Born in Suffolk, Eno studied painting and experimental music at the art school of Ipswich Civic College in the mid 1960s, and then at Winchester School of Art. He joined glam rock group Roxy Music as synthesiser player in 1971. After recording two albums with Roxy Music, he departed in 1973 to record a number of solo albums, coining the term "ambient music" to describe his work on releases such as Another Green World (1975), Discreet Music (1975), and Music for Airports (1978). He also collaborated with artists such as Robert Fripp, Cluster, Harold Budd, David Bowie on his "Berlin Trilogy", and David Byrne, and produced albums by artists including John Cale, Jon Hassell, Laraaji, Talking Heads and Devo, and the no wave compilation No New York (1978).
Eno has continued to record solo albums and work with artists including U2, Laurie Anderson, Grace Jones, Slowdive, Coldplay, James Blake, and Damon Albarn. Dating back to his time as a student, he has also worked in media including sound installations and his mid-70s co-development of Oblique Strategies, a deck of cards featuring cryptic aphorisms intended to spur creative thinking. From the 1970s onwards, Eno's installations have included the sails of the Sydney Opera House in 2009 and the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank in 2016. An advocate of a range of humanitarian causes, Eno writes on a variety of subjects and is a founding member of the Long Now Foundation. In 2019, Eno was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Roxy Music.
Eno is frequently referred to as one of popular music's most influential artists. Producer and film composer Jon Brion has said: "I think he's the most influential artist since the Beatles." Critic Jason Ankeny at AllMusic argues that Eno "forever altered the ways in which music is approached, composed, performed, and perceived, and everything from punk to techno to new age bears his unmistakable influence." Eno has spread his techniques and theories primarily through his production; his distinctive style informed a number of projects in which he has been involved, including Bowie's "Berlin Trilogy" (helping to popularize minimalism) and the albums he produced for Talking Heads (incorporating, on Eno's advice, African music and polyrhythms), Devo, and other groups. Eno's first collaboration with David Byrne, 1981's My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, pioneered sampling techniques that would prove to be influential in hip-hop, and broke ground by incorporating world music into popular Western music forms. Eno and Peter Schmidt's Oblique Strategies have been used by many bands, and Eno's production style has proven influential in several general respects: "his recording techniques have helped change the way that modern musicians;– particularly electronic musicians;– view the studio. No longer is it just a passive medium through which they communicate their ideas but itself a new instrument with seemingly endless possibilities."
Whilst inspired by the ideas of minimalist composers including John Cage, Terry Riley and Erik Satie, Eno coined the term ambient music to describe his own work and defined the term. The Ambient Music Guide states that he has brought from "relative obscurity into the popular consciousness" fundamental ideas about ambient music, including "the idea of modern music as subtle atmosphere, as chill-out, as impressionistic, as something that creates space for quiet reflection or relaxation." His groundbreaking work in electronic music has been said to have brought widespread attention to and innovations in the role of electronic technology in recording. Pink Floyd keyboardist Rick Wright said he "often eulogised" Eno's abilities.
Eno's "unconventional studio predilections", in common with those of Peter Gabriel, were an influence on the recording of "In the Air Tonight", the single which launched the solo career of Eno's former drummer Phil Collins. Collins said he "learned a lot" from working with Eno. Both Half Man Half Biscuit (in the song "Eno Collaboration" on the EP of the same name) and MGMT have written songs about Eno. LCD Soundsystem has frequently cited Eno as a key influence. The Icelandic singer Björk also credited Eno as a major influence.
Mora sti Fotia (Babies on Fire), one of the most influential Greek rock bands, was named after Eno's song "Baby's on Fire".
In 2011, Belgian academics from the Royal Museum for Central Africa named a species of Afrotropical spider Pseudocorinna brianeno in his honour.
Baby's on Fire
Brian Eno Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Better throw her in the water
Look at her laughing
Like a heifer to the slaughter
Baby's on fire
And all the laughing boys are bitching
Waiting for photos
Rescuers row row
Do your best to change the subject
Blow the wind blow blow
Lend some assistance to the object
Photographers snip snap
Take your time she's only burning
This kind of experience
Is necessary for her learning
If you'll be my flotsam
I could be half the man I used to
They said you were hot stuff
And that's what baby's been reduced to
Juanita and Juan
Very clever with maracas
Making their fortunes
Selling secondhand tobacco's
Juan dances at Chico's
And when the clients are evicted
He empties the ashtrays
And pockets all that he's collected
But baby's on fire
And all the instruments agree that
Her temperature's rising
But any idiot would know that
The song "Baby's on Fire" by Brian Eno is known for its intense and ambiguous lyrics that are open to interpretation. It is said that the song's lyrics were written as an ode to the entertainment industry, which he found to be superficial and vain. In the song, the singer is consumed by fame, and instead of being saved by rescuers, as in traditional narrative form, the singer's burning is merely captured by photographers for their own profit.
The opening line, "Baby's on fire, better throw her in the water," is a symbol for the singer's imminent destruction. However, instead of being saved, the laughing boys watch as the plot thickens. They wait for photos, which they can take advantage of for their own gain. At this point in the song, the listeners are encouraged to contemplate the morality of the entertainment industry, which thrives on the pain of others.
As the song progresses, the singer, who is being reduced to a hot commodity or an object of desire, is deemed necessary for her learning. As the intensity of the song grows, Juanita and Juan's story is introduced, which serves as a warning. They sell secondhand tobacco, dance for clients, and collect the ashtrays after their eviction when their usefulness is over. The song concludes by emphasizing the rise of the singer's temperature, which signals the end of her life.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby's on fire
This woman is extremely attractive and desirable.
Better throw her in the water
Her attractiveness is so intense that it feels like she's burning, and therefore she should be cooled off.
Look at her laughing
She is fully aware of her power over men and finds their reactions amusing.
Like a heifer to the slaughter
Her laughter is akin to a cow being content before it's slaughtered for meat.
And all the laughing boys are bitching
Despite their desire for her, they are frustrated with the effect she has on them.
Waiting for photos
They are hoping to capture her image to memorialize this moment.
Oh the plot is so bewitching
The way the events are unfolding is intoxicating to witness.
Rescuers row row
People are attempting to save her, but with little success.
Do your best to change the subject
They're trying to distract themselves from the intense emotions she's triggering.
Blow the wind blow blow
The wind won't stop, and it's fueling her fire even more.
Lend some assistance to the object
They know they should help her, but they can't resist watching her burn.
Photographers snip snap
Observers are taking pictures, viewing her as an object to be documented.
Take your time she's only burning
No one is in a rush to help her since they don't see her as a real person.
This kind of experience
Her burning is seen as a learning opportunity for those watching.
Is necessary for her learning
She needs to suffer like this in order to understand how powerful she is.
If you'll be my flotsam
If she is willing to be his companion and sink into their mutual attraction, then he'll give up some of his power.
I could be half the man I used to
He's acknowledging that she has an effect on him that makes him feel less powerful.
They said you were hot stuff
Rumors of her attractiveness have spread far and wide.
And that's what baby's been reduced to
Despite her other qualities, her beauty is what people focus on.
Juanita and Juan
Two people who have their own story, separate from the main focus of the song.
Very clever with maracas
They have a certain amount of talent and wit that has helped them get ahead.
Making their fortunes
They have had some success in their endeavors.
Selling secondhand tobacco's
They're not doing anything glamorous, just selling tobacco products.
Juan dances at Chico's
One of them works at a place called Chico's, which is otherwise not mentioned in the song.
And when the clients are evicted
They lose their customers when things change.
He empties the ashtrays
Juan is doing a menial task after the business closes down.
And pockets all that he's collected
He can't resist taking something, even if it's a small amount.
But baby's on fire
Despite this subplot, the main focus of the song is still on the woman.
And all the instruments agree that
The music is signaling that something important is happening.
Her temperature's rising
Her inner turmoil is getting more and more intense.
But any idiot would know that
It's obvious to anyone who's paying attention to her.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ENO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind