Only Time

"Only Time" brings the ethereal, atmospheric sound of Enya into the choral space. While not a liturgical piece for Sunday Mass, this arrangement by Kirby Shaw is an excellent choice for special choir concerts, social events, or reflective performances. The song asks gentle, lingering questions about the paths we take in life and how love unfolds, reminding us that the answers belong to time alone.

To capture the driving, layered feel of the original recording, the arrangement uses rhythmic vocalizations—the "dee dah dah day" sections—to mimic the sweeping string lines and synthesizers. When a choir sings this, the challenge is keeping those rhythmic syllables light and precise while the melody floats effortlessly above them. It is a deeply moving piece that allows a choir to step outside traditional hymnody and explore a more contemporary, cinematic sound.