Talking Heads were an American new wave band who, between 1975 and 1991, recorded 96 songs, 12 of which were not officially released until after their break-up. The group has been described as "one of the most acclaimed bands of the post-punk era" by AllMusic and among the most "adventurous" bands in rock history by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[1][2]
After leaving art school, Talking Heads released their debut single, "Love → Building on Fire", in early 1977,[3] followed by their debut album, Talking Heads: 77, later that year.[1] The album contained "stripped down rock & roll" songs and was notable for its "odd guitar-tunings and rhythmic, single note patterns" and its "non-rhyming, non-linear lyrics".[4] While initially not a big hit, the album was aided by the single "Psycho Killer".[4] The band's follow-up, More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978), began the band's string of collaborations with producer Brian Eno.[1] Its songs are characterized as more polished than its predecessor, emphasizing experimentation and the rhythm section, as well as the genres of art pop and funk.[1][5] The experimentation continued on Fear of Music (1979), in which the band began utilizing African-styled polyrhythms, most notably on the album's opening track "I Zimbra".[1][6] The style and sound of Fear of Music was expanded upon on their final Eno collaboration, Remain in Light (1980).[6][7] Often classified as their magnum opus[8][9] and one of the best albums of the 1980s,[10][11] the album integrated several new musicians, including a horn section, which helped the band further experiment on their African-style rhythms and their use of funk, pop, and electronics.[1][7] After Remain in Light, the band went on a three-year hiatus and worked on solo projects.[1] During their hiatus, the live album The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads (1982), was released; it features live recordings of songs from their four albums to date, as well as the previously unreleased song "A Clean Break".[12]
In 1983, the band parted ways with Eno and released their fifth album, Speaking in Tongues (1983).[1] The album continued the rhythmic innovation of Remain in Light, but in a more stripped-down, rigid pop song structure.[1] The album also contained the band's first and only top ten hit, "Burning Down the House".[13] The band's sixth album, Little Creatures (1985), marked a major musical departure from their previous albums – its songs being straightforward pop songs mostly written by Byrne alone.[1][14] After Little Creatures, the band released True Stories (1986), an album containing songs from Byrne's film of the same name.[1][15] Notable songs from the album include one of the group's biggest hits, "Wild Wild Life", and "Radio Head", a song from which the English rock band of the same name took their name.[15][16] Two years later, Talking Heads released their final album, Naked.[1] The album marked a return to the experimentation and styles of their Eno albums, most notably Remain in Light.[1][17] After Naked, the band went on a hiatus; formally announcing their breakup three years later in 1991.[1] Their final release was the song "Sax and Violins", released on the Until the End of the World soundtrack that same year.[18]
Since their breakup, 12 previously unreleased songs have been officially released. The compilation album Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites (1992) included five and the box set Once in a Lifetime (2003) included one, "In Asking Land", an outtake from the Naked sessions.[19][20] The 2005 reissue of Talking Heads: 77 included the previously unreleased "I Feel It in My Heart",[21] and the 2006 reissues of Fear of Music and Remain in Light included unfinished outtakes from those albums' sessions.[22][23]
Songs
| Contents |
|---|
| A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · L · M · N · O · P · R · S · T · U · W · Notes · References |
| † | Indicates single release |
|---|---|
| ‡ | Indicates song solely written by David Byrne |
