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.
Back in Judy's Jungle
Brian Eno Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So please read them closely
When you've learnt them be sure that you eat them up
They're specially flavored with burgundy, Tizer and rye
Twelve sheets of foolscap, don't ask me why.
We hit the jungle just as it starts to monsoon
Our maps showed no rainfall
All the boys were depressed by this circumstance
Who gives birth to more farmhands, don't ask me why.
Fifteen was chosen because he was dumb
Seven because he was blind
I got the job because I was so mean
While somehow appearing so kind
Drifting about through the cauliflower trees
With a cauliflower ear for the birds
The Squadron assembled what senses they had
And this is the sound that they heard
Back at headquarters khaki decisions are made
File under 'Futile', that should give you its main point of reference
It's all so confusing, what with pythons and then deadly flies
But to them it's a picnic, don't ask me why.
Thirteen was chosen because of his luck
Eleven because of his feet
One got signed up for exceptional pluck
Another because he was mute
Roaming about through the gelatin swamps
With a gelatin eye on the stripes
The Squadron assembled what senses they had
And this is the sound that they heard
Back in Blighty there was you
There were milkmen every morning
But/Fuck these endless shiny trees
Never used to be that way.
The lyrics of Brian Eno's song "Back in Judy's Jungle" depict a group of soldiers who appear to be on a mission in a jungle. The first verse describes their instructions as a matter of life and death, to be followed diligently. The second verse tells of their arrival during a monsoon despite maps indicating no rainfall, and their depression as they trust in the weather to provide for agriculture. The third verse describes the selection process for members of the squad, emphasizing the seemingly random criteria used in their selection. The chorus then describes the jungle as a place filled with danger, from pythons and deadly flies, but the soldiers approach it calmly.
The fourth verse portrays a contrast between the soldiers' experiences in the jungle and those back home. While they endure uncertain conditions, back home there are milkmen delivering every morning. The phrase "But/Fuck these endless shiny trees" perhaps alludes to the soldiers' sense of being lost or trapped in a foreign land, longing for home. The final line "Never used to be that way" suggests a nostalgia for a simpler, more familiar time. Overall, the lyrics of the song seem to convey a sense of confusion, disorientation, and a lack of agency among soldiers placed in unpredictable and potentially dangerous circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
These are your orders, seems like it's do it or die
You have been given very important instructions that must be executed, or it could prove to be fatal.
So please read them closely
It is important to understand the instructions thoroughly, so take your time and read carefully.
When you've learnt them be sure that you eat them up
Once you have understood the instructions properly, make sure to follow them to the letter as if you were devouring food.
They're specially flavored with burgundy, Tizer and rye
The instructions contain unique elements that make them special and different, like the flavors of burgundy, Tizer, and rye.
Twelve sheets of foolscap, don't ask me why.
The number of pages in the instructions is not essential; it doesn't matter why there are precisely twelve pages.
We hit the jungle just as it starts to monsoon
The team arrived in the jungle right as the rainy season started.
Our maps showed no rainfall
Even though the team's maps didn't indicate rain, it started pouring upon their arrival.
All the boys were depressed by this circumstance
The team was discouraged because of the unexpected weather.
Trust in the weather to bless agricultural man
Despite the hardships, the climate is fundamental to the success of farmers.
Who gives birth to more farmhands, don't ask me why.
For unknown reasons, the industry has more people going into farming every year.
Fifteen was chosen because he was dumb
One of the team members was picked because they weren't conventionally smart.
Seven because he was blind
Another team member was selected because they were visually impaired.
I got the job because I was so mean
The singer was chosen for their unpleasant personality traits.
While somehow appearing so kind
Oddly enough, the singer managed to come across as benevolent despite their inherent unpleasantness.
Drifting about through the cauliflower trees
The team was wandering through an unusual jungle landscape that was reminiscent of cauliflower plants.
With a cauliflower ear for the birds
One of the team members was keen on listening to bird sounds and had developed cauliflower ear from doing so.
The Squadron assembled what senses they had
The team relied on their available senses to accomplish their mission.
And this is the sound that they heard
This is the audio sensation that the team perceived.
Back at headquarters khaki decisions are made
Important decisions were being made at the-command center back at the base.
File under 'Futile', that should give you its main point of reference
Labeling the decision under the category 'Futile' conveys the idea that it was impractical and thus, shouldn't be considered.
It's all so confusing, what with pythons and then deadly flies
The situation was confusing, what with dealing with pythons and deadly flies.
But to them it's a picnic, don't ask me why.
Despite the danger and confusion, to the team, it was just another day at work.
Thirteen was chosen because of his luck
One individual was picked for their good 'fortune'.
Eleven because of his feet
Another team member was selected based on their feet.
One got signed up for exceptional pluck
A person was chosen due to their exceptional courage or bravery.
Another because he was mute
The mute member was added to the team despite their inability to speak.
Roaming about through the gelatin swamps
The team was wandering through a marshy area that resembled gelatin.
With a gelatin eye on the stripes
One of the members had a particular focus on the stripes that were present in the area.
Back in Blighty there was you
The artist is addressing an individual who is located back in their homeland of England.
There were milkmen every morning
The singer is reminiscing about a time in England when there were milkmen that came every morning.
But/Fuck these endless shiny trees
The singer bemoans the endless, shiny trees that surround them and how that is different from their previous life in England.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ENO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind