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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Girlfriend Is Better
Talking Heads Lyrics
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Who took the money away?
Ha ha ha ha it's always showtime
Here at the edge of the stage
And I, I, I, wake up and wonder
What was the place, what was the name?
We wanna wait, but here we go again
But doesn't last very long
Ha ha ha ha no need to worry
Everything's under control
O U T! But no hard feelings
What do you know? Take you away
We're being taken for a ride again
I got a girlfriend that's better than that
She has the smoke in her eyes
She's coming up, going right through my heart
She's gonna give me surprise
I think it's right, better than this
I think you can if you like
I got a girlfriend with bows in her hair
And nothing is better than that (is it?)
Oh! Down in the basement
We hear the sound of machines
Ha-ha-ha-ha, ha! Driving in circles
Come to my senses sometimes
Why, why, why, why start it over?
Nothing was lost, everything's free
I don't care how impossible it seems
Somebody calls you but you cannot hear
Get closer to be far away
Only one look and that's all that it takes
Maybe that's all that we need
All that it takes, I'll bet it's right
All it takes, if it's right
I got a girlfriend that's better than that
And she goes wherever she likes (there she goes)
I got a girlfriend that's better than that
Now everyone's getting involved
She's moving up going right through my heart
We might not ever get caught
Going right through (try to stay cool)
Going through, staying cool
I got a girlfriend she's better than that
And nothing is better than you
I got a girlfriend that's better than this
But you don't remember at all
As we get older and stop making sense
You won't find her waiting long
Stop making sense, stop making sense
Stop making sense, making sense
I got a girlfriend shes's better than that
And nothing is better than this (is it?)
"Girlfriend Is Better" by Talking Heads is a song that explores the feeling of being constantly taken for a ride. The opening lines of the song, "Ha! Who took the money? Who took the money away?" immediately set the tone for the song, which is that of confusion and betrayal. The singer is unsure of what led to his current situation and feels like something has been taken away from him. The verses continue to describe the feeling of being in a perpetual state of confusion and not understanding what is happening around you. The chorus of the song introduces the idea of finding solace in a partner who is dependable. The singer speaks about his better girlfriend who is always there for him and brings him joy. The song ends with a repetition of the idea that the singer's girlfriend is better than the confusion and chaos of the world.
The chorus of "Girlfriend Is Better" is what stands out the most in the song. It is a perfect representation of the band's unique style, combining catchy lyrics with a driving beat. The song has a very danceable and upbeat rhythm that makes it almost impossible not to move or tap your feet to the beat. The lyrics of the song are also very playful and witty, with lines like "She's coming up, going right through my heart. She's gonna give me surprise."
Talking Heads is known for being one of the most innovative bands of their time, and their music was very influential in the development of the new wave genre. The band wrote and performed music that was experimental and combined elements from various genres, including funk, punk, and world music. "Girlfriend Is Better" is no exception to this, and it has a unique sound that is still recognizable today.
Line by Line Meaning
Ha! Who took the money?
Someone stole money, and this person wants to know who did it.
Who took the money away?
Continuing from the previous line, the thief took the money away and the singer wants to know who it is.
Ha ha ha ha it's always showtime
The situation is always entertaining or amusing to the singer.
Here at the edge of the stage
The artist feels like they are on display or involved in some type of performance.
And I, I, I, wake up and wonder
The artist is questioning their current reality and trying to make sense of it.
What was the place, what was the name?
The singer is struggling to remember important details or events.
We wanna wait, but here we go again
The singer wants to wait for things to settle down, but they are thrust back into a chaotic situation.
Ha! Takes over slowly
Something is taking control very gradually.
But doesn't last very long
The control or change is temporary and does not persist for very long.
Ha ha ha ha no need to worry
The situation is not serious and there is no need to be concerned.
Everything's under control
The singer believes they have everything under control and there is no need to worry.
O U T! But no hard feelings
Someone is leaving or being kicked out, but the artist wants to assure them that there are no hard feelings.
What do you know? Take you away
The singer is surprised and wants to take someone away from the current situation.
We're being taken for a ride again
The singer feels like they are being deceived or fooled yet again.
I got a girlfriend that's better than that
The singer has a new girlfriend who they believe is superior to their previous one.
She has the smoke in her eyes
The new girlfriend has a certain quality or allure that the artist finds attractive or intriguing.
She's coming up, going right through my heart
The new girlfriend is making a deep emotional impact on the artist and they are falling in love.
She's gonna give me surprise
The singer is anticipating surprises or unexpected experiences from the new girlfriend.
I think it's right, better than this
The singer believes that their new relationship is better than their previous one.
I think you can if you like
The listener has the potential to find a better relationship if they want to.
I got a girlfriend with bows in her hair
The artist also admires specific physical qualities of the new girlfriend.
And nothing is better than that (is it?)
The artist believes that nothing is better than the current relationship, although they are questioning this belief.
Oh! Down in the basement
The singer is shifting to a new location or describing a new setting.
We hear the sound of machines
The environment is filled with mechanical or industrial sounds.
Ha-ha-ha-ha, ha! Driving in circles
The singer finds the situation absurd, and feels like they are going around in circles.
Come to my senses sometimes
The singer is becoming aware of their surroundings or situation and regaining their senses.
Why, why, why, why start it over?
The singer is questioning why they have to restart or redo something.
Nothing was lost, everything's free
Although the situation restarted, nothing was really lost and everything is still in place.
I don't care how impossible it seems
The artist does not care how difficult or unlikely something seems, they are determined to succeed.
Somebody calls you but you cannot hear
The singer is describing a situation where someone is trying to communicate with someone else, but they are not responding.
Get closer to be far away
The singer is suggesting that if someone wants to distance themselves from a person or situation, they should approach it more closely first.
Only one look and that's all that it takes
A single glance or observation is enough to determine how someone feels or thinks about a situation or person.
Maybe that's all that we need
The artist is suggesting that a simple action or solution could be enough to solve or address a problem.
All that it takes, I'll bet it's right
The artist is confident that their approach or solution will be effective.
All it takes, if it's right
The singer suggests that if someone's plan or approach is correct, it will take very little to accomplish their goals.
Now everyone's getting involved
Others are now participating or becoming interested in the situation.
We might not ever get caught
The singer and their girlfriend may be doing something that is frowned upon or even illegal, but they do not believe they will get caught.
Going right through (try to stay cool)
The new girlfriend is making a strong emotional impact on the singer, but they are trying to remain calm and composed.
Going through, staying cool
The singer wants to make it clear that they are staying cool and handling the situation well, despite the emotional turmoil they may be experiencing.
But you don't remember at all
The listener is forgetting important details or experiences from their past relationship.
As we get older and stop making sense
As people age, they may stop understanding the world or situations around them as well as they used to.
You won't find her waiting long
If the listener does not act quickly, they will miss out on the opportunity to be with the singer's better girlfriend.
Stop making sense, stop making sense
The singer is emphasizing that things do not make sense and they need to stop trying to comprehend them.
I got a girlfriend shes's better than that
This line is a repeat of an earlier line, in which the artist boasts about their new and improved girlfriend.
And nothing is better than this (is it?)
Although the artist seemed confident earlier, they are now questioning their belief that nothing is better than their current relationship.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS FRANTZ, CHRISTOPHER FRANTZ, DAVID BYRNE, JERRY HARRISON, TINA WEYMOUTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind