#365AOTD 112 “Remain in Light” Talking Heads 1980

April 22, 2014 by annettegertrude 5 Comments

“And you may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?”

I got here on Earth Day. The very first celebrated Earth Day came on April 22, 1970 in various U.S. cities including Washington, DC. In honor of this very special occasion, the album of the day is my absolute, all-time favorite. Ever. One more time for emphasis, EVER.

If you are like me, you not only have an album above none other, you also have an all-time top five bands/artists list (I love lists). Well, my top four is set in stone. The 5th slot changes. It is based on the day and mood, season, etc. Two, however, fight for the number one spot; only lately has Phish garnered the top slot. Today they drop to number two, where, frankly, they belong! LOL That distinction goes to Talking Heads. They are my all-time fav band, hands down. And yes, I love Phish probably as much and sometimes more. I am Beatles over Rolling Stones, ALWAYS. And I consider myself a Dead Head. Still, Talking Heads is all that plus a bag of chips, a hot dog and a diet coke! You get my point, I heart them. Now I have already mentioned that I have a best-loved album, “Remain in Light,” by my number one band, Talking Heads. Well, I don’t think you would be surprised that I also have an all-time favorite song, too. I call it my desert island song. Wouldn’t you just know it; it is a Talking Heads song. From the “Speaking in Tongues” record, This Must be the Place (Naïve Melody) takes my top song prize. It never drops a spot. Never. I could write an entire other blog entry about TMBTPNM, and I feel I possibly will exactly one year later. For today, I just wanted to give you the entire picture.

“Same as it ever was.”

I lived in Ohio in the beginning of the 1980s. We got MTV straight on. I remember seeing the Once in a Lifetime video* and thinking what and who is this? It was strange, bizarre and certainly out there. The beat pounded and the bass thumped. The melody had a catch, and then there were those lyrics: “You may ask yourself, what is that beautiful house? You may ask yourself, where does that highway go to? And you may ask yourself, am I right, am I wrong and you may say to yourself, my God what have I done?” WOW. This was my introduction to Talking Heads. I can even remember a visit to my Dad’s where we went to dinner with his friend and his friend’s daughter. She was only a year or two older than me. The restaurant had a jukebox and Once in a Lifetime came on. Both of us recognized and immediately asked each other, have you seen the video? Not soon after, a cassette tape of “RIL” was purchased.

By the time 1980 came around, Talking Heads had already cemented themselves in the music world with three highly acclaimed records. When I think of the overall arc of their career, I put these first three releases in one grouping or set. Their sound was a raw, punk meets art rock meets new wave. I always liked the simplicity of these records. Ahh, but don’t be fooled. Their simple had vigor and vitality. Brian Eno had produced the Heads 2nd and 3rd albums, “More Songs About Buildings and Food” and “Fear of Music.” Before “RIL,” the band took a break from touring and the members did their own things for a stint. Oh yes, the band members. Chris Frantz was the underrated drummer and was married to the bad ass bassist, Tina Weymouth. The ever talented Jerry Harrison provided keyboards and guitar. David Byrne was the eccentric, quirky, front man extraordinaire. He sang, played guitar, and was the primary song writer, especially the lyrics. During the short hiatus, Byrne and Eno began working on a project that would become the amazing record, “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts.” This album was a groundbreaking, innovative tour de force. It was the first album to use sampling. Painting in hues of ambience, experimental electronica, and third world music, this work would have a huge impact on “Remain in Light.” You could definitely hear a progression in their music from the first three records, but by the time they were ready to work on their fourth LP, they made a hard left turn that took them into an entirely new musical direction. The result was nothing short of extraordinary.

“Well I’m a tumbler…I’m a government man.”

When I first heard side one of the tape I had bought, I was almost bowled over by the sound. Okay, that is a little dramatic. It really wasn’t like that. However, I did feel a physical reaction to the music. Track one, Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On). Like the title implies, the song starts our adventure with a bang. A drum intro into a David Byrne type scream; Bam, the music begins! (The use of the exclamation mark is appropriate). A thick bass, pingy rhythmic guitars and funky synth keys fire on all cylinders as this wall of sound emanates from the speakers. Using only one chord, these parts vamp throughout beneath David Byrne’s lyrical imagery. His first command, “Take a look at these hands. Take a look at these hands.” Almost a call and response, a layer of voices enters the mix whilst Byrne continues to lead the non-linear sermon. Throw in a tripped-out, video game sound effects, synth solo and you have begun your “Remain in Light” experience.

“The island of doubt, it’s like the taste of medicine.”

The immersion of African polyrhythms continues in the fact-filled Crosseyed and Painless*. Byrne leads the boat down a river of samples and loops while singing, “lost my shape trying to act casual.” Again, we get a call and response then an instrumental reprieve then the call and response again. This all leads to a climax where Byrne chooses a spoken word rap to convey the truth about facts:
“Facts are simple and facts are straight. Facts are lazy and facts are late.
Facts all come with points of view. Facts don’t do what I want them to.
Facts just twist the truth around. Facts are living turned inside out.
Facts are getting the best of them. Facts are nothing on the face of things.
Facts don’t stain the furniture. Facts go out and slam the door.
Facts are written all over your face. Facts continue to change their shape.”
Shout out to Tina’s bass line in this one. I particularly enjoy the sixteenth note that precedes her every other measure down beat. I know, I know, that sounds crazy. Well, when others play it and miss that note, it grates me a little. I won’t mention any names, Mike. Ha.

“Divine, to define, so say so, so say so
She…has got to move the world…to move the world…to move the world
Night must fall now-darker, darker.
Divine, to define, she is moving to define, so say so, so say so”

I enjoy every song on this album, but The Great Curve* is my favorite. Here, all of the instruments, rhythms and vocals merge to form a magnificent musical mosaic. Layer after layer builds to an eventual crescendo of a vocal frenzy; four separate parts all meeting together, one on top of the others. YES!
Guest musician Adrian Belew brings an almost outer worldly sound to his guitar solos. This tune may best exemplify the theme of the entire record; vivid colors and textures that you can almost taste. That is the power of this music; it evokes all of your senses when you are listening to it. Now how can you beat that?

“Letting the days go by…”

Side two begins with the minor hit Once in a Lifetime. A slightly different feel from side one, it still maintains the vamping and layers of the music. The harmonies in the chorus are delicious.

“I’m walking a line, just barely enough to be living.”

Much more like the first three songs, Houses in Motions* has a slower, darker tone to it. Byrne chooses more spoken word to deliver the lyrics over the salty funk groove that spills over if left unattended. Belew again adds another dimension with his guitar work. Love me some Houses in Motion. It never gets old.

“He wonders if he too might have made a similar mistake.”

I made a ringtone from the intro of this song. It is my text message alert on my phone. More samples? More layers? More loops? More spoken word? Why, yes. Seen and Not Seen gets overlooked. Don’t make that mistake.

“The wind in my heart. The dust in my head.”

The Listening Wind is the next to last track of the album. It has a more chains rattling in a haunted house kind of feel to it. Wax dripping. Night. A cautionary tale. Ghosts from the wood. A Tribe.

“I value these moments.”

The closing number is the psychedelic, for lack of a better word, The Overload. Droning bass, intense sound, a colorless voice; “a change in the weather. “ Shiver. This may seem like an odd choice to end the ride, but it’s damp and dank atmosphere reminds you there is warmth and light elsewhere.

“Still waiting. Still waiting.”

“Remain in Light” lives and breathes. Far ahead of its time, I consider it a masterpiece. It reaches, not just my head or body, but my blood and bones, too. It seeps in. I relish this record over and over again and feel blessed that my ears keep working. Now that’s a birthday gift that keeps on giving.

*Check out:

The original Once in A Lifetime video.

The layered ecstasy in The Great Curve.

A live Houses in Motion in Rome, 1980.

Phish covering Crosseyed and Painless on 10/16/10 in Charleston.

Remain in Light Credits:
Talking Heads
• David Byrne – lead vocals, guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, percussion, vocal arrangements
• Jerry Harrison – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
• Tina Weymouth – bass guitar, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals
• Chris Frantz – drums, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals
Additional musicians
• Brian Eno – bass guitar, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals, vocal arrangements
• Nona Hendryx – backing vocals
• Adrian Belew – guitar
• Robert Palmer – percussion
• Jose Rossy – percussion
• Jon Hassell – trumpets, horns

All songs written and composed by Byrne, Eno, Frantz, Harrison, and Weymouth.

Sire label

#365AOTD 112 “RIL” T Heads 1980 The world moves on a woman’s hips The world moves & it swivels & bops http://t.co/tUnQyP4aSC #TalkingHeads

— Annette Gertrude (@djwurley) April 22, 2014