This song continues the relaxed atmosphere of the previous song, moving us further in the direction of stillness with a reduced tempo, languid synths and guitar arpeggios, and no percussion whatsoever. Death seems constantly immanent in this song and the next (as well as the previous one, for the matter).
Science gets pretty useless when you're dealing with death, I think. The protagonist of this song is floating idly in the sea with "Julie" of the title, with her "open blouse" flapping in the breeze. Did the protagonist kill Julie, causing the water to become "darker than before?" Or is that just the sunset of their approaching end, as both are seemingly stranded at sea ("now I wonder if we'll be seen here, or if time has left us all alone"). Personally I doubt that Julie is dead. Most likely she & Eno are simply adrift in the open ocean. Eno does not say why, leaving the question open.
The overall mood is pensive. Despite impending death at sea, fear, loneliness, at a time of maximum desperation, the music simply records impressions of senses in the location, only once or twice tracking an abstract thought that may pass by. The music and words work together to create a stillness in the face of death, of calm acceptance even, and love. Why panic? Death is nothing to fear -- Eno's perspective undercuts basic mainstream assumptions in the West, yet become ever more urgent day by day (the wretched fuel for the rat race, I think...).
The next song, another still, water-based number, continues these themes further.
This song continues the relaxed atmosphere of the previous song, moving us further in the direction of stillness with a reduced tempo, languid synths and guitar arpeggios, and no percussion whatsoever. Death seems constantly immanent in this song and the next (as well as the previous one, for the matter).
Science gets pretty useless when you're dealing with death, I think. The protagonist of this song is floating idly in the sea with "Julie" of the title, with her "open blouse" flapping in the breeze. Did the protagonist kill Julie, causing the water to become "darker than before?" Or is that just the sunset of their approaching end, as both are seemingly stranded at sea ("now I wonder if we'll be seen here, or if time has left us all alone"). Personally I doubt that Julie is dead. Most likely she & Eno are simply adrift in the open ocean. Eno does not say why, leaving the question open.
The overall mood is pensive. Despite impending death at sea, fear, loneliness, at a time of maximum desperation, the music simply records impressions of senses in the location, only once or twice tracking an abstract thought that may pass by. The music and words work together to create a stillness in the face of death, of calm acceptance even, and love. Why panic? Death is nothing to fear -- Eno's perspective undercuts basic mainstream assumptions in the West, yet become ever more urgent day by day (the wretched fuel for the rat race, I think...).
The next song, another still, water-based number, continues these themes further.