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Talking Heads

Talking Heads · 2005

922 min · 210 tracks · new wave · post-punk

A vibrant fusion of art rock and funk, underscored by David Byrne's idiosyncratic vocals and innovative rhythms.

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Why this album works

This album is notable for its comprehensive showcase of Talking Heads' evolution and influence, featuring hits like 'Psycho Killer' and 'Burning Down the House'. It has been critically acclaimed for its innovative sound and remains a cornerstone for understanding the transition from punk to new wave, influencing countless artists in both genres and beyond.
Best for
dynamic exploration with peaks wave-like pacing for engagement idiosyncratic vocals driving energy
Context
By the time of this release in 2005, Talking Heads had long established themselves as pioneers of new wave and post-punk. This album arrived after their breakup in 1991, marking a retrospective compilation that highlighted their influential work from the late 70s and early 80s. The collection serves to reintroduce their catalog to a new generation while celebrating their significant impact on contemporary music.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

Disc 1

  • 11 Pulled Up 4:37
  • 12 Love → Building on Fire 3:00
  • 13 I Wish You Wouldn’t Say That 2:39
  • 14 Psycho Killer (acoustic) 4:20
  • 15 I Feel It in My Heart 3:15
  • 16 Sugar on My Tongue 2:36

Disc 2

  • 1 Uh‐Oh, Love Comes to Town 2:49
  • 2 New Feeling 3:10
  • 3 Tentative Decisions 3:09
  • 4 Happy Day 3:56
  • 5 Who Is It? 1:44
  • 6 No Compassion 4:51
  • 7 The Book I Read 4:10
  • 8 Don’t Worry About the Government 3:02
  • 9 First Week/Last Week…Carefree 3:22
  • 10 Psycho Killer Standout 4:21
  • 11 Pulled Up 4:37
  • 12 Psycho Killer (acoustic) 4:25
  • 13 Uh‐Oh, Love Comes to Town (alternate) 2:55
  • 14 Uh‐Oh, Love Comes to Town (5.1 mix) 2:49
  • 15 New Feeling (5.1 mix) 3:10
  • 16 Tentative Decisions (5.1 mix) 3:09
  • 17 Happy Day (5.1 mix) 3:56
  • 18 Who Is It? (5.1 mix) 1:44
  • 19 No Compassion (5.1 mix) 4:51
  • 20 The Book I Read (5.1 mix) 4:10
  • 21 Don’t Worry About the Government (5.1 mix) 3:02
  • 22 First Week/Last Week…Carefree (5.1 mix) 3:31
  • 23 Psycho Killer (5.1 mix) 4:21
  • 24 Pulled Up (5.1 mix) 4:37
  • 25 Psycho Killer (acoustic) (5.1 mix) 4:15
  • 26 Uh‐Oh Love Comes to Town (alternate 5.1 mix) 2:50
  • 27 Pulled Up (live, 1978: Sprout Plaza, Berkeley, CA, USA) 4:09
  • 28 I Feel It in My Heart (live, 1976: The Kitchen, New York, NY, USA) 3:07

Disc 3

  • 12 Stay Hungry (1977 version) 3:47
  • 13 I’m Not in Love (alternate version) 5:17
  • 14 The Big Country (alternate version) 5:03
  • 15 Thank You for Sending Me an Angel (Country Angel version) 2:11

Disc 4

  • 1 Thank You for Sending Me an Angel 2:11
  • 2 With Our Love 3:30
  • 3 The Good Thing 3:03
  • 4 Warning Sign 3:54
  • 5 The Girls Want to Be With the Girls 2:38
  • 6 Found a Job 5:01
  • 7 Artists Only 3:34
  • 8 I’m Not in Love 4:34
  • 9 Stay Hungry 2:39
  • 10 Take Me to the River 5:02
  • 11 The Big Country 5:33
  • 12 Thank You for Sending Me an Angel (5.1 mix) 2:11
  • 13 With Our Love (5.1 mix) 3:31
  • 14 The Good Thing (5.1 mix) 3:03
  • 15 Warning Sign (5.1 mix) 3:54
  • 16 The Girls Want to Be With the Girls (5.1 mix) 2:38
  • 17 Found a Job (5.1 mix) 5:01
  • 18 Artists Only (5.1 mix) 3:35
  • 19 I’m Not in Love (5.1 mix) 4:34
  • 20 Stay Hungry (5.1 mix) 2:40
  • 21 Take Me to the River (5.1 mix) 5:03
  • 22 The Big Country (5.1 mix) 5:39
  • 23 Found a Job (live, 1978: Entermedia Theatre, New York, NY, USA) 4:46
  • 24 Warning Sign (live, 1978: Sprout Plaza, Berkeley, CA, USA) 4:07

Disc 5

  • 12 Dancing for Money (unfinished outtake) 2:41
  • 13 Life During Wartime (alternate version) 4:07
  • 14 Cities (alternate version) 5:30
  • 15 Mind (alternate version) 4:26

Disc 6

  • 1 I Zimbra 3:08
  • 2 Mind 4:13
  • 3 Paper 2:38
  • 4 Cities 4:17
  • 5 Life During Wartime 3:41
  • 6 Memories Can’t Wait 3:30
  • 7 Air 3:34
  • 8 Heaven 4:01
  • 9 Animals 3:30
  • 10 Electric Guitar 3:01
  • 11 Drugs 5:14
  • 12 I Zimbra (5.1 mix) 3:09
  • 13 Mind (5.1 mix) 4:13
  • 14 Paper (5.1 mix) 2:39
  • 15 Cities (5.1 mix) 4:18
  • 16 Life During Wartime (5.1 mix) 3:41
  • 17 Memories Can’t Wait (5.1 mix) 3:30
  • 18 Air (5.1 mix) 3:34
  • 19 Heaven (5.1 mix) 4:01
  • 20 Animals (5.1 mix) 3:30
  • 21 Electric Guitar (5.1 mix) 3:10
  • 22 Drugs (5.1 mix) 5:03
  • 23 Cities (live, 1980: Rockpop TV appearance, Germany) 5:16
  • 24 I Zimbra (live, 1980: Rockpop TV appearance, Germany) 4:05

Disc 7

  • 9 Fela’s Riff (unfinished outtake) 5:19
  • 10 Unison (unfinished outtake) 4:49
  • 11 Double Groove (unfinished outtake) 4:27
  • 12 Right Start (unfinished outtake) 4:07

Disc 8

  • 1 Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) 5:49
  • 2 Crosseyed and Painless 4:47
  • 3 The Great Curve 6:27
  • 4 Once in a Lifetime Standout 4:22
  • 5 Houses in Motion 4:33
  • 6 Seen and Not Seen 3:24
  • 7 Listening Wind 4:42
  • 8 The Overload 6:10
  • 9 Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) (5.1 mix) 5:49
  • 10 Crosseyed and Painless (5.1 mix) 4:48
  • 11 The Great Curve (5.1 mix) 6:44
  • 12 Once in a Lifetime (5.1 mix) 4:23
  • 13 Houses in Motion (5.1 mix) 4:33
  • 14 Seen and Not Seen (5.1 mix) 3:25
  • 15 Listening Wind (5.1 mix) 4:43
  • 16 The Overload (5.1 mix) 7:26
  • 17 Crosseyed and Painless (live, 1980: Rockpop TV appearance, Germany) 7:18
  • 18 Once in a Lifetime (live, 1980: Rockpop TV appearance, Germany) 5:35

Disc 9

  • 10 Two Note Swivel (unfinished outtake) 5:51
  • 11 Burning Down the House (alternate version) 5:09

Disc 10

  • 1 Burning Down the House Standout 4:01
  • 2 Making Flippy Floppy 5:54
  • 3 Girlfriend Is Better 5:43
  • 4 Slippery People 5:06
  • 5 I Get Wild/Wild Gravity 5:16
  • 6 Swamp 5:13
  • 7 Moon Rocks 5:45
  • 8 Pull Up the Roots 5:09
  • 9 This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) 5:04
  • 10 Burning Down the House (alternate version) 5:18
  • 11 Burning Down the House (5.1 mix) 4:02
  • 12 Making Flippy Floppy (5.1 mix) 5:54
  • 13 Girlfriend Is Better (5.1 mix) 5:43
  • 14 Slippery People (5.1 mix) 5:42
  • 15 I Get Wild/Wild Gravity (5.1 mix) 5:17
  • 16 Swamp (5.1 mix) 5:13
  • 17 Moon Rocks (5.1 mix) 5:46
  • 18 Pull Up the Roots (5.1 mix) 5:10
  • 19 This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) (5.1 mix) 5:04
  • 20 Burning Down the House (alternate 5.1 mix) 6:14
  • 21 Burning Down the House (music video) 4:11
  • 22 This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) (music video) 4:49

Disc 11

  • 10 Road to Nowhere (early version) 4:39
  • 11 And She Was (early version) 3:39
  • 12 Television Man (extended mix) 7:52

Disc 12

  • 1 And She Was 3:39
  • 2 Give Me Back My Name 3:22
  • 3 Creatures of Love 4:15
  • 4 The Lady Don’t Mind 3:58
  • 5 Perfect World 4:27
  • 6 Stay Up Late 3:43
  • 7 Walk It Down 4:44
  • 8 Television Man 6:10
  • 9 Road to Nowhere 4:27
  • 10 And She Was (5.1 mix) 3:40
  • 11 Give Me Back My Name (5.1 mix) 3:22
  • 12 Creatures of Love (5.1 mix) 4:16
  • 13 The Lady Don’t Mind (5.1 mix) 4:20
  • 14 Perfect World (5.1 mix) 4:27
  • 15 Stay Up Late (5.1 mix) 3:44
  • 16 Walk It Down (5.1 mix) 4:45
  • 17 Television Man (5.1 mix) 6:10
  • 18 Road to Nowhere (5.1 mix) 4:27
  • 19 And She Was (music video) 3:37
  • 20 Road to Nowhere (music video) 4:10

Disc 13

  • 10 Wild Wild Life (extended mix) 5:36
  • 11 Papa Legba (Pops Staples vocal version) 6:01
  • 12 Radio Head (Tito Larriva vocal version) 3:50

Disc 14

  • 1 Love for Sale 4:31
  • 2 Puzzlin’ Evidence 5:24
  • 3 Hey Now 3:41
  • 4 Papa Legba 5:55
  • 5 Wild Wild Life 3:39
  • 6 Radio Head 3:32
  • 7 Dream Operator 4:38
  • 8 People Like Us 4:28
  • 9 City of Dreams 5:09
  • 10 Papa Legba (Pops Staples vocal version) 6:00
  • 11 Love for Sale (5.1 mix) 4:32
  • 12 Puzzlin’ Evidence (5.1 mix) 5:24
  • 13 Hey Now (5.1 mix) 3:42
  • 14 Papa Legba (5.1 mix) 5:56
  • 15 Wild Wild Life (5.1 mix) 3:40
  • 16 Radio Head (5.1 mix) 3:32
  • 17 Dream Operator (5.1 mix) 4:39
  • 18 People Like Us (5.1 mix) 4:28
  • 19 City of Dreams (5.1 mix) 5:09
  • 20 Papa Legba (Pops Staples vocal version) (5.1 mix) 6:07
  • 21 Wild Wild Life (music video) 3:27
  • 22 Love for Sale (music video) 3:38

Disc 16

  • 1 Blind 4:59
  • 2 Mr. Jones 4:20
  • 3 Totally Nude 4:11
  • 4 Ruby Dear 3:50
  • 5 (Nothing but) Flowers 5:35
  • 6 The Democratic Circus 5:04
  • 7 The Facts of Life 6:28
  • 8 Mommy Daddy You and I 3:58
  • 9 Big Daddy 5:38
  • 10 Bill 3:22
  • 11 Cool Water 5:22
  • 12 Sax and Violins 5:17
  • 13 Blind (5.1 mix) 5:00
  • 14 Mr. Jones (5.1 mix) 4:20
  • 15 Totally Nude (5.1 mix) 4:11
  • 16 Ruby Dear (5.1 mix) 4:01
  • 17 (Nothing but) Flowers (5.1 mix) 5:36
  • 18 The Democratic Circus (5.1 mix) 5:04
  • 19 The Facts of Life (5.1 mix) 6:29
  • 20 Mommy Daddy You and I (5.1 mix) 3:58
  • 21 Big Daddy (5.1 mix) 5:38
  • 22 Bill (5.1 mix) 3:23
  • 23 Cool Water (5.1 mix) 5:23
  • 24 Sax and Violins (5.1 mix) 5:49
  • 25 Blind (music video) 4:18
  • 26 Sax and Violins (music video) 5:10

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata

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