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.
Great Pretender
Brian Eno Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rolled on her side
She was so impressed that she just surrendered
She was moved by his wheels
She was just up from wales
He was fueled by her coals and he was coming to catch her
Lose the sense of time
Nail down the blinds
Joking aside
The mechanical bride
Has fallen prey to the great pretender.
Let me just point out discreetly
Though you never learn
All those tawdry late night weepies
I could make you weep more cheaply
As the empty moon enamels
Monica with spoons and candles
Bangs around without the light on
Furniture to get it right on
Settled in a homely fish pool
Hung with little eels
Often thinks that travel widens
'stay at home, the trout obliges'
Monica sighed
Rolled on to her side
She was so impressed that she just surrendered.
The lyrics of Brian Eno's "The Great Pretender" tell a story of a woman named Monica who is enamored with a man she has met. She is so taken with him that she surrenders herself to him, despite his true intentions being masked by his pretense. The lyrics describe Monica losing track of time and being enveloped in a succulent darkness, where she feels a sense of an impending end. The line "mechanical bride" could be a reference to the man's car, which is fuelled by her coals, and he has fallen prey to the trap of pretending to be someone he's not.
The next verse sees Eno referencing cheap late-night weepies, suggesting that the relationship between Monica and the great pretender is not a genuine one. He also describes Monica's surroundings, painting a picture of a homely fish pool with little eels that often makes her think travel is not necessary. The final verse circles back to Monica, who is so impressed with the great pretender that she surrenders to him once again.
Overall, "The Great Pretender" speaks to the theme of self-deception and the danger of being taken in by appearances that mask the truth. It seems to caution against surrendering oneself without first taking the time to see beyond the surface.
Line by Line Meaning
Monica sighed
Monica let out a deep breath of air.
Rolled on her side
Monica shifted her body weight and lay on her side.
She was so impressed that she just surrendered
Monica was so enamored with the man that she gave up her resistance.
She was moved by his wheels
The man's car impressed Monica and made her feel emotional.
She was just up from wales
Monica had recently traveled from Wales.
He was fueled by her coals and he was coming to catch her
The man was motivated by Monica's desire for him and was pursuing her.
Lose the sense of time
Forget about time and let yourself get lost in the moment.
Nail down the blinds
Close the blinds and shut out the outside world.
And in the succulent dark there's a sense of ending
In the darkness of the room, there is a feeling that something is coming to an end.
Joking aside
Putting aside any humor or sarcasm.
The mechanical bride
Referring to an artificial or robotic woman.
Has fallen prey to the great pretender.
The fake or insincere person has taken advantage of the robotic woman's vulnerability.
Let me just point out discreetly
Allow me to make a subtle observation.
Though you never learn
Despite your lack of knowledge or experience.
All those tawdry late night weepies
Referring to low-quality or melodramatic movies or TV shows that make people cry.
I could make you weep more cheaply
I can create a more emotional response in you without the need for cheesy movies or TV shows.
As the empty moon enamels
As the moon is illuminated in the sky with no apparent meaning or purpose.
Monica with spoons and candles
Monica is in her room with some spoons and lit candles nearby.
Bangs around without the light on
Monica is moving things around noisily in the dark.
Furniture to get it right on
She is arranging the furniture to her liking.
Settled in a homely fish pool
Monica has found comfort in her simple surroundings.
Hung with little eels
The fish pool has small eels swimming in it.
Often thinks that travel widens
Monica believes that traveling broadens one's horizons and experiences.
'stay at home, the trout obliges'
Monica also believes that one can find fulfillment and satisfaction in staying home and enjoying simple pleasures.
Monica sighed
The song returns to Monica's sigh from the beginning.
Rolled on to her side
Monica shifts her body weight and lays on her side again, perhaps feeling content or defeated.
She was so impressed that she just surrendered.
The song ends with the repetition of Monica giving up her resistance and submitting to the man's advances.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ENO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Bnswiss
Monica sighed
Rolled on her side
She was so impressed that she just surrendered
She was moved by his wheels
She was just up from wales
He was fueled by her coals and he was coming to catch her
Lose the sense of time
Nail down the blinds
And in the succulent dark there's a sense of ending
Joking aside
The mechanical bride
Has fallen prey to the great pretender.
Let me just point out discreetly
Though you never learn
All those tawdry late night weepies
I could make you weep more cheaply
As the empty moon enamels
Monica with spoons and candles
Bangs around without the light on
Furniture to get it right on
Settled in a homely fish pool
Hung with little eels
Often thinks that travel widens
'stay at home, the trout obliges'
Monica sighed
Rolled on to her side
She was so impressed that she just surrendered
@c.f9448
Insane to think this came out in '74. Who was releasing music like that at the time beside Eno? No one.
@lioneldelamotte8692
Residents !
@fubokuen
Eno was quite the individual.
@WocklessGamingforAnimeMoms
Cockney Rebel and Magma have some super super gloomy moments too but you're not wrong.
@WocklessGamingforAnimeMoms
Amon Düül ii or Neu! maybe? Idk.
@simonmason8582
Loads of Krautrock bands which is no surprise as Eno lifted a lot of music from German musicians.
@mklffr5048
"...she was so impressed, that she just surrendered" The controlled "mechanical" chaos in this song is beyond impressive, rise to the "cricket" crescendo is amazing. "...all those tawdry late-night weepies, I could make you weep more cheaply' - pure genius.
@Bnswiss
Monica sighed
Rolled on her side
She was so impressed that she just surrendered
She was moved by his wheels
She was just up from wales
He was fueled by her coals and he was coming to catch her
Lose the sense of time
Nail down the blinds
And in the succulent dark there's a sense of ending
Joking aside
The mechanical bride
Has fallen prey to the great pretender.
Let me just point out discreetly
Though you never learn
All those tawdry late night weepies
I could make you weep more cheaply
As the empty moon enamels
Monica with spoons and candles
Bangs around without the light on
Furniture to get it right on
Settled in a homely fish pool
Hung with little eels
Often thinks that travel widens
'stay at home, the trout obliges'
Monica sighed
Rolled on to her side
She was so impressed that she just surrendered
@VoluntaristJAM
"empty moon enamors..."
@misha2197
Thanky!!!!