I drove a van down into the desert in Morocco on 1985 with a pirated copy of this album on a C90. I had no idea that this song contained elements of any sort of holy book.... But I can tell you it suited perfectly the long, dry, dusty roads around Ouarzazate and Tafraout. Parking up near a market under a melting sun. Stopping by the road to wash the air filter in petrol and wring it out, when petrol was still a thing. Gorgeous, haunting song from a wonderful album. It was a part of the soundtrack of my early twenties.
I know what you mean. In 86 I was sitting on the roof of a hotel in Agra smoking some potent Nepali black and watching the moon gleam off the Taj Mahal. The whole album and this occurrence was like a spiritual experience.
I used to listen to this album a lot in '81. I can't believe I did not notice the song's absence on subsequent releases. One of the best tracks on the album.
This was kind of like our spiritual thing back in 81. Several hip musicians in Tulsa would drop some intense ACID and jam along to Byrnes The Catherine Wheel, My life in the Bush of Ghosts, (especially this track and the Jezebel Spirit), and then continue on by ourselves getting into poly grooves, and Guitar Synth. We heard other voices but it wasn't from the records.
how ridiculous it was remived ftom re-releases! it was one of the best tracks! The Eastern faiths are not evil or satanic- so much ignorance in America
i was 14 when i heard this, and i can say this is one of my favorite tracks, love this album , and i hearing it this night once again with a cup of wine and wearing a tshirt with the cover on
the music on the album is fantastic and original, hearing just the music and what they did with it, would be great by itself. I love the loops and samples of course, I heard this album for the first time when the album "WOMAD" 'world of music and dance," which was a festival put forth by Peter Gabriel and the album "Remain in Light" and "Security" by Byrne and Gabriel respectively, they are very excellent, one of a kind albums that require multiple hearings to hear all the great talent, musicians, samples and ideas that were put forth, and to this day are amazing musical albums.
Shame it was taken out. I have this album, this track is honestly as good if not better than the rest of it. Certainly would have added more being on the album.
Bought this album new when I was 20 and then later on sense that something was different missing. Never could figure it out. Oh my God this is a revelation
I found in a Dutch record store first US press with this track. Perfect condition, the record plays immaculate and it costed €12 only. And it also has a cut-out that means this albums was selling bad that time and that’s a shame. Such a wonderful piece of work!
it falls under the same thing as the christian "thou shalt not make graven images of birds" i think, or at least the "whatever you do, DON'T create likenesses of the prophet mohamed.
People are offended because it ridicules the Islamic religion. They are rightfully offended. This song uses verses of the Qu'ran for views and fame. Its the same concept as 'cultural appropriation'.
@@suhasultan2784 If it were not for peps like Brian, Gabriel, Sylvian, etc I wouldn't have been interested in reading the Muslim scriptures or Sufism or any other Eastern culture's literature. In a way, it's quite negative to have this viewpoint about an artist of the calibre of Eno, who could do but bring glory to the faith. It would be an honor for any religion to have such a spokesperson. It reminds me of Messiaen and his way of permeating his music with Christ. Maybe Eno should have done like Peter Murphy & Cat Yusef and converted to Islam. Regarding CA, even in communism, there's consumerism. You become that which you appropropiate. It's part of the flux and mutation of humanity. Cultures collide yet there is always an exchange.
I find this song so spiritual. It’s funny how things can lose their essence; all the various opinions can be so polarized because of beliefs. I think empathy is the key. We need to learn to all get along.
This was still on the UK CD well into the 90's and was only removed and replaced come the release of the original remastered edition. It's also missing from the expanded version in the mostly black sleeve released a few years back.
Had he removed the religious content and substituted it with absolutely nothing, this would still be the strongest piece on the album. Pity, but I understand him wanting nothing to do with the issue and washing his hands of it.
@Jay James You criticise censorship and then wish to ban some point of view in the same breath. People should be free to be Islamists if they want to. You don't have to listen to them. Or you could listen to them and ignore them which would free up time for listening to good music :)
@Jay James you're reactionary response only contributes to the problem. There are just as many Christian Fundamentalists who want to limit expression. The problem is people IMPOSING beliefs upon others. Not the beliefs themselves. Live and let live.
I interviewed David Byrne at The Heatwave Festival in Toronto (August 1980) and he said they were trying to get permission to use some audio from the evangelist Kathryn Kulman but said they weren't getting any approval so they probably wouldn't be able to use it in the song. I noticed here that the video has two sections where she appears. Does anyone know anything more about this?
They originally wanted to use Kathryn Kuhlman's voice on "The Jezebel Spirit", not (as far as I know) on this song. (Indeed, you can probably find a bootleg early version of Jezebel Spirit with her voice.) Why she appears in this video I have no idea.
@@timeno1763 Kathryn Kuhlman was a troubled, delusional kook. Quaeso ne intelligentiam nostram contumeliam facias cum sermone de "True North" et "Vigiles Salutis."
stroke of genius... I remember the surprise on the faces of the people who were watching us when hearing this song very loud 'n while having a rest in a small village (travelling to the Atlas Mountains in the 80s) -'en Maroc'. It seemed a bit strange for them...
As someone who really dug this from the very start, I too was disappointed when the London Islamic Society requested the track's removal as it was found to be blasphemous. Disappointing in that the mystical, meditative, qualities of the track make it so much more than a song, it nearly rises to the level of giving glory to the Beloved through music, however, that is merely one person's opinion. I have listened to it at least four thousand times, honestly. It is on a continual loop, and STILL find entrancing bits of it.
Way back when the record first came out, in 1981, it might have been '82, we got a request from an Islamic organization in London, and they said, 'We consider this blasphemy that you put grooves to the chanting of the Holy Book.' And we thought, 'Okay, in deference to somebody's religion, we'll take it off.' You could probably argue for and against monkeying with something like that. But I think we were certainly feeling very cautious about this whole thing. We made a big effort to try and clear all the voices, and make sure everybody was okay with everything. Because we thought, 'We're going to get accused of all kinds of things, and so we want to cover our asses as best we can.' So I think in that sense we reacted maybe with more caution than we had to. But that's the way it was.[
Thank you. Its a bummer that the self-censorship needed to take place, but removal of the piece shows a respect for the religion and for the beliefs of others that is too often misrepresented by third parties as acquiescing to an overlord. From one artist to (an)other(s). Man, I do dislike the edit process, but sometimes the work really is better for having felt the axe "just a little bit." The rest of the album, as a single work, is still one of the most important pieces of recorded art from the 1980's. Thank you. My life is better for having your work in it.
I feel like times have changed, but ironically they were probably even more right 2 decades later, after 9/11, when relations in the US with American Muslims was at an all-time low. But it's been 40+ years now: this is good art that happens to have religious-themed vocals. Much like painting tbe image of Muhammad, it is not up to religious authorities to dictate secular art. For suchs attempts to control the secular world can quickly get reversed against religion.
Self-censorship SHOULD NOT be taking place. If someone chooses, out of civility, to honor another's request that is within Western values. What should NEVER happen is that an artist, journalist or thought-leader self-censors out of fear or intimidation. That's not civility, its aiding terrorism and if not corrected, will not end well. Political correctness is fascism dressed up as kindness.
I Was Wondering Why I Couldn't See This Song On The Official Brian Eno And David Byrne Playlists For ""My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts".... This Would Sound SOOOO Much Better Digitally Remastered!!! :-(
I've got to let this out of my chest, although it may not prove anything...In fact Will, what you've posted here, is exactly what I thought one day back in 1981. I was a sophomore at UM sharing an apartment with a very dear couple...(no more explicit details here, not to offend anyone's feelings or acquired convictions) I had the vinyl at the time and T came by with an Arab neighbor, to whom I, (in a friendly and open minded gesture I thought back then) spontaneously and naively said "hey I've got this great piece of music you might want to listen to"... not even half way through the song the person in question asked me to stop playing it, arguing that the music in question was sacrilegious... because sort of speak, it contained verses of the koran. It was only thirty years later, when the 911 apocalypse took place, that the incident came back to memory and I remembered that the (arrogant fanatic individual I had then briefly met) was going to aviation school at the Tamiami airport... My roommate of the time has recently converted to Islam (might not be related...and their choice is not for me to judge) but, I'm very happy to see that this video and music is still a public domain one can freely comment on, despite of having had coerced such great artists as BE & DB, whom I've always admired, to remove such masterpiece of conceptual musical architecture (with Bill Laswell on base) due to religious extremism. I could not longer keep this testimony to myself; There are just too many "coincidences," and there is too much at stake, just to stay with our "eyes wide shot" and our mouths refrained from speaking out when our freedom of choice and our very own cultural (as rich, diversified and vital as it is) is at stake.
Its why I dont want these islamist in my country. Some people hear 5 times a day that people have to come to the mosk. Insane. Stay in your own country or move to Iran Afhanistan orwerever. Why to Europe?
Why Katharine Kulman in the video? OK, I know, also the track "Lot - Into The Spirit World" was deleted from "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" because the estate of the late Katharine Kulman refused to license, and now her voice survive only in some bootleg of the "first mix". But she have nothing to do with this track.
I have the vinyl with this song included. When after years I went to buy the CD, I thought it will be exactly the same like vinyl, but when I saw the back side, this song was missing. I was surprised. I ask the guy who worked in the store, he had no idea. Finally I did not buy the CD. After that I found out that they remove the song due pressures from muslims.
I can totally understand why this version of 'Qu'ran' was not included on the video-edit, after expiriencing all religion driven attacks on humanity in the following years after the release of the album 'my life in the bush of ghosts', which title was leant from the book by Amos Tutuola, where he was story-telling about life in Africa. But in the video you can see a woman(!!!!!) talking to, or/and with the spirits at a huge venue while the chanting of 'the words of the prophet' during the number are constantly repeated. Yes, i understood clearly why.... Inshallah..
Where did you get that from? I think you manufactured that idea in your mind. Eno and Byrne have been quite specific about the reasons for removing the track, and they wouldn't be going back into the studio to rework it they had already had a battle getting all the pieces cleared for release, they moved on...
@Terrence Anderson Where is the quote? Not that I dispute that but I'd like to see the quote because Eno's explanation seemed very diplomatic, not driven by fear. Plus if you think it was prophetic about Europe, do consider that radical terrorism was rife in the 1970s with various examples of bombings and hostage taking planes and indeed in the UK I narrowly avoided two bombing by the Irish Republican Army including the Manchester bombing the biggest explosion on British mainland IIRC (I was visiting both locations on the days they occured and just happened to change route) what is more prophetic about the transition of focus of Islamists vengeance toward the west are Western foreign policies that lead up to this. Overwhelmingly military experts at the time said an act of aggression against Iraq et al would result in reciprical effects, information that is still out there if you wish to look it up, and of course PNAC were on a set course to exterminate hundreds of thousands innocent people in various countries and I was aware of that BEFORE 2011 which they used as an excuse, Bush says acting in the name of a Christian God. (I'm an athiest btw before you jump to any conclusions!) Anyway it's plausible Eno was intimidated, I never got that from interviews I've seen.
@@StormOneUK Eno's comment was abviously driven by fear - following a legal threat made by an Islamist POLITICAL group. Know your enemy, it hides behind noble-sounding intentions.
@@memorymedia6188 Nah, no evidence of anything but a pragmatic decision to de-escalate potential conflict. If you want to believe making a calculated choice to minimise escalations is solely driven by fear I think that says more about you. Obviously any military retreat in history is thus due to the combatants being 'chickens', despite that being a tactic used by all sides in every war conflict that ever occurred ever. Brian Eno is a risk taker, he's spoken out in circumstances that could result in severe repercussions, but he takes calculated risks, and he decided disrespecting an entire religious creed, needlessly, over a single track in a lifetime of producing new tracks every single day, simply wasn't worth it. He's an intelligent guy who has done well in life and has taken risks being politically activity for worthwhile causes. Take note.
@@StormOneUK The military analogy is apt. Freedom of speech is certainly important, but Eno and Byrne were relying on the assistance of others to get the album made. They had to pick their battles, and to press this particular point might have led to the record company withdrawing the track without their permission, defunding the project, withdrawing the album entirely, or terminating contracts.
...eines der coolsten Scheiben die ich erwerben durfte ....genial....wie kommt man....auf so....einen geilen Trip mucke zu machen...stellt euch die Proben für m ü room und studio vor. !........with...sticki
It was on the initial vinyl pressing and cassette (1981), then removed (replaced by 'Very, Very Hungry' on all susbsequent releases) after The British Muslim Council informed Eno/Byrne they considered it blasphemous.
@@bingsinatra5283 fair do's. Remove it, replace with something similar sounding, change couple of letters in title,... Then complain to Muslim Council of Britain every time a western instrument is used in Islamic music or played in public in Britain? Just an idea
This song ridicules the beliefs and sayings of a religion it was rightfully removed from the track. How would you guys like it if someone ridiculed your beliefs? Im sure you would have been offended too.
can you explain how this song ridicules the beliefs of a religion ? do you know the intention of the artists was good ? it was obviously removed because of fear of complications, as usual. I listened to this track as a kid in Morocco, that was awesome. Respectful and looking to the future, not a regression like censorship and fear.
@@montex23 It doesn't bother me but if I put my empathy hat on, I can imagine that to the vocalists, this was special to them and I suppose holy. It then gets "married" to some non-related music, thus illiciting a visceral reaction from the vocalists, as it changes the intent of the whole thing. Kinda pisses in their punchbowl. So many zillions of things to sample so no need to mess with their religion, even if unintentionally.
@@montex23 though it wasn't intended to ridicule, sacred verses from the Qu'ran weren't intended to be played with music. Some people in these comments don't seem to understand that. I'm not muslim.. I appreciate the gesture of the artists who used these vocal samples in ignorance but with good intentions. It sounds good to me.
@@effsixteenblock50 The irony is that the other prominent vocal on this album by Dunya Yunis is just a Lebanese folk song but the English speaking audience doesn't need to know any of this in order to enjoy the song.
To elaborate a bit: the concept of this record was incorporating a cache of recordings Eno had acquired into new compositions. The most commercially successful instance of sample-based electronic music I'm aware of, at that time, and seriously influential on what would come after. This track utilized field recordings of the recitation of the Qur'an, the Islamic holy book, recorded during afternoon prayer in Algeria, and was removed after the Islamic Council of Great Britain objected on the grounds that setting the prayers against a musical track is considered blasphemy.
![Talking Heads - And She Was (Official Video) [HD]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cl3B_FTDKD0/mqdefault.jpg)
I drove a van down into the desert in Morocco on 1985 with a pirated copy of this album on a C90. I had no idea that this song contained elements of any sort of holy book.... But I can tell you it suited perfectly the long, dry, dusty roads around Ouarzazate and Tafraout. Parking up near a market under a melting sun. Stopping by the road to wash the air filter in petrol and wring it out, when petrol was still a thing. Gorgeous, haunting song from a wonderful album. It was a part of the soundtrack of my early twenties.
I know what you mean. In 86 I was sitting on the roof of a hotel in Agra smoking some potent Nepali black and watching the moon gleam off the Taj Mahal. The whole album and this occurrence was like a spiritual experience.
Bought the album when it came out. Guess I was ~20/21. Still one of my all time best vinyl experiences! Thank you Byrne / Eno Thank you. Thank you!
I used to listen to this album a lot in '81. I can't believe I did not notice the song's absence on subsequent releases. One of the best tracks on the album.
This was kind of like our spiritual thing back in 81. Several hip musicians in Tulsa would drop some intense ACID and jam along to Byrnes The Catherine Wheel, My life in the Bush of Ghosts, (especially this track and the Jezebel Spirit), and then continue on by ourselves getting into poly grooves, and Guitar Synth. We heard other voices but it wasn't from the records.
I need to do that !!!
2 of my favorite albums. Must have been incredible!
Ditto Santa Cruz mid-late 80's. Intense grooves.
how ridiculous it was remived ftom re-releases! it was one of the best tracks! The Eastern faiths are not evil or satanic- so much ignorance in America
@@carrikrueger9696 the reason the track was taken off was left political correctness, not bigotry against Islam.
The best track on the original album !
i was 14 when i heard this, and i can say this is one of my favorite tracks,
love this album , and i hearing it this night once again with a cup of wine and wearing a tshirt with the cover on
the music on the album is fantastic and original, hearing just the music and what they did with it, would be great by itself. I love the loops and samples of course, I heard this album for the first time when the album "WOMAD" 'world of music and dance," which was a festival put forth by Peter Gabriel and the album "Remain in Light" and "Security" by Byrne and Gabriel respectively, they are very excellent, one of a kind albums that require multiple hearings to hear all the great talent, musicians, samples and ideas that were put forth, and to this day are amazing musical albums.
Shame it was taken out. I have this album, this track is honestly as good if not better than the rest of it. Certainly would have added more being on the album.
Bought this album new when I was 20 and then later on sense that something was different missing. Never could figure it out. Oh my God this is a revelation
I found in a Dutch record store first US press with this track. Perfect condition, the record plays immaculate and it costed €12 only. And it also has a cut-out that means this albums was selling bad that time and that’s a shame. Such a wonderful piece of work!
It is very spiritual and feels positive to me. I hope the offended people can look at it that way. Like a compliment.
it falls under the same thing as the christian "thou shalt not make graven images of birds" i think, or at least the "whatever you do, DON'T create likenesses of the prophet mohamed.
To me, it sounds inherently Evil. If I were of the faith it would make me uneasy.
True Muslims can't/won't ever see it like this.
People are offended because it ridicules the Islamic religion. They are rightfully offended. This song uses verses of the Qu'ran for views and fame. Its the same concept as 'cultural appropriation'.
@@suhasultan2784 If it were not for peps like Brian, Gabriel, Sylvian, etc I wouldn't have been interested in reading the Muslim scriptures or Sufism or any other Eastern culture's literature. In a way, it's quite negative to have this viewpoint about an artist of the calibre of Eno, who could do but bring glory to the faith. It would be an honor for any religion to have such a spokesperson. It reminds me of Messiaen and his way of permeating his music with Christ. Maybe Eno should have done like Peter Murphy & Cat Yusef and converted to Islam.
Regarding CA, even in communism, there's consumerism. You become that which you appropropiate.
It's part of the flux and mutation of humanity. Cultures collide yet there is always an exchange.
I find this song so spiritual. It’s funny how things can lose their essence; all the various opinions can be so polarized because of beliefs. I think empathy is the key. We need to learn to all get along.
We've been able to get a CD with this song in its rightful place...
Also have the vinyl - Thank Dog!
This was still on the UK CD well into the 90's and was only removed and replaced come the release of the original remastered edition. It's also missing from the expanded version in the mostly black sleeve released a few years back.
@@desperatemohammedantheworl5833 well Eno and Byrne like yo keep their heasd on.
The original CD release contains the track. All subsequent versions do not as far as I know.
Had he removed the religious content and substituted it with absolutely nothing, this would still be the strongest piece on the album. Pity, but I understand him wanting nothing to do with the issue and washing his hands of it.
@Jay James You criticise censorship and then wish to ban some point of view in the same breath. People should be free to be Islamists if they want to. You don't have to listen to them. Or you could listen to them and ignore them which would free up time for listening to good music :)
@Jay James you're reactionary response only contributes to the problem. There are just as many Christian Fundamentalists who want to limit expression. The problem is people IMPOSING beliefs upon others. Not the beliefs themselves. Live and let live.
thank you, red pill
@@tednorton5150 for Wahabis the mear fact that music is added to averse of the Quran ois reason to kill ablasphimer.
@@stuarthastie6374 then I am glad to not be one, dig?
Best track on lp
I interviewed David Byrne at The Heatwave Festival in Toronto (August 1980) and he said they were trying to get permission to use some audio from the evangelist Kathryn Kulman but said they weren't getting any approval so they probably wouldn't be able to use it in the song. I noticed here that the video has two sections where she appears. Does anyone know anything more about this?
They originally wanted to use Kathryn Kuhlman's voice on "The Jezebel Spirit", not (as far as I know) on this song. (Indeed, you can probably find a bootleg early version of Jezebel Spirit with her voice.) Why she appears in this video I have no idea.
I thought that was Maggie Thatcher!
Kathryn Kuhlman remains a spiritual magnet post mortem, but many errantly choose a tangent rather than True North.
Vigiles Salutis.
@@timeno1763 Kathryn Kuhlman was a troubled, delusional kook. Quaeso ne intelligentiam nostram contumeliam facias cum sermone de "True North" et "Vigiles Salutis."
An incredibly moving song I play it on loop while studying. I honestly do not understand how this moving song and music can be offensive...
Stephen R. Adkins I was thinking they could just change the title. Love this song!
i got this record love it since it then!...
Gods do not exist and have no place in dialogue except in great recordings like this.
Not too bright are you.
In an early version of Blade Runner...
stroke of genius... I remember the surprise on the faces of the people who were watching us when hearing this song very loud 'n while having a rest in a small village (travelling to the Atlas Mountains in the 80s) -'en Maroc'. It seemed a bit strange for them...
this track was the best from the whole album. I m very lucky to have the original vinyl :)
Dunya Yusin Lebanese mountain singer track is just as good.
As someone who really dug this from the very start, I too was disappointed when the London Islamic Society requested the track's removal as it was found to be blasphemous. Disappointing in that the mystical, meditative, qualities of the track make it so much more than a song, it nearly rises to the level of giving glory to the Beloved through music, however, that is merely one person's opinion. I have listened to it at least four thousand times, honestly. It is on a continual loop, and STILL find entrancing bits of it.
Way back when the record first came out, in 1981, it might have been '82, we got a request from an Islamic organization in London, and they said, 'We consider this blasphemy that you put grooves to the chanting of the Holy Book.' And we thought, 'Okay, in deference to somebody's religion, we'll take it off.' You could probably argue for and against monkeying with something like that. But I think we were certainly feeling very cautious about this whole thing. We made a big effort to try and clear all the voices, and make sure everybody was okay with everything. Because we thought, 'We're going to get accused of all kinds of things, and so we want to cover our asses as best we can.' So I think in that sense we reacted maybe with more caution than we had to. But that's the way it was.[
Thank you. Its a bummer that the self-censorship needed to take place, but removal of the piece shows a respect for the religion and for the beliefs of others that is too often misrepresented by third parties as acquiescing to an overlord.
From one artist to (an)other(s). Man, I do dislike the edit process, but sometimes the work really is better for having felt the axe "just a little bit." The rest of the album, as a single work, is still one of the most important pieces of recorded art from the 1980's. Thank you. My life is better for having your work in it.
@@tvere2 fuck that, It's exactly acquiescing to an overlord. No religion deserves respect.
That's the way it still is, sadly...
I feel like times have changed, but ironically they were probably even more right 2 decades later, after 9/11, when relations in the US with American Muslims was at an all-time low. But it's been 40+ years now: this is good art that happens to have religious-themed vocals.
Much like painting tbe image of Muhammad, it is not up to religious authorities to dictate secular art. For suchs attempts to control the secular world can quickly get reversed against religion.
Self-censorship SHOULD NOT be taking place. If someone chooses, out of civility, to honor another's request that is within Western values. What should NEVER happen is that an artist, journalist or thought-leader self-censors out of fear or intimidation. That's not civility, its aiding terrorism and if not corrected, will not end well. Political correctness is fascism dressed up as kindness.
I Was Wondering Why I Couldn't See This Song On The Official Brian Eno And David Byrne Playlists For ""My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts".... This Would Sound SOOOO Much Better Digitally Remastered!!! :-(
Because they took it off the album after the Muslim Council of Britain complained.
It's literally some people quoting the qu'ran on top of some an abstract instrumental piece. How the fuck can this be considered offensive by anyone?
I've got to let this out of my chest, although it may not prove anything...In fact Will, what you've posted here, is exactly what I thought one day back in 1981. I was a sophomore at UM sharing an apartment with a very dear couple...(no more explicit details here, not to offend anyone's feelings or acquired convictions) I had the vinyl at the time and T came by with an Arab neighbor, to whom I, (in a friendly and open minded gesture I thought back then) spontaneously and naively said "hey I've got this great piece of music you might want to listen to"... not even half way through the song the person in question asked me to stop playing it, arguing that the music in question was sacrilegious... because sort of speak, it contained verses of the koran. It was only thirty years later, when the 911 apocalypse took place, that the incident came back to memory and I remembered that the (arrogant fanatic individual I had then briefly met) was going to aviation school at the Tamiami airport... My roommate of the time has recently converted to Islam (might not be related...and their choice is not for me to judge) but, I'm very happy to see that this video and music is still a public domain one can freely comment on, despite of having had coerced such great artists as BE & DB, whom I've always admired, to remove such masterpiece of conceptual musical architecture (with Bill Laswell on base) due to religious extremism. I could not longer keep this testimony to myself; There are just too many "coincidences," and there is too much at stake, just to stay with our "eyes wide shot" and our mouths refrained from speaking out when our freedom of choice and our very own cultural (as rich, diversified and vital as it is) is at stake.
Everyone has the right to express things that might be 'offensive' to others. Thats the entire purpose of First Amendment protections.
Its why I dont want these islamist in my country. Some people hear 5 times a day that people have to come to the mosk. Insane. Stay in your own country or move to Iran Afhanistan orwerever. Why to Europe?
Usually, it's a consequence of conditioning from childhood.
Why Katharine Kulman in the video? OK, I know, also the track "Lot - Into The Spirit World" was deleted from "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" because the estate of the late Katharine Kulman refused to license, and now her voice survive only in some bootleg of the "first mix". But she have nothing to do with this track.
Wow!!!!( I wish I had been there too!!!
Not available on Spotify
GREAT STUFF!!!!
I have the vinyl with this song included. When after years I went to buy the CD, I thought it will be exactly the same like vinyl, but when I saw the back side, this song was missing.
I was surprised. I ask the guy who worked in the store, he had no idea. Finally I did not buy the CD. After that I found out that they remove the song due pressures from muslims.
never bow to religious zealots
i wonder what the passage meant...
The best song of the album, for me.
My favorite song on this album, too. One concern with it: Is better spelled Qur'an.
I can totally understand why this version of 'Qu'ran' was not included on the video-edit, after expiriencing all religion driven attacks on humanity in the following years after the release of the album 'my life in the bush of ghosts', which title was leant from the book by Amos Tutuola, where he was story-telling about life in Africa. But in the video you can see a woman(!!!!!) talking to, or/and with the spirits at a huge venue while the chanting of 'the words of the prophet' during the number are constantly repeated. Yes, i understood clearly why....
Inshallah..
_'a woman(!!!!!)-_ Your right to fling your fists about stops at the end of my nose.
One of my favorite songs on this album. It piqued my curiosity about Islam.
I read the Qu'ran and would love to know exactly what they are saying.
🐶 love IT
I recommend Talking Heads Live Capitol Theater 1980.
Not to mention the intense and fiery Live in Rome vids from the RiL tour.
Whaaat…. It was my favorite of this album
It is interesting that the video is largely film of a faith healing service by some Christian fundamentalist.
+Bruno Cuksts And a spooky one, too called Katherine Kuhlman. She's really strange. It makes for an interesting blend of contrasts though.
why !!! this song is fucking gorgeous, my favorite on the album.. so fucking stupid.
is it REALLY necessary to swear to get your point across??
Like it!!!!
People really don't appreciate music and art these days.
He was making a point by removing the entire song.....about all of us.
Where did you get that from? I think you manufactured that idea in your mind. Eno and Byrne have been quite specific about the reasons for removing the track, and they wouldn't be going back into the studio to rework it they had already had a battle getting all the pieces cleared for release, they moved on...
@Terrence Anderson Where is the quote? Not that I dispute that but I'd like to see the quote because Eno's explanation seemed very diplomatic, not driven by fear. Plus if you think it was prophetic about Europe, do consider that radical terrorism was rife in the 1970s with various examples of bombings and hostage taking planes and indeed in the UK I narrowly avoided two bombing by the Irish Republican Army including the Manchester bombing the biggest explosion on British mainland IIRC (I was visiting both locations on the days they occured and just happened to change route) what is more prophetic about the transition of focus of Islamists vengeance toward the west are Western foreign policies that lead up to this. Overwhelmingly military experts at the time said an act of aggression against Iraq et al would result in reciprical effects, information that is still out there if you wish to look it up, and of course PNAC were on a set course to exterminate hundreds of thousands innocent people in various countries and I was aware of that BEFORE 2011 which they used as an excuse, Bush says acting in the name of a Christian God. (I'm an athiest btw before you jump to any conclusions!) Anyway it's plausible Eno was intimidated, I never got that from interviews I've seen.
@@StormOneUK Eno's comment was abviously driven by fear - following a legal threat made by an Islamist POLITICAL group. Know your enemy, it hides behind noble-sounding intentions.
@@memorymedia6188 Nah, no evidence of anything but a pragmatic decision to de-escalate potential conflict. If you want to believe making a calculated choice to minimise escalations is solely driven by fear I think that says more about you. Obviously any military retreat in history is thus due to the combatants being 'chickens', despite that being a tactic used by all sides in every war conflict that ever occurred ever. Brian Eno is a risk taker, he's spoken out in circumstances that could result in severe repercussions, but he takes calculated risks, and he decided disrespecting an entire religious creed, needlessly, over a single track in a lifetime of producing new tracks every single day, simply wasn't worth it. He's an intelligent guy who has done well in life and has taken risks being politically activity for worthwhile causes. Take note.
@@StormOneUK The military analogy is apt. Freedom of speech is certainly important, but Eno and Byrne were relying on the assistance of others to get the album made. They had to pick their battles, and to press this particular point might have led to the record company withdrawing the track without their permission, defunding the project, withdrawing the album entirely, or terminating contracts.
is this the original version?
Yes. Sounds exactly like my 1981 vinyl
...eines der coolsten Scheiben die ich erwerben durfte ....genial....wie kommt man....auf so....einen geilen Trip mucke zu machen...stellt euch die Proben für m ü room und studio vor. !........with...sticki
Fa... Fa... Fantabulous!!
Exact Translations ...Anybody? 🤷🏼♀️🕊
@@desperatemohammedantheworl5833 YOU ARE FULL OF IT YOU DESPERATE HATER!
I always assumed in was recitation of the Koran, from prayers in a Mosque.
Kathryn Kuhlman
Seriously? That was removed? That's a great track.
mooi
Why oh why did they not include this on the album!?!
It was on the initial vinyl pressing and cassette (1981), then removed (replaced by 'Very, Very Hungry' on all susbsequent releases) after The British Muslim Council informed Eno/Byrne they considered it blasphemous.
It was accused of being blasphemous by the Muslim Council of Britain, and Byrne and Eno caved in to the pressure.
@@bingsinatra5283 fair do's. Remove it, replace with something similar sounding, change couple of letters in title,... Then complain to Muslim Council of Britain every time a western instrument is used in Islamic music or played in public in Britain? Just an idea
Islam showing its sense of humour again ,
Censorship stinks
epic.
Buh, buh, mah rahts!
So, after the removal of this song "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" made it #1 in the Islamic world? Yes?
Great piece of music , but the video accomanying this gives me the screaming meemies , like a shrieking reptile rooster
What a cowardly thing to do.
That's par for the course, Islam is extremely defensive and responds to any outside examination of it with complaints and threats.
acid delirium, but it's ok :)
Fuck, don't read the comment section as they say. Great way to ruin a song.
Women's rights are human rights.
And this is relevant exactly how?
I didn't like it. Too Eerie. It's like music for aliens.
Not "Music for Aliens" by Jan Linton, which is well eerie, Eno rip off/tribute?
Maybe you should stick to my boy lollypop.
This song ridicules the beliefs and sayings of a religion it was rightfully removed from the track. How would you guys like it if someone ridiculed your beliefs? Im sure you would have been offended too.
can you explain how this song ridicules the beliefs of a religion ? do you know the intention of the artists was good ? it was obviously removed because of fear of complications, as usual. I listened to this track as a kid in Morocco, that was awesome. Respectful and looking to the future, not a regression like censorship and fear.
@@montex23 It doesn't bother me but if I put my empathy hat on, I can imagine that to the vocalists, this was special to them and I suppose holy. It then gets "married" to some non-related music, thus illiciting a visceral reaction from the vocalists, as it changes the intent of the whole thing. Kinda pisses in their punchbowl.
So many zillions of things to sample so no need to mess with their religion, even if unintentionally.
I wouldn't give a fuck. Now what zealot??? Off to eat a sandwich with extra bacon, fuck you and your religion!
@@montex23 though it wasn't intended to ridicule, sacred verses from the Qu'ran weren't intended to be played with music. Some people in these comments don't seem to understand that. I'm not muslim.. I appreciate the gesture of the artists who used these vocal samples in ignorance but with good intentions. It sounds good to me.
@@effsixteenblock50 The irony is that the other prominent vocal on this album by Dunya Yunis is just a Lebanese folk song but the English speaking audience doesn't need to know any of this in order to enjoy the song.
To elaborate a bit: the concept of this record was incorporating a cache of recordings Eno had acquired into new compositions. The most commercially successful instance of sample-based electronic music I'm aware of, at that time, and seriously influential on what would come after. This track utilized field recordings of the recitation of the Qur'an, the Islamic holy book, recorded during afternoon prayer in Algeria, and was removed after the Islamic Council of Great Britain objected on the grounds that setting the prayers against a musical track is considered blasphemy.