ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 191 TALKING HEADS - SPEAKING IN TONGUES (1983)

[Jon]

ALMOST.

That's right. I ALMOST copied Rjhog's setup for AOTW and then figured it might very well be trademarked. Fear of getting sued stopped me dead in my tracks. A simple copy and paste just would not do.

Where's Rjhog? Well, he claims his computer is "in the shop". He gave me a sob story about how he wouldn't be able to post something this week in that whiny tone we're all used to by now. Manly man that I am, this just wouldn't do. 

I took the initiative and kindly offered to post this week's AOTW since we want to keep our jaunt thru the 80's rolling along, as long as I had the album he had picked. Luckily for everyone, I did. 

This week's pick is from 1983, "Speaking In Tongues" from Talking Heads. Listening to it right now,  I believe this would be a great party album. Slap this sucker in or on something, press play and barbecue stuff.

Two things I remember from this album: First, cruising in Sacramento during the summer and waiting for "Burning Down The House" to come on the radio. Singing to that song as well. SO damn catchy. Second, "Risky Business" because one of the songs on this album was featured in the movie (I'll let you figure out which one). The movie title is even mentioned in the song, so that'll make it easy!

Solid album from top to bottom. I believe Rjhog picked wisely. Do you?

1. Burning Down The House
2. Making Flippy Floppy
3. Girlfriend Is Better
4. Slippery People
5. I Get Wild/Wild Gravity
6. Swamp
7. Moon Rocks
8. Pull Up The Roots
9. This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody)

[Scott]

Barbecue stuff?  You do realize its winter and the entire East coast is buried in snow...

[Jon]

They are???

[Scott]

[Jon]

Hey, that looks like my backyard!

[Scott]

You have a car in your backyard?

[Jon]

In Detroit? Of course!

[Scott]

Since I'm snowed in with the rest of the South and North East lets give this a shot...

• Burning Down The House:  Gotta admit, I didn't care fore this song when it was popular.  Never really got into this so this album totally escaped me and this is the first time I thought about since I forgot it.  (Yes that makes perfect sense!).  The seems to be an extended version from what was on the radio as the outro is longer than I remember.
• Making Flippy Floppy:  eh...  silly title matches the actual song.  trying to pass on this one but it feels like it wont end...
• Girlfriend is Better:  Sounds familiar, did this one hit the radio airwaves?  Dance beats with a quirkiness.  OH Wait, Stop Making Sense, wasn't that their movie?  This one is ok, nothing to write home about, and certainly nothing to come back to ...  they are certainly good at extending the outro's...
• Slippery People: Kinda feels like more of the same
• I Get Wild/Wild Gravity:  "Wild" is not the word that comes to mind ...
• Swamp: catchy...  were treading into the club scene
• Moon Rocks: Its getting redundant.
• Pull Up The Roots: see Moon Rocks
• This Must Be The Place:  If he's referring to the end then its a great place.  As William Shatner once prophetically stated on a country music video.  The end was my favorite, not the part right before the end but the end...

A Talking Heads fan I have never been and this didn't help.  That said if I was a club owner I would play this ...  but I'm not...

[Jon]

Girlfriend Was Better was played on the radio, you are correct sir. 

[RJhog (Admin)]

I bought this album especially for this post, which I didn't get to do.  But, thanks to Jon, it's posted anyway.

I managed to listen to it last night while riding across town to check on my parent.  Their heat has been out for 3 days and I couldn't get an answer on their cell phones.  Guess why?  My Mom's is no longer active.  My Dad's phone number changed and he had not informed me.  Anyway, everything is fine.  They are staying bundled up.  

Back to the album, I'm half in agreement with Scott and half in agreement with Jon.  It can be quite forgettable.  But it's not bad.  I've never listened to the Talking Heads other than Burning Down The House, Take Me To The River and Once In A Lifetime.  I don't think this will make me want to investigate further, but I could see it being thrown on the stereo at a party.  It would have to be a party where the folks don't really listen that hard and they think it's really cool, funky music that they've never heard.

Jon, thanks to you for posting this.  Hope to be back to normal next week.  If not, you will definitely have what I have lined up.

[Jon]

Your dad changed his # and didn't tell you? Classic!

[RJhog (Admin)]

Yep, can you believe it?  My sister, who is living with them, did the same thing.  But it's expected from her.

I meant to say that while I don't remember the Girlfriend Is Better being on the radio, I quite like that song.

[Scott]

and you didn't take the hint?  they may need to change it again....