When people talk about music and art, or music being art, David Byrne and Talking Heads is where my mind goes to. They didn't just create, they tried to shape as well by trying something different, something unique. I can't claim to know a lot of their work but I've enjoyed what I've heard and they pulled you in to listen to them because the sound was so interesting.
For a teenager, growing up in apartheid South Africa, Talking Heads' music was a revelation. My first encounter was with Stop Making Sense at a house party in the posh Joburg northern suburbs. I can't remember exactly where it was, or when, but that feeling that "burning down the house" and "psyco killer" evoked is crystal clear. In 2018, I dragged the wife to NYC to catch David Byrne at the Panaroma festival. I figured that neither David nor I were getting younger, and a trip to see him live was absolutely necessary luxury. So glad I did and so was the wife. I guess you could say that was my "Once in a lifetime" trip.
My Talking Heads fiver: Psycho Killer; Life During Wartime; Take Me To The River; Once In A Lifetime; Crosseyed And Painless. Looking back, their creativity was evident in “Uh Oh Love Comes To Town”, one of their first singles. They are certain pioneers. Nobody sounded like them before or since.
The last couple of times that I've seen Byrne perform, "Once in a Lifetime" (On SNL and his American Utopia concert film), he's done it in the persona of a motivational speaker; pointing at the crowd while pacing the stage and so on. I think that it's just perfectly appropriate.
Thank you so much, Professor, for yet another sparkling gem of an interview on another song that defined my younger days and imprinted itself in my musical memory. Jerry Harrison is such a cool, laid back guy, loved to listen to him. And I admire you for always being so well prepared and creating such a casual and cozy atmosphere in your interviews while taking us back into our younger wilder years and their soundtrack.
Still remember watching Talking Heads videos, and the Stop Making Sense movie, with my Mom: she was an extraordinarily creative artist, whether in music or visual media, and I never tired of her enthusiasm at experiencing the amazing musical content they provided to us. 💕 My memory of her joy and smiles has survived her passing from this life. 🕊
I myself loved their different sound and was so lucky to see the "Stop making sense" tour live in a smaller venue when it started out. Seeing David Byrne come out in the big suit with an amp and guitar playing "Psycho killer" was amazing!!! The rest of the concert was unbelievable as they added more musicians as it went on!!! It was one of the best concerts I ever attended and I'm older and have seen a lot of concerts but this one was special because of how it was preformed so thank you for covering them❤
Great episode Professor! I've always loved all of the Talking Heads videos and their music! It was new and futuristic at the time, hard to believe it's done been so long ago! Thanks for keeping the music alive Professor!
I was twelve years old when Once In A Lifetime came out and it blew my mind. It's been my favourite song since I first heard it. I'm 53 now, and don't expect anything else to displace it.
I have always loved the Talking Heads!! I definitely needed to see this video today! Back in the day I was a behind the scenes REBEL. Today...I was lost until I started thinking about starting my own business. I'm scared. Until this video! Made me go back in time when I knew who I was and where I wanted to go. So NOW I AM FOUND AGAIN! BOOM! I'M BACK!!!! THANK YOU!!!!
Agree! I think The Talking Heads we’re brilliant, and this interview was also brilliant. What fantastic stories and history of the band and their influences. This might be my favorite episode of Professor of Rock that I’ve seen.
One of my most memorable evenings in my entire life was going to see the The Talking Heads in Forest Hills, Queens. It was the beginning of their "Stop Making Sense Tour" the show closed with a mind blowing version of "Burning Down The House" I LOVE the Talking Heads. The magic and surreal qualities of everything that happened that day, night and morning was never and will never be replicated. I had no place to go. My friends had places to go. There was no bed for me to lay in. I was left alone in Manhattan after I couldn't get into the Y. I bought "Fear of Music" from a cut-out bin in a Rite-Aid drugstore. Talk about symbolism! I left Missouri with almost nothing in my pocket and the concert kicked off my arrival. There were about 5 of us that had made the decision to explore our musical ambitions in NYC. I was like Magellan but on a greyhound bus instead of a ship. One friend was a very talented guitar player from our Columbia, Mo. scene in a three piece band called "Loud Vacation"that later changed their name to "Yo-Yo Bile" It was an attitude shift from New Wave to Punk. Mike, the guitar, was into Peter Gabriel. We would hangout with other people that were open to the new sounds. The group kept growing. It was as if we had kicked down a door and river of sound, ideas, creativity just cascaded into our lives. Our small group of musical heretics kept growing as new members of the community would share their personal musical discoveries with unparalleled excitement. It was a maelstrom of excitement, shared vibrations and cathartic release combined with copious amounts of a variety of mental stimulants. In retrospect it was nothing short of being in the center of a cultural musical revolution. This was Missouri. You could and did get your ass kicked for looking different, or the very least be chastised, ridiculed, stigmatized and alienated for listening to anything that wasn't Top 40. I've been patching together paragraphs to write about this at length and hopefully it will become a book. There are many bands that have and continue to have an impact on my life. Talking Heads are special. Very special. Thanks for this awesome episode. Kudos. Rock on!
Wow, who would imagine a tied in mix of Talking Head's, ACDC, Robert Palmer, and Toni Basil? Once in a Lifetime is a classic and demonstrates (along with this segment) the endless possibilities, or "flavors"- as Jerry stated, being explored that made the 80s great!
@@ProfessorofRock The Tears for Fears song video for Pale Shelter is like an 80s time machine. Freaked me out when I ran across it recently after completely forgetting about it since way back then. Sometimes when I`m watching 80s songs RUclips will recommend something I forgot about and haven`t heard since the 80s. It`s also strange to jar your memory by looking up top 40 hit lists from way back when and finding things you`d forgotten all about including powerful memories. Sometimes those old memory flashbacks hurt, like the songs that were on the radio before and after losing my first love. I felt it again recently. Hit me hard between the ears and stung my soul.
I remember when "Graceland" came out, a lot of the media accused Paul Simon of cultural approbation, which is insane. As for Talking Heads. I have their "Stop Making Sense" concert on DVD and CD. A great album.
Oh what a joy .talking heads have been my favourite music since I first saw the road to nowhere video when I was 4 or 5 . Saw David Byrne twice in Newcastle upon Tyne. he is a supreme musician .props in equal measure to Tina ,Jerry and Chris .
Once In A Lifetime is very dreamlike. Its strange associations and jumps of thought are easily explained in that realm. And it is brilliant. Naive Melody is, I think, even better.
That was a great interview. That was the first Talking Heads song that stuck with me when it first came out and I became an instant fan. It it got lots of airplay on all the video shows, so I heard it over and over again. So lets hear some more from them! 😃
The Talking Heads have so many great and memorable songs, but I'd have to say my all-time favorite is (Nothing But) Flowers. When I listen to that song I just close my eyes and let David's narration walk me through the mindscape his lyrics evoke. I really get a kick out of the tongue in cheek commentary on industrialization in modern society.
"Look where my hand was" I love how slyly that was slipped in & it never fails to make me laugh. This and Psycho Killer are my favorite Talking Heads tunes.
When I first heard Talking Heads as a younger girl, their music scared me to the point of having nightmares and I thought that they were odd. Now, as a teenager, I take back anything negative I ever said about them and think that they’re awesome! It’s okay to be different, like Kate Bush, The Smiths, and Talking Heads. You don’t have to make music like everyone else does. It’s what I appreciate the most about them. Also, David Byrne is my spirit animal as I am autistic and nerdy like he is. My next suggestion for you would be “Burning Down the House” or “This Must Be The Place” or “Genius of Love” by Tom Tom Club, a song I remember my aunt introducing me to since she always used to say to me, “Bohannon, Bohannon, Bohannon, Bohannon!”
I'm glad you got over your fear, you have excellent taste in music! My favorite people are nerdy and a bit quirky, and I'm very proud that my niece named her beautiful autistic daughter after me. I was also a teen when I fell in love with Talking Heads music, but it was 1978. One of my best friends was a gay male who loved music as much as I did. We'd go to his house after school sometimes and he'd play records of quirky bands like this. He took me to a concert in 79 or 80 to see a band at a local club, it was DEVO! I loved them so much and had never heard or seen anything like them. I was considered odd in high school, my friends were always the smart kids who were also different. I had no interest in dating, thought sex was gross (and still do at 61 years old). I now know I'm asexual, and it makes sense that I enjoyed the company of friends of the "alphabet squad". I'm still friends with Tim, the guy who turned me onto Talking Heads and other great bands more than 40 years ago. I loved creating art, and made my own clothes since age 12. I incorporated art into my outfits and didn't care what people thought. I designed and made my prom gown, it was a sleek black and white satin dress with a slit all the way up the side, but it was styled like a tuxedo with a red satin cummerbund and a bolero jacket with tails in the back. I had my hair cut shorter and wore it sleek. This was not the style in 1979, but it was MY style! I still love androgyny.
Its wonderful that you have discovered these amazing artists as a teenager in 2022. I try getting my teenage daughter to listen to a wide range of music....I usually fail!
@@Opus313 Now I'm inspired to watch that and Stop Making Sense again. They're both excellent. Oh! You've probably already read How Music Works by David Byrne. If you haven't, it's a fascinating insight into his intricately detailed mind.
Back in the 80's, most people I knew nicknamed this song "Same As It Ever Was", but I always thought of it as "Letting the Days Go By"... Such a great song.
The level of contribution and innovation brought by the Talking Heads (as a band AND as separate solo acts), cannot be overstated. "Once in a Lifetime" arguably defined how videos would look for the rest of the 80's, Not to mention the impact of the song itself. You could do a video on how Tina Weymouth and Tom Tom Club pretty much invented the Hip-Hop baseline. Monster. These guys are genius, living legends indeed....
As I was listening to TH tracks, I was thinking to myself how similar to Tom Tom Club's stuff it sounded... I am friends with the main engineer and TTC member, Steven Stanley( the best engineer ever) and he used to tell me how when they were working on "genius of love" he was trying to get Tina Weymouth to play the bass a certain pattern that they spent most of one night trying to get; eventually she gave up and he got one of his friends who was a reggae bassist to lay down the idea and if I remember correctly, they actually used his friend's bass on the final mix.... that group had Chris Franz and Tyrone Downie ( Bob Marley's keyboardist) among other budding superstar musicians.... you should interview him(Steven Stanley); he's worked as co- producer with the legendary riddim twins , Sly and Robbie ( Grace Jones, Bob Dylan, Gwen Guthrie).... As a matter of fact, on one of their productions, she used the iconic line" Ain't nothing going on but the rent" which Janet Jackson borrowed later......
Great interview! Jerry Harrison is such a humble, but influential producer: Violent Femmes, Live, General Public, Crash Test Dummies, No Doubt to name a few.
I didn't know he was producer for those bands! No wonder I like them. He also had some good solo albums, I especially like "Casual Gods". Word of warning though, never listen to his song, "Rev It Up" while driving. You WILL get a speeding ticket! It happened to me, and the cop didn't accept my excuse of musical suggestion causing me to stomp the accelerator. That cop probably listens to "new" country. Blech!
I always felt that this song was about how life passes you by and how you might end up somewhere you didn't envision when you were young. "Water flowing underground." Whenever I feel like I'm wasting my time, I think "water flowing underground". You only get that golden opportunity "once in a lifetime".
Talking Heads is my favorite band of all time. I saw the Stop Making Sense tour at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh in 1983 right after I got out of college and never forgot it. Then in 2018 I took my 18 yr old son to see the American Uptopia tour at the same building (now the Benedum Center). I was sitting 8 rows back and talked to a number of people who were at the same Stop Making Sense tour show back in '83. Both were amazing shows! Such diverse and unique music. Can't say enough about them. Thanks for the interview.
I don't know a great deal of their work but this is second for me. Road To Nowhere is my top one, mainly because I heard it first but it's really close.
OMG I am so happy that you did this interview. One of my favorite songs from an amazing band. They are so unique. So many great and memorable songs. This was pure talent. Once in a Lifetime has so much meaning to it, even those of us after the baby boomers can still relate to it.
Although this comes two years later but have to say Talking Heads were so innovative in their musical genius. Tina, Chris, Jerry & David all are talented, exceptional musicians. They were pioneers and pushed the boundaries of creativity of what would become New Wave. The culmination of this was evident in their concert film Stop Making Sense, of which many say is the best concert film ever; I would have to agree 1000%. Unbelievable that movie is now celebrating 40 YEARS! Where's the time gone? Glad we have the memory of what was.
Jerry said it exactly as that song is a sonic scape of sound. I was blown away and immediately bought this album, so fresh and original, absolutely nothing like it. Kinda wild how all these artists of the time were so intertwined and worked on other artists on their music of different styles. The 80s where so diverse and introduced so many sounds from around the world into American pop music. Fantastic interview with Mr. Harrison the man that helped shape the music of things to come. Can you do Psycho Killer in the future, great work professor!!
It is very cool. When I was a younger girl I was scared of Talking Heads at first but then I grew to love them as I discovered more of their work and backstory. A strange but incredible band indeed!
Got dragged to a concert by a friend. Some band I sort of heard of so I said ok, after all it was a free ticket. Turns out it was the Stop Making Sense tour. OMG OMG OMG. I had never seen anything like it. Life changing show. The film doesn't begin to capture the energy and rollercoaster emotional ride.
So many great songs from The Talking Heads!! Take Me To The River, And She Was, Once in a Lifetime, Psycho Killer, Burning Down The House ... I love them all!! I was in the second row when I saw them at SIU in the '80s ... one of my favorite shows to date!! 💜💜💜
I find that the Talking Heads, along with U2 & The Police, is the greatest band doing new music in the 80s. They had such a unique sound that was really varied in influence and amazing in the creative process. Thanks for making such a cool video on this wonderful sound!
I remember hearing this entire album for the first time on WNEW in New York. They would debut entire albums, and advertise days in advance “Get your tape recorders ready.” Those were the days! This album changed everything for me musically. I had never heard anything like it.
As a young teen coming of age in the mid '70's, I was all about Led Zeppelin which brought me to Deep Purple and Black Sabbath and all things heavy. However, the first time I heard "Take me to the River" on the radio it just blew my mind. "More Songs About Buildings and Food" was my favorite album for a long time and that in turn led me to the B-52's, the Cars and all the strangeness that was New Wave music. The Talking Heads are still in my top 10 bands, and I credit them with saving me from the life of a metal head.
This is an excellent choice to do a video on Professor! This song will become relevant again and have a resurgence when "you will own nothing and be happy" truly sets in.
What a great interview! This unusual song still resonates today. David spent his early years in Canada before moving to the US, and knew my wife's family before he became famous. Even then, he was incredibly creative and focused. One could see he was going to make his mark later on.
I liked these guys back when they were popular but over the years I’ve really fallen in love with them. Same thing with Oingo Boingo and The Clash. I’ve become a huge fan over time. Great band and unbelievably good music.
That was so good. the Earnest Angley reference reminded me of high school My final exam for Senior english which at that time could be taken as a Speech class was a very vivid speech that I gave impersonating Earnest Angley. Everyone roared with laughter and I got an A and Passed even the teacher clapped. Thanks for the Memory and all of the great background of this song. --- Cheers
My god, the connections to other artists and places are just amazing. From AC/DC to Robert Palmer, Tony Basil and needing to go to different studios to get the right song is just freaky. What can you do at Electric Lady that you can not do in the Bahamas multiple studios? But they must go to the other location and not just to tour the local foods.
@Professor of Rock: Topic idea. All these bands that you interview. What is their music training? Did they study Music at school or after school? What did they study in particular that let them transfer ideas into songs? What would they recommend for a beginner to study?
Such a unique band. Their videos as innovative as their sound. Always captivating. First song/video I remember experiencing by them was "Burning Down the House" and there was something about David Byrne's antics that held me glued to the screen. I had heard "Psycho Killer" years before, and was impressed by it, but that came out before MTV made music videos the big thing. Talking Heads always had entertaining videos, but my first music video experience of Talking Heads was "Burning Down the House" and it has been stuck in my "listening head" ever since. This band is like no other.
Awsome!!! Thanks for reminding me of this gerat music. I forgot how great this time space was in my life. Art and music that conguers up memories in a very special way. I must listen again.
For me no song reflects the essence of Talking Heads more than The Great Curve. So complex and yet minimalistic at the same time. I have all of their albums but Remain In Light stands out as their ultimate masterpiece in my opinion.
I love his introduction to Robert Palmer! I hope someday Professor of Rock will feature him.Sneaking Sally Through the Alley is one of my favorite songs and very overlooked in rock history.
Very good interview and interesting to hear Jerry talk about the genesis as it's often said that Eno played Fela Kuti's Afrodisiac and the band took it on.
I popped in the talking heads stop making sense in concert dvd - the kids were playing video games at the time ! a few minz later they were all watching it with me ! one of my fav concerts ever !
I loved Talking Heads and had basically the same reaction to "Girlfriend is Better" video. I still haven't determined which is my favorite. I vacillate between "Girlfriend is Better", "Life During Wartime" "Burning Down the House", or "Psycho Killer". Thanks a lot for the video.
I wasn’t particularly fond of this song when I first heard it, but it grew on me over time, and the more I listen to it the more I realize that it’s quite relatable.
I love Talking Heads, bought their albums and video in the '80s, saw "Down and Out..." and True Stories in the theater. Paul Mazursky was a genius, the music worked great in the movie. The band is one of the best ever. Nice interview.
Congrats on 500K, enjoy it now, I suspect it will not be long until you get the 1 Million plaque on the wall. This is one of their most popular, but Psycho Killer and Burning down the house were also popular. One of my favorite concert movies was Psycho Killer.
"Once In A Lifetime" is great, and I also liked the song that followed it on their Greatest Hits Album (Sand In The Vaseline), "Crosseyed And Painless," but my favorite Talking Heads song is "Burning Down The House." I jam to that one!
Cool. It's songs like this why people say about Talking Heads, that they are a thinking man's band. A big karaoke favorite of mine to sing is "And She Was." I also like their interpretation of Al Green's "Take Me To The River." "Wild Wild Life" and "Burning Down The House" are great songs too.
As a young teenager, not only was this song a bit freaky, but it was absolutely awesome. Cross eyed and Painless is still my favorite from TH to this day.
I love the Talking Heads! I remember when Once in a Lifetime came out on MTV, I think I was 12 or 13 years old. It was just so damn weird, but I really loved it for some reason. I asked for the album for my birthday and got it. I would listen to it in my room alone, or with a couple of friends. I still have a couple of those albums, most I've had to replace with more vinyl or CD's, but I still listen to them today. Great video, thanks!
When I was a teenager Talking Heads was considered one of our local college bar bands. They used to play at a place called the Other Place in Vestal NY before releasing their first album Talking Heads '77
Awesome....great tune...I love what David Byrne did with it in his solo career too...pretty interesting...anyway...love love this song and great insight...Jerry was great and very informative...you need to get on the tube tube...yknow...TV and you should bring back Americas Top 40...except the music sucks now...lol... you got it dude!!!
Talking Heads is one of the bands I heard when I was in my youth and didn't know the name of before I was a teenager. I heard this song as a preschooler and wondered whom had performed it. I was turning 15, and my dad gave me the double-length compilation titled *Sand in the Vaseline* as his birthday gift. I didn't get it at first, but he knew I eventually would. It was great to learn about the impact that Brian Eno had on Talking Heads and their music. It was also great to learn that Jerry has roots extending back to before Punk and New Wave existed, since he was a member of the Modern Lovers. I often think there was something less than subtle in the fact that Jerry showed up in New York at the urging of david, Chris and Tina to join Talking Heads with only a guitar. I think he was resisting being a keyboard player by then.
Stop Making Sense in Concert was a wildly entertaining and expanding event. The concert builds from start (boombox and David) to the full presence and evolvement of the band layer upon layer. Performance Art and Music done well. Great band, creative and has excellent staying power. Rhythm was the king, literally and figuratively moved you....
I jumped at the chance to see David Byrne's American Utopia show in Boston in 2019 before it moved on to Broadway. Probably the greatest musical performance I've ever seen.
1986, 7th grade English. Substitute teacher played the Burning Down the House video and made us write what we felt the meaning of the song was. Been a fan ever since.
I ❤ the Talking Heads. Their songs have so much variety. I recently found an original mint condition Little Creatures record. I ❤ the cover on this album. One of my favorites. I recommend drummer, Chris Franz book, 'Remain in Love'. The story of the Talking Heads and the love story of Chris and Tina Weymouth. My favorite album is Speaking In Tongues 1982. #2 Little Creatures 1985.
Speaking In Tongues is a strange but phenomenal record! I remember the days when I was scared of hearing “Burning Down The House” like it was yesterday.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 😊❤ My favorite song on Speaking In Tongues is the last song on the album: This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody). I guess I like weird New Wave music. It was all over the radio in the 80s.
Been a fan since their club days in NYC.. and it is not a meme that when I have their music on in my garage and when I need a creative push.. the money I have invested in the McIntosh hand wound amps, B&O turntable and 4 Klipsch LaScalas a friend willed to me… assure that my neighbors hear it too.. thanks for the tunes Heads
I love a deep cut by Talking Heads entitled "Found a Job" which presages RUclips. The song contains the story of a couple, Bob & Judy who become successful video artists since they hate the TV programs that are on. Their success helps their relationship "...and made it work again." Very danceable track.
My introduction to the music of Talking Heads was in an episode of SCTV (CCCP 1), with Rick Moranis' VJ character Jerry Todd playing the video for this song. I couldn't get enough of their music after that. Still one of my favorite SCTV episodes.
You were great Adam in trying to get him to discuss the story of the song and this guy was all over the place trying to come off super smart witty as well as connected. i learned very little here. Maybe one day David Byrne can be on and enlighten us more. You asked great questions as usual. The answers were confusing.
Poll: What is your pick for the strangest song of the 80s?
O Superman Laurie Anderson
She Blinded Me With Science
Joe Walsh - Space Age Whiz Kids
@@Opus313 strange because Dr Magus Pyle was on it?
Mexican Radio- Wall of Voodoo
I Eat Cannibals- Total Coelo
Holiday In Cambodia- The Dead Kennedys
88 Lines About 44 Women- The Nails.
When people talk about music and art, or music being art, David Byrne and Talking Heads is where my mind goes to. They didn't just create, they tried to shape as well by trying something different, something unique. I can't claim to know a lot of their work but I've enjoyed what I've heard and they pulled you in to listen to them because the sound was so interesting.
Talking Heads are who I always think of when I hear the term “art rock”.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Yes, that's the term my mind was blanking on - art rock. Cheers.
Good observations.
@@Elwaves2925 You are so welcome.
I consider the B52s more artsy and creative.
For a teenager, growing up in apartheid South Africa, Talking Heads' music was a revelation. My first encounter was with Stop Making Sense at a house party in the posh Joburg northern suburbs.
I can't remember exactly where it was, or when, but that feeling that "burning down the house" and "psyco killer" evoked is crystal clear.
In 2018, I dragged the wife to NYC to catch David Byrne at the Panaroma festival. I figured that neither David nor I were getting younger, and a trip to see him live was absolutely necessary luxury.
So glad I did and so was the wife.
I guess you could say that was my "Once in a lifetime" trip.
Cool story!
Happy Y'all Made It To See Him!!!!Stay Safe, Many PRAYER'SNLUV WWG1WGA 👼👼💝💝🕊️🕊️
Did you hear Fela Kuti and Mulatu Astake afterwards?
My Talking Heads fiver:
Psycho Killer; Life During Wartime; Take Me To The River; Once In A Lifetime; Crosseyed And Painless.
Looking back, their creativity was evident in “Uh Oh Love Comes To Town”, one of their first singles.
They are certain pioneers. Nobody sounded like them before or since.
They’re great!
They were so prolific.
Burning Down the House.
This Must Be the Place is one of my fav songs!!!
Qu'est-ce que c'est?
The last couple of times that I've seen Byrne perform, "Once in a Lifetime" (On SNL and his American Utopia concert film), he's done it in the persona of a motivational speaker; pointing at the crowd while pacing the stage and so on. I think that it's just perfectly appropriate.
It’s life lessons for all! How awesome!
There's an elegance to this channel that I really appreciate.
Thank you!
Thank you so much, Professor, for yet another sparkling gem of an interview on another song that defined my younger days and imprinted itself in my musical memory. Jerry Harrison is such a cool, laid back guy, loved to listen to him. And I admire you for always being so well prepared and creating such a casual and cozy atmosphere in your interviews while taking us back into our younger wilder years and their soundtrack.
Still remember watching Talking Heads videos, and the Stop Making Sense movie, with my Mom: she was an extraordinarily creative artist, whether in music or visual media, and I never tired of her enthusiasm at experiencing the amazing musical content they provided to us. 💕 My memory of her joy and smiles has survived her passing from this life. 🕊
I myself loved their different sound and was so lucky to see the "Stop making sense" tour live in a smaller venue when it started out. Seeing David Byrne come out in the big suit with an amp and guitar playing "Psycho killer" was amazing!!! The rest of the concert was unbelievable as they added more musicians as it went on!!! It was one of the best concerts I ever attended and I'm older and have seen a lot of concerts but this one was special because of how it was preformed so thank you for covering them❤
Talking Heads is a highly underrated band. They deserve a lot more recognition.
They're in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. People are able to freely love them or leave them. I think they have been recognized.
This ^
Great episode Professor! I've always loved all of the Talking Heads videos and their music! It was new and futuristic at the time, hard to believe it's done been so long ago! Thanks for keeping the music alive Professor!
Futuristic is the perfect word to describe it! No wonder I wasn’t fond of them at first.
I was twelve years old when Once In A Lifetime came out and it blew my mind. It's been my favourite song since I first heard it. I'm 53 now, and don't expect anything else to displace it.
I have always loved the Talking Heads!! I definitely needed to see this video today! Back in the day I was a behind the scenes REBEL. Today...I was lost until I started thinking about starting my own business. I'm scared. Until this video! Made me go back in time when I knew who I was and where I wanted to go. So NOW I AM FOUND AGAIN! BOOM! I'M BACK!!!! THANK YOU!!!!
AMAZING interview. I could listen to his stories for days. Your interview technique is always spot on! One of the BEST!
Agree!
I think The Talking Heads we’re brilliant, and this interview was also brilliant.
What fantastic stories and history of the band and their influences.
This might be my favorite episode of Professor of Rock that I’ve seen.
One of my most memorable evenings in my entire life was going to see the The Talking Heads in Forest Hills, Queens. It was the beginning of their "Stop Making Sense Tour" the show closed with a mind blowing version of "Burning Down The House" I LOVE the Talking Heads. The magic and surreal qualities of everything that happened that day, night and morning was never and will never be replicated. I had no place to go. My friends had places to go. There was no bed for me to lay in. I was left alone in Manhattan after I couldn't get into the Y.
I bought "Fear of Music" from a cut-out bin in a Rite-Aid drugstore. Talk about symbolism!
I left Missouri with almost nothing in my pocket and the concert kicked off my arrival. There were about 5 of us that had made the decision to explore our musical ambitions in NYC. I was like Magellan but on a greyhound bus instead of a ship.
One friend was a very talented guitar player from our Columbia, Mo. scene in a three piece band called "Loud Vacation"that later changed their name to "Yo-Yo Bile" It was an attitude shift from New Wave to Punk. Mike, the guitar, was into Peter Gabriel. We would hangout with other people that were open to the new sounds. The group kept growing. It was as if we had kicked down a door and river of sound, ideas, creativity just cascaded into our lives.
Our small group of musical heretics kept growing as new members of the community would share their personal musical discoveries with unparalleled excitement. It was a maelstrom of excitement, shared vibrations and cathartic release combined with copious amounts of a variety of mental stimulants.
In retrospect it was nothing short of being in the center of a cultural musical revolution. This was Missouri. You could and did get your ass kicked for looking different, or the very least be chastised, ridiculed, stigmatized and alienated for listening to anything that wasn't Top 40.
I've been patching together paragraphs to write about this at length and hopefully it will become a book.
There are many bands that have and continue to have an impact on my life. Talking Heads are special. Very special.
Thanks for this awesome episode. Kudos. Rock on!
Wow, who would imagine a tied in mix of Talking Head's, ACDC, Robert Palmer, and Toni Basil? Once in a Lifetime is a classic and demonstrates (along with this segment) the endless possibilities, or "flavors"- as Jerry stated, being explored that made the 80s great!
It’s so fantastic.
It's quite a story.
@@ProfessorofRock The Tears for Fears song video for Pale Shelter is like an 80s time machine. Freaked me out when I ran across it recently after completely forgetting about it since way back then. Sometimes when I`m watching 80s songs RUclips will recommend something I forgot about and haven`t heard since the 80s. It`s also strange to jar your memory by looking up top 40 hit lists from way back when and finding things you`d forgotten all about including powerful memories. Sometimes those old memory flashbacks hurt, like the songs that were on the radio before and after losing my first love. I felt it again recently. Hit me hard between the ears and stung my soul.
The bass-line and synth interplay is just stunningly brilliant. OK, the whole song is brilliant.
I remember when "Graceland" came out, a lot of the media accused Paul Simon of cultural approbation, which is insane. As for Talking Heads. I have their "Stop Making Sense" concert on DVD and CD. A great album.
Oh what a joy .talking heads have been my favourite music since I first saw the road to nowhere video when I was 4 or 5 . Saw David Byrne twice in Newcastle upon Tyne. he is a supreme musician .props in equal measure to Tina ,Jerry and Chris .
Once In A Lifetime is very dreamlike. Its strange associations and jumps of thought are easily explained in that realm.
And it is brilliant.
Naive Melody is, I think, even better.
That was a great interview. That was the first Talking Heads song that stuck with me when it first came out and I became an instant fan. It it got lots of airplay on all the video shows, so I heard it over and over again. So lets hear some more from them! 😃
The Talking Heads have so many great and memorable songs, but I'd have to say my all-time favorite is (Nothing But) Flowers. When I listen to that song I just close my eyes and let David's narration walk me through the mindscape his lyrics evoke. I really get a kick out of the tongue in cheek commentary on industrialization in modern society.
"Look where my hand was" I love how slyly that was slipped in & it never fails to make me laugh. This and Psycho Killer are my favorite Talking Heads tunes.
Psycho killer! Qu'est-ce que c'est?
Great song from an incredible band.
When I first heard Talking Heads as a younger girl, their music scared me to the point of having nightmares and I thought that they were odd. Now, as a teenager, I take back anything negative I ever said about them and think that they’re awesome! It’s okay to be different, like Kate Bush, The Smiths, and Talking Heads. You don’t have to make music like everyone else does. It’s what I appreciate the most about them. Also, David Byrne is my spirit animal as I am autistic and nerdy like he is.
My next suggestion for you would be “Burning Down the House” or “This Must Be The Place” or “Genius of Love” by Tom Tom Club, a song I remember my aunt introducing me to since she always used to say to me, “Bohannon, Bohannon, Bohannon, Bohannon!”
It's scary for sure. In a very cool way.
I'm glad you got over your fear, you have excellent taste in music! My favorite people are nerdy and a bit quirky, and I'm very proud that my niece named her beautiful autistic daughter after me.
I was also a teen when I fell in love with Talking Heads music, but it was 1978. One of my best friends was a gay male who loved music as much as I did. We'd go to his house after school sometimes and he'd play records of quirky bands like this. He took me to a concert in 79 or 80 to see a band at a local club, it was DEVO! I loved them so much and had never heard or seen anything like them.
I was considered odd in high school, my friends were always the smart kids who were also different. I had no interest in dating, thought sex was gross (and still do at 61 years old). I now know I'm asexual, and it makes sense that I enjoyed the company of friends of the "alphabet squad".
I'm still friends with Tim, the guy who turned me onto Talking Heads and other great bands more than 40 years ago.
I loved creating art, and made my own clothes since age 12. I incorporated art into my outfits and didn't care what people thought. I designed and made my prom gown, it was a sleek black and white satin dress with a slit all the way up the side, but it was styled like a tuxedo with a red satin cummerbund and a bolero jacket with tails in the back. I had my hair cut shorter and wore it sleek. This was not the style in 1979, but it was MY style! I still love androgyny.
@@LazyIRanch Thanks for sharing your story! Go ahead and continue to be you!
@@LazyIRanch Your Prom Dress Sounds AMAZING!!!! MANY PRAYER'SNLUV 👼👼💝💝🕊️🕊️
Its wonderful that you have discovered these amazing artists as a teenager in 2022. I try getting my teenage daughter to listen to a wide range of music....I usually fail!
Talking Heads is one of my favorite bands and their concert film "Stop Making Sense" is fantastic!
Agreed! Love Stop Making Sense!
One of the best ever.
Check out True Stories. Fun, quirky movie. David Byrne, John Goodman, Pops Staples.
@@billycox475
I saw it in '87 and also watched it again a few months ago!
@@Opus313 Now I'm inspired to watch that and Stop Making Sense again. They're both excellent.
Oh! You've probably already read How Music Works by David Byrne. If you haven't, it's a fascinating insight into his intricately detailed mind.
Back in the 80's, most people I knew nicknamed this song "Same As It Ever Was", but I always thought of it as "Letting the Days Go By"... Such a great song.
Best Talking Heads song is Wild Wild Life. Fantastic riff and so catchy. Also like And She Was.
The level of contribution and innovation brought by the Talking Heads (as a band AND as separate solo acts), cannot be overstated. "Once in a Lifetime" arguably defined how videos would look for the rest of the 80's, Not to mention the impact of the song itself. You could do a video on how Tina Weymouth and Tom Tom Club pretty much invented the Hip-Hop baseline. Monster. These guys are genius, living legends indeed....
You are so right. They have impacted countless.
As I was listening to TH tracks, I was thinking to myself how similar to Tom Tom Club's stuff it sounded... I am friends with the main engineer and TTC member, Steven Stanley( the best engineer ever) and he used to tell me how when they were working on "genius of love" he was trying to get Tina Weymouth to play the bass a certain pattern that they spent most of one night trying to get; eventually she gave up and he got one of his friends who was a reggae bassist to lay down the idea and if I remember correctly, they actually used his friend's bass on the final mix.... that group had Chris Franz and Tyrone Downie ( Bob Marley's keyboardist) among other budding superstar musicians.... you should interview him(Steven Stanley); he's worked as co- producer with the legendary riddim twins , Sly and Robbie ( Grace Jones, Bob Dylan, Gwen Guthrie).... As a matter of fact, on one of their productions, she used the iconic line" Ain't nothing going on but the rent" which Janet Jackson borrowed later......
I love the way you conduct your interviews and they're very insightful n tastefully done . Rock on Professor 🤘
Wow, this channel had grown a lot recently, like a year back it had around 200 000 subs if i remember correctly. I am glad for this guy
Great interview! Jerry Harrison is such a humble, but influential producer: Violent Femmes, Live, General Public, Crash Test Dummies, No Doubt to name a few.
I didn't know he was producer for those bands! No wonder I like them. He also had some good solo albums, I especially like "Casual Gods".
Word of warning though, never listen to his song, "Rev It Up" while driving. You WILL get a speeding ticket! It happened to me, and the cop didn't accept my excuse of musical suggestion causing me to stomp the accelerator.
That cop probably listens to "new" country. Blech!
He’s done so much for so many.
@@LazyIRanch Haha Indeed! Jerry seems like such a low key guy. But he brings out the best in the people he works with.
I always felt that this song was about how life passes you by and how you might end up somewhere you didn't envision when you were young. "Water flowing underground." Whenever I feel like I'm wasting my time, I think "water flowing underground". You only get that golden opportunity "once in a lifetime".
Talking Heads is my favorite band of all time. I saw the Stop Making Sense tour at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh in 1983 right after I got out of college and never forgot it. Then in 2018 I took my 18 yr old son to see the American Uptopia tour at the same building (now the Benedum Center). I was sitting 8 rows back and talked to a number of people who were at the same Stop Making Sense tour show back in '83. Both were amazing shows! Such diverse and unique music. Can't say enough about them. Thanks for the interview.
My favorite Talking Heads song by far. Appreciate this as always man!
I don't know a great deal of their work but this is second for me. Road To Nowhere is my top one, mainly because I heard it first but it's really close.
I always liked uh oh love comes to town, it sounds so different from their other big hits and the bass line is top-notch!
Agree, I think this song is great!
OMG I am so happy that you did this interview. One of my favorite songs from an amazing band. They are so unique. So many great and memorable songs. This was pure talent. Once in a Lifetime has so much meaning to it, even those of us after the baby boomers can still relate to it.
I find it really interesting to hear people describing their song writing processes, especially about their first time..
So much fun to watch my kids try to understand unusual songs like this!
It took me a long time to adapt to music like this but I’m glad I finally have!
Ha ha I know what you mean!
Love this song. I have always felt the tensions of the music only heighten the intensity of the lyrics. Great job Adam.
Although this comes two years later but have to say Talking Heads were so innovative in their musical genius. Tina, Chris, Jerry & David all are talented, exceptional musicians. They were pioneers and pushed the boundaries of creativity of what would become New Wave. The culmination of this was evident in their concert film Stop Making Sense, of which many say is the best concert film ever; I would have to agree 1000%. Unbelievable that movie is now celebrating 40 YEARS! Where's the time gone? Glad we have the memory of what was.
Would love to see more with Jerry Harrison speaking of his time with Jonathan Richman (and David Robinson later of The Cars) and Modern Lovers!
D.B. is nothing short of brilliant. Talking Heads are nothing short of iconic. Such a great band.. More, please. Thanks 😊
Jerry said it exactly as that song is a sonic scape of sound. I was blown away and immediately bought this album, so fresh and original, absolutely nothing like it. Kinda wild how all these artists of the time were so intertwined and worked on other artists on their music of different styles. The 80s where so diverse and introduced so many sounds from around the world into American pop music. Fantastic interview with Mr. Harrison the man that helped shape the music of things to come. Can you do Psycho Killer in the future, great work professor!!
It is very cool. When I was a younger girl I was scared of Talking Heads at first but then I grew to love them as I discovered more of their work and backstory. A strange but incredible band indeed!
Got dragged to a concert by a friend. Some band I sort of heard of so I said ok, after all it was a free ticket. Turns out it was the Stop Making Sense tour. OMG OMG OMG. I had never seen anything like it. Life changing show. The film doesn't begin to capture the energy and rollercoaster emotional ride.
So many great songs from The Talking Heads!! Take Me To The River, And She Was, Once in a Lifetime, Psycho Killer, Burning Down The House ... I love them all!! I was in the second row when I saw them at SIU in the '80s ... one of my favorite shows to date!! 💜💜💜
I find that the Talking Heads, along with U2 & The Police, is the greatest band doing new music in the 80s. They had such a unique sound that was really varied in influence and amazing in the creative process. Thanks for making such a cool video on this wonderful sound!
I so agree
Agreed! They were one of the many faces of new wave music!
The Cars Too!
The Cars Too!
Congratulations on blasting past 500k! Love what you do!
My childhood in a band, Love the heads.
I remember hearing this entire album for the first time on WNEW in New York. They would debut entire albums, and advertise days in advance “Get your tape recorders ready.” Those were the days!
This album changed everything for me musically. I had never heard anything like it.
Top 3 80's band, top 3 song of all time. Choice Episode Professor 🙌
As a young teen coming of age in the mid '70's, I was all about Led Zeppelin which brought me to Deep Purple and Black Sabbath and all things heavy. However, the first time I heard "Take me to the River" on the radio it just blew my mind. "More Songs About Buildings and Food" was my favorite album for a long time and that in turn led me to the B-52's, the Cars and all the strangeness that was New Wave music. The Talking Heads are still in my top 10 bands, and I credit them with saving me from the life of a metal head.
This is an excellent choice to do a video on Professor! This song will become relevant again and have a resurgence when "you will own nothing and be happy" truly sets in.
Definitely a song that resonates with so many people.
It's day is coming fast.
What a great interview! This unusual song still resonates today. David spent his early years in Canada before moving to the US, and knew my wife's family before he became famous. Even then, he was incredibly creative and focused. One could see he was going to make his mark later on.
Are you kidding me? He knew your wife’s family, that’s super cool!
Very cool. Thanks for sharing. Rob, I have a gift for you. Will you email me in Patreon. Your address so I can send you the gift. Thanks!
A simply fascinating interview! This is why I love this channel. 😍
Thanks! . . .
Thoroughly enjoyed the mysticism behind the mystery.
I fell in love with the Talking Heads after repeatedly listening to cassettes (I went through two) of 'Stop Making Sense.'
I liked these guys back when they were popular but over the years I’ve really fallen in love with them. Same thing with Oingo Boingo and The Clash. I’ve become a huge fan over time. Great band and unbelievably good music.
Great interview and analysis--one of the greatest songs ever.
Once in a lifetime is a favourite! very thoughtful song from talking heads
It’s the same as it ever was all these years later!
Absolute genius. I've always loved this album and this tune. Thanks man
My little sis and I were obsessed with this song and video as kids when it debuted on MTV. We loved the dance.
Great interview...absolutely great ..Talking Heads 👍
That was so good. the Earnest Angley reference reminded me of high school My final exam for Senior english which at that time could be taken as a Speech class was a very vivid speech that I gave impersonating Earnest Angley. Everyone roared with laughter and I got an A and Passed even the teacher clapped. Thanks for the Memory and all of the great background of this song. --- Cheers
My god, the connections to other artists and places are just amazing. From AC/DC to Robert Palmer, Tony Basil and needing to go to different studios to get the right song is just freaky. What can you do at Electric Lady that you can not do in the Bahamas multiple studios? But they must go to the other location and not just to tour the local foods.
Love the Robert Palmer story. RIP Robert Palmer😢
He died too soon!
@Professor of Rock: Topic idea.
All these bands that you interview. What is their music training?
Did they study Music at school or after school?
What did they study in particular that let them transfer ideas into songs?
What would they recommend for a beginner to study?
Such a unique band. Their videos as innovative as their sound. Always captivating. First song/video I remember experiencing by them was "Burning Down the House" and there was something about David Byrne's antics that held me glued to the screen.
I had heard "Psycho Killer" years before, and was impressed by it, but that came out before MTV made music videos the big thing. Talking Heads always had entertaining videos, but my first music video experience of Talking Heads was "Burning Down the House" and it has been stuck in my "listening head" ever since.
This band is like no other.
Trying to innovate to make their music unique as their own really made this band a legend of their own.
Talking Heads: best band of the 80s, best concert movie, one of the top 5 bands of all time.
I like 'em!
Excited for this video.
Awsome!!! Thanks for reminding me of this gerat music. I forgot how great this time space was in my life. Art and music that conguers up memories in a very special way. I must listen again.
For me no song reflects the essence of Talking Heads more than The Great Curve. So complex and yet minimalistic at the same time. I have all of their albums but Remain In Light stands out as their ultimate masterpiece in my opinion.
I love his introduction to Robert Palmer! I hope someday Professor of Rock will feature him.Sneaking Sally Through the Alley is one of my favorite songs and very overlooked in rock history.
That would be awesome. I was fortunate to see him in my hometown, Buffalo... During his " Popular" time.
Very good interview and interesting to hear Jerry talk about the genesis as it's often said that Eno played Fela Kuti's Afrodisiac and the band took it on.
I popped in the talking heads stop making sense in concert dvd - the kids were playing video games at the time ! a few minz later they were all watching it with me ! one of my fav concerts ever !
Always loved the Talkingheads... still dunno what that arm chopping thing was about; but it's truly iconic.
I loved Talking Heads and had basically the same reaction to "Girlfriend is Better" video. I still haven't determined which is my favorite. I vacillate between "Girlfriend is Better", "Life During Wartime" "Burning Down the House", or "Psycho Killer". Thanks a lot for the video.
I remember exactly where I was when I first heard and saw the video of Once in a Lifetime. Everything about it was genius.
It was strange but fascinating. 2022…same as it ever was.
I wasn’t particularly fond of this song when I first heard it, but it grew on me over time, and the more I listen to it the more I realize that it’s quite relatable.
I love Talking Heads, bought their albums and video in the '80s, saw "Down and Out..." and True Stories in the theater. Paul Mazursky was a genius, the music worked great in the movie. The band is one of the best ever. Nice interview.
Thanks Joe.
Our wedding song is Heaven from Fear of Music ! Also saw them in Pittsburgh on the Stop Making Sense tour...AMAZING!!!
Congrats on 500K, enjoy it now, I suspect it will not be long until you get the 1 Million plaque on the wall. This is one of their most popular, but Psycho Killer and Burning down the house were also popular. One of my favorite concert movies was Psycho Killer.
"Once In A Lifetime" is great, and I also liked the song that followed it on their Greatest Hits Album (Sand In The Vaseline), "Crosseyed And Painless," but my favorite Talking Heads song is "Burning Down The House." I jam to that one!
Cool. It's songs like this why people say about Talking Heads, that they are a thinking man's band.
A big karaoke favorite of mine to sing is "And She Was." I also like their interpretation of Al Green's "Take Me To The River." "Wild Wild Life" and "Burning Down The House" are great songs too.
INCREDIBLE!
As a young teenager, not only was this song a bit freaky, but it was absolutely awesome.
Cross eyed and Painless is still my favorite from TH to this day.
I love the Talking Heads! I remember when Once in a Lifetime came out on MTV, I think I was 12 or 13 years old. It was just so damn weird, but I really loved it for some reason. I asked for the album for my birthday and got it. I would listen to it in my room alone, or with a couple of friends. I still have a couple of those albums, most I've had to replace with more vinyl or CD's, but I still listen to them today. Great video, thanks!
When I was a teenager Talking Heads was considered one of our local college bar bands. They used to play at a place called the Other Place in Vestal NY before releasing their first album Talking Heads '77
Awesome....great tune...I love what David Byrne did with it in his solo career too...pretty interesting...anyway...love love this song and great insight...Jerry was great and very informative...you need to get on the tube tube...yknow...TV and you should bring back Americas Top 40...except the music sucks now...lol... you got it dude!!!
Talking Heads is one of the bands I heard when I was in my youth and didn't know the name of before I was a teenager. I heard this song as a preschooler and wondered whom had performed it. I was turning 15, and my dad gave me the double-length compilation titled *Sand in the Vaseline* as his birthday gift. I didn't get it at first, but he knew I eventually would. It was great to learn about the impact that Brian Eno had on Talking Heads and their music. It was also great to learn that Jerry has roots extending back to before Punk and New Wave existed, since he was a member of the Modern Lovers. I often think there was something less than subtle in the fact that Jerry showed up in New York at the urging of david, Chris and Tina to join Talking Heads with only a guitar. I think he was resisting being a keyboard player by then.
Stop Making Sense in Concert was a wildly entertaining and expanding event. The concert builds from start (boombox and David) to the full presence and evolvement of the band layer upon layer. Performance Art and Music done well. Great band, creative and has excellent staying power. Rhythm was the king, literally and figuratively moved you....
This song is one of my three favorites by The Talking Heads, along with "Lifr During Wartime" and "Psycho Killer" 🙂
I jumped at the chance to see David Byrne's American Utopia show in Boston in 2019 before it moved on to Broadway. Probably the greatest musical performance I've ever seen.
Same as it ever was...Same as it ever was. Loved this song.
1986, 7th grade English. Substitute teacher played the Burning Down the House video and made us write what we felt the meaning of the song was. Been a fan ever since.
I ❤ the Talking Heads. Their songs have so much variety. I recently found an original mint condition Little Creatures record. I ❤ the cover on this album. One of my favorites. I recommend drummer, Chris Franz book, 'Remain in Love'. The story of the Talking Heads and the love story of Chris and Tina Weymouth.
My favorite album is Speaking In Tongues 1982. #2 Little Creatures 1985.
They are all over the place which is why I love them so much!
Speaking In Tongues is a strange but phenomenal record! I remember the days when I was scared of hearing “Burning Down The House” like it was yesterday.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 😊❤ My favorite song on Speaking In Tongues is the last song on the album: This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody). I guess I like weird New Wave music. It was all over the radio in the 80s.
@@catherine6653 One of my favorite songs ever! A great song about being in love, that’s what it’s all about!
Been a fan since their club days in NYC.. and it is not a meme that when I have their music on in my garage and when I need a creative push.. the money I have invested in the McIntosh hand wound amps, B&O turntable and 4 Klipsch LaScalas a friend willed to me… assure that my neighbors hear it too.. thanks for the tunes Heads
I love a deep cut by Talking Heads entitled "Found a Job" which presages RUclips. The song contains the story of a couple, Bob & Judy who become successful video artists since they hate the TV programs that are on. Their success helps their relationship "...and made it work again." Very danceable track.
My introduction to the music of Talking Heads was in an episode of SCTV (CCCP 1), with Rick Moranis' VJ character Jerry Todd playing the video for this song. I couldn't get enough of their music after that. Still one of my favorite SCTV episodes.
My favorite Talking Heads tune. I don’t know how many times I have quoted lyrics from that song! This group is the very definition of artists.
On of the best concerts I ever seen was Stop Making Sense Talking Heads tour. The movie is highly recommended!!
You were great Adam in trying to get him to discuss the story of the song and this guy was all over the place trying to come off super smart witty as well as connected. i learned very little here. Maybe one day David Byrne can be on and enlighten us more. You asked great questions as usual. The answers were confusing.