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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Take Me To The River
Talking Heads Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the changes you put me through
Take my money, my cigarettes
I haven't seen the worst of it yet
I want to know that you'll tell me
I love to stay
Take me to the river, drop me in the water
Take me to the river, dip me in the water
I don't know why you treat me so bad
Think of all the things we could have had
Love is an ocean that I can't forget
My sweet sixteen I would never regret
I want to know that you'll tell me
I love to stay
Take me to the river, drop me in the water
Push me in the river, dip me in the water
Washing me down, washing me
Hug me, squeeze me, love me, tease me
'Til I can't, 'til I can't, 'til I can't take no more of it
Take me to the water, drop me in the river
Push me in the water, drop me in the river
Washing me down, washing me down
I don't know why I love you like I do
All the troubles you put me through
Sixteen candles there on my wall
And here am I the biggest fool of them all
I want to know that you'll tell me
I love to stay
Take me to the river and drop me in the water
Dip me in the river, drop me in the water
Washing me down, washing me down
The Talking Heads' "Take Me to the River" is a song about a dysfunctional relationship. At its core, the song is a plea from the singer to their lover to either treat them better or to just end the relationship. The singer is confused, unsure why they "love her like I do," despite all the "changes you put me through" -- seemingly endless emotional ups and downs. The singer has given everything they have to the relationship, as seen in the line "Take my money, my cigarettes," yet still hasn't seen the worst of it yet.
The imagery of "Take me to the river, drop me in the water" is one of rebirth and renewal. The singer has reached their breaking point and wants to be cleansed of all the hurt and pain they've been put through. They're asking their lover to take them to the river and wash them down, ridding them of all the negative emotions that they've been carrying around. The repeated line "I want to know that you'll tell me I love to stay" highlights this confusion and self-doubt, as the singer doesn't know if they truly want to stay in the relationship or not.
One interpretation of the song is that it's a commentary on consumerism and the idea of disposable relationships. The line "Take my money, my cigarettes" could represent the idea that the singer is willing to give up everything for this relationship, even if it's ultimately detrimental to them. The repeated line "washing me down" could also represent the cleansing nature of buying new things -- the idea that we can wash away our problems and feelings with the purchase of a new item.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know why I love her like I do
The singer is confused about why they love someone who treats them badly.
All the changes you put me through
Their love interest has caused a lot of upheaval and uncertainty in the singer's life.
Take my money, my cigarettes
The singer's partner has consumed their resources and time.
I haven't seen the worst of it yet
There may be even more mistreatment or hardships to come.
I want to know that you'll tell me
The artist desires honesty and openness from their partner.
I love to stay
Despite the difficulties, the singer enjoys being with their love interest.
Take me to the river, drop me in the water
The singer wants to be washed clean of the problems and pain caused by their relationship.
Take me to the river, dip me in the water
The artist is willing to take drastic measures to be cleansed of their troubles.
Washing me down, washing me down
The cleansing process is seen as fundamental to the healing of the artist.
I don't know why you treat me so bad
The artist is struggling to understand the cruelty of their partner.
Think of all the things we could have had
The singer knows that there was potential for a good relationship, but it didn't work out.
Love is an ocean that I can't forget
Despite the pain, the artist cannot 'forget' their love - the emotional attachment runs deep.
My sweet sixteen I would never regret
The singer is referencing a past event that is significant, and in no way regrets the person they were during that time.
Hug me, squeeze me, love me, tease me
Describes the desire for physical closeness and affection from the love interest.
'Til I can't, 'til I can't, 'til I can't take no more of it
The singer will happily accept all the love until they are completely unable to handle any more of it.
Take me to the water, drop me in the river
Repeats the want to be rinsed clean of the relationship's pain.
Push me in the water, drop me in the river
Expresses desperation - the artist is willing to be physically forced into the water for their own good.
Washing me down, washing me down
Reinforces the fact that this cleansing is necessary for the singer's mental health.
I don't know why I love you like I do
Echoes an earlier line, expressing confusion as to why the singer loves someone who causes them so much pain.
All the troubles you put me through
Repeats a sentiment from earlier, indicating that the artist hasn't forgotten how much their partner has hurt them.
Sixteen candles there on my wall
Referencing the artist's sweet sixteen, a time of innocence and celebration, which juxtaposes the current situation which has caused great pain and discomfort.
And here am I the biggest fool of them all
The artist knows they've made mistakes by staying with their partner, and are willing to accept that in retrospect, they made the wrong choice.
Take me to the river and drop me in the water
Final repeating of the central image of the song. The singer desires a cleansing of themselves and their emotional pain.
Dip me in the river, drop me in the water
This phrasing is used for the last time, again emphasizing the depth of pain and the cleansing ritual that needs to be enacted.
Washing me down, washing me down
Final reinforced sentiment - the only hope for catharsis is to be freed of the pain the relationship has caused them.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Al Green, Mabon Hodges
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind