'I wouldn't live like there if you paid me. I wouldn't live like that no sirree...'
A song about America but it could just as well apply to all of us. I love Talking Heads, but find their first two albums slightly bitty to listen to now. Personally I don't think they really hit their stride until Fear of Music and Remain in Light. Two quite magnificent records. But this, the last track off their second shows what they were becoming capable of. Just wonderful! David Byrne is clearly building up to making the big statements about life that ended up with Once in a Lifetime. A lot of his best songs tackle those absolute themes. This, Once in a Lifetime, Heaven, Naive Melody (This Must Be the Place). He nails a lot of fundamental things about growing up on here. Wanting to be apart but needing to belong and conform. It's fascinating to listen to the narrative and work out exactly what the stance he takes is. I think it could probably be read both ways and that's great writing. The playing's not at all shabby either. One of their absolute best songs and they set themselves high standards.
'I see the shapes,
I remember from maps.
I see the shoreline.
I see the whitecaps.
A baseball diamond, nice weather down there.
I see the school and the houses where the kids are.
Places to park by the fac'tries and buildings.
Restaurants and bar for later in the evening.
Then we come to the farmlands, and the undeveloped areas.
And I have learned how these things work together.
I see the parkway that passes through them all.
And I have learned how to look at these things and I say,
[Chorus]
I wouldn't live there if you paid me.
I couldn't live like that, no siree!
I couldn't do the things the way those people do.
I couldn't live there if you paid me to.
I guess it's healthy, I guess the air is clean.
I guess those people have fun with their neighbors and friends.
Look at that kitchen and all of that food.
Look at them eat it' guess it tastes real good.
They grow it in the farmlands
And they take it to the stores
They put it in the car trunk
And they bring it back home
And I say...
[Chorus]
I'm tired of looking out the windows of the airplane
I'm tired of traveling, I want to be somewhere.
It's not even worth talking
About those people down there.
Goo Goo Ga Ga Ga
Goo Goo Ga Ga Ga.'
I remember from maps.
I see the shoreline.
I see the whitecaps.
A baseball diamond, nice weather down there.
I see the school and the houses where the kids are.
Places to park by the fac'tries and buildings.
Restaurants and bar for later in the evening.
Then we come to the farmlands, and the undeveloped areas.
And I have learned how these things work together.
I see the parkway that passes through them all.
And I have learned how to look at these things and I say,
[Chorus]
I wouldn't live there if you paid me.
I couldn't live like that, no siree!
I couldn't do the things the way those people do.
I couldn't live there if you paid me to.
I guess it's healthy, I guess the air is clean.
I guess those people have fun with their neighbors and friends.
Look at that kitchen and all of that food.
Look at them eat it' guess it tastes real good.
They grow it in the farmlands
And they take it to the stores
They put it in the car trunk
And they bring it back home
And I say...
[Chorus]
I'm tired of looking out the windows of the airplane
I'm tired of traveling, I want to be somewhere.
It's not even worth talking
About those people down there.
Goo Goo Ga Ga Ga
Goo Goo Ga Ga Ga.'
Byrne 1978
I think I agree with you about the 3rd and 4th albums being ultimately better than the first two, although I could still listen to all of them on an endless loop and be happy as a clam. The one through-line, I think, is the bass, which is consistently astonishing on all four albums. And to think that David Byrne had Tina re-audition once they got their recording contract. She holds the whole thing together.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting about the re-audition. Cheers Rod. Definitely agree about Tina Weymouth. They also owed her a lot for her sheer stage presence.
ReplyDelete