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.
You Don't Miss Your Water
Brian Eno Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I was blind and I could not see
But when you left me, oh, how I cried
You don't miss your water, till your well runs dry
I was a playboy, I could not be true
I couldn't believe that I really loved you
But when you left me, oh, how I cried
In the beginning you really loved me
But I was blind and I could not see
But when you left me, oh, how I cried
You don't miss your water, till your well runs dry
You don't miss your water, till your well runs dry
The lyrics of Brian Eno & John Cale’s “You Don't Miss Your Water” express the sorrow of a man who didn't realize how much he had until it was gone. In the beginning, when the woman he loved was with him, he couldn't appreciate her love and affection because he was blind to her importance. However, when she left him, he felt the pain of losing something so valuable and realized how much he had taken her for granted. The lyrics make use of the metaphor of a well running dry to drive home the message that we often fail to appreciate the things we have until they're gone.
The song tells the story of a man who was a playboy and couldn’t be true to his love. He acknowledges his mistakes and how he failed to believe in the love he had. However, when his relationship falls apart, he comes to understand how much he was loved and how much he took his partner for granted.
The song’s message is simple yet powerful, highlighting an essential human flaw of taking things for granted. The lyrics imply that we should appreciate the good things in our lives while we have them since we might not understand their true value until they’re lost. The simple and melancholic tune gives a soothing effect, offering solace to listeners who might have experienced similar emotions in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
In the beginning you really loved me
At the start of our relationship, you truly cared for me
But I was blind and I could not see
However, I was ignorant and unaware of your true feelings
But when you left me, oh, how I cried
After you departed, I felt immense pain and sorrow
You don't miss your water, till your well runs dry
I didn't realize how important you were to me until you were gone
I was a playboy, I could not be true
I was not faithful and committed to our relationship
I couldn't believe that I really loved you
I had trouble accepting that I had genuine feelings for you
You don't miss your water, till your well runs dry
I didn't appreciate your love and loyalty until it was gone
In the beginning you really loved me
I failed to recognize your affection from the start
But I was blind and I could not see
I was naive and ignorant of my own emotions
But when you left me, oh, how I cried
Your absence caused me great emotional distress
You don't miss your water, till your well runs dry
Only when I lost you did I realize the true value of our relationship
You don't miss your water, till your well runs dry
When something important is taken away, its worth becomes clear
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: WILLIAM BELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
kerry winter
Let’s all agree: wish Brian sang more!!!!
jasonpfinch
Yes let's. I've loved his voice ever since I first heard Another Green World in about 1985.
Nuevoplanta
I always have this wish! My favorite voice!
Matheus Henrique
Brian Eno me lembra muito o Ney Matogrosso são dois artistas épicos que eu adoro
David Andries
Brian Eno’s music fills every occasion of my life …from “Julie with” to this gem
Weston Kemmerer
Love, love, love this version! Brain One you amaze me!
JAFET ELISEL
Also from the soundtrack "Married to The Mob" (1988) It features early songs by Sinéad O'Connor and Chris Isaak as well as a Brian Eno cover of William Bell's soul classic "You Don't Miss Your Water". Best regards for all. I´m Jafet Rashid.
Roger Miller
JAFET ELISEL For some reason, I can’t find this Eno track anywhere else ... I’m thankful you had it here!
JAFET ELISEL
@Roger Miller Oh! But I don't uploaded this track. Maybe I'll buy this CD on Internet. CD Physically obviously hehe 👌🎶🎵
AntiAliasedEno
one of my favs! I'm sad this isn't on the 2020 reissue of Wrong Way Up like on the '05.