“You need to do the live version!” is what a lot of commenters will say. And they’re right! Even better: SEE the live version. Stop Making Sense is one of the best concert films ever. It can turn anyone into a Talking Heads fan. Even Alex!
Agree...they miss so much context by just listening to 1 song at a time...w/o context and diving into history and looking more deeper, the reactions are just too surface level.
Thank Gawd. Finally and first reaction team admitting that they didn't like a song. How refreshing. I get so tired of these channels liking EVERY SINGLE SONG that they review.
Totally agree! This is extremely ironic (and nonsense) in the best way. Most folks do not get it at all. It is presented in an iconic song, that is truly great in itself. If I remember correctly, even the band members said the lyrics has no meaning.
The best way to experience The Talking Heads these days is to watch Jonathan Demme's "Stop Making Sense" concert film...especially the song "Life During Wartime". This band was as innovative as you can get.
Once in a Lifetime, Swamp, Life During Wartime (NOT the live version, it takes away the intensity of the lyrics with the silly dancing), or Crosseyed and Painless. If one of those don't get you, then you're probably not fans.
Everyone here is saying watch “Stop Making Sense” and you’ll get them more. Yes!!! Also you’re analyzing this too hard. This is all about the groove and rhythm. If the rhythm is not speaking to you then you won’t like this. It’s not trying too hard. The Talking Heads is never about trying too hard. Their music is not about that by design.
@@scifimonkey3 Exactly! Their conception of them is starting off on the wrong foot. They were very much a 70s bridge into the 80s. The 80s didn’t define them, if anything it was the other way around.
Guys, we'll leave you be if... you react to the concert "Stop Making Sense" If after that you are still on the fence about Talking Heads... so be it, we'll stop trying to convince you guys ;) But really, give that a honest chance, the concert will surprise you bigtime. (the good kind)
There is a concert from Rome on You Tube right now from 1980 maybe or 81 or 82 that I think blows away the concert film if you havent seen it you will probably love it.
Talking Heads are iconic! They were avant-garde and experimental new wave, for their time. They had a lot of African influence in their music. Sorry you don’t get them, cuz they are amazing.
the Talking Heads were an "art house" band coming out of New York's punk scene... very experimental and challenging.. no guilty pleasure. For people who were tired of the overplayed and worn-out classic rock sound, this band (among others) was a breath of fresh air.
@@RenegadeRockChik Agreed. Interesting tho, some New Wave (not all) employed occasional Disco aesthetics. But you're right, most record collections that were starting to include New Wave bands already had a lot of classic rock. Disco was a different thing altogether.
@@susanklasinski1805 These guys are young and music like that is an acquired taste for some. Plus they're just discovering all the classic stuff and that's what they're into. I think down the road, they'd be able to appreciate bands like The Talking Heads more.
@@susanklasinski1805 I was surprised by the negative reaction but 1) at least they listened and 2) they seem to like most of what they hear (can't win them all).
@@AnthonyPiscitelliHI I just mean that digital-looking art was everywhere and almost all was made by analog means. Max Headroom was makeup and visual FX, for instance.
Yes, I just got into them about 10 years ago. Before that, I hadn't really heard or paid much attention to them as I was too young in the '70s/80s. But, yeah, he's awesome.
David Byrne should be seen, as well as heard. Crazy-ass genius! I remember seeing/hearing this for the 1st time on MTV. Everyone freaked out at it's UNIQUENESS. Gimmicky? wtf does that even mean? You don't understand David Byrne. Whatever dude... you had to be young back in the early 80s and hear and see this shit for the first time. Not every tune has to be thought-provoking or provocative. Sometimes it just being weird, wild, fun and danceable is enough. Once again... lighten up. PS: I can't believe you compared that crap "Owner of a Lonely Heart" to Talking Heads. I mean seriously. -smdh
Yeah, that gimmicky comment didn't land too well, did it? It's gimmicky because they don't really know what's going on with this tune. They aren't used to listening to this kind of funky groove, rhythmically-based music. It's a good bit away from the guitar-bass-drums classic rock lineup.
Not sure if it's a hot take, but Al Green's original of "Take Me to The River" is the best by far. Definitely hot take: "Burning Down the House" is one of their weaker hits.
@@-Ricky_Spanish- I agree that the Al Green original of "Take Me to the River" is outstanding. I have always thought, though, that the Talking Heads version of the song was so different that both versions are worth enjoying on their own merits, as if they were different songs. It might make a good video if A&A did a back-to-back on the two versions, like they did for "All Along the Watchtower".
Effff, yes! Talking Heads RULEZZZZ! When that beat DROPS in the intro! DRUMS!! The live version in Demme's concert Film, "Stop Making Sense". You won't be able to sit still. We played this in our house all the time. "Same as it ever was..."
Talking Heads weren't using the drums as a gimmick; the drum sounds and rhythms they used were based on African rhythms. A better example of this is an album track, "I Zimbra", from their "Fear of Music" album. Their rhythm section had a side project called called Tom Tom Club, who had a couple hits themselves with "Genius of Love" and "Wordy Rappington".
Agreed. Very tribal. There are different styles and preferences in music. During this period I was immersed in worship as my primary genre, yet I loved the style of Talking Heads...
Oh god, do you guys not know Alex at all?? No way would he like I Zimbra. That's even more over the top than BDTH. Alex would like the early songs that have guitars, and Tina playing a real bass rather than synth bass.
Stop Making Sense isn't a concert film, it's a journey with a passion for music, all while bursting at the seams with frenetic energy, It engages you right from the start with visuals, atmosphere,, and sonic sound. It's a must see for music lovers like you. One of the very best ever.
The funniest thing here is, David Byrne definitely would've done a version with just knee slapping and the singing. Stop Making Sense starts with just him a cappella with a boombox, and they build from there. I do get the aversion to 80s, though. I wonder if Alex would like "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)" from this same album: such a sweet song, and very much not overproduced in that 80s way. So earnest.
This is one band where the live versions from "Stop Making Sense" is so much better. This is a band that should definitely be experienced live. David Byrne must be seen as well as heard.
I was never a fan of TH until I saw David Byrne's American Utopia concert, and I only went to that because a friend told me to go. He was NOT wrong. I'm now a massive David Byrne fan.
I love you guys, but you are waaaaay off base understanding what Talking Heads is all about. I hope you give them another chance. Most of us are SURE you would love Talking Heads if you were familiar with their entire body of work. They come from the CBGB'S days of NYC. Respect!
i agree with you Cheri. i was born in 1959 and lived through and experienced all of the great rock music of the 1970s but when the 1980s rolled around with the new new wave sound i was able to make the transition and also accept and embrace the new wave sound. give me 60s 70s and 80s music any day! real music pretty much ended after the 80s.
Talking Heads were an acquired taste even in the 80's. They had some fresh rhythmic approaches and quirky vocals that made you give them a second and third listen- kind of a new wave version of the Velvet Underground in that respect. Like a lot of ground breakers there is no doubt that they changed the bearing of music by few degrees, they were arguably the first "New Wave" band, and they were also among the first to really explore the more complex African and Middle Eastern rhythms in music, so they get a 9 for innovation, but yeah- a soft 3 on the "Banger Scale"..
Pioneers, for sure!! Music like this didn't exist until Talking Heads invented. It's called New Wave for a reason. Their music is meant to stretch musical boundaries. It is, for sure, an acquired taste for most people. Co-founder, Tina Weymouth (bass), went on to form Tom Tom Club with her husband, Chris Frantz (Talking Heads Drummer) You guys need to listen to "genius of love" by them. It will be another song to help you grow and flex your musical muscle🙂
I think that's the problem, is that they are going back with a cynical view and not seeing how things that came after were influenced by this stuff. Alex needs to get his head out of it as far as the 80s hate.
@@eboethrasher Yeah but this is the only avenue in which to view the 80's not having been there. For me, the '80's sound' at the end of the decade pales in comparison to the early 80's, when they took the New Wave and Funk to an extreme and probably led to the downfall of music we have today. That's a good reason not to be a fan of the 80's sound, as it 'devolved' instrumentally.
David Byrne, the lead singer is from Scotland. As an older adult, he realized he had Asperger's, stating that music was his way of communicating when he felt he couldn't do it face to face. He also scored the movie 'The Last Emperor'.
If we're running on this Scottish theme here, may I suggest Big County/In a Big Country or Pick up the pieces by AWB, or Primal Scream, or Alex Harvey & Giddy up a Ding dong, or Boom bang a bang by Lulu. Maybe not the last one.
@@SuperEdge67 His Mum and Dad was Scots too. Last time he played Scotland he announced to the audience "Nice to be home again". Hands off, he's ours. (Other Scot's passport holders include AC/DC, Rod Stewart, Mark Knopfler, Joan Baez.... erm... Kim Kardashian and Donald Trump. You know what? This is going rather badly, lets drop the subject...)
"We all have our little foibles. I mean, who amongst us can honestly say that they've never had the urge to burn down a major public building? I certainly know I have." The Colonel, Monty Python. RIP Graham Chapman.
First time I heard The Talking Heads was their song "Take Me To The River"...I thought "what the hell?" And turned it up louder! It was a game changer.
I disagree, it never really charted high. The fact it charted at all is amazing. The video got a lot of plays on MTV, so it seemed more popular than it was.
@@garylee3685 Oh totally! I almost forgot about the extreme saturation of the video. Probably another reason why this song does not rank high with me on the list of their hits.
Saw them at Zellerbach Auditorium/ Berkeley in ‘79. Byrne was such an unusual guy and the show was amazing. My date didn’t care for them! That was pretty much the end of our relationship lol.
The best way to react to the Talking Heads is to react to "Stop Making Sense," the best concert film ever recorded. I remember seeing it in the old Harvard Square Cinema and everyone in the theatre standing at the seats or dancing in the aisles. Alex and Andy are the most entertaining reactors on the web, but I was disappointed when they used some odd version of "Psycho Killer" for their reaction. The studio track on Talking Heads '77 or even the live version from The Old Grey Whistle Test would have been much better. Edit: Interesting that Andy said he heard the studio version and liked it better because it sounded more raw. Okay, but it still sounds like the demo to me, and the original is raw enough.
@@ronalddobis6782 It's my #2. It depends what you're looking for. Scorsese wanted to document the end of an era. He's not just presenting a concert; in fact, the first song he shows is the last song of the evening. Much of the film consists of interviews. The film is a brilliant documentary, but I wouldn't call it immersive. Demme just focuses on the performance itself. But he does it in a way unlike most concert films, which are pretty much a matter of just setting up the cameras and then putting the best clips together in the editing room. Demme does more than that, starting with dispensing with the obligatory reaction shots of the crowd until almost the end.
David Byrne of the Talking Heads, is a performance artist. It sort of hard to appreciate what he's doing out of context. Keep in mind this was when MTV was new and rock and roll had gotten very vanilla. This guy came on the scene with heavy percussion ... Live, not looped... and was the antithesis of the, big label/ big hair, sound of the time.
Fascinating to hear your take on this. I'm not a big Talking Heads fan but I loved this song when it came out -- i was 13 years old then -- and I still love it now and always have. I love the vibe, the groove, the percussion, the acoustic guitar, just all of it. And it is rare for me to like something this much when it is without an obvious electric guitar part. Just my take. Thanks for listening gents.
Feel like Alex goes into anything sounding like 80's with a preconceived bias. 80's is one of the best decades ever for music. Right there with the 70's. If these guys grew up on 80's, they would be singing a different tune. Brilliant stuff in the 80's. Including Rush's output. Time to get to some 80's Rush guys. At least post Signals.
THE star here is Bernie Worrell (RIP) of Parliament-Funkadelic playing that SICK Funk synth solo on a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 through a Boss wah pedal. He is switching between unison mode and polyphonic mode (for the single hard-sync notes and then the chord comps), and his sound is considered by many to be the Holy Grail of synth tones.
The Talking Heads are really a "multi-media" group. It was better to see and hear them than just to hear them. They were terrific live. They were so high energy. Also loved by college crowds. They were definitely an act for and of their time.
I hope they'll be saying the same thing after the video! I remember chanting that old P-Funk chant at parties and dances in the 80s. "The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire! We don't need no water, let the mf'er burn! Burn mf'er! Burn!"
@@burmajones803 Or 'the roach, the roach, the roach is on the wall! We don't need no raid, let the mf'er fall! Fall mf'er! Fall!" But my favorite P-Funk is "we need the funk"!
They really need to hear tunes like Super stupid, maggot brain, can you get to that, hit it and quit it, you and your folks, who says a funk band cant play rocknroll music.. all funkadelic classics gotta be heard
LOVE Talking Heads. Love this song...and Once in a Lifetime and Life During Wartime and She Was...the best. So many good songs! This song evokes one of my favorite music memories: at a record store, it's on, serious volume and you can feel the beat. Everyone the store, shoppers and staff, are dancing. #SoMuchFun
Said this on the poll: this is from their 6th album and well into the 80s. Terrible second song for you guys to check out in terms of getting a feel for Talking Heads, especially knowing Alex’s bias against the 80s. Really should have started with stuff from their earlier albums before checking this stuff out. Also I’ll just add that Talking Heads are experimental in nature. A lot of what you’re complaining about here with the production is them exploring sounds that were still fairly new at the time. It sound gimmicky to you now because the 80s highly synthesized and electronic sound has been around for 40 years and all of your lives. That wasn’t the case when they recorded this in the early 80s. I say all of this in the hopes that you don’t take another year and a half to check out more of their work because you weren’t a big fan of this song. They’re definitely a band that deserves exploration.
With "The Heads/David Byrne" you usually get African style drum beats as the foundation of the song. It gives the music its own style. Peter Gabriel and Adrian Belew did this also.
Back in the late 80's, when this was still fairly new and so were CD's, this song was a big demo song for audio salesmen because of the quality of the recording. It sold a lot of speakers and receivers and CD players, and subwoofers.
Stop making sense is iconic. It kinda shows the evolution of the band. They add more and more instruments and members as they progress. Life during wartime...🤟
If Alex is not a fan of 80's production why when reacting to a band that began in the 70's react to their 80's material? In additon those suggesting tracks, why would you recommend this knowing Alex's disdain for 80's production when there are plenty of earlier classics to choose from?
@@jgsrhythm100 I was never a big fan of this song, although many seem to love it, but it is interesting how it straddles the two decades. Was never aware of when it came out before.
Too much 80's hate here on this channel. You run the risk of driving me away, and I would assume other people too. There's some awful cheese from the 80's (and I'm sure you've heard that said many times and that's probably why you feel like you have to fixate on that idea), but this aint it. You immediately go fishing for complaints the moment you hear sounds that are clearly 80's sounds, and that's not only not fair to the music, it's just not true. Again, there's plenty of 80's cheese. This is not it.
Well said. If you hear synths and automatically dismiss the song, then you haven't really listened to it. I don't really like a lot of the music on this channel, but I try to listen to it with different ears in order to try to hear what other people are hearing. I've found a lot to appreciate in musical styles I don't automatically like by trying to keep an open mind.
Well said. The 80s weren’t the only decade that had cheese. There’s plenty of sclock from other decades, as well as plenty of great music, 80 s not excluded.
As someone who initially hated 80s music because I associated it with the Bangles and the Go-Gos, those ideas of its cheesiness went right out of the window when I heard Talking Heads and their peers! So it's weird to me that they're lumping TH together with that stuff. It's nowhere near on the same level, in my opinion. 80s post punk and new wave are my absolute favorites!
Everything Alex said about 80's production is true. But all of those new tools sounded so new to our ears. And there's a very tongue in cheek, sarcastic quality to a lot of the early 80's pop that I love!
Okay you don't really like it - everyone is entitled to their opinion. But "I want to hear this played in a garage like Neil Young" gosh, no. That was the whole point of bands like the Talking Heads, they were anti-rock.
In a garage? No no no ! you listen to this in a basement or in a seedy New York dive, in a low rent part of town....... when they have watched ‘Stop making sense’ and hopefully realised what we are all going on about they should also watch the movie CBGB which will provide all the context they need and show that late 70’s/80’s music was NOT all about over produced synth pop.
When my son got his drum kit, this was the first track he wanted to play. A+ for me, for that alone. Folks always think that some other track by a band should be played first. Same as it ever was?
I'm guilty of recommending "better" songs this week. This is a great song. First Talking Heads song I loved, but I'm just not sure they're going to like it, which would likely mean no more Talking Heads on this channel. That would be a bummer, but hopefully I will be wrong.
BTW, if your son wanted to play this song on his kit first, he's got great taste! My son's a drummer but isn't really interested in playing anything funky. He likes metal.
This is something you ought to know about this type of music- it’s considered “new wave” and was on the fringe with a lot of young people at the time. In ‘82-‘83, I was a high school senior and people listened to this, but not out in the open for the most part, at least at my high school. From ‘75-‘83, punk and new wave was something you listened to with a small group of friends or alone. My husband and I went to the same high school and he experienced the same thing. He joined the Marine Corps and listened to new wave music alone, headphones only, because you didn’t play it around other people. You would be judged. It was, at the time, a closeted experience, if you will. I don’t know how else to put it. There were a couple of nerds who are probably millionaires right now, near my locker in high school and they listened to Talking Heads on a boom box before home room once and we’re threatened by football playing morons who only listened to Journey. High school and it’s hierarchy, lol. As to your comment about Yes, I agree with you. Old rock bands from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s had to change their sound to stay relevant; unfortunately, it was all formula and for the most part, sucked. You guys called it. Listen to an old Stones album, like “Goats Head Soup” and then schlock from the ‘88, “Steel Wheels” and you’ll want to gauge your eyes out. To this day, ‘80’s music pisses me off for the most part and we have battles in the car over not listening to it. You can do that shit when you’ve been married 31 years. I really love your comments and this channel. I knew you guys weren’t going to dig this song and that’s ok. This band is more of a visual experience.
On your own time you should watch the Talking Heads live concert movie, Stop Making Sense. It’s one of the best concert movies you’ll ever see. Incredible energy. The biggest surprise for me when I first saw this was how deep in a funk groove they were. Deep in a funky pocket. You wouldn’t know it from listening to their studio work.
"Burn Down the House" was a chant that the audience at Parliament-Funkadelic (George Clinton) concerts would yell while the band was jamming to encourage them. Bernie Wornell from Funkadelic played in the Head's touring band. Chris and Tina(drummer and bass) wrote the groove after going to P-F concert to see Bernie, and they told Byrne about the chant and he liked it and changed it to "Burning down the house" .
Not sure why you guys keep reacting to some of the classic 80's songs that use synth, it is becoming predictable. If you don't like the era, that is fine, but why react to these if you already know ahead of time you don't like the sound? Talking Heads is one of the main bands that influenced 80's New Wave and brought World music to the mainstream. If you don't like post-punk, then they probably aren't your groove. That is fine, but it seems like a broken record where you are trying to convince others that 80's music sucks... when it doesn't.
I like what you said here. I would like to see them react to more post punk and 80s stuff, but if they already know they won't like it, they should perhaps skip it. Maybe they'll be more ready for it later on after listening to more prog and classic rock, but for now, they're jumping around too much and can't quite get the perspective on this sound.
It's a question of box checking. As of yet they re looking for pre established categories they have set up in their minds- Does the song do this? Does the song have that? Etc. It takes a while to learn to meet the song on its own terms rather than force it into this or that box.
@@peterquinones3522 Well said, Peter. But that's a higher hurdle to climb when you are decades removed from the contemporary musical context that originally informed the song.
@@peterquinones3522 well said. That's exactly what I think happens with music--not just A&A, but lots of people. It can be tough to learn to put away your biases and meet the song and the artist on their own terms, but once you do, music gets even better.
A lot of bands get together in music school; the Heads got together in art school and their performances always had an artistic visual style to them. Seeing them will likely change your perception of them; it did mine. Like someone else commented, watch the "Stop Making Sense" concert, it's fairly awesome.
I hate to say this, but I predict a tepid reaction to this song from both of them. Seems like this is exactly the type of song Alex talks about when he talks about not liking 80s music. In addition, this song seems way too far a departure from the guitar-based rock these guys normally listen to. I like this song, but I think Taking Heads have so many songs that are soooo much better than this one, including at least 3 or 4 from the same album this song is on: Girlfriend is Better, Naive Melody (This Must Be the Place), Slippery People, and Swamp.
@@peterquinones3522 I loved that book. Love how Byrne was such a student of performing arts from other cultures and incorporated those things into the bands music and visual style.
I love the Talking Heads and David Byrne's quirky style, however, I really think "Take Me to the River" is more of a rocker than any of their other songs, and the one I think you two would enjoy the best out of their whole catalog (and I have listened to everything they put out.)
You jokingly hit on something really true about 80s music and culture. It's VERY wrapped up in both excitement and anxiety about technology. That's reflected in the movies, books, and music of the time. The very first music video ever shown on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star." That over-produced synth sound was everywhere. That's the reason why 80s nostalgia media (e.g., Stranger Things) is accompanied by music that sounds like synthesizers laid over old video games. The other thing to think about is how much drug culture drives the vibe (even when you were not actually partaking). The 70s were all about weed, and the cultural vibe was generally laid back (with the exception of the punk movement, which was more of a precursor to the 80s). The 80s was the coke decade, and the cultural vibe was very much NOT laid back. There was an anxious energy about the 80s that is reflected in its cultural products, including music. This wasn't generally music meant to sway back and forth to, or sit and listen to; this was music meant to pogo up and down to, endlessly, sweating out your buzz. The Talking Heads, in particular, were THE soundtrack to 80s college parties. Where the 70s might have seen college-age kids sitting around listening to guitar-heavy rock and passing a bong, 80s college-age kids were much more likely to be drinking (or high on coke or speed, if they could afford it) and jumping up and down, listening to repetitive post-punk and new-wave synth. That's not to say that there wasn't still a guitar-heavy weed scene in the 80s; there was. They just weren't the dominant cultural force they were in the 70s (and would return to being in more recent decades).
I'm glad that you're checking out this great record. I see that some people are recommending Talking Heads songs that aren't well-known and would be lucky to get 10% in a weekly poll. If you want to put a good song of theirs on a poll that might do pretty well on a poll, I'd go with "Once in a Lifetime".
I don't care if they will do well on a poll. I just want them to listen to them--on their own time if that's what it takes. They don't always follow up on songs that were in polls. They sometimes go off script. Tired of the hits.
@@burmajones803 I suppose another point is that even if A&A never listen to the more obscure suggestions, maybe someone else reading the comments will. I made the above suggestion before seeing their reaction. Having seen their reaction, I'm now thinking that maybe complex rhythms aren't their thing, which is to say that Remain in Light and Speaking in Tongues might not be for them. Maybe "Road to Nowhere" would be more up their alley, or a more obscure song from the Little Creatures album, if you prefer.
@@otisdylan9532 Yeah, I think Talking Heads just might not be their thing at this time. I was listening to this song last night and after a minute I knew that this song wouldn't be a winner for Alex. Wasn't sure about Andy. Alex's dislike of synthesizers and electronic sounds was what I thought would be the big dealbreaker, but after watching the reaction I think this is too far from the guitar-centric, Western-style rock music that they like. This is percussion-based, polyrhythmic, groove-centered music. An odd top 40 hit, frankly, but that's the kind of thing that happened in the 80s. I was suggesting other polyrhythmic Talking Heads songs that I think would at least push some of their usual buttons--stuff like The Great Curve, which has some prominent guitar parts. I also make suggestions in these comments in case they want to listen to some of this stuff on their own, off-channel, as it were.
@@burmajones803 Good points, and yes, at the time, I was very surprised that it was a hit, because it was so adventurous, wild, and creative compared to most of what was on the radio at the time. If A&A want to pursue TH any further, another possibility might be a song from their 1st 2 albums, which were more stripped down than what followed.
“Once in a Lifetime” or “Take Me to the River”. BUT..as several others have said, you should REAlly see them perform this live.... I am not a huge fan of Talking Heads but I saw the concert film Stop Making Sense just a few weeks ago and I was gobsmacked by how good it was. So, if I can have that reaction, then I think you guys would really appreciated it.
Wow, fear of music, remain in light and speaking in tongues are among the great trilogy of albums ever. Polyrhythms, experimental, nothing else sounded like the heads at the time.
For discussion purposes only... King of Pain (1983) - The Police Magic (1984) - The Cars Stop Making Sense (film - 1984) - Talking Heads Shout (1985) - Tears for Fears In Between Days (1985) - The Cure She Sells Sanctuary (1985) - The Cult Where the Streets Have No Name (1987) - U2 Need You Tonight (1987) -INXS
Love the Talking Heads but this is not the best example of their work, although it's not a bad song. I'd recommend Once in a Lifetime, Girlfriend is Better and This Must be the Place. Thanks for reacting to this grest band.
I remember when I was at college in 1983 (the year it was released) every Friday around 3p someone would blare this out their dorm window. It's how you knew the weekend had begun!
The Talking Heads are good to have on the radio if you're riding down the road, head banging to the radio but not paying much attention to anything. Everyone in the car shouts BURNIN' DOWN THE HOUSE!!! at the appropriate times.
My first exposure to the Talking Heads was my first exposure to the Talking Heads was on PBS around 1978 when they already had some videos playing. Once in a lifetime was great! Then I was really reduced to them when stop making sense came out and this song burning down the house
You need to go back a few years to the Remain in Light album. This one’s produced by Brian Eno and was before the 80’s effects took over. This is their most critically acclaimed album and my personal favorite of theirs. It’s the type of album that deserves a full album review. If you just want a slice I’d recommend “Crosseyed and Painless”
Their tour of this album was one of my favorite concerts ever (and I’ve been to hundreds)...the people on that stage....Adrian Belew... I saw it at Radio City MH in NYC. Also I’ve seen the TH many times starting from very early on. One of the perks of being a New Yorker. You get to see lots of great bands/musicians.
This reaction in particular really shows off your limited sphere of reference and musical knowledge/experience. This is somehow so foreign to you you don't even really understand what your hearing. This neither has "all the reverb" nor is "all synth" yet that's the foremost of your takeaway. You think this song sounds like the 80's, but you have it backwards, the 80's sound like they do because of this song.
OK, but isn't that part of the point? Reactors react in the moment, from their point-of-view. How are they supposed to get all of that from listening to two songs?
@@MichaelB769 Yeah I didn't say that, but how does one song not shape an eras sound? I mean I realize it takes a multitude of influence to make a distinct movement of style within an era, but I fail to see your point. I'll be honest, I don't think you have one. It seems like you just read something you chose to disagree with into what I said. Pretty boring dude. I did not in any way say THIS ONE SONG MADE ALL 80'S SOUND. I feel that was pretty obvious but guess you needed that explained to you.
Guys, this a performance band. “Life During Wartime” video live from “Stop Making Sense,” one of the best concert videos of all time. If after that you still don’t like them, then give up, it’s not going to happen.
“You need to do the live version!” is what a lot of commenters will say. And they’re right! Even better: SEE the live version. Stop Making Sense is one of the best concert films ever. It can turn anyone into a Talking Heads fan. Even Alex!
This is true! My respect for (and interest in) Talking Heads increased so much after seeing that movie.
Yes!!!
I was at the Hollywood Palisum when the filmed the concert movie. It was fun and interesting.
@@kima.4268 It was at the Pantages...I was there 3 of the 4 nights they were filming. Best concert ever and great film.
Agree...they miss so much context by just listening to 1 song at a time...w/o context and diving into history and looking more deeper, the reactions are just too surface level.
Guys, just remember that a huge part of the talking heads experience is watching David Byrne perform!
I have always loved this song just for the audio. Just saying :-)
performing?
performing is like acting, or other stuff.
he is .... that
One of my favorite SNL skits is their takeoff of David Byrne singing about his "Big white suits".
A huge part of the Talking Heads is… the Talking Heads. Not David Byrne (he's too full of himself, or we'd still have the Talking Heads). The music.
You guys are missing the irony. They’re not being corny, they are being ironic in a stunningly effective way!
You trying to reason with them? Lol.
Another fun song that has irreverent lyrics is “Once in a Lifetime” “And you may ask yourself, Well….how did I get here?”
Thank Gawd. Finally and first reaction team admitting that they didn't like a song. How refreshing. I get so tired of these channels liking EVERY SINGLE SONG that they review.
Totally agree! This is extremely ironic (and nonsense) in the best way. Most folks do not get it at all. It is presented in an iconic song, that is truly great in itself. If I remember correctly, even the band members said the lyrics has no meaning.
The best way to experience The Talking Heads these days is to watch Jonathan Demme's "Stop Making Sense" concert film...especially the song "Life During Wartime". This band was as innovative as you can get.
innovative. an equivalent is "he's good to his mother"
The live dvd sounds INCREDIBLE on a good sound system - you have to watch the whole concert. Yeah, it's 80's alright, but vrty innovative.
Once in a Lifetime, Swamp, Life During Wartime (NOT the live version, it takes away the intensity of the lyrics with the silly dancing), or Crosseyed and Painless. If one of those don't get you, then you're probably not fans.
Two thumbs up from Siskel and Ebert.
@@MusicFan1977 The crowd seemed to like the show...silly dancing and all.
Everyone here is saying watch “Stop Making Sense” and you’ll get them more. Yes!!! Also you’re analyzing this too hard. This is all about the groove and rhythm. If the rhythm is not speaking to you then you won’t like this. It’s not trying too hard. The Talking Heads is never about trying too hard. Their music is not about that by design.
I agree...they are not feeling it.
They seem obsessed with them being an eighties band, they were playing psycho killer in 1975.......??
Exactly, this band wrote the book on not taking yourself too seriously. Maybe only ZZ Top beats them in that regard.
@@scifimonkey3 Exactly! Their conception of them is starting off on the wrong foot. They were very much a 70s bridge into the 80s. The 80s didn’t define them, if anything it was the other way around.
It IS gimmicky, but to be fair, the Talking Heads invented this particular gimmick.
Guys, we'll leave you be if... you react to the concert "Stop Making Sense"
If after that you are still on the fence about Talking Heads... so be it, we'll stop trying to convince you guys ;)
But really, give that a honest chance, the concert will surprise you bigtime. (the good kind)
PS not just listen, WATCH the concert, Talking Heads is not just a audio experience, its very much a visual experience as well.
Amen!!!😉
Maybe on Patreon soon? Sounds like a good idea to me.
There is a concert from Rome on You Tube right now from 1980 maybe or 81 or 82 that I think blows away the concert film if you havent seen it you will probably love it.
@@jameshannagan4256 might have seen it but will have to check it out to be sure. Thnx for the tip :)
Talking Heads are iconic! They were avant-garde and experimental new wave, for their time. They had a lot of African influence in their music. Sorry you don’t get them, cuz they are amazing.
they watch the movie - they instantly become big fans...that simple
They're out of their minds! LOL
the Talking Heads were an "art house" band coming out of New York's punk scene... very experimental and challenging.. no guilty pleasure. For people who were tired of the overplayed and worn-out classic rock sound, this band (among others) was a breath of fresh air.
Agree, except for me it was the ubiquitous DISCO that grated so much. New Wave was such a relief from that.
@@RenegadeRockChik Agreed. Interesting tho, some New Wave (not all) employed occasional Disco aesthetics. But you're right, most record collections that were starting to include New Wave bands already had a lot of classic rock. Disco was a different thing altogether.
They were a very influential band, and it kind of punches me in the gut when they called them a guilty pleasure band and kiddie music.
@@susanklasinski1805 These guys are young and music like that is an acquired taste for some. Plus they're just discovering all the classic stuff and that's what they're into. I think down the road, they'd be able to appreciate bands like The Talking Heads more.
@@susanklasinski1805 I was surprised by the negative reaction but 1) at least they listened and 2) they seem to like most of what they hear (can't win them all).
The funny thing about the 80s is that everything had a computer aesthetic, but no one had computers.
Not everything The Smiths, The Cure, Pixies, New Order/Joy Division, Happy Mondays, etc etc
@@AnthonyPiscitelliHI I just mean that digital-looking art was everywhere and almost all was made by analog means. Max Headroom was makeup and visual FX, for instance.
@@seoigh Oh yeah well that's true! Sorry thought you meant in music
I'm usually on target with you guys, but I must respectfully disagree. David Byrne is a genius, and this song proves it.
💯
Yes, I just got into them about 10 years ago. Before that, I hadn't really heard or paid much attention to them as I was too young in the '70s/80s. But, yeah, he's awesome.
I concur. I love the mood in Home. David Byrne is a high functioning autistic and I am too so I get it.
Donna Zasgoat He is??? Why did I not know that 😱 My son is too :) 💙💙
ABSOLUTELY 💯
David Byrne should be seen, as well as heard. Crazy-ass genius! I remember seeing/hearing this for the 1st time on MTV. Everyone freaked out at it's UNIQUENESS. Gimmicky? wtf does that even mean? You don't understand David Byrne. Whatever dude... you had to be young back in the early 80s and hear and see this shit for the first time. Not every tune has to be thought-provoking or provocative. Sometimes it just being weird, wild, fun and danceable is enough. Once again... lighten up.
PS: I can't believe you compared that crap "Owner of a Lonely Heart" to Talking Heads. I mean seriously. -smdh
Yeah, that gimmicky comment didn't land too well, did it? It's gimmicky because they don't really know what's going on with this tune. They aren't used to listening to this kind of funky groove, rhythmically-based music. It's a good bit away from the guitar-bass-drums classic rock lineup.
You need to try "Take Me to the River". Their song "Once in a Lifetime" is also very good, with some cool lyrics. Have a great weekend, guys!
Love "Once in a..." but verrrrrry 80's sound (much synths).
Not sure if it's a hot take, but Al Green's original of "Take Me to The River" is the best by far. Definitely hot take: "Burning Down the House" is one of their weaker hits.
@@-Ricky_Spanish- I agree that the Al Green original of "Take Me to the River" is outstanding. I have always thought, though, that the Talking Heads version of the song was so different that both versions are worth enjoying on their own merits, as if they were different songs. It might make a good video if A&A did a back-to-back on the two versions, like they did for "All Along the Watchtower".
Once in a lifetime is their best hit. They have a vast catalog of very good songs that weren't big commercial hits.
Why react to Take Me to the River by this band, when Foghat's version is infinitely better?
Effff, yes! Talking Heads RULEZZZZ! When that beat DROPS in the intro! DRUMS!! The live version in Demme's concert Film, "Stop Making Sense". You won't be able to sit still. We played this in our house all the time. "Same as it ever was..."
Talking Heads weren't using the drums as a gimmick; the drum sounds and rhythms they used were based on African rhythms. A better example of this is an album track, "I Zimbra", from their "Fear of Music" album. Their rhythm section had a side project called called Tom Tom Club, who had a couple hits themselves with "Genius of Love" and "Wordy Rappington".
Agreed. Very tribal. There are different styles and preferences in music. During this period I was immersed in worship as my primary genre, yet I loved the style of Talking Heads...
Oh god, do you guys not know Alex at all?? No way would he like I Zimbra. That's even more over the top than BDTH. Alex would like the early songs that have guitars, and Tina playing a real bass rather than synth bass.
My Life in the Bush of Ghosts..where Eno and Byrne took tribal rhythms to the MAX
@@TheMirolab But yet, give him some overplaying by Neil Peart and he'll cream all over it.
When this song comes on in the club at 80's night, it busts the roof off! It's a classic!
Stop Making Sense isn't a concert film, it's a journey with a passion for music, all while bursting at the seams with frenetic energy, It engages you right from the start with visuals, atmosphere,, and sonic sound. It's a must see for music lovers like you. One of the very best ever.
The funniest thing here is, David Byrne definitely would've done a version with just knee slapping and the singing. Stop Making Sense starts with just him a cappella with a boombox, and they build from there. I do get the aversion to 80s, though. I wonder if Alex would like "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)" from this same album: such a sweet song, and very much not overproduced in that 80s way. So earnest.
In his solo concerts he has done all kinds of versions of this.
Once In A Lifetime.
Watch out, you might get what you're after!
Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was?
This is not my beautiful wife
That one is my fave. Same as it ever was.
Guys. It's a one time listen. Listen again and again and again. Don't always go by your first listen.
This shit will grow on you.
This is one band where the live versions from "Stop Making Sense" is so much better. This is a band that should definitely be experienced live. David Byrne must be seen as well as heard.
Even the music video enhances this song.
@@ZoeyPaigeLunaPhD Yes... these guys must be seen. Cannot emphasize that enough. It changes and enhances everything.
"David Byrne must be seen as well as heard." This says it all!
@@flubblert I can’t imagine once in a lifetime without the video. Best video ever btw lol
I was never a fan of TH until I saw David Byrne's American Utopia concert, and I only went to that because a friend told me to go. He was NOT wrong. I'm now a massive David Byrne fan.
And She Was is my favorite hit of theirs. I vote that.
I love you guys, but you are waaaaay off base understanding what Talking Heads is all about. I hope you give them another chance. Most of us are SURE you would love Talking Heads if you were familiar with their entire body of work. They come from the CBGB'S days of NYC. Respect!
i agree with you Cheri. i was born in 1959 and lived through and experienced all of the great rock music of the 1970s but when the 1980s rolled around with the new new wave sound i was able to make the transition and also accept and embrace the new wave sound. give me 60s 70s and 80s music any day! real music pretty much ended after the 80s.
The Talking Heads grow on you. There is musical genius buried in each track. Give it time.
In their day, there was no band like Talking Heads. Trail Blazers...
How about DEVO?
The Fixx
@@jwccsnm I totally LOVE the Fixx, but i think they're still too '80's sounding for Alex.
@@TheMirolab Depeche Mode too
Talking Heads were an acquired taste even in the 80's. They had some fresh rhythmic approaches and quirky vocals that made you give them a second and third listen- kind of a new wave version of the Velvet Underground in that respect. Like a lot of ground breakers there is no doubt that they changed the bearing of music by few degrees, they were arguably the first "New Wave" band, and they were also among the first to really explore the more complex African and Middle Eastern rhythms in music, so they get a 9 for innovation, but yeah- a soft 3 on the "Banger Scale"..
Pioneers, for sure!! Music like this didn't exist until Talking Heads invented. It's called New Wave for a reason. Their music is meant to stretch musical boundaries. It is, for sure, an acquired taste for most people. Co-founder, Tina Weymouth (bass), went on to form Tom Tom Club with her husband, Chris Frantz (Talking Heads Drummer) You guys need to listen to "genius of love" by them. It will be another song to help you grow and flex your musical muscle🙂
A&A were set on racting to 80's - we all
Guys go back to the pole, you have to hit Joe Jackson! “Is she really going out with him”..you’ll love it!!
The Talking Heads are an acquired taste. Not everybody's cuppa tea. Very unique sonically.
In 1983 we were not yet sick of the '80s sound. This was fresh and new.
I think that's the problem, is that they are going back with a cynical view and not seeing how things that came after were influenced by this stuff. Alex needs to get his head out of it as far as the 80s hate.
@@eboethrasher Yeah but this is the only avenue in which to view the 80's not having been there. For me, the '80's sound' at the end of the decade pales in comparison to the early 80's, when they took the New Wave and Funk to an extreme and probably led to the downfall of music we have today. That's a good reason not to be a fan of the 80's sound, as it 'devolved' instrumentally.
David Byrne, the lead singer is from Scotland. As an older adult, he realized he had Asperger's, stating that music was his way of communicating when he felt he couldn't do it face to face. He also scored the movie 'The Last Emperor'.
If we're running on this Scottish theme here, may I suggest Big County/In a Big Country or Pick up the pieces by AWB, or Primal Scream, or Alex Harvey & Giddy up a Ding dong, or Boom bang a bang by Lulu.
Maybe not the last one.
He left Scotland when he was 2! Hardly Scottish.
@@SuperEdge67 His Mum and Dad was Scots too. Last time he played Scotland he announced to the audience "Nice to be home again". Hands off, he's ours. (Other Scot's passport holders include AC/DC, Rod Stewart, Mark Knopfler, Joan Baez.... erm... Kim Kardashian and Donald Trump. You know what? This is going rather badly, lets drop the subject...)
Yay, DB has what I have! I like the song Home. Try that one.
@@alanhynd7886 Totally agree on SAHB. Live version of 'Framed' video.
“Stop Making Sense.” “Life During Wartime.” Is the best! They were best live, is my opinion.
Yes! Yes! Yes!!!!!!!
"We all have our little foibles. I mean, who amongst us can honestly say that they've never had the urge to burn down a major public building? I certainly know I have."
The Colonel, Monty Python. RIP Graham Chapman.
Don't you mean Graham Chapman? Graham Garden was one of The Goodies and I am pretty sure is still alive.
Re-edited because I'm that far into dotage.
@@alanhynd7886 This is all getting quite silly!
Any mention of MP and especially Graham garners an immediate thumbs up.
@@Richard_Jones Stop that! Silly...
This is a banger from the 80's
Everybody loved this song. Awesome dance tune
First time I heard The Talking Heads was their song "Take Me To The River"...I thought "what the hell?" And turned it up louder! It was a game changer.
Amazing song. Also a cover, originally by Al Green
@@thaddaeusjohn I didn't know that. Thankyou.😊
@@lisamorrison2149 Foghat's version is better by far.
“And She Was” - that’s where you need to go with Talking Heads.
You do realize you're on a channel with guys who really love 70s classic rock, right?
They would *hate* that song.
Yes Stop Making Sense is the best way to truly enjoy Talking Heads
This was a made for radio, pop hit. The “Stop Making Sense” movie is where it’s at with hits like ‘Life During Wartime’ and ‘Slippery People’.
I disagree, it never really charted high. The fact it charted at all is amazing. The video got a lot of plays on MTV, so it seemed more popular than it was.
Slippery People is my JAM
@@garylee3685 Oh totally! I almost forgot about the extreme saturation of the video. Probably another reason why this song does not rank high with me on the list of their hits.
... and Girlfriend is Better
When I listen to Talking Heads... So do my neighbors! This is one song that must be played with the volume at 10!
Set your speakers to eleven.
We used hear it at the bars on the weekend, where it was loud. You could feel the synths. I agree it's a diffent experience.
Love your show! In regards to the fluff of the 80's, it was almost 'anything goes'. Hope that helps any (mis)understanding of that era. Lol!
Takes me back to 80's college days, riding around blaring this song on a daily basis! So glad this one won in the polls!
Me too!
Saw them at Zellerbach Auditorium/ Berkeley in ‘79. Byrne was such an unusual guy and the show was amazing. My date didn’t care for them! That was pretty much the end of our relationship lol.
Yeah, you guys are dad rock fans. That’s why I was curious about this reaction but I’m not surprised lol
The best way to react to the Talking Heads is to react to "Stop Making Sense," the best concert film ever recorded. I remember seeing it in the old Harvard Square Cinema and everyone in the theatre standing at the seats or dancing in the aisles.
Alex and Andy are the most entertaining reactors on the web, but I was disappointed when they used some odd version of "Psycho Killer" for their reaction. The studio track on Talking Heads '77 or even the live version from The Old Grey Whistle Test would have been much better.
Edit: Interesting that Andy said he heard the studio version and liked it better because it sounded more raw. Okay, but it still sounds like the demo to me, and the original is raw enough.
Agree on SMS except it's the second best concert film. The Last Waltz is the best.
@@ronalddobis6782 It's my #2. It depends what you're looking for. Scorsese wanted to document the end of an era. He's not just presenting a concert; in fact, the first song he shows is the last song of the evening. Much of the film consists of interviews. The film is a brilliant documentary, but I wouldn't call it immersive.
Demme just focuses on the performance itself. But he does it in a way unlike most concert films, which are pretty much a matter of just setting up the cameras and then putting the best clips together in the editing room. Demme does more than that, starting with dispensing with the obligatory reaction shots of the crowd until almost the end.
David Byrne of the Talking Heads, is a performance artist. It sort of hard to appreciate what he's doing out of context. Keep in mind this was when MTV was new and rock and roll had gotten very vanilla. This guy came on the scene with heavy percussion ... Live, not looped... and was the antithesis of the, big label/ big hair, sound of the time.
Fascinating to hear your take on this. I'm not a big Talking Heads fan but I loved this song when it came out -- i was 13 years old then -- and I still love it now and always have. I love the vibe, the groove, the percussion, the acoustic guitar, just all of it. And it is rare for me to like something this much when it is without an obvious electric guitar part. Just my take. Thanks for listening gents.
Feel like Alex goes into anything sounding like 80's with a preconceived bias. 80's is one of the best decades ever for music. Right there with the 70's. If these guys grew up on 80's, they would be singing a different tune. Brilliant stuff in the 80's. Including Rush's output. Time to get to some 80's Rush guys. At least post Signals.
80s music really SUCKS !
@@nonrepublicrat No. Your bias sucks. There is plenty of good music from the 80s.
THE star here is Bernie Worrell (RIP) of Parliament-Funkadelic playing that SICK Funk synth solo on a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 through a Boss wah pedal. He is switching between unison mode and polyphonic mode (for the single hard-sync notes and then the chord comps), and his sound is considered by many to be the Holy Grail of synth tones.
Amen! This is some of-its-time funk mastery. Love those little synth stabs and jabs scattered throughout the tune.
IMO "Stop Making Sense" was the best concert movie ever made.
....and The Last Waltz is the best rock concert/documentary.
It is fun to look at but musically it is not their best there is an older concert from Rome on You Tube for free that is amazing.
Agree... it's my favorite too.....
Gotta do the original then the Talking Heads version of Take Me To The River
The Talking Heads are really a "multi-media" group. It was better to see and hear them than just to hear them. They were terrific live. They were so high energy. Also loved by college crowds. They were definitely an act for and of their time.
Song inspired by the band Parliament-Funkadelic. At concerts fans would shout "Burn down the house!"
I hope they'll be saying the same thing after the video! I remember chanting that old P-Funk chant at parties and dances in the 80s. "The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire! We don't need no water, let the mf'er burn! Burn mf'er! Burn!"
@@burmajones803 Or 'the roach, the roach, the roach is on the wall! We don't need no raid, let the mf'er fall! Fall mf'er! Fall!" But my favorite P-Funk is "we need the funk"!
They really need to hear tunes like Super stupid, maggot brain, can you get to that, hit it and quit it, you and your folks, who says a funk band cant play rocknroll music.. all funkadelic classics gotta be heard
These boys need some Funkadelic in their lives... Free your mind and your ass will follow!
@@Diecastclassicist hell yes... how have they not pfunked yet?
If you want stripped-down 80s, do Violent Femmes. I'd suggest Kiss Off as their first song.
Ooh, and Add It Up.
Blister in the Sun
They are legendary.
LOVE Talking Heads. Love this song...and Once in a Lifetime and Life During Wartime and She Was...the best. So many good songs! This song evokes one of my favorite music memories: at a record store, it's on, serious volume and you can feel the beat. Everyone the store, shoppers and staff, are dancing. #SoMuchFun
Said this on the poll: this is from their 6th album and well into the 80s. Terrible second song for you guys to check out in terms of getting a feel for Talking Heads, especially knowing Alex’s bias against the 80s. Really should have started with stuff from their earlier albums before checking this stuff out.
Also I’ll just add that Talking Heads are experimental in nature. A lot of what you’re complaining about here with the production is them exploring sounds that were still fairly new at the time. It sound gimmicky to you now because the 80s highly synthesized and electronic sound has been around for 40 years and all of your lives. That wasn’t the case when they recorded this in the early 80s. I say all of this in the hopes that you don’t take another year and a half to check out more of their work because you weren’t a big fan of this song. They’re definitely a band that deserves exploration.
With "The Heads/David Byrne" you usually get African style drum beats as the foundation of the song. It gives the music its own style. Peter Gabriel and Adrian Belew did this also.
Everything they described about 80’s music production is wonderful to me lol
They're too young to get it
Back in the late 80's, when this was still fairly new and so were CD's, this song was a big demo song for audio salesmen because of the quality of the recording. It sold a lot of speakers and receivers and CD players, and subwoofers.
Stop making sense is iconic. It kinda shows the evolution of the band. They add more and more instruments and members as they progress.
Life during wartime...🤟
If Alex is not a fan of 80's production why when reacting to a band that began in the 70's react to their 80's material?
In additon those suggesting tracks, why would you recommend this knowing Alex's disdain for 80's production when there are plenty of earlier classics to choose from?
Agree. 80s Talking Heads is fine but 70s Talking Heads is best.
@@truthdweller3454 "Once in A Lifetime"
Circa 80, best suggestion?
A tad bit 80's production but not overbearing and completely unique and brilliant.
@@jgsrhythm100 I was never a big fan of this song, although many seem to love it, but it is interesting how it straddles the two decades. Was never aware of when it came out before.
Too much 80's hate here on this channel. You run the risk of driving me away, and I would assume other people too. There's some awful cheese from the 80's (and I'm sure you've heard that said many times and that's probably why you feel like you have to fixate on that idea), but this aint it. You immediately go fishing for complaints the moment you hear sounds that are clearly 80's sounds, and that's not only not fair to the music, it's just not true. Again, there's plenty of 80's cheese. This is not it.
Well said. If you hear synths and automatically dismiss the song, then you haven't really listened to it. I don't really like a lot of the music on this channel, but I try to listen to it with different ears in order to try to hear what other people are hearing. I've found a lot to appreciate in musical styles I don't automatically like by trying to keep an open mind.
Well said. The 80s weren’t the only decade that had cheese. There’s plenty of sclock from other decades, as well as plenty of great music, 80 s not excluded.
As someone who initially hated 80s music because I associated it with the Bangles and the Go-Gos, those ideas of its cheesiness went right out of the window when I heard Talking Heads and their peers! So it's weird to me that they're lumping TH together with that stuff. It's nowhere near on the same level, in my opinion. 80s post punk and new wave are my absolute favorites!
Everything Alex said about 80's production is true. But all of those new tools sounded so new to our ears. And there's a very tongue in cheek, sarcastic quality to a lot of the early 80's pop that I love!
they don't realize that at some point it was new and cutting edge! i was paying attention at the time.....
It was just music and rock evolution. It didn’t just happen back then it transitioned into this sound. Get over hating on the 80’s, lol
Yes! Back in '83, nobody had ever heard production like this. This record blew my mind when it came out.
Love when Andy says “Hope you’re having a great day as well as a great life.” I hope you guys react to Once In A Lifetime.
Okay you don't really like it - everyone is entitled to their opinion. But "I want to hear this played in a garage like Neil Young" gosh, no. That was the whole point of bands like the Talking Heads, they were anti-rock.
Exactly! You have to consider it in the context of the times. It was a reaction to 80s hair band fatigue.
In a garage? No no no ! you listen to this in a basement or in a seedy New York dive, in a low rent part of town....... when they have watched ‘Stop making sense’ and hopefully realised what we are all going on about they should also watch the movie CBGB which will provide all the context they need and show that late 70’s/80’s music was NOT all about over produced synth pop.
🤣🤣🤣
Hit some INXS! "New Sensation," "Kiss the dirt (Falling down the Mountain)" "Listen Like Thieves"
Yes, please!
Are you kidding? INXS was the epitome of an 80's band! Alex would hate them. I love their first 2 albums, but I'd never recommend them to Alex.
@@TheMirolab Yes but not all 80s music is cliche "80s production." They've got some bangers
@@lutchlutive INXS have aged pretty well I have to say.
Guns in the Sky
When my son got his drum kit, this was the first track he wanted to play. A+ for me, for that alone.
Folks always think that some other track by a band should be played first. Same as it ever was?
I'm guilty of recommending "better" songs this week. This is a great song. First Talking Heads song I loved, but I'm just not sure they're going to like it, which would likely mean no more Talking Heads on this channel. That would be a bummer, but hopefully I will be wrong.
BTW, if your son wanted to play this song on his kit first, he's got great taste! My son's a drummer but isn't really interested in playing anything funky. He likes metal.
@@burmajones803 Metal? I'm told the Slipknot drummer is very good. Wouldn't know myself, being trapped in a mid-70's time paradox.
@@alanhynd7886 ''a mid-70's time paradox.'' ....same with me, only in my case is mid 70s Grateful Dead. lol
"Same as it ever was?" I see what you did there, and I like it
(but A&A haven't heard 'Once In A Lifetime" yet so they won't get it)
Talking Heads is a must watch live performance art band. David’s off center creativity is hard to ignore.
Once you start down the Talking Heads rabbit hole, you are forever changed. Watch the Stop Making Sense version of any TH song when you can.
This is something you ought to know about this type of music- it’s considered “new wave” and was on the fringe with a lot of young people at the time. In ‘82-‘83, I was a high school senior and people listened to this, but not out in the open for the most part, at least at my high school. From ‘75-‘83, punk and new wave was something you listened to with a small group of friends or alone. My husband and I went to the same high school and he experienced the same thing. He joined the Marine Corps and listened to new wave music alone, headphones only, because you didn’t play it around other people. You would be judged. It was, at the time, a closeted experience, if you will. I don’t know how else to put it. There were a couple of nerds who are probably millionaires right now, near my locker in high school and they listened to Talking Heads on a boom box before home room once and we’re threatened by football playing morons who only listened to Journey. High school and it’s hierarchy, lol.
As to your comment about Yes, I agree with you. Old rock bands from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s had to change their sound to stay relevant; unfortunately, it was all formula and for the most part, sucked. You guys called it. Listen to an old Stones album, like “Goats Head Soup” and then schlock from the ‘88, “Steel Wheels” and you’ll want to gauge your eyes out. To this day, ‘80’s music pisses me off for the most part and we have battles in the car over not listening to it. You can do that shit when you’ve been married 31 years.
I really love your comments and this channel. I knew you guys weren’t going to dig this song and that’s ok. This band is more of a visual experience.
On your own time you should watch the Talking Heads live concert movie, Stop Making Sense. It’s one of the best concert movies you’ll ever see. Incredible energy. The biggest surprise for me when I first saw this was how deep in a funk groove they were. Deep in a funky pocket. You wouldn’t know it from listening to their studio work.
"Burn Down the House" was a chant that the audience at Parliament-Funkadelic (George Clinton) concerts would yell while the band was jamming to encourage them. Bernie Wornell from Funkadelic played in the Head's touring band. Chris and Tina(drummer and bass) wrote the groove after going to P-F concert to see Bernie, and they told Byrne about the chant and he liked it and changed it to "Burning down the house" .
Either listen to or watch Stop Making Sense or stop doing Talking Heads reactions.
The only way to appreciate the Talking Heads is to watch the entire “stop making sense “ concert. Genius.
Not sure why you guys keep reacting to some of the classic 80's songs that use synth, it is becoming predictable. If you don't like the era, that is fine, but why react to these if you already know ahead of time you don't like the sound? Talking Heads is one of the main bands that influenced 80's New Wave and brought World music to the mainstream. If you don't like post-punk, then they probably aren't your groove. That is fine, but it seems like a broken record where you are trying to convince others that 80's music sucks... when it doesn't.
I like what you said here. I would like to see them react to more post punk and 80s stuff, but if they already know they won't like it, they should perhaps skip it. Maybe they'll be more ready for it later on after listening to more prog and classic rock, but for now, they're jumping around too much and can't quite get the perspective on this sound.
It's a question of box checking. As of yet they re looking for pre established categories they have set up in their minds- Does the song do this? Does the song have that? Etc. It takes a while to learn to meet the song on its own terms rather than force it into this or that box.
@@peterquinones3522 Well said, Peter. But that's a higher hurdle to climb when you are decades removed from the contemporary musical context that originally informed the song.
@@peterquinones3522 well said. That's exactly what I think happens with music--not just A&A, but lots of people. It can be tough to learn to put away your biases and meet the song and the artist on their own terms, but once you do, music gets even better.
NEW WAVE STARTED IN THE 70s ,,
A lot of bands get together in music school; the Heads got together in art school and their performances always had an artistic visual style to them. Seeing them will likely change your perception of them; it did mine. Like someone else commented, watch the "Stop Making Sense" concert, it's fairly awesome.
I hate to say this, but I predict a tepid reaction to this song from both of them. Seems like this is exactly the type of song Alex talks about when he talks about not liking 80s music. In addition, this song seems way too far a departure from the guitar-based rock these guys normally listen to. I like this song, but I think Taking Heads have so many songs that are soooo much better than this one, including at least 3 or 4 from the same album this song is on: Girlfriend is Better, Naive Melody (This Must Be the Place), Slippery People, and Swamp.
I agree Eric, This Must Be the Place is so humble yet so resonating.
@@susanklasinski1805 it's such a great, heartfelt song. One of the most beautiful, profound songs I can think of.
David Byrne's book How Music Works is like being blind and suddenly getting your eyesight.
@@peterquinones3522 I loved that book. Love how Byrne was such a student of performing arts from other cultures and incorporated those things into the bands music and visual style.
As you predicted, they had a tepid reaction. Not sure it’s the right time for the T Heads.
You have to watch Stop Making Sense- great concert
I love the Talking Heads and David Byrne's quirky style, however, I really think "Take Me to the River" is more of a rocker than any of their other songs, and the one I think you two would enjoy the best out of their whole catalog (and I have listened to everything they put out.)
You jokingly hit on something really true about 80s music and culture. It's VERY wrapped up in both excitement and anxiety about technology. That's reflected in the movies, books, and music of the time. The very first music video ever shown on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star." That over-produced synth sound was everywhere. That's the reason why 80s nostalgia media (e.g., Stranger Things) is accompanied by music that sounds like synthesizers laid over old video games.
The other thing to think about is how much drug culture drives the vibe (even when you were not actually partaking). The 70s were all about weed, and the cultural vibe was generally laid back (with the exception of the punk movement, which was more of a precursor to the 80s). The 80s was the coke decade, and the cultural vibe was very much NOT laid back. There was an anxious energy about the 80s that is reflected in its cultural products, including music. This wasn't generally music meant to sway back and forth to, or sit and listen to; this was music meant to pogo up and down to, endlessly, sweating out your buzz.
The Talking Heads, in particular, were THE soundtrack to 80s college parties. Where the 70s might have seen college-age kids sitting around listening to guitar-heavy rock and passing a bong, 80s college-age kids were much more likely to be drinking (or high on coke or speed, if they could afford it) and jumping up and down, listening to repetitive post-punk and new-wave synth. That's not to say that there wasn't still a guitar-heavy weed scene in the 80s; there was. They just weren't the dominant cultural force they were in the 70s (and would return to being in more recent decades).
Very interesting comments! But that won’t change my mind on 80s music. 😉
I'm glad that you're checking out this great record. I see that some people are recommending Talking Heads songs that aren't well-known and would be lucky to get 10% in a weekly poll. If you want to put a good song of theirs on a poll that might do pretty well on a poll, I'd go with "Once in a Lifetime".
I don't care if they will do well on a poll. I just want them to listen to them--on their own time if that's what it takes. They don't always follow up on songs that were in polls. They sometimes go off script. Tired of the hits.
@@burmajones803 I suppose another point is that even if A&A never listen to the more obscure suggestions, maybe someone else reading the comments will. I made the above suggestion before seeing their reaction. Having seen their reaction, I'm now thinking that maybe complex rhythms aren't their thing, which is to say that Remain in Light and Speaking in Tongues might not be for them. Maybe "Road to Nowhere" would be more up their alley, or a more obscure song from the Little Creatures album, if you prefer.
@@otisdylan9532 Yeah, I think Talking Heads just might not be their thing at this time. I was listening to this song last night and after a minute I knew that this song wouldn't be a winner for Alex. Wasn't sure about Andy. Alex's dislike of synthesizers and electronic sounds was what I thought would be the big dealbreaker, but after watching the reaction I think this is too far from the guitar-centric, Western-style rock music that they like. This is percussion-based, polyrhythmic, groove-centered music. An odd top 40 hit, frankly, but that's the kind of thing that happened in the 80s. I was suggesting other polyrhythmic Talking Heads songs that I think would at least push some of their usual buttons--stuff like The Great Curve, which has some prominent guitar parts. I also make suggestions in these comments in case they want to listen to some of this stuff on their own, off-channel, as it were.
@@burmajones803 Good points, and yes, at the time, I was very surprised that it was a hit, because it was so adventurous, wild, and creative compared to most of what was on the radio at the time. If A&A want to pursue TH any further, another possibility might be a song from their 1st 2 albums, which were more stripped down than what followed.
I am taking this as a personal challenge to find 80s music that Alex likes.
Dukes of Stratosphear maybe 😄
But seriously: 🤔 Billy Idol? The Cult?
“Once in a Lifetime” or “Take Me to the River”. BUT..as several others have said, you should REAlly see them perform this live.... I am not a huge fan of Talking Heads but I saw the concert film Stop Making Sense just a few weeks ago and I was gobsmacked by how good it was. So, if I can have that reaction, then I think you guys would really appreciated it.
I forgot just how good this song is! Thanks for letting me revisit this classic.
Y'all need to get into 80s college rock. It's exactly the opposite of everything Alex hates about 80s music.
Alex must be jaded on 80s rock altogether too bad for him!
R.E.M. _Fables of the Reconstruction_ has several bangers, "Driver 8" is my favorite, also "Can't Get There From Here"
@@dwc1964 or Reconstruction of the Fables ;)
@@dwc1964 Andy was born in Georgia, they are southerners. REM is pure authentic rock without the compression alex hates
Wow, fear of music, remain in light and speaking in tongues are among the great trilogy of albums ever. Polyrhythms, experimental, nothing else sounded like the heads at the time.
Take Me to the River.... check it
For discussion purposes only...
King of Pain (1983) - The Police
Magic (1984) - The Cars
Stop Making Sense (film - 1984) - Talking Heads
Shout (1985) - Tears for Fears
In Between Days (1985) - The Cure
She Sells Sanctuary (1985) - The Cult
Where the Streets Have No Name (1987) - U2
Need You Tonight (1987) -INXS
Love the Talking Heads but this is not the best example of their work, although it's not a bad song. I'd recommend Once in a Lifetime, Girlfriend is Better and This Must be the Place. Thanks for reacting to this grest band.
Once in a Lifetime gets my vote.
Great response.....this is a great band. I can understand folks who love Rush may not like this type of music such as A&A.
I remember when I was at college in 1983 (the year it was released) every Friday around 3p someone would blare this out their dorm window. It's how you knew the weekend had begun!
Once in a Lifetime is Talking Heads at their pinnacle. This one's a little disco, but still good.
Every band should have some dance numbers!
Talking Heads and Depeche Mode... my religion in the 80's! ❤
Still campaigning for Suite Madame Blue by STYX. This masterpiece must be done.
Yes Please!!!
The Talking Heads are good to have on the radio if you're riding down the road, head banging to the radio but not paying much attention to anything. Everyone in the car shouts BURNIN' DOWN THE HOUSE!!! at the appropriate times.
Very excited for this one Gents!
Morning Jessica 💖
Morning John 😘
Me too...! 👏🏻👏🏻
My first exposure to the Talking Heads was my first exposure to the Talking Heads was on PBS around 1978 when they already had some videos playing. Once in a lifetime was great! Then I was really reduced to them when stop making sense came out and this song burning down the house
You need to go back a few years to the Remain in Light album. This one’s produced by Brian Eno and was before the 80’s effects took over. This is their most critically acclaimed album and my personal favorite of theirs. It’s the type of album that deserves a full album review. If you just want a slice I’d recommend “Crosseyed and Painless”
Nailed it with the Crosseyed and Painless" recommendation.
Their tour of this album was one of my favorite concerts ever (and I’ve been to hundreds)...the people on that stage....Adrian Belew... I saw it at Radio City MH in NYC.
Also I’ve seen the TH many times starting from very early on. One of the perks of being a New Yorker. You get to see lots of great bands/musicians.
Talking Heads sounds like nobody else. Very unique. One of the best bands of all time.
This reaction in particular really shows off your limited sphere of reference and musical knowledge/experience. This is somehow so foreign to you you don't even really understand what your hearing. This neither has "all the reverb" nor is "all synth" yet that's the foremost of your takeaway. You think this song sounds like the 80's, but you have it backwards, the 80's sound like they do because of this song.
OK, but isn't that part of the point? Reactors react in the moment, from their point-of-view. How are they supposed to get all of that from listening to two songs?
You are so right about them influencing the 80s sound! A and A need way more Talking Heads exposure to fully comprehend their sound.
You’re absolutely correct.
The idea that this one song shaped the sound of the 80’s is .... just no. Stop.
@@MichaelB769 Yeah I didn't say that, but how does one song not shape an eras sound? I mean I realize it takes a multitude of influence to make a distinct movement of style within an era, but I fail to see your point. I'll be honest, I don't think you have one. It seems like you just read something you chose to disagree with into what I said. Pretty boring dude. I did not in any way say THIS ONE SONG MADE ALL 80'S SOUND. I feel that was pretty obvious but guess you needed that explained to you.
I love how you two express your thoughts. Respectful conversation. Love it!
As Alex would say.....for the "Quintessential" Talking Heads....."Life During Wartime" the live video is TOO fun
Guys, this a performance band. “Life During Wartime” video live from “Stop Making Sense,” one of the best concert videos of all time. If after that you still don’t like them, then give up, it’s not going to happen.