Talking Heads bassist Tina Weymouth opens “Psycho Killer” with an iconic staccato riff. It’s the foundation of her band’s angular art rock masterpiece.
Videos by American Songwriter
Weymouth is also responsible for the song’s French lyrics, changing the killer’s personality into a multinational Norman Bates.
David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Chris Frantz, and Weymouth helped pioneer new wave. They also expanded their periphery to include world music, and aesthetically and sonically, they stood apart from New York’s emerging punk scene. They were equally crucial to its success.
On November 8, Talking Heads will reissue Talking Heads: 77. The new edition includes rarities and an unreleased live album recorded at CBGB in New York. An acoustic version of “Psycho Killer,” featuring Arthur Russell, is available now.
“Psycho Killer” is the best-known song from their debut but there are other gems you may have overlooked. The list below highlights four underrated songs from Talking Heads: 77.
“Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town”
The perky guitar riff and steelpan give off a facade of good times, but underneath the sunny veneer and talk of love something happens to the locals. Love arrives and people lose their common sense and ability to function. How did they get in a jam like this? Byrne asks the question, and though the answer is obvious, there’s nothing they can do to escape the mystery of love’s power over people.
“Don’t Worry About the Government”
Byrne sardonically writes about the privilege of ignoring the government. Regardless of a tumultuous world, one can go outside and stare at the clouds. He picks the laws he likes as favorites, chooses the building he’d like to live in, and even sets aside work for friends. A more famous Talking Heads song arrived years later where Byrne wondered, Well, how did I get here? Same as it ever was.
“Pulled Up”
The punked-up highlife guitars on “Pulled Up” are the blueprint for another New York band, Vampire Weekend. Listen to “Pulled Up,” then listen to the syncopated Afropop on Vampire Weekend’s debut. By Remain in Light three years later, Talking Heads reached further into African music, absorbing Fela Kuti’s polyrhythms and hypnotic loops. But evidence of where they were going appeared on their first album. “Pulled Up” closes Talking Heads: 77 with a dance-rock banger.
“Love ➝ Building on Fire”
Sire Records co-founder Seymour Stein signed Talking Heads after seeing them open for the Ramones in 1975. Though they initially declined Stein’s offer, they signed in 1976 and released “Love ➝ Building on Fire” as their first single. A pointed acoustic guitar drives the track, connecting New York’s CBGB and Greenwich Village folk scenes. This song didn’t make the original track listing in 1977 but now appears on the deluxe version. It’s included here as their starting point.
Weymouth recalled the crowds getting bigger a month before the album’s release. Talking Heads were unique within the CBGB scene. They weren’t glam, and they didn’t dress in punk clothing—leather jackets, torn jeans. The lack of costumes made them theatrical. And the stubbornness to sound like themselves, regardless of trends, made them punk rock.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Photo by Ian Dickson/Shutterstock
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.