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;โ particularly electronic musicians;โ 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 Bjรถrk 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.
The beginning
Brian Eno Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The flames burn my body
Wishful beginnings
Does this remind them again and again
You're a sorry little girl
You're a sorry little girl
Please hide,
For the pain must feel
You're a sorry little girl
Sorry little girl
Please hide from the kiss and the bite
Shame burns
Breathing in, breathing out
Breathing in only doubt
The pain must feel like snow
I'm no longer your golden boy
Sorry little girl
I'm sorry little girl
The pain must feel like snow
There you go
Cover me, cover me
We flew on the wings
We were deep in the dead air
And this one will never go down
We had such
Wishful beginnings
But we lived
Unbearable lives
I'm sorry little girl
Sorry little girl
So so sorry little girl
The pain must feel like snow
There you go
There you go
In "The Beginning," Brian Eno's lyrics seem to describe a person who is experiencing physical and emotional pain, and is struggling to deal with it. The flames burning the body may represent the intensity of the hurt, while the wishful beginnings may refer to happier times before the pain began. The lines "you're a sorry little girl" and "shame burns" suggest that the person may feel guilty or responsible for their pain. They are urged to hide, perhaps to avoid exposing their vulnerability, which makes them feel like a "sorry little girl."
The refrain "the pain must feel like snow" is particularly interesting. Snow brings to mind images of stillness, coldness, and purity, which may be contrasted with the burning flames earlier in the song. The line may suggest that the pain is so intense that it has numbed the person, or that it has frozen them emotionally.
The final lines of the song declare that "we had such wishful beginnings, but we lived unbearable lives." This seems to suggest that despite a hopeful start, life has become too difficult to bear. The repetition of "sorry little girl" at the end of the song may be an expression of remorse or regret for the struggles that the person is facing.
Line by Line Meaning
Cruising around me
There are things that are happening around me that I am not actively participating in.
The flames burn my body
I am experiencing immense pain from a situation or experience.
Wishful beginnings
At the start of something, we have many hopes and dreams for what it could be.
Does this remind them again and again
Something is constantly causing someone to recall a particular memory or experience.
You're a sorry little girl
Someone is being belittled and put down.
Please hide, For the pain must feel, Like snow
It is suggested to retreat and take cover in order to handle intense emotional pain.
Please hide from the kiss and the bite
Someone is being instructed to avoid both the positive and negative elements of a situation or relationship.
Shame burns
Feelings of embarrassment and disgrace are causing great discomfort.
Breathing in, breathing out
Trying to remain calm and find a sense of stability by focusing on basic actions like breathing.
Breathing in only doubt
Even when trying to find calmness, doubt is still at the forefront of one's thoughts.
I'm no longer your golden boy
Someone is no longer in a position of elevated status and is being viewed in a less positive light.
There you go
An acknowledgement of someone's actions, whether positive or negative.
Cover me, cover me
Seeking protection and shelter from harsh circumstances or people.
We flew on the wings
In the past, there was a sense of excitement and momentum surrounding a particular experience.
We were deep in the dead air
Being stuck in a stalemate or unproductive situation with no way out.
And this one will never go down
Despite difficulties, this particular situation will never fully disappear or be resolved.
But we lived, Unbearable lives
Despite the difficulties that are being experienced, life is still happening and continuing to unfold.
So so sorry little girl
A continuation of the belittling and put-downs from earlier in the song.
Lyrics ยฉ O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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@AMG63
I listened to this every single night for 9 month while going through stage 2 aggressive cancer,,, I always thought if I die while listening to this it can't all be bad, luckily a miracle happened and I'm here now to talk about it... remember it can happen to anyone anywhere so make the most of each day and don't ever forget to tell loved ones how important they are to you. โ
@cubismo85
Stay strong, ive lost many ive known to cancer. Life cannot be taken for granted, but most of us do.
@iainstevenson6658
I too have just recently come through such a cancer, and I too discovered this sonic hymn when googling around "ending". Then a Macmillan nurse shared with me a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson - "It is the wounded oyster that mends her shell with pearl."
Thank you for your post. Stay strong. There is always Hope.
Peace and Praises
@dougbarron8381
iโm doing same!!! wish me luck. the tears flow.
@aimeemacdn
I lost my mum just befiore the pandemic struck. Weird getting used her loss.
@barryjefferies-nv9ek
This piece really is an ascention into Heaven, God bless you and always remember the good times you have ๐โคโญ
@jayasea
Listening to this whilst remembering the most wonderful, gentle man I have ever known. My father. He died little over a week ago. I miss him beyond words. I am broken. I wish I could have been there when he passed but I wasnt. A part of me has died with him. Rest in peace Dad, we will see each other again. I love you.
@adamz0037
I hope you find comfort and peace during this difficult time.
@infernogamers168
โค๏ธโค๏ธ
@kategurtowsky
I am so sorry for your loss. I had a dad like you did. He died 7 years ago and I am crying now thinking of him. It is good to hear music that links you both. My father and I shared a lot of music and after he passed I kept hearing music that I wanted him to hear. I finally realized he was sending it to me. You can continue his life by carrying on. It does get better with time. Talk to him.