Talking Heads first appeared on the New York music scene as a trio in 1974. At the time, the band consisted only of Byrne and Frantz, and was initially called The Artistics. By 1975, the band had recorded a demo album for CBS Records and landed a gig opening for the Ramones at CBGB in June 1975, which was the first time the band used the name Talking Heads. The band was signed to Sire Records in late 1976 and the group released their first single, "Love → Building on Fire" in February 1977. In March 1977, the band added Jerry Harrison, formerly of Jonathan Richman's band The Modern Lovers.
Their first album, Talking Heads: 77 was released soon afterward and did not contain the earlier single, although it did include the underground singles Psycho Killer and Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town. Despite being regulars at New York's legendary CBGB, the band only began to break through further with the landmark Brian Eno-produced, 1978 album More Songs About Buildings And Food, an album which continued in the same vein, but with a more accessible style, wittier lyrics, and ultimately better songs. It was a great critical hit with subject matter ranging from home movies to the art world. It also included their cover of Take Me To The River. On the following year's Fear Of Music the band started to dabble in African rhythms, notably on I Zimbra, and more straightforward pop styles, on Life During Wartime and Cities.
1980 brought the band's fourth and most innovative effort Remain In Light. Notable for the single Once In A Lifetime, which became an early MTV staple, Remain In Light saw the band experiment with ambient sounds, fugal structures, polyrhythms, and about everything under the sun to make the body groove. Following this, the group split with Brian Eno, enjoying greater commercial success with 1983's Speaking In Tongues. It took the musical innovations of its predecessor and refined them into pop songs, most notably Burning Down The House, Girlfriend Is Better and This Must Be The Place. This period was topped off with a live album, from Jonathan Demme's documentary, Stop Making Sense. The documentary, with its name taken from a line in Girlfriend Is Better, was a great success, and took their inimitable style to a wider audience.
1985's Little Creatures was an even bigger hit, and exhibited another stylistic shift for the band. It saw the punk styles of '77 almost completely abandoned for simple, three or four chord pop songs. The album produced the singles And She Was, and Road To Nowhere. The following two albums, True Stories and Naked, were both moderate successes, the former producing their biggest radio hits, Love For Sale and Wild Wild Life, and the latter focusing more on Latin influences with hits like (Nothing But) Flowers. After this, a long quiet period followed, with the band eventually officially announcing their break up in 1991. Since the split, Byrne continued his solo career and Weymoth and Frantz continued to record and tour as Tom Tom Club. Weymouth, Harrison and Frantz reunited for an album, "No Talking, Just Head", recorded under the name The Heads in 1996.
The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. The band reunited for a three song performance at the ceremony. Due to personality conflicts between Byrne and the other members, further reunions are unlikely.
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Burning down the house
Talking Heads Lyrics
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Cool babies, strange but not a stranger
I'm an ordinary guy
Burning down the house
Hold tight wait 'til the party's over
Hold tight we're in for nasty weather
There has got to be a way
Here's your ticket pack your bags
Time for jumping overboard
The transportation is here
Close enough but not too far
Baby, you know where you are
Fighting fire with fire
All wet, here you might need a raincoat
Shakedown, dreams walking in broad daylight
Three hundred sixty five degrees
Burning down the house
Uh
It was once upon a place sometimes I listen to myself
Gonna come in first place
People on their way to work and baby what did you expect
Gonna burst into flame
Uh
Burning down the house
My house is out of the ordinary
That's right, don't wanna hurt nobody
Some things sure can sweep me off my feet
Burning down the house
No visible means of support and you have not seen nothin' yet
Everything's stuck together
And I don't know what you expect staring into the TV set
Fighting fire with fire
Ah
The lyrics of Talking Heads' "Burning Down The House" suggest a theme of rebellion and destruction. The first verse cautions the listener that they may get what they want, but they must be prepared for the consequences. The next lines are cryptic, but it seems as if the singer is an average person who is about to engage in some kind of event that is burning down the house. The second verse evokes images of people fleeing for their lives, as if a storm or some other catastrophe is upon them. The bridge conveys a sense of urgency, indicating that the time to act is now. The final verses present a character who is out of the norm and powerful enough to set the house ablaze.
The lyrics feature abstract imagery, suggesting that what is happening is not easily defined. It seems as if the house represents society, and the singer is warning us that it is going up in flames. The "cool babies" are those who are part of society but are also outsiders, much like the singer. The lyrics seem to be meant to spark a reaction from the listener, creating an atmosphere of excitement, danger, and rebellion.
Line by Line Meaning
Watch out you might get what you're after
Be careful what you wish for, it might come true
Cool babies, strange but not a stranger
The people in the party are unique but familiar
I'm an ordinary guy
The singer is just a regular person
Burning down the house
The party is out of control and has to end
Hold tight wait 'til the party's over
Stay calm until the party ends
Hold tight we're in for nasty weather
Trouble is on the way
There has got to be a way
There must be a solution
Burning down the house
The situation is escalating
Here's your ticket pack your bags
It's time to leave
Time for jumping overboard
It's time to abandon ship
The transportation is here
The way out is available
Close enough but not too far
The exit is near
Baby, you know where you are
You're aware of the situation
Fighting fire with fire
Trying to solve the problem by using the same methods that created it
All wet, here you might need a raincoat
The situation is unpredictable and you should be prepared
Shakedown, dreams walking in broad daylight
Reality is harsh and unforgiving
Three hundred sixty five degrees
The situation is intense and all-encompassing
Burning down the house
The situation is beyond control
Uh
An interjection indicating uncertainty or confusion
It was once upon a place sometimes I listen to myself
Reflecting on the past and present
Gonna come in first place
Determined to succeed
People on their way to work and baby what did you expect
People are busy with their lives
Gonna burst into flame
The situation is about to get worse
Burning down the house
The situation is out of control
My house is out of the ordinary
The situation is unique and unexpected
That's right, don't wanna hurt nobody
The intention is not to harm anyone
Some things sure can sweep me off my feet
Some situations can be overwhelming
Burning down the house
The situation is extreme
No visible means of support and you have not seen nothin' yet
There's no help in sight and things are going to get worse
Everything's stuck together
The situation is complex and intertwined
And I don't know what you expect staring into the TV set
Watching TV won't solve the problem
Fighting fire with fire
Trying to solve the problem by using the same methods that created it
Ah
An interjection indicating acknowledgement or agreement
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind