List of songs recorded by Talking Heads

Talking Heads were an American new wave band that consisted of guitarist and singer David Byrne, guitarist and keyboardist Jerry Harrison, bassist Tina Weymouth, and drummer Chris Frantz. Between 1975 to 1991, the band recorded 96 songs, 12 of which weren't officially released until after their break-up. The group has been described as "one of the most acclaimed bands of the post-punk era" by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic.[1]

Beginning as former art school students, Talking Heads released their debut single, "Love → Building on Fire", in early 1977,[2] followed by their debut album, Talking Heads: 77, later that year.[1] The album received acclaim for its "stripped down rock & roll" and was notable for its "odd guitar-tunings and rhythmic, single note patterns" and its "non-rhyming, non-linear lyrics".[3] While initially not a big hit, the album was aided by the single "Psycho Killer", which managed to chart.[3] The band's follow-up, More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978), began the band's string of collaborations with producer Brian Eno.[1] The album is characterized as more polished than its predecessor, featuring songs that emphasized experimentation and the rhythm section, as well as the genres of art pop and funk.[1][4] The experimentation continued on Fear of Music (1979), in which the band began utilizing African-styled polyrhythms, most notably on the album's opening track "I Zimbra".[1][5] AllMusic's William Ruhlmann described Fear of Music as the band's "musical transition".[5] This transition came to "full fruition" on their final Eno collaboration, Remain in Light (1980).[6] Often classified as their magnum opus[7][8] and one of the best albums of the 1980s,[9][10] the album integrated several new musicians, including a horn section, which helped the band further experiment on their African-style rhythms and their use of funk, pop, and electronics.[1][6] The album's lead single, "Once in a Lifetime", was a flop on release but over time has garnered acclaim.[6] After Remain in Light, the band went on a three-year hiatus and worked on solo projects.[1] During their hiatus, the live album The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads (1982), was released; the album features live recordings of songs from their four albums (at the time), as well as the previously unreleased song "A Clean Break".[11]

In 1983, the band parted ways with Brian Eno and released their fifth album, Speaking in Tongues (1983).[1] The album continued the rhythmic innovation of Remain in Light, but in a more stripped-down, rigid pop-song structure.[1] The album also contained the band's first and only Top ten hit, "Burning Down the House".[12] The album's tour was documented in the Jonathan Demme-directed concert film Stop Making Sense, followed by the live album of the same name.[13] The band's sixth album Little Creatures (1985), marked a major musical departure from their previous albums – being a straightforward pop album mostly written by David Byrne alone.[1][14] After Little Creatures, the band released True Stories (1986), an album containing songs from Bryne's film of the same name.[1][15] Notable songs from the album include one of the group's biggest hits, "Wild Wild Life", and "Radio Head", a song that the English rock band of the same name named themselves after.[15][16] Two years later, Talking Heads released their final album, Naked.[1] The album marked a return the experimentation and styles of their Eno albums, most notably Remain in Light, but suffered from David Byrne's "lyrical pretensions".[1][17] After Naked, the band went on a "hiatus"; formally announcing their breakup three years later in 1991.[1] Their final release was the song "Sax and Violins", released on the Until the End of the World soundtrack that same year.[18]

Since their breakup, 12 previously unreleased songs have seen official release. The compilation album Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites (1992) included five and the box set Once in a Lifetime (2003) included one, "In Asking Land", an outtake from the Naked sessions.[19][20] The 2005 reissue of Talking Heads: 77 included the previously unreleased "I Feel It in My Heart",[21] and the 2006 reissues of Fear of Music and Remain in Light included unfinished outtakes from those albums' sessions.[22][23]

List

Brian Eno in 2008
Talking Heads collaborated with producer Brian Eno on More Songs About Buildings and Food, Fear of Music, and Remain in Light.
Al Green in 1973
Talking Heads covered Al Green's song "Take Me to the River" on their second album, More Songs About Buildings and Food.
Contents
A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · L · M · N · O · P · R · S · T · U · W · Notes · References
Key
Song released as a single Indicates single release
Indicates solely written by David Byrne Indicates song solely written by David Byrne
Name of song, writer(s), original release, and year of release
Song Writer(s) Original release Year Ref.
"Air" David Byrne double-dagger Fear of Music 1979 [24]
"And She Was" dagger David Byrne double-dagger Little Creatures 1985 [25]
"Animals" David Byrne double-dagger Fear of Music 1979 [24]
"Artists Only" David Byrne
Wayne Zieve		 More Songs About Buildings and Food 1978 [26]
"The Big Country" David Byrne double-dagger More Songs About Buildings and Food 1978 [26]
"Big Daddy" Talking Heads Naked 1988 [27]
"Bill" Talking Heads Naked 1988 [27]
"Blind" dagger Talking Heads Naked 1988 [27]
"The Book I Read" David Byrne double-dagger Talking Heads: 77 1977 [28]
"Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" Talking Heads
Brian Eno		 Remain in Light 1980 [29]
"Burning Down the House" dagger Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues 1983 [30]
"Cities" dagger David Byrne double-dagger Fear of Music 1979 [24]
"City of Dreams" David Byrne double-dagger True Stories 1986 [31]
"A Clean Break" (live) David Byrne double-dagger The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads 1982 [32]
"Cool Water" Talking Heads Naked 1988 [27]
"Creatures of Love" David Byrne double-dagger Little Creatures 1985 [25]
"Crosseyed and Painless" dagger Talking Heads
Brian Eno		 Remain in Light 1980 [29]
"Dancing for Money"[lower-alpha 1] David Byrne double-dagger Fear of Music (CD reissue) 2006 [22]
"The Democratic Circus" Talking Heads Naked 1988 [27]
"Don't Worry About the Government" David Byrne double-dagger Talking Heads: 77 1977 [28]
"Double Groove"[lower-alpha 1] Talking Heads
Brian Eno		 Remain in Light (CD reissue) 2006 [23]
"Dream Operator" David Byrne double-dagger True Stories 1986 [31]
"Drugs" David Byrne
Brian Eno		 Fear of Music 1979 [24]
"Electric Guitar" David Byrne double-dagger Fear of Music 1979 [24]
"The Facts of Life" Talking Heads Naked 1988 [27]
"Fela's Riff"[lower-alpha 1] Talking Heads
Brian Eno		 Remain in Light (CD reissue) 2006 [23]
"First Week/Last Week... Carefree" David Byrne double-dagger Talking Heads: 77 1977 [28]
"Found a Job" David Byrne double-dagger More Songs About Buildings and Food 1978 [26]
"Gangster of Love" Talking Heads Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites 1992 [33]
"Girlfriend Is Better" dagger Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues 1983 [30]
"The Girls Want to Be with the Girls" David Byrne double-dagger More Songs About Buildings and Food 1978 [26]
"Give Me Back My Name" Talking Heads Little Creatures 1985 [25]
"The Good Thing" David Byrne double-dagger More Songs About Buildings and Food 1978 [26]
"The Great Curve" Talking Heads
Brian Eno		 Remain in Light 1980 [29]
"Happy Day" David Byrne double-dagger Talking Heads: 77 1977 [28]
"Heaven" David Byrne
Jerry Harrison		 Fear of Music 1979 [24]
"Hey Now" David Byrne double-dagger True Stories 1986 [31]
"Houses in Motion" dagger Talking Heads
Brian Eno		 Remain in Light 1980 [29]
"I Feel It in My Heart" David Byrne double-dagger Talking Heads: 77 (reissue) 2005 [21]
"I Get Wild/Wild Gravity" Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues 1983 [30]
"I Want to Live" (demo) David Byrne double-dagger Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites 1992 [33]
"I Wish You Wouldn't Say That"[lower-alpha 2] dagger David Byrne double-dagger Non-album single
B-side to "Psycho Killer"		 1977 [34]
"I Zimbra" dagger David Byrne
Brian Eno
Hugo Ball		 Fear of Music 1979 [24]
"In Asking Land" Talking Heads Once in a Lifetime (box set) 2003 [35]
"I'm Not in Love" David Byrne double-dagger More Songs About Buildings and Food 1978 [26]
"The Lady Don't Mind" Talking Heads Little Creatures 1985 [25]
"Life During Wartime" dagger Talking Heads Fear of Music 1979 [24]
"Lifetime Piling Up" Talking Heads Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites 1992 [33]
"Listening Wind" Talking Heads
Brian Eno		 Remain in Light 1980 [29]
"Love for Sale" David Byrne double-dagger True Stories 1986 [31]
"Love → Building on Fire"[lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 2] dagger David Byrne double-dagger Non-album single 1977 [2]
"Making Flippy Floppy" Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues 1983 [30]
"Memories Can't Wait" David Byrne
Jerry Harrison		 Fear of Music 1979 [24]
"Mind" David Byrne double-dagger Fear of Music 1979 [24]
"Mommy Daddy You and I" Talking Heads Naked 1988 [27]
"Mr. Jones" Talking Heads Naked 1988 [27]
"Moon Rocks" Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues 1983 [30]
"New Feeling"[lower-alpha 4] dagger David Byrne double-dagger Talking Heads: 77 1977 [28]
"No Compassion" David Byrne double-dagger Talking Heads: 77 1977 [28]
"(Nothing But) Flowers" dagger Talking Heads Naked 1988 [27]
"Once in a Lifetime" dagger Talking Heads
Brian Eno		 Remain in Light 1980 [29]
"The Overload" Talking Heads
Brian Eno		 Remain in Light 1980 [29]
"Papa Legba" David Byrne double-dagger True Stories 1986 [31]
"Paper" David Byrne double-dagger Fear of Music 1979 [24]
"People Like Us" David Byrne double-dagger True Stories 1986 [31]
"Perfect World" David Byrne
Chris Frantz		 Little Creatures 1985 [25]
"Popsicle" Talking Heads Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites 1992 [33]
"Psycho Killer" dagger David Byrne
Chris Frantz
Tina Weymouth		 Talking Heads: 77 1977 [28]
"Pull Up the Roots" Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues 1983 [30]
"Pulled Up" dagger David Byrne double-dagger Talking Heads: 77 1977 [28]
"Puzzlin' Evidence" David Byrne double-dagger True Stories 1986 [31]
"Radio Head" David Byrne double-dagger True Stories 1986 [31]
"Right Start"[lower-alpha 1] Talking Heads
Brian Eno		 Remain in Light (CD reissue) 2006 [23]
"Road to Nowhere" dagger David Byrne double-dagger Little Creatures 1985 [25]
"Ruby Dear" Talking Heads Naked 1988 [27]
"Sax and Violins" dagger Talking Heads Until the End of the World:
Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack		 1991 [18]
"Seen and Not Seen" Talking Heads
Brian Eno		 Remain in Light 1980 [29]
"Slippery People" Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues 1983 [30]
"Stay Hungry" David Byrne
Chris Frantz		 More Songs About Buildings and Food 1978 [26]
"Stay Up Late" David Byrne double-dagger Little Creatures 1985 [25]
"Sugar on My Tongue" (demo) David Byrne double-dagger Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites 1992 [33]
"Swamp" Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues 1983 [30]
"Take Me to the River" dagger
(Al Green) cover		 Al Green
Mabon "Teenie" Hodges		 More Songs About Buildings and Food 1978 [26]
"Television Man" David Byrne double-dagger Little Creatures 1985 [25]
"Tentative Decisions" David Byrne double-dagger Talking Heads: 77 1977 [28]
"Thank You for Sending Me an Angel" David Byrne double-dagger More Songs About Buildings and Food 1978 [26]
"This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)" dagger Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues 1983 [30]
"Totally Nude" Talking Heads Naked 1988 [27]
"Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town" dagger David Byrne double-dagger Talking Heads: 77 1977 [28]
"Unison"[lower-alpha 1] Talking Heads
Brian Eno		 Remain in Light (CD reissue) 2006 [23]
"Walk It Down" David Byrne double-dagger Little Creatures 1985 [25]
"Warning Sign" David Byrne
Chris Frantz		 More Songs About Buildings and Food 1978 [26]
"What a Day That Was" (live) David Byrne double-dagger Stop Making Sense 1984 [36]
"Who Is It?" David Byrne double-dagger Talking Heads: 77 1977 [28]
"Wild Wild Life" dagger David Byrne double-dagger True Stories 1986 [31]
"With Our Love" David Byrne double-dagger More Songs About Buildings and Food 1978 [26]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Song is a unfinished outtake.[22][23]
  2. 1 2 Later appeared on Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites.[33]
  3. ↑ Also known as "Love Goes to Building on Fire".[2]
  4. ↑ Originally released as the B-side to "Love → Building on Fire" in early 1977 before Talking Heads: 77.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Talking Heads – Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Love → Building on Fire" (7" single liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Sire Records. 1977. SAA-737 – via Discogs.
  3. 1 2 Ruhlmann, William. "Talking Heads: 77 – Talking Heads". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  4. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "More Songs About Buildings and Food – Talking Heads". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  5. 1 2 Ruhlmann, William. "Fear of Music – Talking Heads". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 Ruhlmann, William. "Remain in Light – Talking Heads". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  7. ↑ Clark, Tyler; Nunnally, Doug (March 8, 2018). "Ranking: Every Talking Heads Album from Worst to Best". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  8. ↑ Tatusian, Alex (April 13, 2013). "Talking Heads Albums From Worst To Best". Stereogum. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  9. ↑ Sounds staff (December 13, 1980). "The Best of 1980". Sounds. p. 31.
  10. ↑ Melody Maker staff (December 13, 1980). "1980 Melody Maker Albums". Melody Maker (pull-out section).
  11. ↑ Westergaard, Sean. "The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads – Talking Heads". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  12. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Speaking in Tongues – Talking Heads". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  13. ↑ Light, Alan (January 25, 2010). "All-TIME 100 Albums". Time. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  14. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Little Creatures – Talking Heads". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  15. 1 2 Hastings, Michael. "True Stories – Talking Heads". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  16. ↑ Staff (December 18, 2007). "David Byrne and Thom Yorke on the Real Value of Music". Wired. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  17. ↑ Hastings, Michael. "Naked – Talking Heads". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  18. 1 2 Until the End of the World: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack (CD liner notes). Various Artists. US: Warner Bros. Records. 1991. 7599-26707-2 – via Discogs.
  19. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Popular Favorites 1976–1992: Sand in the Vaseline – Talking Heads". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  20. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Once in a Lifetime – Talking Heads". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  21. 1 2 Talking Heads: 77 (CD liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Sire. 2005.
  22. 1 2 3 Fear of Music (CD booklet and case back cover). Talking Heads. London: Warner. 2006.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Remain in Light (CD booklet and case back cover). Talking Heads. London: Warner. 2006.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Fear of Music (LP liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Sire. 1979.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Little Creatures (LP liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Warner Bros./Sire. 1985.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 More Songs About Buildings and Food (LP liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Sire. 1978.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Naked (LP liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Warner Bros. 1988.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Talking Heads: 77 (LP liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Sire. 1977.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Remain in Light (LP liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Sire. 1980.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Speaking in Tongues (LP liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Sire. 1983.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 True Stories (LP liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Sire. 1986.
  32. ↑ The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads (LP liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Sire. 1982.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites (CD liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Warner Bros./Sire. 1992.
  34. ↑ "Psycho Killer" (7" single liner notes). Talking Heads. UK: Sire Records. 1977. 6078 610 – via Discogs.
  35. ↑ Once in a Lifetime (CD liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Warner Bros. 2003.
  36. ↑ Stop Making Sense (LP liner notes). Talking Heads. US: Sire. 1984.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.