the tale of the future migration of the Celts through space, continuing the migratory pattern that was so predominant in their early history. Their adventures are continued thirty years later with these two new tales.

    Enya explained to Buzzfeed: "Roma suggested writing a language in order to make the warm vowel sounds I wanted. She started putting stories behind it so I knew what I was singing about, and Roma felt the Celts became the Loxian people. On the new album 'The Forge of Angels' is the name of their spaceship and 'Loxian Gates' are what surrounds the planet. This is in the future, of course, so we don't actually know what planet they end up on."
  • Roma Ryan explained the song's meaning: "'The Loxian Gates' reminisces on the beauty of the seasons of the earth they left behind, and tells of their own seasons. it reminds the Loxians that life should be appreciated as it is lived, for the journey is as important as the final destination."

Comments: 1

  • Mark I.d Williams from Yola, Adamawa State.Hmmm. This woman is a mysterious being. So amazing. So deep I wish I could be like her touching the heart of people. The languages she use for her songs is one thing to think about. I love Enya so much. I can play her song none stop for 10years. Each day I listen to her songs. One once I begin to play her songs, I find myself out of my environment to the unknown
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up Musicians

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up MusiciansSong Writing

Eddie (played by Johnny Depp in the video) found fame fleeting, but Chuck Berry's made-up musician fared better.

Jello Biafra

Jello BiafraSongwriter Interviews

The former Dead Kennedys frontman on the past, present and future of the band, what music makes us "pliant and stupid," and what he learned from Alice Cooper.

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real Group

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real GroupSong Writing

The leader of the Modern A Cappella movement talks about the genre.

David Paich of Toto

David Paich of TotoSongwriter Interviews

Toto's keyboard player explains the true meaning of "Africa" and talks about working on the Thriller album.

Francis Rossi of Status Quo

Francis Rossi of Status QuoSongwriter Interviews

Doubt led to drive for Francis, who still isn't sure why one of Status Quo's biggest hits is so beloved.