Flowers
the talking heads Lyrics
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Like an Adam and an Eve
Waterfalls
The Garden of Eden
Two fools in love
So beautiful and strong
The birds in the trees
Are smiling upon them
Cars have run on gasoline
Where, where have they gone?
Now, it's nothing but flowers
There was a factory
Now there are mountains and rivers
You got it, you got it
We caught a rattlesnake
Now we got something for dinner
We got it, we got it
There was a shopping mall
Now it's all covered with flowers
You've got it, you've got it
If this is paradise
I wish I had a lawnmower
You've got it, you've got it
Years ago
I was an angry young man
And I'd pretend
That I was a billboard
Standing tall
By the side of the road
I fell in love
With a beautiful highway
This used to be real estate
Now it's only fields and trees
Where, where is the town
Now, it's nothing but flowers
The highways and cars
Were sacrificed for agriculture
I thought that we'd start over
But I guess I was wrong
Once there were parking lots
Now it's a peaceful oasis
You've got it, you've got it
This was a Pizza Hut
Now it's all covered with daisies
You got it, you got it
I miss the honky tonks,
Dairy Queens, and 7-Elevens
You got it, you got it
And as things fell apart
Nobody paid much attention
You got it, you got it
I dream of cherry pies,
Candy bars, and chocolate chip cookies
You got it, you got it
We used to microwave
Now we just eat nuts and berries
You got it, you got it
This was a discount store,
Now it's turned into a cornfield
You've got it, you've got it
Don't leave me stranded here
I can't get used to this lifestyle
The lyrics of "Nothing But Flowers" by Talking Heads explore the theme of the destruction of the natural world due to modernization and human progress. The song opens with the image of the biblical Adam and Eve standing in a garden, in comparison to a modern-day Eden with two people in love. The lyrics then go on to paint pictures of what society has lost, as factories, shopping malls, parking lots, and highways have given way to fields, trees, and flowers. The once seemingly indispensable consumer goods like cherry pies, candy bars, and microwave ovens are replaced with nuts, berries, and outdoor life. The upbeat melody and catchy chorus "Run, run, run" create an ironic contrast to the lyrics' message of the irreversible damage that humanity has done to the planet.
The lyrics for "Nothing But Flowers" were written by the lead singer of Talking Heads, David Byrne, while the music was a collaborative effort between the band members. The song was released in 1988 as part of the album called "Naked." "Nothing But Flowers" received critical acclaim and is considered one of the most memorable songs of Talking Head's discography. The song's video, directed by Byrne, continued and enhanced the song’s narrative of technology's failures.
Line by Line Meaning
Here we stand
We are currently existing in this moment
Like an Adam and an Eve
Like the first humans in the Garden of Eden
Waterfalls
A beautiful natural wonder of the world
The Garden of Eden
The biblical paradise where humanity began
Two fools in love
We are foolish in love
So beautiful and strong
Our love is both beautiful and strong
The birds in the trees
The birds are pleased with our love
Are smiling upon them
They are happy with us
From the age of the dinosaurs
From very long ago
Cars have run on gasoline
Automobiles were powered by gasoline
Where, where have they gone?
Where did all the cars go?
Now, it's nothing but flowers
Now, cars are gone and nature is returning
There was a factory
There used to be a factory
Now there are mountains and rivers
Now nature has reclaimed the area where the factory was
You got it, you got it
You understand
We caught a rattlesnake
We once caught a rattlesnake for food
Now we got something for dinner
We have something to eat
There was a shopping mall
There used to be a shopping mall
Now it's all covered with flowers
Now nature has taken over the area where the mall was
If this is paradise
If this is what paradise looks like
I wish I had a lawnmower
I wish I could cut the grass here
Years ago
A long time ago
I was an angry young man
In the past, I was an angry young man
And I'd pretend
I used to imagine
That I was a billboard
That I was a large advertisement
Standing tall
Standing proud
By the side of the road
Next to the highway
I fell in love
I became enamored
With a beautiful highway
I loved the highway
This used to be real estate
This land was once developed
Now it's only fields and trees
Now it has returned to nature
The highways and cars
Automobiles and roads
Were sacrificed for agriculture
The land was converted to agriculture instead of being used for cars and roads
I thought that we'd start over
I hoped that we would begin again
But I guess I was wrong
But it didn't happen
Once there were parking lots
Once cars parked here
Now it's a peaceful oasis
Now it is a peaceful natural area
This was a Pizza Hut
This building used to be a Pizza Hut
Now it's all covered with daisies
Now there are flowers covering the area
I miss the honky tonks,
I miss the old-fashioned bars
Dairy Queens, and 7-Elevens
Fast food places that used to dot the landscape
And as things fell apart
As society disintegrated
Nobody paid much attention
People didn't notice much
I dream of cherry pies,
I long for cherry pies
Candy bars, and chocolate chip cookies
I miss the sugary foods
We used to microwave
We used to cook things using a microwave
Now we just eat nuts and berries
Now we eat a simpler, more natural diet
This was a discount store,
This building used to be a discount store
Now it's turned into a cornfield
Now, the area is used for agriculture
Don't leave me stranded here
Don't abandon me in this place
I can't get used to this lifestyle
I am having trouble adapting to this new way of life
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID BYRNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jeffbaumann3289
Here we stand
Like an Adam and an Eve
Waterfalls
The Garden of Eden
Two fools in love
So beautiful and strong
The birds in the trees
Are smiling upon them
From the age of the dinosaurs
Cars have run on gasoline
Where, where have they gone?
Now, it's nothing but flowers
There was a factory
Now there are mountains and rivers
You got it, you got it
We caught a rattlesnake
Now we got something for dinner
We got it, we got it
There was a shopping mall
Now it's all covered with flowers
You've got it, you've got it
If this is paradise
I wish I had a lawnmower
You've got it, you've got it
Years ago
I was an angry young man
And I'd pretend
That I was a billboard
Standing tall
By the side of the road
I fell in love
With a beautiful highway
This used to be real estate
Now it's only fields and trees
Where, where is the town
Now, it's nothing but flowers
The highways and cars
Were sacrificed for agriculture
I thought that we'd start over
But I guess I was wrong
Once there were parking lots
Now it's a peaceful oasis
You've got it, you've got it
This was a Pizza Hut
Now it's all covered with daisies
You got it, you got it
I miss the honky tonks,
Dairy Queens, and 7-Elevens
You got it, you got it
And as things fell apart
Nobody paid much attention
You got it, you got it
I dream of cherry pies,
Candy bars, and chocolate chip cookies
You got it, you got it
We used to microwave
Now we just eat nuts and berries
You got it, you got it
This was a discount store,
Now it's turned into a cornfield
You've got it, you've got it
Don't leave me stranded here
I can't get used to this lifestyle
Songwriters:. David Byrne/Chris Frantz/Jerry Harrison/Tina Weymouth
Musicians/Singers:
David Byrne
Chris Frantz
Jerry Harrison
Tina Weymouth
Johnny Marr
Kirsty MacColl
Brice Wassy
Yves N'Djock
Abdou M'Boup
Released: 1988
@QuintTheSharker
“And as things fell apart, nobody paid much attention.”
Epitaph of the 21st century.
@MGSVxBreakpoint
And also an opening quote in Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho. Why I'm here.
@QuintTheSharker
@@MGSVxBreakpoint that too. I found that book super disturbing, but really interesting.
@gingerblue
I was JUST telling someone the same thing the other day.
@ronaldgarrison8478
I don't know WTF that's supposed to mean. From where I sit, everyone is obsessed about something, everyone is butt-hurt about something, everyone has an opinion—whether they know about the subject or not. Indifference doesn't seem like a real problem.
@cynthiafielder8746
Amen 😔
@richardrickford3028
"If this is paradise I wish I had a lawnmower" - you don't get more David Byrne than that.
@alexrinaldi3257
I always felt that part is a jab at Joni Mitchells song Big Yellow Taxi when she says "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot" as the whole songs a very practical rebuttle of idealist enviormentalism.
@hunterwhitner6998
@@alexrinaldi3257 On the money
@kathleankeesler1639
Great contribution- needless to say, year later. Chicago Illinois granny.