… once upon a time of warm jets coming …
„Sollte Ingo nochmal zu einem Dekaden-Rückblick aufrufen und uns nach den zwanzig persönlichen Lieblingsalben der Siebziger Jahre fragen, hätte ich leichtes Spiel: sieben ECM-Platten, sieben Brian Eno-Platten („Here Come The Warm Jets“ wäre dabei), einmal Joni Mitchell, einmal Alice Coltrane, einmal Robert Wyatt, einmal Bob Dylan, einmal Leonard Cohen, einmal Neil Young, einmal King Crimson – und John Cales „Paris 1919“. Das macht, ratzfatz, 20. (m.e.)
The texture of a phalanx of expertly tuned kazoos in perfect harmony
„The title track was built on the concept of Eno’s metaphor for the guitars as he envisioned them with a sound like “warm” jet engines. But you, me, and the lamp post, couldn’t have failed to notice the prominent positioning of a pornographic playing card on the album’s cover featuring a woman [presumably] urinating. A warm jet of a different kind, ahem. But the guitars did sound impressive. Paul Rudolph of The Pink Fairies was the man responsible though the treatment by Eno gave the playing the texture of a phalanx of expertly tuned kazoos in perfect harmony. The guitars had the spotlight to themselves for a while before Simon King’s Moon-esque drums were sloooooowly faded up while Eno began singing the verses that sounded so full of hope and promise. It sounded so anthemic, that it hardly mattered that the drums seemed to be paying in a different song [and possibly tempo] to the rest of the music. But hearing them come in was still exciting. This was a song whose vibe just stuck to me all day after hearing it. It’s playing in my mind right now. It will continue unspooling until hours later, I’m sure. It was a bold ending to a bold album.“ (postpunkmonk)
If anybody tells me what this song is about, lyricwise, congratulations! And – HERE – a video from the time of the recording in the quite early 70‘s. Please look at it carefully. I do ask you now another question about this video: look at it, and particularly at the passages between 1‘10-1‘16 and 2‘16-2‘23. Who‘s that woman up front? I will come back to it, and more. (m.e.)
- Wenn man mit den Alben aufgewachsen ist, die den Soundtrack fürs eigene Leben lieferten, zumindest für die ersten 20, 25 Jahre, dann ist das ein ganz anderer Zugang zur Musik, als wenn man solche Alben, die Geschichte schrieben, im langen Danach entdeckt, zehn, zwanzig, dreissig Jahre später.
- Die vier Songalben von Brian in den Siebzigern waren für mich, damals in den Siebzigern, reine Seelennahrung. Here Come The Warm Jets perfekter Traumstoff. Das Werk erschien am 14. Februar 1974. Es war Enos erster Songstreich nach seiner Zeit bei Roxy Music, und man hört den Stücken an, wie da einer an Ideen und Vielfalt „explodiert“. Es gibt keinen schwachen Moment auf diesem Werk, und man konnte Hymnenarriges hören, surreale Lyrics, puren Pop, Drone, spoken-word, potentielle Ohrwürmer, Proto-Punk vor Punk, und ich bin mir sicher, Kevin Shields hat in dem Titelsong „Hier kommen die warmen Strahlen“ eine Inspiration für „My Bloody Valentine“ gefunden: so kann man eine Melodie in einem Soundfeld „vergraben“. Bei Kevin war es mitunter purer, erfindungsreicher Noise, unter dem, von ferne, eine allerfeinste Melodie durchschimmerte. Hier war es ein instrumentaler epischer Klangrausch, unter dem sich Enos hymnischer Gesang ausbreitete, die lyrics nah an der Unkenntlichkeit, was seiner Vorstellung von lyrics als „sculped sound“ ohnehin nahkam. Und wie schon auf dem melancholischen letzten Song des Vorgängers „Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) geriet dieser Song einmal mehr, im Sequencing der Stücke, zum perfekten Finale, zum hinreissenden letzten Horizont.
- Aufschlussreich, diesen kleinen youtube-Schnappschuss von der Aufnahmesession des Titelsongs zu sehen. An den Drums übrigens der Drummer von Hawkwind, und cool, was postpunkmonk zu diesem Auftauchen des Schlagzeugs aus dem Nichts anmerkt (s.o.)
- man sieht dem Filmchen auch die „Glam-Era“ an mit Enos rotlackierten Fingernägel – zudem spiegeln Russell Mills‘ „graphic illustrations“ das weite surreale Feld der Texte (ich habe mal im comment 1 aus Tom Boons EnoWeb die Anmerkungen zu den „unfassbaren“ lyrics kopiert)
- die oben angegebenen Miniausschnitte aus dem Filmchen offenbaren zwei Sachen, mich zum Schmunzeln bringen: schaut euch zum einen Enos Gesicht an: er strahlt übers ganze Gesicht, pure Lebensfreude, und zum andern sind da zwei Frauen im Bild, eine neben Eno (verdeckt), und eine leicht schräg vor ihm: ich finde das Gesicht dieser Unbekannten hinreissend schön, und frage mich: ist das eine gute Bekannte von Eno, seine Freundin zu der Zeit, oder völliger Zufall, dass sie da im Bild ist?
- Now after listening three times to the song im question, it turned into an earworm. In a lalalalala way i was singing the melod line of the instrumental melody while driving my car to Aldi looking for Bucatini! 😂 (in regards to this treated guitar sequence that made me singalong with it in my mind, i love the descripti of Mr. Postpunkmonk (see above): „…. But the guitars did sound impressive. Paul Rudolph of The Pink Fairies was the man responsible though the treatment by Eno gave the playing the texture of a phalanx of expertly tuned kazoos in perfect harmony.
5 Kommentare
flowworker
From EnoWeb / lyrics / Here Come The Warm Jets (title song)
No one is seriously expected to work through this…
you better surrender 😂:
[…Inaudible…]
[Further] we make claims on [our teas]
[Dawn inner here] for we’ve nowhere to be
Nowhere to be
Nowhere to be
[Father stains], we’re all on our knees
Down on our words and we’ve nothing to be
Nothing to be
Nothing to be
Further down we’re all on our [sails]
[Paid to upheed] though we’ve nothing these days
Nothing these days
Nothing these days
[Further still, their stall in a daze]
We’re down on our knees and we’ve nothing to say
Nothing to say
Nothing to say…
Note: The lyrics above are what Tom reckons he heard on the cleaned-up version of the song included in the Eno Box set. Words in brackets are things he’s not sure about.
Alternative hearings:
I was especially pleased to see someone had had a go at the „Here Come The Warm Jets“ (song) lyrics as these had always intrigued me. I already had a few ideas and comparing what I had with what’s on the site was interesting and informative. Here are a few observations:
I think the first word of the first line of each verse is „father“ or „farther“ in each case. I’m certain that the last word of verse 1 line 1 is „knees“ just like verse 2. I’d make a stab at the first line actually being „Father we make prayers on our knees“. Try „Dawning a year“ or perhaps „Dawn in a year“ for the first few words of the second line of verse 1. I’msure verse 2 line 1 word 3 is „they’re“ and not „we’re“ – in other words in „Father (or whatever it is) stains“, „stains“ is not a verb but a noun and the words together are not a description of what father does but is a description of what the stain is – i.e. the „they’re“ refers to the stain and not to us.
The first two words of verse 3 are „Father drowned“ (maybe „Father drowns“ but I’d favour the former) which would I guess sit in with the „sails“ reference later, but perhaps I was being subconsciously influenced there. I think the first line of verse 4 is „Father, here they’re sprawled in a daze“. That doesn’t make much more sense than what was there before, but it was particularly the „sprawled in a daze“ bit that stood out.
The whole thing seems to be vaguely about praying or being on your knees (rather than just one or two verses on this thread) although given the title of the song it could be about being on your knees doing something quite different I suppose. Crowded House had an album called „The Temple Of Low Men“ which I am told, although I’d never encountered the phrase myself, has sexual connotations which may also fit in vaguely here – given my interpretation on the „praying“ front. — Simon Coward
Gary Sweeden adds: Taking into consideration what Tom put together, along with Simon’s additions here’s what I came up with.
Father, we make claims on our knees
Dawn enter here for we’ve nowhere to be
Nowhere to be
Nowhere to be
Father, stains they’re all on our knees
Down on our words and we’ve nothing to be
Nothing to be
Nothing to be
Father, down we’re all on our saints
Paid to appease though we’ve nothing these days
Nothing these days
Nothing these days
Father, here they’re sprawled in a daze
We’re down on our knees and we’ve nothing to say
Nothing to say
Nothing to say…
I’ve listened to this tune many times and I always got the feeling he was talking about the general dismal state of the praying masses. They’ve said it all so many times but nothing has changed, they’ve got nowhere to be, nothing to be, and nothing in they’re pocket, therefore they’ve got nothing more to say. I’m sure my lyrics aren’t right, and you can’t read too much into any Eno lyrics, but I think this is one song where he actually wanted to say something with them.
R Carlberg adds: I believe Gary Sweeden’s interpretation is close.
Father please make claims on our knees
Don’t enter here for we’ve nowhere to be
Nowhere to be
Nowhere to be
Father stays, they’re all on our knees
Down on our words and we’ve nothing to be
Nothing to be
Nothing to be
Father, down we’re all in our save (makes no sense but whatever)
Paid to appease though we’ve nothing these days
Nothing these days
Nothing these days
Father dear they’re sprawled in a daze
We’re down on our knees and we’ve nothing to say
(Note: last phrase does not repeat!) It occurs to me that these could be priests‘ names: Father Pease, Father Stace, Father Downey, Father Dear but it’s impossible to say with any certainty.
Paul Edwards interjects:
Re the lyrics to ‚Here Come the Warm Jets‘ (Title Track). I seem to recall an interview or review and it was noted that this track is about the act of micturition. In this context, some of the words may be interpreted differently (if they could be heard!). The phrase ’nowhere to be‘ for example is actually „nowhere to pee“.
Jim Benbow says:
Here is what I hear / imagine:
[Further] we make claims on our knees
Gone in a year for we’ve nowhere to be
Nowhere to be
Nowhere to be
[Father stains], we’re all on our knees
Down on our words and we’ve nothing to be
Nothing to be
Nothing to be
Further down we’re all on our saints
[Paid to upheed] though we’ve nothing these days
Nothing these days
Nothing these days
Father give them straw men of [fate/faith]
We’re down on our knees and we’ve nothing to say
Nothing to say
Nothing to say…
Donald Kloss ruminates:
I thought you might be interested to know that the people who introduced me to this album told me that the last lines in that first verse of the song are, „we’re on our own and there’s no place to pee, no place to pee, no place to pee“. I was told that this refered directly to the song/album title, and to the card deck on the cover. I’ve never talked to anyone familiar with the album that did not hear the lyrics this way. I was also told that the title Baby’s On Fire was also a reference to this theme, the „fire“ being bodily symptoms of VD. This, incidentially, was in the rural midwest, of all places.
Don Ford proposes:
On Thursdays.
Kian Bergstrom quibbles:
If you care… Jim Benbow’s lyric hearing is pretty good as far as this song goes. I agree with much of it. But, I think I may be able to improve on it:
Father, we’ve spent days on our knees
Gone in a year, for we’ve no where to be
Nowhere to be
Nowhere to be
Father stays, we’re all on our knees
Down on our words and we’ve nothing to be
Nothing to be
Nothing to be
Father, down, we’re all on our sails
Hail to our keys, but we’ve nothing these days
Nothing these days
Nothing these days
Father, give them straw men of faith
We’re down on our knees and we’ve nothing to say
Nothing to say
Nothing to say
I really appreciate the site, by the way. It’s a wonderful resource, and very well put together. Kudos.
D. Michael Ramirez II: Hey, I don’t know if this relates, but I bought the album in Japan, and it has the lyrics printed in english as well as Japanese translations (which I am able to read and understand) Related to here come the warm jets, the printed lyrics state the first verse throws out, where on you’re page, where it says, „inaudible“
*****
We know when to come
but we know where to leave…
all these days when we were down on our luck
and learning to live
****
I don’t know that since these lyrics are printed and in the album cover that they might not fit with the spirit of your sight, and personally, I consider the lyrics up there just as correct. But, I was just throwing this out in case you didn’t know.
Phil Stinard: I was pleased to find and read your extensive collection of lyrics and alternative lyrics for Brian Eno’s album „Here Come the Warm Jets.“ After listening carefully to the album several times with your lyrics by my side, I found that in several instances (but not all), I was able to hear both sets of lyrics, depending on what I was listening for. Then I listened to the album without the lyrics in front of me, and noticed some „slipping“ or discontinuities in Eno’s voice, as well as grammatical errors, at some points in the songs. It sounds to me like he sometimes recorded two different sets of lyrics for sections of some songs, and then superimposed them for an ambiguous effect. That could explain the „mittened penis“ vs. „kitten, he is“ hearings in the Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch. Maybe both sets are superimposed, and you hear whichever one you want to hear. The most obvious example of superimposed lyrics is in „Driving Me Backwards,“ were lyrical slippage is rampant. Generally, the two sets are the same, and are only out of phase in their timing, especially towards the ends of the lines, but I think that the „facepacks/facemasks“ hearing definitely shows two different words superimposed.
Which brings me to my main reason for writing, which is the controversy over the lyrics to the song „Here Come the Warm Jets.“ Some of the controversy is surely due to the low volume/high noise manner in which the vocals were recorded/produced, but some could be due to superimposition of two (or more) recordings. In fact, the „stall in a daze/sprawled in a daze“ line is so garbled, that it’s very hard to figure out meaning from it. The religious connotations are obvious, but I would go much beyond this and say that the song is mainly sexual in nature and makes metaphorical comparisons of sex/urination with religous worship, but that the sexual dimension predominates. First, one must abandon one’s sexual preconceptions and hangups and admit that men sometimes have sex in bathrooms, and that for many it’s no big deal. With that it mind, I view this song as an unabashed anthem to bathroom sex. The singer’s viewpoint is factual and unapologetic. Now, Eno might have made this song tongue-in-cheek in order to shock and mystify the listeners, but the words and meaning are there. Here is what I heard:
Father we make claims on our knees
Don’t enter here for we’ve nowhere to pee
Nowhere to pee
Nowhere to pee
Father stains, they’re all on our knees
Down on our worms and we’ve nothing to pee
Nothing to pee
Nothing to pee
Farther down we’re all on our saints
Made to appease though we’ve nothing these days
Nothing these days
Nothing these days
[Further still, their stall in a daze.] (Can’t figure this one out.)
We’re down on our knees and we’ve nothing to say
Nothing to say
Nothing to say
„Father we make claims on our knees“ could mean supplication in a religious or a sexual sense. „Don’t enter here for we’ve nowhere to pee,“ could be a warning to „straight“ guys that the place is for sex, not urination. „Father stains“ on our knees is an obvious reference to semen or urine stains. „Down on our worms“ could be a reference to „going down“ on someone’s „worm“, as could „we’re all on our saints,“ with „saints“ referring to other men. (Madonna wasn’t the first one to make the correlation between sex and religion 🙂 „Nothing to pee“ could be referring to ejaculation as opposed to urination. „Made“ (or paid) „to appease“ could refer to the use of force or money for services rendered. You might think that my interpretations are shocking or extreme, but I don’t want these possibilities to be overlooked in the quest for a solution to this riddle. Thank you for your consideration.
Just a couple of things that I think have informed Eno’s lyrics: The Irish writer Flann O’Brien (also known as Brian O’Nolan and Myles ns cGopaleen) wrote a column in the Irish Times for a good twenty years or so, as well as publishing five or six novels. One of them, ‚The Third Policeman‘ includes a character named Michael Finnucane, who says ‚If any man should look at you sideways, I will rip his belly‘. This seems to turn up in ‚Blank Frank‘.
The same book is also full of footnotes which grow longer as the book goes on, and which have no bearing on the story at all. Most of the footnotes deal with a fictional mad scientist named de Selby, whose own books include ‚Golden Hours‘. Some of de Selby’s writings are so obscure that his many commentators can never agree on their meaning. In Flann O’Brien’s newspaper column, he occasionally warned against writing in Gaelic, because he liked to be sure that if he had written ‚The weather was fine last Tuesday‘, it would not be interpreted as ‚So-and-so is a thief and a drunkard‘.
Some of the alternative hearings are amusing since they are merely substituting one nonsense for another, but I suppose if they sound good, then they’ll do. Also, the title ‚More Dark Than Shark‘ reminds me of a title used by Samuel Beckett for a collection of his short stories—’More Pricks Than Kicks‘. Beckett’s title in turn comes from the Bible, Acts 26:14 if you’re keen. You’ll need a King James. (– Nathan Farrelly)
THANKS TO:
Craig Clark, Jay Sachs, Phil Gyford and other nameless denizens of the alt.music.brian-eno newsgroup who worked together in 1995 to create the transcriptions on which the EnoWeb’s lyrics pages are based.
The references are not intended to indicate the „meaning“ of the lyrics — it’s well-known that Brian did not intend his lyrics to have a set meaning and often selected words for the way they sounded. The references may, however, suggest some of the reasons why some words or phrases got chosen rather than others.
Tom Boon
Hi Michael
I think they are just faces in the crowd – the film sequences come from Alfi Sinniger’s film ENO – here Eno is walking to Portobello Road market, and in his commentary he says that he sees a lot of friends there. Including Cindy! Which may be why he’s smiling, he’s spotted another friend.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x81aix1
Best
Tom
Michael
Perhaps she’s a complete unknown….
Utterly beautiful.
Mein „Urtyp“.
i would have immediately asked her if i she would drink a cup of coffee with me. I was free by the time of this video… little problem, I was 18 in 1973… 😂
Tom Boon
According to a comment on YouTube, Cindy is no longer with us. She wrote the song that plays over the end credits of The Lovely Bones, arranged or produced by Brian (I can‘ t remember which). It was originally written in the early 1970s but only finished for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8gRgYklAjA
Michael
Thanks, Tom. But it is only an assumption that she is Cindy, right?! The one who appeared in „Cindy Tells Me“ on HCTWJ. I could send this big question to Brian’s manager Ray who always seems to be in the background of Eno’s webinar… so close to Portobello Rd. as you know… [[but it is really not so important, haha]]
In the nineties, in 1991 and 1993 and 1997, to be exact, i was strolling around Portobello Rd, and there were two great record shops, where i bought two legendary EXOTICA albums by Les Baxter. I think these stores that had the whole world of music in a tiny space did vanished over time.