Their most recent release, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, is also the first collaboration together in 30 years. You can stream the full album or download an MP3 at EverythingThatHappens.com.
In December 2007, David Byrne announced on the BBC Radio music show, The Weekender, that he was working with musician/producer and former collaborator Brian Eno on a brand new album of “proper songs”, describing it as a “completely different thing” from My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, which was mostly experimental. Eno had invited Byrne to finish some songs that he had written but that did not have lyrics, some of which were eight years old. The album was self-released on August 18, 2008 through the official album’s website. No record label is involved.
My Big Nurse
David Byrne and Brian Eno Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With all the world's desires
When he shakes the stars above
When we lose the ones we love
When the seasons lose their grip
When the tightrope walker slips
When the past becomes the now
When the lost becomes the found
When we fall in love with war
When the angel fucks the whore
When the road we travel on
Takes us back where we came from
A million kinds of possibilities
For dancing on this lazy afternoon
In the comfort of the world
In the arms of my big nurse
From the science of the heart
To each animal and plant
Compact, relaxed, intact, give thanks
I'm counting all the possibilities
For dancing on this lazy afternoon
The lyrics of My Big Nurse offer a glimpse into the complexities, contradictions, and potentialities of life. The song seems to take the form of a meditation, wherein the singer contemplates various scenarios and possibilities that might intersect: the lake being on fire with all the world's desires, the tightrope walker slipping, the seasons losing their grip. These scenarios create a sense of uncertainty, chaos, and loss, but the singer counters them by counting all of the possibilities for dancing on this lazy afternoon. It seems that the singer is trying to convey that, no matter what will happen, there are always things to be grateful for, to wonder about, and to celebrate.
The song seems to position the natural world, with its cycles and rhythms, as a source of comfort and wisdom. The singer refers to the science of the heart, animal and plant life, and even the concept of giving thanks. The idea of the big nurse suggests a protector, a caregiver, and a nurturer, and combines the sense of a mother and a nurse. It seems that the big nurse is a symbol of the loving, protective, and healing forces that can be found within ourselves, as well as in the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
When the lake's on fire
When the world is ablaze with desire and passion
With all the world's desires
With people's wants and longings taking over
When he shakes the stars above
When a powerful force disrupts the natural order of things
When we lose the ones we love
When we endure the pain of losing someone dear to us
When the seasons lose their grip
When the expected cycles of life and nature no longer hold true
When the tightrope walker slips
When someone teeters on the edge of danger and instability
I'm counting all the possibilities
I'm considering all the potential outcomes
When the past becomes the now
When what has already happened feels like it's happening again
When the lost becomes the found
When something that went missing is rediscovered
When we fall in love with war
When people become enamored with conflict and destruction
When the angel fucks the whore
When purity and corruption collide
When the road we travel on takes us back where we came from
When we end up in the same place we started despite our efforts to move forward
A million kinds of possibilities
An infinite number of potential outcomes
For dancing on this lazy afternoon
For enjoying a carefree time
In the comfort of the world
In the security and familiarity of our surroundings
In the arms of my big nurse
In the embrace of someone who provides comfort and care
From the science of the heart to each animal and plant
From the study of emotions and relationships to the intricate workings of the natural world
Compact, relaxed, intact, give thanks
Fully present, at ease, undamaged, grateful for what we have
I'm counting all the possibilities for dancing on this lazy afternoon
I'm exploring all the potential ways to enjoy this peaceful moment
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRIAN ENO, DAVID BYRNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind