Today, May 14, David Byrne turns 74. To celebrate, why not queue up these four deep cut Talking Heads tracks?
While Byrne has created an extensive portfolio of music, art, and visuals beyond Talking Heads, I’ve decided to go back to the start, picking the following out of my personal favorites.
“Popsicle”
“Popsicle” was first released on the 1992 Talking Heads compilation album Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites, but it dates back to the Speaking in Tongues recording sessions. There’s also evidence to suggest that it eventually morphed into “Walk It Down” on Little Creatures in 1985. Overall, “Popsicle” is simple and sultry, as straightforward an innuendo as possible. It doesn’t take itself seriously at all, and works well as a demo or B-side.
But it probably wouldn’t have worked as an album track on Speaking in Tongues. It’s just a little too on the nose for the usual Talking Heads fare. Still, for a groovy, sexy, every-window-open summertime song, nothing beats “Popsicle”.
“Papa Legba”
This track originally appeared in David Byrne’s 1986 musical film True Stories, which coincided with the Talking Heads album of the same title. The album featured the Talking Heads songs from the movie, while the soundtrack, Sounds from True Stories, included everything else. In the film, Pops Staples portrays voodoo practitioner Mr. Tucker, with “Papa Legba” serving as his big musical number.
While the Pops Staples rendition is incredible in the context of the film’s narrative and visuals, the Talking Heads album version deserves some love as well. David Byrne’s vocals give it a little something different in comparison. True, it loses some of the magic that comes with context. But considering the Pops Staples version and the David Byrne version as completely different songs can lead to a renewed appreciation.
“Right Start”
Remain in Light was an experimental turning point for Talking Heads as they sought to reestablish themselves as a cohesive band instead of just backing for the David Byrne Show. There was a lot of jamming, noodling, and stream of consciousness writing going on. When the deluxe version of Remain in Light came out in 2006, there were four bonus outtakes from those recording sessions.
“Right Start” is a fun one to jam to because the pipeline to “Once in a Lifetime” is so obvious. The guitar riffs, especially the bass line, translate directly into the backbone of one of their biggest songs. Like “Popsicle” becoming “Walk It Down”, it’s a great example of how demos can evolve.
“Lifetime Piling Up”
“Lifetime Piling Up” also first appeared on the 1992 compilation album, and it’s easily my favorite Talking Heads song of all time. It was initially an outtake from the Naked recording sessions, but it truly encapsulates elements from almost every Talking Heads era.
Nervy, paranoid, yet explosive like a split-second car accident in the chorus. “Lifetime Piling Up” has an air of suspicion woven through it, and yet there are moments when it becomes especially vulnerable.
After the usual first line of the chorus, “I can see my lifetime piling up”, the other lyrics change each time. In the final chorus, David Byrne’s voice softens almost imperceptibly on the line, “I can see it smashing into yours”. Just that little shift, so easy to miss. But it’s like being split open and studied like a specimen.
The post David Byrne Turns 74 Today: Here Are 4 Talking Heads Cuts to Celebrate (No, Not the Ones You’re Thinking Of) appeared first on VICE.
