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.
I'll Come Running
Brian Eno Lyrics
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I'm gonna waste the rest of my days
Just watching patiently from the window
Just waiting seasons change, some day
Oh, oh, my dreams will pull you through that garden gate.
I want to be the wandering sailor
We're silhouettes by the light of the moon
Just waiting seasons change, ah, ah
You'll see, one day, these dreams will pull you through my door
And I'll come running to tie your shoe
And I'll come running to tie your shoe.
The lyrics of Brian Eno's "I'll Come Running" explore the themes of longing, waiting, and the hope of eventual reunion. The first stanza describes the singer's desire to find a secluded corner where he can spend the rest of his days watching and waiting for change. He holds onto the hope that his dreams will eventually bring someone special to him, symbolized by the metaphorical garden gate. The second stanza takes us into the singer's fantasy, wanting to be a sailor who sails the sea, seeking adventure and excitement. However, even in this fantasy, the singer is still waiting, playing solitaire while waiting for the seasons to change, hoping that his dreams will bring someone to his door. The final two lines reveal the depth of the singer's devotion, as he expresses his willingness to do even the smallest things for love, such as tying a loved one's shoe.
Overall, the lyrics of "I'll Come Running" touch on universal themes of loneliness, longing, and devotion, as the singer waits for love to come, hoping his dreams will come true.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll find a place somewhere in the corner
I want to find a quiet place where I can be alone and away from the busyness of the world.
I'm gonna waste the rest of my days
I do not have a clear plan for the future, and I expect to spend my remaining years without any ambitious goals.
Just watching patiently from the window
I will wait and see what happens, without taking any specific actions to direct my life one way or the other.
Just waiting seasons change, some day
I am not in a rush, and I believe that eventually everything will work out as it should, with time and patience.
Oh, oh, my dreams will pull you through that garden gate.
I believe that if I focus on my dreams and desires, I can reach a better future, and perhaps even share that joy with others.
I want to be the wandering sailor
I am drawn to a life of adventure, exploration, and discovery, and I do not want to be tied down to any one place or idea.
We're silhouettes by the light of the moon
Sometimes the world can seem mysterious and uncertain, and we must make our way through the darkness with only our intuition and the guidance of the light.
I sit playing solitaire by the window
I like to spend my time in quiet reflection, thinking about my life and my place in the world, without any distractions or interruptions.
Just waiting seasons change, ah, ah
I believe that if I am patient, time will bring about the changes and opportunities that I need to move forward in life.
You'll see, one day, these dreams will pull you through my door
I have a strong sense of purpose and destiny, and I believe that if I follow my heart and my dreams, I will find a way to live a happy and fulfilling life.
And I'll come running to tie your shoe
I am always ready to help those I care about, even with the smallest of tasks, because I believe that this is a way of showing love and support to others.
And I'll come running to tie your shoe.
I am committed to being there for those I love, and I will always be there to support and help them when they need it most.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ENO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind