BRIAN ENO - DAVID BYRNE

The Jezebel Spirit, released 29 May 1981 as a single from My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, is one of the most controversial pieces David Byrne and Brian Eno ever put their names to. Built around a genuine "found sound" recording of an anonymous exorcism, laid over hypnotic Afrobeat rhythms in the style of Talking Heads' Remain in Light, the track sparked real backlash — Rolling Stone's Jon Pareles accused the duo of using the exorcism for their own artistic ends and "trivializing the event."

The original plan was even bolder: Eno and Byrne wanted to use an actual recording of famed evangelist Kathryn Kuhlman performing an exorcism, but her estate refused permission, leading them to source an unidentified exorcist recording instead. The B-side, "Regiment," features Lebanese mountain singer Dunya Yusin, sourced from the 1976 field recording album The Human Voice in the World of Islam.

This original 1981 UK 12" pressing (EGOX 1) on E.G./Polydor, with sleeve design by Peter Saville, remains a genuinely essential piece for any serious Eno, Byrne, or Talking Heads-adjacent collection — a single that pushed sampling and "found sound" into deeply uncomfortable, boundary-testing territory years before either technique became commonplace. 🕯️🎙️

View Larger Scans

Click any image below to view a full-size scan of the item.