There is currently no news about a new Enya album. Her 2015 album “Dark Sky Island” is still doing very well, so there’s no rush for her to deliver a new release. While you are waiting, why not check out Enya’s “unofficial” debut album “The Frog Prince” from Brian Gilbert’s 1985 movie? It is a surprisingly fresh and romantic album with at least 2 songs that deserve to be in your Enya playlist. Give it a go and see what you think. Who knows, perhaps it will turn into a prince?
It is safe to assume that “The Frog Prince” is Enya’s least successful album, although no exact CD/cassette sales numbers are known. Also, many fans find that this is not a “genuine” Enya album since the music is played and arranged by others – and the usual “Enya sound” (her multi-vocals) is not present. Enya and Nicky Ryan are also reportedly not that happy with “The Frog Prince” (according to Enya.sk).
That said, the soundtrack opened important doors at BBC Records a year or so later that would lead to Enya’s breakthrough with “The Celts” soundtrack (1987 – first released as “Enya”, then re-released in 1992 as “The Celts”). So yes, “The Frog Prince” is indeed an important album in Enya’s discography.
The soundtrack includes 9 original instrumental compositions by Enya (11 if you count the two that were not featured in the movie); “The Train to Paris” (side 1, track 1), “The First Day” (2), “With Jean-Phillippe” (5), “Jenny” (6), “Reflections” (7), “”The Frog Prince” (8), “Dreams” (side 2, track 1), “The Kiss” (2), “A Kiss by the Fountain” (5), “Jenny & Roz”(6) and “Epilogue” (8).
This is the highlight of the album – “Dreams”:
And the title track too is amazing:
The 4 jazz songs are performed by the Jazz Club, and one song performed by Édith Piaf.
If you fancy the CD, The Frog Prince Soundtrack is available for 10 $ or less on Ebay. “The Frog Prince” reminds a bit of Yanni’s 1989 soundtrack “I Love You Perfect”. Both soundtracks are today largely forgotten.Below is a synopsis of Brian Gilbert’s film (from Wikipedia). The movie is known as “French Lesson”, or ”The Frog Prince”. But first – the trailer:
“The film tells the story of Jenny, a British teenager, who has left home for the first time and is going to college in Paris in the early 1960s. Soon, she is smitten by a local Parisian. Although he is a romantic guy, Jenny wants him to prove his love by reciting a few lines to her from Romeo and Juliet, something he finds a tad idiotic. Jenny is crushed when he outright refuses, but later prevails. From then on, she runs into situation after situation in dealing with her crazy friends, a few other young men who find her attractive and, lastly, her French host family headed over by a strict Madame Paroche who is none too pleased to see Jenny having any sort of social life whatsoever.”
The film was never a hit, and didn’t make it to DVD (it was released on VHS). Is it available on the net at all? If you know where to find it, write a comment below!
In conclusion; The Frog Prince soundtrack is a wonderful, quirky and quite different Enya album. If anything, it makes the wait for a new album a little bit shorter!