Brian Eno- Mother Whale Eyeless REACTION & REVIEW

[@davidcopson5800]

I can tell you had a whale of a time with this, even without your raincoat. Glad you're back in Eno's jungle. Eno's strategy is to make the lyrics oblique; at times they might be pie in the sky. You enjoyed it anyway. And that's the main thing. Keep up the good work Justin, and never lose your trademark cheeriness.

[@DavidImiri]

Oblique strategies indeed! Google it if you don't know what we're talking about...

[@wendellwiggins2900]

MY FAVORITE ERA OF ENO. Another unique voice of those amazing times. pun intended

[@edwardmeradith2419]

There’s a great comment by Eno in a Scott Walker bio film about how great Scott Walkers lyrics are - based on the idea of ideally oblique lyrics that ‘don’t get in the way or distract from the mood the music is creating’ - as many of Eno’s lyrics are also functionally

[@DavidImiri]

This is such a great track! Possibly my favorite on this great album!

[@johndrx165]

The bass is so cool in this one! I had to figure it out. Cool melodic ending. Love me some ENO!

[@jamesdignanmusic2765]

That slip-beat in the 3/4 part confuses me every time I try to count it out.

[@je7055]

Had to sub just because I love this album so much. When I introduce friends to Eno, I tend to describe him as "sorta somewhere between glam rock Bowie and the Beatles circa Sgt. Pepper", hoping to prepare them for the unconventional sound-but of course there's not really a one-to-one comparison to make, or one specific genre to pigeonhole him into. I love the work you put into your reactions though, and especially the degree of thought. It's always nice to hear more than just "I (liked/didn't like) it because of (reason X) and (reason Y)"! "Kitchen sink realism" is a sub-genre of realism, particularly post-WW2 British plays and films, which basically means uber-realism. I.e., the kind of everyday conversations and grounded conflicts that real people might have, say, in their kitchen. The protagonists are often disaffected young people, etc. I usually see the phrase used in contrast to the heightened emotional peaks and valleys of Romanticism or anything derived thereof. E.g. Tennessee Williams's Southern Gothic masterpiece "A Streetcar Named Desire", despite its minimalist narrative about a domestic conflict-between a woman, her brother-in-law, and her sister, who's a referee of sorts-is most definitely _not_ kitchen sink realism, because it's very emotional and, well, artsy. So I interpret the lyric "talked just like a kitchen sink play" pretty much like you said-two people just spouting their thoughts in organic conversation about some mundane subject. Thanks for doing this album, looking forward to checking out more of your back catalogue now that I've found your channel!

[@JustJP]

Hey there JE! Thank you so much for your comment and watching the video! I really appreciate that👍

[@richardhague801]

Phil Collins extra drums on track 4 "Mother Whale Eyeless"

[@aderyncoch3346]

I love that happy, melodic middle section to bits. The rest of it is good too, quite dark and mysterious.

[@lucianoteixeira7993]

Great song and reaction! You didn't noticed, but the rocking "extra drums" in the end are made by Mr. Phil Collins, according to wikipedia. One of the best tracks in the album.

[@hapahapahappy]

I love the melody of the chorus so freaking much

[@richardjones4466]

Good one mate. The Zuider Zee is a body of water in Holland.

[@maartenlemmens8628]

Now called the IJsselmeer.

[@jerkedevries]

@@maartenlemmens8628klopt helegaar!!

[@StoneShards]

Associated Performer, Musician, Producer: Brian Eno Producer, Assistant Producer, Associated Performer, Guitar: Phil Manzanera Associated Performer, Background Vocalist, Percussion: Robert Wyatt Associated Performer, Bass Guitar: Brian Turrington Associated Performer, Vocals: Polly Eltes Studio Personnel, Engineer: Rhett Davies Associated Performer, Drums: Phil Collins Studio Personnel, Asst. Recording Engineer: Robert Ash Associated Performer, Drums: Freddie Smith Composer: Brian Eno

[@KathleenMcCormickLCSWMPH]

Nothing like these early Eno albums. So idiosyncratic and intriguing. Great reaction.

[@podchauffe]

My favorite song from the album. Nice mood

[@lordfancourt2879]

Zyder Zee is how that's pronounced. (a Dutch dam) (Remember the little Dutch boy plugging a hole in the dam with his finger). This is such a fun, upbeat song, about spies and soldiers during wartime in England. So glad you covered this piece. Now, for an even better cover version, go listen to Hilsinger and Beatty's cover version which is brilliant. These two people covered the entire Taking Tiger Mountain (be strategy) album as a tribute.. Amazing job. Doug Hilsinger plays ALL the instruments and Carolyn Beatty handles the vocals. It's all on KZbin. And a good job with this review!

[@daveg6497]

Zuider Zee holes reference - from the story the “Little Dutch Boy” and use of fingers to ward off impending disaster. Could be a bit of a sexual pun as well, given the one given at the end of “Back in Judy’s Jungle”

[@happymethehappyone8300]

The The "Heartland" (Official Music Video if at all possible) Nuff Said.

[@ethelwulfmountbattenderoth2286]

Top 5 Eno favorite for me

[@MrPboys1]

My favourite Eno album absolute classic

[@MisterWondrous]

In the mid-70s I was a drummer in a band called Mother Whale Eyeless. We had a great logo with an eyeless whale with rainbows and stars coming out of her blowhole.

[@richardhowlett9424]

Great track brilliant album

[@stuff3829]

Those early Eno records are soooo good

[@jamesdignanmusic2765]

Eno's four early "song" albums are all great, as is his later collaboration with John Cale ("Wrong Way Up", a masterpiece IMO - as is Cale's solo album "Paris 1919", which deserves a full album review). Don't stress about Eno's lyrics too much - sometimes they're just for the rhythm of their sound :) FWIW, a "kitchen sink" play or drama is a dour domestic drama - quite a few British films of the early 60s were of that style. And the Zuider Zee (ZI-duh ZEE) is the big arm of the North Sea in Holland that was dammed and reclaimed. "Plugging holes" will probably be a reference to the old take of the little boy who put his finger in the dam to stop the land flooding.

[@trashandcheese3636]

And there was I thinking the Zider Zee is where a Wurzel drowns!

[@happymethehappyone8300]

PLEASE READ ALL my music lovin' brother,, This classic is an ABSOLUTE MUST for your upcoming HALLOWEEN LIST...A MUST SEE/HEAR classic track & video,, Even if you can't/won't react to the video,, At least react to this MUST HEAR classic track..I like to refer to this one as a TRUE BOGO,, Because it combines a classic track (the original writing & recording by "Billy Kidd & The Pirates" (Which i would also suggest listening to,, not only for enjoyment,, but also for comparison to the cover) Anyway,, as i said,, i refer to this as a bogo,, because the track/video is a genius combination of 2 absolute classics,, Firstly,, as i stated,, the song is a classic & the video is from a rare & early Walt Disney cartoon series known as "Silly Symphonies" ,, this particular episode titled "The Skelton Dance" (Which i would also strongly suggest watching the full original episode/cartoon/video) If you can/will be willing/able to react to the version/video i suggested,, The Guess Who - "Shakin' All Over ~ Skelton Dance video,, your subscribers will not only LOVE IT,, But also an added bonus is that ONLY one reactor with a very small subscriber base has reacted to it (By my suggestion & years ago)..Finally,, a very important fact to continuously remind yourself of while watching this video,, is the incredible fact that this particular rare & early Walt Disney episode/cartoon is now almost 100 years old,, YES,, 100 years..As a long time subscriber,, I humbly ask that you PLEASE at least consider watching,, reacting & reviewing this classic song/video/bogo..Thanks my music lovin' brother..Sorry for the novel 🤪 but by the way,, It is for sale in the lobby 🤪..And Yes,, Of course it would be my honor to personally sign your copy for you. 🤪 "Happy"

[@Novalarke]

one of my favourite albums of all time. Major part of High School for me. This and The True Wheel are just brilliant. The lyrics aren't supposed to "make sense" in some grand narrative way, and a lot of it has to do with the sound of the words. It's not so much that they should make sense, as much as they make a sensibility. I will help you with some of the references, as general education standards and cultural literacy has collapsed in the past 50 years. (This is due to scales of information - the firehose of data - the online and broadcast miasma - makes it difficult to communicate these things across generations.) So I will fill in references and context where I can, and give some interpretation where I can. I can think of nowhere I would rather be Reading morning papers Drinking morning tea She clutches the tray and then we talk just like a kitchen sink play Nothing ventured nothing gained Living so close to danger, Even your friends are strangers don't count upon their company. (A Kitchen sink play is related to a movement in British Drama in the late 1950s, early 1960s, i.e., when Eno was an adolescent. It typically took place in a home context and featured an enraged Young Man. One of the classics in the genre was "Look Back In Anger", a title that was later stolen by David Bowie when he was working with Eno on the album "Lodger". Here, the song sets up domestic harmony and then poisons it with a lack of trust in ones friends, etc.) Places for the fingers Places for the nails Hidden in the kitchen Right behind the scales (More of the domestic painting) What do I care? I'm wasting fingers like I have them to spare Plugging holes in the zuider zee (Zuider Zee is in Holland, pronounced Zider Zee. Wasting fingers like I had them to spare - plugging holes in th e zuider zee references The Little Dutch Boy, a boy who plugs a dike with his finger. This was from the novel "Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates" by Mary Mapes Dodge. It was often required reading in grammar or junior high schools decades ago when people could still sit and read books.) punishing Paul for Peter (a side references to the cliche "Robbing Paul to pay Peter") Don't ever trust those meters (a reference to his job as a musician whose instrument is the mixing desk.) what you believe is what you see (a philosophical statement of some profundity) In my town, there is a raincoat under a tree In the sky there is a cloud containing the sea In the sea there is a whale without any eyes In the whale there is a man without his raincoat (The middle 8 which sets up the imagery for the finale) In another country with another name Maybe things are different, maybe they're the same (The crisis of life under international capitalism - one shopping mall looks much the same as another) Back on the train the seven soldiers read the papers again But the news it doesn't change (He references WW2 soldiers several time on the album, especially in the song "In Judy's Jungle". Much of war is sitting around doing nothing and being bored shitless and then spending moments in pure terror. So, this is where the soldiers are "News? Whatever...") swinging about through the creepers Parachutes caught on steeples heroes are born but heroes die (This is a direct reference to the catastrophe of Operation Market Garden in September 1944 - British and American Paratroopers were sent deep behind enemy lines in the Low Countries and were chewed up very badly by the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS. Heroes are born, but Heroes DIE.) Just a few days a little practice and some holiday pay We're all sure You'll make the grade (Back to the quotidian part of life as a soldier and the kitchen sink drama scene set in the beginning . Angry young man? Big battle? Just, take a vacay....) Mother of God if You care We're on a train to nowhere (Statement of the obvious.) please put a cross upon our eyes (common medieval practice to put crosses on the eyes of the dead Heroes for their internment) Take me I'm nearly ready you can take me To the raincoat in the sky Take me my little pastry mother take me There's a pie shop in the sky (Raincoats offer protection, pie shops are warm and smell wonderful. That's about all the Heaven our Heroes can wish for.) I hope this helps.

[@JustJP]

Thats an excellent breakdown Warwick, really appreciate you taking the time for that. Thank you

[@jerkedevries]

Sounds tasty

[@sicko_the_ew]

"Z-eye-duhr Zee" (that's a bit off, but it'll do) "The Southern Lake", maybe. If you want something with more *Jonah* in it, I can offer you three different flavours of this, if you'll just follow me down into this here alley. It's not biblical Jonah, though, if you're going to insist on that; it's _Cat's Cradle_ Jonah, from Bergen. By this Norwegian band that comes from there. (If you're in Bergen just ask for the band that sings Jonah, and they'll probably tell you what alley they hang out in). The latest version has some "African village choir" parts - well to my ear, anyway. Maybe it's actually a Norwegian choir sound. kzbin.info/www/bejne/homup5ukgpJ2n5I (There's also the first-release version, that they did with a show choir, and a live version that they did at the Night in the Library show.)

[@Lightmane]

No new Subscriber Goals yet? 😏🙂 Maybe do a poll of albums, and let us vote on what we'd like you to react to?

[@HippoYnYGlaw]

Personally, I'd like him to... Personalise the Goal Videos to such a degree that no one would complain. How about a Top 50 jp Chart Rundown or summin? On a variety/ selection of Topics....Themes... Aspects Nah on reflection he could discuss those casually as he did last week.( Thanks JP for your enthusiasm!) I'm putting my figurative money on Queen's ANATO & G BOYS Seconds Out!( Sorry jfergs...)

[@michaelfrank2266]

Yeah, glam rock sound was the words I was looking for. Brian Eno has been completely new to me. I have liked some of it and not others. I see other folks like this one. I found myself indifferent to the tune.

[@HippoYnYGlaw]

Influenced by the beach boys and fab four Corp. Influenced Blur and everyone else in/since the 90s. Not much soul or feel-y emotional grit from the heart or am I lacking in mechanical empathy? Diolch JP. I'll probably love it in two weeks time...

[@herb6677]

If you need more Jonah vibes, try "Jonah" by Paul Simon, which is my top fav. Paul Simon Song, and that means a lot, because i have and know his whole collection. Cheers!

[@saturninebear]

Loving your journey on this one. Love the album. Still not had the best, or the worst track on the album....

[@MJ1]

You're so close....