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.
www.talking-heads.net
Cities
Talking Heads Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's dark, dark in the daytime
The people sleep, sleep in the daytime
If they want to, if they want to
[Chorus:]
I'm checking them out
I got it figured out
I got it figured out
There's good points and bad points
Find a city
Find myself a city to live in.
There are a lot of rich people in Birmingham
A lot of ghosts in a lot of houses
Look over there!...A dry ice factory
A good place to get some thinking done
Down El Paso way things get pretty spread out
People got no idea where in the world they are
They go up north and come back south
Still got no idea where in the world they are.
Did I forget to mention, to mention Memphis
Home of Elvis and the ancient Greeks
Do I smell? I smell home cooking
It's only the river, it's only the river.
In the Talking Heads' song "Cities," the band explores the idea of finding oneself in different urban environments. The song discusses London, Birmingham, El Paso, and Memphis - highlighting the unique characteristics and qualities of each city.
The lyrics start with a description of London as a small city that is dark even in the daytime. The people are asleep, but the singer is "checking them out" nonetheless. The chorus then repeats the line "I got it figured out" - perhaps indicating that the singer is on a mission to find themselves and their place in the world. The discussion of different cities then continues, with mentions of the wealthy residents of Birmingham, the confusing expansiveness of El Paso, and the interesting mix of culture in Memphis.
Overall, the song seems to suggest that there are both positives and negatives to every city, and it's up to the individual to find the place that feels like home. The repetition of the line "Find a city/ Find myself a city to live in" emphasizes this idea.
Line by Line Meaning
Think of London, a small city
Despite its size, London is a city that has a lot to offer
It’s dark, dark in the daytime
Even during the day, London can be overcast with clouds and fog
The people sleep, sleep in the daytime
Londoners are known for their love of sleep and can often be seen napping midday
If they want to, if they want to
However, Londoners are also known for bustling energy and can choose to be active if they so desire
I’m checking them out
The artist is observing different cities and their respective qualities
I got it figured out
The singer has determined what he wants in a city
There’s good points and bad points
Every city has its pros and cons
Find a city
The artist is actively seeking a city to settle down in
Find myself a city to live in
The artist has a desire to find the perfect city to call home
There are a lot of rich people in Birmingham
Birmingham's economy is supported by the wealthy population that resides there
A lot of ghosts in a lot of houses
Birmingham also has its share of history and haunted tales
Look over there!...A dry ice factory
The city of Birmingham also has its fair share of industry and manufacturing
A good place to get some thinking done
The city offers a tranquil space for the singer to think and reflect
Down El Paso way things get pretty spread out
The city of El Paso has a lot of space and is not densely populated
People got no idea where in the world they are
Despite being in the US, the city may feel disconnected from the rest of the country
They go up north and come back south
Traveling does not necessarily provide a sense of location for those unfamiliar with the city
Still got no idea where in the world they are.
The sense of confusion about place persists throughout the city
Did I forget to mention, to mention Memphis
The singer adds Memphis to the list of cities being considered
Home of Elvis and the ancient Greeks
Memphis has its share of cultural icons and historical references
Do I smell? I smell home cooking
The artist is comforted by the scent of home cooking, possibly making Memphis feel like home
It’s only the river, it’s only the river.
The source of the cooking smell is simply the river, not an actual home.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID BYRNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind