Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense (1984)

1. Psycho Killer (1:31)

I can't seem to face up to the facts
I'm tense and nervous and I
Can't relax
I can't sleep 'cause my bed's on fire
Don't touch me I'm a real live wire

Psycho Killer
Qu'est-ce que c'est
fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa far better
Run run run run run run run away
Psycho Killer
Qu'est-ce que c'est
fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa far better
Run run run run run run run away

You start a conversation you can't even finish it.
You're talkin' a lot, but you're not sayin' anything.
When I have nothing to say, my lips are sealed.
Say something once, why say it again?

Psycho Killer,
Qu'est-ce que c'est
fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa far better
Run run run run run run run away
Psycho Killer
Qu'est-ce que c'est
fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa far better
Run run run run run run run away

Ce que j'ai fais, ce soir la
Ce qu'elle a dit, ce soir la
Realisant mon espoir
Je me lance, vers la gloire ... OK
We are vain and we are blind
I hate people when they're not polite

Psycho Killer,
Qu'est-ce que c'est
fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa far better
Run run run run run run run away
Psycho Killer,
Qu'est-ce que c'est
fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa far better
Run run run run run run run away
oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh....

2. Heaven (6:42)

Everyone is trying to get to the bar.
The name of the bar, the bar is called Heaven.
The band in Heaven plays my favorite song.
They play it once again, they play it all night long.

Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.
Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.

There is a party, everyone is there.
Everyone will leave at exactly the same time.
Its hard to imagine that nothing at all
could be so exciting, and so much fun.

Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.
Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.

When this kiss is over it will start again.
It will not be any different, it will be exactly
the same.
It's hard to imagine that nothing at all
could be so exciting, could be so much fun.

Heaven is a place where nothing every happens.
Heaven is a place where nothing every happens.

3. Thank You For Sending Me An Angel (10:39)

Oh oh, baby you can walk, you can talk just like me
You can walk, you can talk just like me
You can look, tell me what you see
You can look, you won't see nothing like me
If you look around the world

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh, baby you can walk, you can talk just like me
With a little practice, you can walk, you can talk just like me
If that's what you wanna do
Well, you can look, you'll walk in circles around me
But first I'll walk in circles 'round you, but first I'll walk around the world

I'm walking 'round the world, here we go
I, you can walk a little, I'll walk in circles 'round you
But first, show me what you can do

4. Found A Job (12:56)

"Damn that television what a bad picture"!
"Don't get upset, it's not a major disaster".
"There's nothing on tonight", he said, "I don't know what's the matter"!
"Nothing's ever on", she said, "so I don't know why you bother."

We've heard this little scene, we've heard it many times.
People fighting over little things and wasting precious time.
They might be better off I think the way it seems to me.
Making up their own shows, which might be better than T.V.

Judy's in the bedroom, inventing situations.
Bob is on the street today, scouting up locations.
They've enlisted all their family.
They've enlisted all their friends.
It helped saved their relationship,
And made it work again

Their show gets real high ratings, they think they have a hit.
There might even be a spin off, but they're not sure 'bout that.
If they ever watch T.V. again, it'd be too soon for them.
Bob never yells about the picture now, he's having too much fun.

Judy's in the bedroom, inventing situations.
Bob is on the street today, scouting up locations.
They've enlisted all their family.
They've enlisted all their friends.
It helped saved their relationship,
And made it work again

So think about this little scene; apply it to your life.
If your work isn't what you love, then something isn't right.
Just look at Bob and Judy; they're happy as can be,
Inventing situations, putting them on T.V.

Judy's in the bedroom, inventing situations.
Bob is on the street today, he's having a vacation.
They've enlisted all their family.
They've enlisted all their friends.
It helped saved their relationship,
And made it work again

5. Slippery People (16:48)

What about the time?
You were rollin' over
Fall on your face
You must be having fun
Walk lightly!
Think of a time.
You'd best believe
This think is real

Put away that gun
This part is simple
Try to recognize
What is in you mind
God help us!
Help us loose our minds
These slippery people
help us understand

what's the matter with him? He's alright!
I see his face The lord won't mind
Don't play no games He's alright
Love from the bottom to the top
Turn like a wheel He's alright
See for yourself The lord won't mind
We're gonna move Right now
Turn like a wheel inside a wheel

(I remember when
Sittin' in the tub
Pulled out the plug
The water was runnin' out
Cool down
Stop acting crazy
They're gonna leave
And we'll be on our own
Seven times five
They were living creatures
Watch 'em come to life
Right before your eyes
Backsliding!
How do you do?
These slippery people
Gonna see you through)

6. Burning Down The House (24:51)

Watch out, you might get what you're after
Cool babies, strange but not a stranger
I'm an ordinary guy
Burning down the house

Hold tight
Wait 'til the party's over
Hold tight
We're in for nasty weather
There has got to be a way
Burning down the house

Here's your ticket pack your bags
Time for jumpin' overboard
The transportation is here
Close enough but not too far,
Maybe you know where you are
Fightin' fire with fire

All wet, hey, you might need a raincoat
Shakedown, dreams walking in broad daylight
Three hundred sixty five degrees
Burning down the house

It was once upon a place,
Sometimes I listen to myself
Gonna come in first place
People on their way to work,
Baby, what did you expect?
Gonna burst into flame

Burning down the house

My house's out of the ordinary
That's right
Don't want to hurt nobody
Some things sure can sweep me off my feet
Burning down the house

No visible means of support
And you have not seen nothin' yet
Everything's stuck together
And I don't know what you expect
Staring into the TV set
Fighting fire with fire

7. Life During Wartime (29:04)

Heard of a van that is loaded with weapons,
Packed up and ready to go
Heard of some grave sites, out by the highway,
A place where nobody knows

The sound of gunfire, off in the distance,
I'm getting used to it now
Lived in a brownstone, lived in a ghetto,
I've lived all over this town

This ain't no party, this ain't no disco,
This ain't no fooling around
No time for dancing, or lovey dovey,
I ain't got time for that now

Transmit the message, to the receiver,
Hope for an answer some day
I got three passports, a couple of visas,
You don't even know my real name

High on a hillside, the trucks are loading,
Everything's ready to roll
I sleep in the daytime, I work in the nighttime,
I might not ever get home

This ain't no party, this ain't no disco,
This ain't no fooling around
This ain't no Mudd Club, or C. B. G. B.,
I ain't got time for that now

Heard about Houston? Heard about Detroit?
Heard about Pittsburgh, P. A.?
You oughta know not to stand by the window
Somebody see you up there

I got some groceries, some peanut butter,
To last a couple of days
But I ain't got no speakers, ain't got no headphones,
Ain't got no records to play

Why stay in college? Why go to night school?
Gonna be different this time
Can't write a letter, can't send no postcard,
I ain't got time for that now

Trouble in transit, got through the roadblock,
We blended in with the crowd
We got computers, we're tapping phone lines,
I know that that ain't allowed

We dress like students, we dress like housewives,
Or in a suit and a tie
I changed my hairstyle, so many times now,
I don't know what I look like!

You make me shiver, I feel so tender,
We make a pretty good team
Don't get exhausted, I'll do some driving,
You ought to get you some sleep

Burned all my notebooks, what good are notebooks?
They won't help me survive
My chest is aching, burns like a furnace,
The burning keeps me alive

8. Making Flippy Floppy (35:31)

Nothing can come between us
Nothin gets you down
Nothing strikes your fancy
Nothing turns you on
Somebody is waiting in the hallway
Somebody is falling down the stairs
Set someone free, break someone's heart
Stand up help us out

Ev'rything is divided
Nothing is complete
Ev'rything looks impressive
Do not be deceived
You don't have to wait for more instructions
No one makes a monkey out of me
We lie on our backs, feet in the air
Rest and relaxation, rocket to my brain

Snap into position
Bounce till you ache
Step out of line
And you end up in jail
Bring me a doctor
I have a hole in my head
But they are just people
And I'm not afraid
Doctor Doctor
We have nothing in our pockets
We continue
But we have nothing left to offer
Faces pressed against the window
Hey! they are just my friends
Check this out don't be slick
Break our backs it goes like this . . .

We are born without eyesight
We are born without sin
And our mama protects us
From the cold and the rain
We're in no hurry
sugar and spice
We sing in the darkness
We poen our eyes (open up)

I can't believe it
And people are strange
Our president's crazy
Did you hear what he said
Business and pleasure
Lie right to your face
Divide it in sections
And then give it away

There are no big secrets
Don't believe what you read
We have great big bodies
We got great big heads
Run-a-run-a-run it all together
Check it out - still don't make no sense
Makin' flippy floppy
Tryin to do my best
Lock the door
We kill the beast
Kill it!

9. Swamp (40:42)

Now lemme tell you a story
The devil he has a plan
A bag a' bones in his pocket
Got anything you want
No dust and no rocks
The whole thing is over
All these beauties in solid motion
All those beauties, gonna swallow you up

Hi hi hi hi hi,
One time too many
Too far to go
I- We come to take you home

And when they split those atoms
It's hotter than the sun
Blood is a special substance
They gonna pray for that man

So wake up young lovers
The whole thing is over
Watch but touch monkeys
All that blood, gonna swallow you whole

Hi hi hi hi hi
What's that? Who's driving?
Where we goin'? Who knows?
I- We come to take you home

How many people do you think I am
Pretend I am somebody else
You can pretend I'm and old millionaire
A millionaire washing his hands
Rattle the bones, dreams that stick out
A medical chart on the wall
Soft violence and hands touch your throat
Ev'ryone wants to explode

And when your hands get dirty
Nobody knows you at all
Don't have a window to slip out of
Lights on, nobody home

Click click- see ya later
Beta beta- no time to rest
Pika pika- risky business
All that blood, will never cover that mess.

Hi hi hi hi hi
So soft hard feelings
What's that, who's driving
No tricks lets go
I- We come to take you home
I- We come to take you home
Hi hi hi hi hi
etc.

10. What A Day That Was (45:13)

Oh well, I'm dressed up so nice
And I'm doing my best
And I'm starting over
I'm starting over in another place

Lemme tell you a story
A big chief with a golden crown
He's got rings on his fingers
And then he walks up, up to the throne

He's making shapes with his hands
And don't you dare sit back
And don't you dare sit down
And don't you dare speak up

And on the first day we had everything we could stand
Who could've asked for more?
And on a second day there was nothing else left to do
Oh what a day that was

Well there are fifty thousand beggars
Roaming in the streets
And they have lost all their possessions
And they have nothing left to eat

Down come a bolt of lightning
Start an electrical storm
And starts a chain reaction
"Go pull a fire alarm", I said that

I'm dreaming of a city
It was my own invention
I put the wheels in motion
A time for big decisions

And on the first day we had everything we could stand
Oh and then we let it fall
And on a second day there was nothing else left at all
Oh what a day that was

What a day that was
And that's the way it goes
There's a million ways to get things done
There's a million ways to make things work out

Oh well, I'm going right through
And the light came down
And they're rounding them up
From all over town

They're moving forward and backwards
Moving backwards and front
And they're enjoying themselves
Moving in every direction

And if you feel like you're in a whirlpool
You feel like going home
You feel like talking to someone
Who know the difference between right and wrong

And on the first day we had everything we could stand
Oh and then we let it fall
And on a second day there was nothing else left at all
Oh what a day that was

We're going boom, boom, boom and that's the way we live
And in a great big room and that's the way we live
We're going boom, boom, boom and that's the way we live
And in a great big room and that's the way we live
We're going boom, boom, boom and that's the way we live
And in a great big room and that's the way we live

11. This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) (51:46)

Home is where I want to be
Pick me up and turn me around
I feel numb, burn with a weak heart
Guess I must be having fun

The less we say about it the better
Make it up as we go along
Feet on the ground, head in the sky
It's okay, I know nothing's wrong, nothing

I got plenty of time
You got light in your eyes
And you're standing here beside me
I love the passing of time
Never for money, always for love
Cover up and say goodnight, say goodnight

Home, is where I want to be
But I guess I'm already there
I come home, she lifted up her wings
I guess that this must be the place

I can't tell one from the other
I find you, or you find me?
There was a time before we were born
If someone asks, this is where I'll be, where I'll be

We drift in and out
Sing into my mouth
Out of all those kinds of people
You got a face with a view

I'm just an animal looking for a home
And share the same space for a minute or two
And you love me till my heart stops
Love me till I'm dead

Eyes that light up
Eyes look through you
Cover up the blank spots
Hit me on the head

12. Once In A Lifetime (57:17)

And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
And you may ask yourself
Well...How did I get here?

Letting the days go by
Let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by
Water flowing underground
Into the blue again
After the money's gone
Once in a lifetime
Water flowing underground

And you may ask yourself
How do I work this?
And you may ask yourself
Where is that large automobile?
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful house
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful wife

Letting the days go by
Let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by
Water flowing underground
Into the blue again
After the money's gone
Once in a lifetime
Water flowing underground

Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...

Water dissolving...and water removing
There is water at the bottom of the ocean
Under the water, carry the water at the bottom of the ocean
Remove the water at the bottom of the ocean

Letting the days go by
Let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by
Water flowing underground
Into the blue again
Into the silent water
Under the rocks and stones
There is water underground

Letting the days go by
Let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by
Water flowing underground
Into the blue again
After the money's gone
Once in a lifetime
Water flowing underground

And you may ask yourself
What is that beautiful house?
And you may ask yourself
Where does that highway go to?
And you may ask yourself
Am I right?...Am I wrong?
And you may say to yourself
My God!...What have I done?!

Letting the days go by
Let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by
Water flowing underground
Into the blue again
Into the silent water
Under the rocks and stones
There is water underground

Letting the days go by
Let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by
Water flowing underground
Into the blue again
After the money's gone
Once in a lifetime
Water flowing underground

Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Look where my hand was
Time isn't holding up
Time is an asterisk
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Yeah, the twister comes
Here comes the twister
Same as it ever was...

13. Genius Of Love (1:10:53)

What you gonna do when you get out of jail?
I'm gonna have some fun
What do you consider fun?
Fun, natural fun

I'm in heaven
With my boyfriend, my laughing boyfriend
there's no beginning and there is no end
Time isn't present in that dimension
Hell take my arm
When were walkin', rolling and rocking
Its one time I'm glad I'm not a man
Feels like I'm dreaming, but I'm not sleeping

I'm in heaven
With the maven of funk mutation
Clintons musicians such as Bootsy Collins
Raise expectations to a new intention
No one can sing
Quite like Smokey, Smokey Robinson
Wailin' and shakin' to Bob Marley
Reggaes expanding with Sly and Robbie

All the weekend
Boyfriend was missing
I surely miss him
The way he'd hold me in his warm arms
We went insane when we took cocaine.

Stepping in a rhythm to a Kurtis Blow
Who needs to think when your feet just go
With a hiditihi and a hipitiho
Who needs to think when your feet just go
Who needs to think when your feet just go
James Brown, James Brown
James Brown, James Brown

If you see him
Please remind him, unhappy boyfriend
Well he's the genius of love
he's got a greater depth of feeling
Well he's the genius of love
he's so deep.

14. Girlfriend Is Better (1:15:36)

I . . . Who took the money?
Who took the money away?
I . . . It's always showtime
Here at the edge of the stage
I, I, I, wake up and wonder
What was the place, what was the name?
We wanna wait, but here we go again...

I . . . takes over slowly
But doesn't last very long
I . . . no need to worry
Evr'ything's under control
O - U - T But no hard feelings
What do you know? Take you away
We're being taken for a ride again
I got a girlfriend that's better than that
She has the smoke in her eyes
She's moving up, going right through my house
She's ginna give me surprise
Better than this, know that It's right
I think you can if you like
I git a girlfriend with bows in her hair
And nothing is better than that

Down, down in the basement
We hear the sound of machines
I, I, I'm driving in circles
Come to my senses sometimes
Why, why, why, why start it over?
Nothing was lost, everthing's free
I don't care how impossible it seems

Somebody calls you but you cannot hear
Get closer to be far away
Only one look and that's all that we need
Maybe that's all that it takes
All that it takes, all that it takes
All that it takes, all that it takes
I got a girlfriend that's betther than that
And she goes wherever she likes. (there she goes...)

I got a girlfriend that's better than that
Now everyone's getting involved
She's moving up going right through my heart
We might not ever get caught
Going right through (try to stay cool) going through, staying cool
I got a girlfriend that's better than that
And nothing is better than you

I got a girlfriend thats better that this
And you don't remember at all
As we get older and stop making sense
You won't find her waiting long
Stop making sense, stop making sense...stop making sense, making sense
I got a girlfriend that's better than that
And nothing is better that this
( is it? )

15. Take Me To The River (1:20:46)

I don't know why I love her like I do
All the changes you put me through
Take my money, my cigarettes
I haven't seen the worst of it yet
I wanna 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
Washing me down, washing me down

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 wanna 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
Till I can't, till I can't, till 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 wanna 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.

16. Crosseyed And Painless (1:28:52)

Lost my shape - Trying to act casual!
Can't stop-I might end up in the hospital
I'm changing my shape-I feel like an accident
They're back!-To explain their experience

Isn't it weird/Looks too obscure to me
Wasting away/And that was their policy

I'm ready to leave-I push the fact in front of me
Facts lost-Facts are never what they seem to be
Nothing there!-No information left of any kind
Lifting my head-Looking for danger signs

There was a line/There was a formula
Sharp as a knife/Facts cut a hole in us
There was a line/There was a forula
Sharp as a knife/Facts cut a hole in us

I'm still waiting...I'm still waiting...I'm still waiting...
I'm still waiting...I'm still waiting...I'm still waiting...
I'm still waiting...I'm still waiting...
The feeling returns/Whenever we close out eyes
Lifting my head/looking around inside

The island of doubt-It's like the taste of medicine
Working by hindsight-Got the message from the oxygen
Making a list-Find the cost of opportunity
Doing it right-Facts are useless in emergencies

The feeling returns/Whenever we close out eyes
Lifting my head/Looking around inside.

Facts are simple and facts are straight
Facts are lazy and facts are late
Facts all come with points of view
Facts don't do what I want them to
Facts just twist the truth around
Facts are living turned inside out
Facts are getting the best of them
Facts are nothing on the face of things
Facts don't stain the furniture
Facts go out and slam the door
Facts are written all over your face
Facts continue to change their shape

I'm still waiting...I'm still waiting...I'm still waiting...
I'm still waiting...I'm still waiting...I'm still waiting...
I'm still waiting...I'm still waiting...

Bonus Tracks

17. Cities

Think of London, small city
Dark, dark in the daytime
People sleep, sleep in the daytime
If they want to, if they want to

I'm checking them out, I'm checking them out
I got it figured out, I got it figured out
Good points some bad points
But it all works out, I'm a little freaked out
Find a city, find myself a city to live in
I will find a city, find myself a city to live in

Lot of rich people in Birmingham
Lot of ghosts in a lot of houses
Look over there! Dry ice factory
Good place to get some thinking done

I'm checking them out, I'm checking them out
I got it figured out, I got it figured out
Good points some bad points
But it all works out, I'm a little freaked out
Find a city, find myself a city to live in
I will find a city, find myself a city to live in

I'm checking them out, I'm checking them out
I got it figured out, I got it figured out
Good points some bad points
But it all works out, sometimes I'm a little freaked out
Find a city, find myself a city to live in
I will find a city, find myself a city to live in

I forget to mention, forget to mention Memphis
Home of Elvis and the ancient Greeks
Do I smell? I smell home cooking
It's only the river, it's only the river

I'm checking them out, I'm checking them out
I got it figured out, I got it figured out
Good points some bad points
But it all works out, I'm a little freaked out
Find a city, find myself a city to live in
I will find a city, find myself a city to live in

Find a city, find myself a city to live in
I will find a city, find myself a city to live in

18. Big Business / I Zimbra

Think you've had enough

Stop talking, help us get ready
And you think you've had enough
Big business after the shakeup

Think you've had enough
Stop talking, help us get ready
And you think you've had enough
Big business after the shakeup

Get ready, get ready
Stop talking, help us get ready, stop

Gadji beri bimba clandridi
Lauli lonni cadori gadjam
A bim beri glassala glandride
E glassala tuffm i zimbra
Bim blassa galassasa zimbrabim
Blassa glallassasa zimbrabim
A bim beri glassala grandrid
E glassala tuffm i zimbra
Gadji beri bimba glandridi
Lauli lonni cadora gadjam
A bim beri glassasa glandrid
E glassala tuffm i zimbra

CREDITS

MUSICIANS

Bernie Worrell - Keyboards
Alex Weir - Guitar and Vocals
Steven Scales - Percussion
Lynn Mabry - Backing Vocals
Ednah Holt - Backing Vocals
Tina Weymouth - Bass, Percussion and Vocals
Jerry Harrison - Guitar, Keyboards and Vocals
Chris Frantz - Drums and Vocals
David Byrne - Vocals and Guitar

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Jonathan Demme - Director
Gary Goetzman - Producer
Gary Kurfirst - Producer / Executive Producer
Jordan S. Cronenweth - Cinematographer
David Byrne - Composer (Music Score)
Chris Frantz - Composer (Music Score)
Jerry Harrison - Composer (Music Score)
Tina Weymouth - Composer (Music Score)
Lisa Day - Editor
Jeffrey Beecroft - Production Designer
Steve Maslow - Sound/Sound Designer