Talking Heads – Once in a Lifetime (1980)
Sunday evening. Two seminal posts from Big Star under my belt. Feeling a bit guilty about the lack of recent records (though, in my view, it takes a few years to determine the absolute classics from the chaff).
The first time I heard “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley, I knew I was listening to all time genius (will post that soon, maybe next!)
A similar feeling hearing “Once in a Lifetime”. The original single and album track transcended popular music.
The video reveals the limitations of the day’s technology but also the creativity that was needed to subvert the limitations of technology.
The live version from Stop Making Sense only serves to humanise a track that still today sounds otherworldly. Name the bands that could even dream of writing this …… genius.
nice .. live version sounds incredible
David Byrne is simply a genius!
I saw David Byrne play the whole of Remain in Light live at the Barbican the year before last. An astonishly good album but for me the gig was ruined by Mr Byrne having a Pan People style dance troupe on stage to provide a visual accompanied to the entire set. I was also told during the course of the performance not to talk or “lean forward” by my fellow attendees. I couldn’t help but wonder to myself; is this what I fought in the punk wars for…ok, so I didn’t actually fight during the punk wars but my elder brother might have…
Hi Rob,
Saw that tour as well – the RFH show I think. Is that the one her performed in a tutu ..? One of the greatest records of all time. However, even the genius of Remain in Light pales into significance beside this in my view ….
http://bestmusicofalltime.wordpress.com/2011/04/02/talking-heads-this-must-be-the-place-naive-melody/
No, this was definitely at the Barbican – no tutus though, not on mr byrne or the dance troupe, who were all in white from what i can remember and attempting to interprete the album through the medium of over earnest dancing. Not sure of my favourite Talking Heads track, too many to choose really. Psycho-killer possibly or maybe this one:
I did see Tom Tom Club at the RFH last year, now that was a great gig…