Caribbean Blue

"Caribbean Blue"
Single by Enya
from the album Shepherd Moons
B-side	"Orinoco Flow" "As Baile" "Oriel Window"
Released	7 October 1991 (1991-10-07)
Length	3:58 (album version) 3:39 (single version)
Label	WEA
Songwriters	Enya Roma Ryan
Producer	Nicky Ryan
Enya singles chronology
"Exile" (1991) "Caribbean Blue" (1991) "How Can I Keep from Singing?" (1991)
Music video
"Caribbean Blue" on YouTube

"Caribbean Blue" is a song by Irish musician Enya, included as the second track on her third studio album, Shepherd Moons (1991). It was written by Enya and Roma Ryan, and produced by Nicky Ryan. The song follows a waltz time signature, and mentions the Anemoi (Ancient Greek wind gods): Boreas, Afer Ventus (Africus), Eurus, and Zephyrus.

"Caribbean Blue" was released as the lead single from the album on 7 October 1991 by WEA. It reached number eight on the Irish Singles Chart and number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, it reached number 79 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart; on the latter listing, it was the 12th-most-successful song of 1992. The accompanying music video features visual imagery based on the paintings of Maxfield Parrish ^[1] and was an early appearance for British actress and singer Martine McCutcheon. ^[2]

Critical reception

Ned Raggett from AllMusic noted that on the song, the singer 'avoids repeating the successful formula of "Orinoco Flow" by means of its waltz time—a subtle enough change, but one that colors and drives the overall composition and performance, the closest Enya might ever get to a dance number.' ^[3]

Larry Flick from Billboard magazine described it as 'dreamy and evocative' and 'multilayered and intricate'. He noted further that 'rich tapestry of sound lulls the listener with the promise of complex musical textures. Enya's understated vocals swell into effective wavelike crescendos that ebb and flow with the picturesque melody.' ^[4]

David Browne from Entertainment Weekly called it 'a breathy, upbeat waltz that personifies everything Enya'. ^[5] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote that 'it is as dreamy as her 1988 global hit "Orinoco Flow", but more dressed with instruments'. ^[6] People Magazine stated that 'the Irish singer's angelic vocals lift this elegant and avant-garde waltz heavenward'. ^[7]

Music video

The video was directed by Michael Geoghegan and inspired by the illustrations of an American painter Maxfield Parrish. The pastel-like effect was added by painting on a transparent foil posed over video frames. A documentary about making of the video is included on The Video Collection and The Very Best of Enya DVDs. ^[8]

Track listings

• UK 7-inch and cassette single ^{[9] [10]}
• US and Australian cassette single ^{[11] [12]}
• Japanese mini-CD single ^[13]

1. "Caribbean Blue"
2. "Orinoco Flow"

• UK CD single ^[14]

1. "Caribbean Blue"
2. "Orinoco Flow"
3. "As Baile"
4. "Oriel Window"

• European 12-inch single ^[15]

A1. "Caribbean Blue" – 3:39

A2. "Orinoco Flow" – 3:44

B1. "Angeles" – 3:58

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Caribbean Blue" Chart (1991–1992) Peak position Australia (ARIA) [16] 74 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [17] 30 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [18] 32 Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) [19] 10 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [20] 31 Germany (GfK) [21] 50 Ireland (IRMA) [22] 8 Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg) [23] 8 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [24] 21 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [25] 37 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [26] 22 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [27] 25 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [28] 32 UK Singles (OCC) [29] 13 US Billboard Hot 100 [30] 79 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [31] 29 US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [32] 3 2025 weekly chart performance for "Caribbean Blue" Chart (2025) Peak position Russia Streaming (TopHit) [33] 99

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Caribbean Blue" Chart (1992) Position US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard) [34] 12

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Caribbean Blue"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [35]	Silver	200,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Caribbean Blue"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	7 October 1991	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl CD cassette	WEA	[36]
Australia	4 November 1991	CD cassette		[37]
Japan	10 November 1991	Mini-CD		[38]

References

1. "- YouTube". YouTube .
2. "Famous Firsts: Martine McCutcheon". Glasgow Times . 13 June 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
3. Raggett, Ned. "Enya – Shepherd Moons". AllMusic . Retrieved 8 November 2020.
4. Flick, Larry (23 November 1991). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . p. 72. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
5. Browne, David (16 April 1993). "Enya's Shepherd Moon re-reviewed". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 11 November 2020.
6. "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 8, no. 42. 19 October 1991. p. 33. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
7. "Picks and Pans Review: Prime Cuts". People . 16 December 1991. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
8. "Caribbean Blue". EnyaBlues. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
9. Caribbean Blue (UK 7-inch single sleeve). WEA. 1991. YZ604, 9031-75609-7.
10. Caribbean Blue (UK cassette single sleeve). WEA. 1991. YZ604C.
11. Caribbean Blue (US cassette single sleeve). Reprise Records. 1991. 9 19089-4.
12. Caribbean Blue (Australian cassette single sleeve). WEA. 1991. 903175609-4.
13. Caribbean Blue (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). WEA. 1991. WMD5-4080.
14. Caribbean Blue (UK CD single liner notes). WEA. 1991. YZ604CDX, 9031-75611-2.
15. Caribbean Blue (European 12-inch single sleeve). WEA. 1991. 9031-75610-0.
16. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
17. "Enya – Caribbean Blue" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
18. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2036." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
19. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2104." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
20. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 46. 16 November 1991. p. 31. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
21. "Enya – Caribbean Blue" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
22. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Caribbean Blue". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
23. Radio Luxembourg Singles. 27 October 1991.
24. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 47, 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
25. "Enya – Caribbean Blue" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
26. "Enya – Caribbean Blue". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
27. "Enya – Caribbean Blue". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
28. "Enya – Caribbean Blue". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
29. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
30. "Enya Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
31. "Enya Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
32. "Enya Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
33. "Top All Internet Hits Russia Weekly Chart: Oct 2, 2025". TopHit. 3 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
34. "The Year in Music – Top Modern Rock Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 52. 26 December 1992. p. YE-42. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
35. "British single certifications – Enya – Caribbean Blue". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 23 September 2022.
36. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 5 October 1991. p. 25. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
37. "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 04/11/91: Singles". The ARIA Report . No. 93. 3 November 1991. p. 19.
38. "カリビアン・ブルー | エンヤ" [Caribbean Blue | Enya] (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved 24 February 2024.

External links

• " Caribbean Blue " at Discogs (list of releases)