Talking Heads remind me of Opera? "Life During Wartime" Vocal and Performance ANALYSIS.
The Patrons do it again, and bring me such a weird, intriguing and heavy song to analyze. I've never heard of Talking Heads before, and I honestly didn't know what to expect having read the lyrics or the initial playthrough of this. It's one of the strangest analyses I think I've ever done.
Join professional opera singer Elizabeth Zharoff, as she listens to Talking Heads for the first time, performing "Life During Wartime”.
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Written and Performed by Talking Heads
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I definitely recommend watching the original video without interruptions. Here's the link: • Video
Show Talking Heads some love: / @talkingheads
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Elizabeth Zharoff is an international opera singer and voice coach, with 3 degrees in voice, opera, and music production. She's performed in 18 languages throughout major venues in Europe, America, and Asia. Currently based somewhere between Los Angeles and Tucson, Arizona, Elizabeth spends her days researching voice, singing, teaching, writing music, and recording TONS. She also plays Diablo and Dungeons & Dragons.
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And you might find yourself watching an opera singer analyzing The Talking Heads. And you may ask yourself "An Opera singer analyzing The Talking Heads?" And you may tell yourself "Yes, this is Elizabeth doing analysis of The Talking Heads."
I love this!
@@TheCharismaticVoice Glad you loved it. I didn't know if you recognized where I pulled this from. A Talking heads song "Once in a Lifetime" and put my spin on it for your YT channel.
@metalmark1214 Best.Comment.Ever. Stop making sense!
Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...
Can we just take a moment to appreciate Tina holding down the bass line while doing a full aerobics routine? Arguably the best touring band the Talking Heads ever put together.
In a suit!!!
She was the heart of that band, hands down.
Even when they performed as a simple 4-piece, Tina was the island of calm and sanity in the middle of the unhinged chaos exhibited by the men (especially David Byrne). It's 100% NOT the Talking Heads without Tina.
She is such a good bass player. Her playing is so solid.
Her and the whole group! Wow. I've never seen this performance before but I love it.
This entire concert is fucking magical. There's nothing like it and it is such an experience. The Talking Heads are one of the most influential bands of that era. They are absolutely incredible.
I wore out my VHS tape of Stop Making Sense when I was a teenager.
Best watch of magic mushrooms 🍄. Just a few liberty caps 😊
A movie critic for the Deseret News (in Salt Lake) called this "a concert film made the way a concert film should be made." Yep. He was correct. Jonathan Demme did a fantastic job directing this film.
The only concert film I have ever seen to rival it is Peter Gabriel "Secret World"... Also an artist who had a grasp of incredible rock concert stage theatrics. Also saw him live a couple times, the live performance lived up to the film.
@@greg967 Secret world tour is also FKG LEGENDARY it slays me that I missed it - it was ten years after this Stop Making Sense tour/movie.
The supporting band members were a collection of all-star funk players: keyboardist Bernie Worrell of Parliament-Funkadelic, guitarist Alex Weir of the Brothers Johnson, percussionist Steve Scales, and backup singer-dancers Ednah Holt and Lynn Mabry, the latter of P-Funk and Sly and the Family Stone
Watching Elizabeth's brain break while trying to wrap her head around a Talking Heads performance and David Byrne's antics. Priceless.
I actually found it sad and couldn't watch it to the end. :(
@@martharunstheworld I get you. But I have faith that she will ultimately understand that the absurdities and non-sequiturs and earnest energy are part of the art and subtle message of David's songs. One day when Elizabeth comes to appreciate the romantic angst of "This Must Be the Place", her transformation will be complete. 🙂
David Byrne was a genius and honestly I feel like Cillian Murphy is a clone
I think to do a proper analysis of Byrne you first need to stop making sense.
Once you understand he is autistic, it becomes easier to understand his brand of art.
Most reactors with this song: “What a fun, energetic performance!” Elizabeth: existential crisis
The lyrical content is strange and ambiguous and we’re not (or I’m not, anyway) sure who this person is. A revolutionary? A conspiracy theorist that has joined a clandestine movement? They’re on the run, but instead of being scared they’re exhilarated to be undercover while normal life goes on around them. They use normal life as camouflage for their subversive activity or subversive thinking. They’re so deep cover that they’ve lost their identity. The contrast between the lyrics and the uptempo music is itself subversive and frenetic. The lyrical delivery is frenetic. We never hear anything about the conspiracy or any ideology because the subject is in constant movement and has moved beyond such concerns. By the end of the song, I’m not sure what is real and what is delusional.
@@MarcosElMalo2t from his and the band point of view of a post civil war where they are on the run hiding for the authoritarian victors.. CBGBs and the Mudd Club are the clubs they got their start in
@@MarcosElMalo2that's a good synopsis. Thank you for that
We didn’t really have conspiracy theorists back then. At least not in any way resembling what we have now.
It was uncomfortable watching her be so uncomfortable.
Astounding, isn't it, that this was released 40 years ago, and the genius of the Talking Heads is just as powerful today.
The band was not THE Talking Heads, it was Talking Heads. ;)
Welcome to the 80's. Welcome to my childhood. I love Taking Heads. Thanks.
“The better the singer's voice is, the harder it is to believe what they're saying. So I turn my weaknesses into an advantage.” - David Byrne
When I was 9 my dad brought home the Stop Making Sense VHS and so much about that afternoon has shaped me. This quote has been kicking in my head for 25 years, reminding me always that there's no sense in trying to be someone I'm not for so many reasons.
@@NM5RFI got to see the rerelease this fall and it was amazing to finally see it on the big screen.
His voice is lovely on City of Dreams
she may not realize the lock jaw could have some other causes too
@@FroggyTWrite does this mean what I think it means? 😅
You just have to watch the entire concert from start to finish. They literally build the stage up around David Byrne, increasing each musical element by adding the drummer, guitars etc. Simply mesmerising performance, especially his awkward yet cool moves. Just wait until you see him dancing in his oversized white suit. Simple yet brilliant.
I am 51 years old. First saw this movie in high school. Have watched it every couple of years since. Saw it in IMAX and cried. It never gets old. Watching this in its entirety is a must
Listening party community on line request
It is probably the smartest live performance to this day just on execution alone.
YES! YES! YES!
It’s no bold take to say this is a Top 5 music film (and maybe a Top 10 recorded performance) all time 🤷🏻♂️
it cannot be said enough how much of a masterpiece Stop Making Sense truly is. Johnathon Demme perfectly captured this set on camera with his obsession with the lighting and making it match both David and the band's dynamic and their subtle nuances to convey David's lyrical intention throughout the performance. I think What a Day that Was or This Must Be The place best captures what i'm trying to point out. The lighting Demme used through those songs is captivating and brilliantly frames the band as they absolutely belt out those bangers . Byrne is an all time artist in all aspects. I also love how often you point out the funk every time the synth comes in, that's Bernie Worrell on keys, one of the founding funk masters of Parliment-Funkadelic and one of the greatest to ever touch the synth
'Whoh! This is really different.' No truer words are spoken about The Talking Heads. One of the most unique and creatively genius bands ever. A sound all their own and punch in the gut messages hidden behind high energy music.
At least a dozen times (perhaps even two!) during Elizabeth’s reaction, I found myself thinking “Yep, that’s the Talking Heads in a nutshell!” 😂😂
I remember this time period in the record companies not being able to figure out what genre they were
Your reaction to how odd this is, is exactly the reaction that made us weird/nerd/new wave kids love them. They didn't do what people expected or understood. Not that we did either! But we identified with it for the outsideness of it.
Exactly!
This right here. It's weird to hear people analyze it (especially four decades later). Like we just gravitated to the weirdness, loved it, felt it in our souls. I never spent much time thinking about the lyrics more than at a surface level. TH were next level... I could watch the full movie every day and never be sad!
@@EricaGamet I've seen it referred to as the greatest concert video of all time -- and that means beating Martin MF'ing Scorcese!
And she was trying to analyze And she could hear the vocals plainly And she could see the dance moves changing She's making sure she is not dreaming And she was
I can hear the melody in this comment!!
THAT made me laugh!
I imagine reacting to this made her stay up late too.
😂😂😂😂 Thank you for this! I hope Elizabeth will listen to more Talking Heads - enough to realize it’s not all dystopian 💐
Lol awesome
So I'm about 30 seconds in, and I had to pause just to say...this is one of the few times that I'm glad you chose the live version. This performance is EPIC.
It's not just a concert... it's theatre... and a work of art. Love this film.
David Byrne is a visual artist who got into a band, and helped blow up music during that time. They were about far more than the music, it was about stringing out their messages across every possible input we have. They are absolutely beloved.
This is from the movie “Stop Making Sense” directed by Jonathan Demme. It’s a concert, but it’s a movie. The first song is just one person. The second song is two people, third song is three people, etc. This is the full band in this song. It’s amazing. I’ve watched this movie over 100 times. It’s amazing. It will change your life. You definitely need to watch the whole thing. “Slippery People” is another great one from this concert. They run and jump through the whole concert. This was not the last song, it was the first or second with the full band. Pretty much middle of the concert. He sounds the same through the whole concert, they all do, so they must have amazing conditioning.
Also -- Stop Making Sense was fully remastered this year by A24! The new version looks *amazing*. Definitely worth seeing, especially on a big screen.
Time to rewatch SMS! Infectious dancing - hard to imagine standing still in the crowd. When you gotta move you gotta move!
Came here to say essentially the same thing. Absolutely worth watching from beginning to end. There's a reason (well, multiple reasons) SMS is considered one of the best, if not *the* best, concert movies of all time.
@@russelltripp My sister took me to a showing of the remastered version for my birthday. Very fun!
'Stop Making Snese' is also a master class in making a concert movie. Demme was a very conceptual director (Silence of the Lambs among many others) and Byrne is the same for a singer/composer (one of the most articulate and clear-headed artists I know, his interviews are sooo worth). Together they design and make one of the most interesting music films ever. Regarding the songs, they should be considered as a part of a performance, they don't simply exist by themselves. The expression in painting would be 'field of contrasts' where dark and light, different juxtaposed colours create a visual tension. The whole concert/film is about that, contrasts and tension that resolve into not just emotion, or a state of mind, but also a narrative, a statement. And yes, it's the early 80s, when it appeared as if everybody was communing at the altar of the rat race and step on corpses to get that corner office and spend money, and more, more money. That is one part of 'Stop Making Sense'. The other part is in the title. I'd call this refined, distilled post-punk.
I love that you're not afraid to admit when you don't like a song. It adds so much authenticity to your reactions. I also love how you're able to appreciate the artistry of music that isn't your cup of tea.
OMGoodness is this the first time you've seen Talking Heads!?!?!? This is universally one of the greatest concert performances of all time. Quirky, wacky, eccentric can all be words associated with this performance and it's just one song of many. You need to watch the whole concert - it's non stop like this all the way through. No wonder it blew your mind! 😍
I lived in Haiti from 1984 to 1986. I was there when Jean Claud Duvalier was overthrown. I was not there in any kind of military capacity. I was just a 20 year old who found himself in the middle of something he was not prepared for. This song really helped get me through it. Turning it up and being able to belt out the words, "This ain't no party! This ain't no disco!" was the perfect catharsis. 40 years later, if this song comes on the radio, volume goes to 11 and I end up horse.
So what were you doing there as a 20 year old? That sounds like there's an interesting story there.
I was there in 1987. It was an insane place to be….scarier than Liberia in 1990, or Sierra Leone
There's a book that captures some of what you're describing (though at a different time), and it even starts off with a young New Yorker who is there fronting a band as he gets somewhat caught up in the politics and violence. "Immaculate Invasion," by Bob Shacochis, a journalist who embeds himself with an American military unit that is sent there in '93, I think.
@@spinyfish7242 Explain more?
Who else is ready for a 5 hour analysis of the entire concert?
This whole concert is so amazing! Always worth a watch/listen.
The dream
ME ME ME!!!
The single greatest integration of film, theater and music. It captures the soul of this performance. Was lucky enough to see it live in the day. Recently saw the film (it’s got a new print) in a packed movie house, full of dancing and singing along. This film is the ultimate concert movie.
Your analysis is spot on. Unhinged is another word for avant garde. The music is so solid that it allows for some serious exploration. No, it’s not intended to be pretty. Like you said, it is performance, theater. A couple of things to note: First, the live performance is very faithful to the studio version and, second, David Byrne is on the autism spectrum. There is nothing in the world like Talking Heads.
As someone who's been in a war (90s Bosnia), this is very accurate. Shelling and gunfire make you appreciate and live life to the fullest. No quiet moments, either explosions or parties. Some of my happiest memories are from the war, along with some of the saddest.
Elizabeth: Looks like they're about to start running. Me: Hahaha...you have no idea. 😂
Elizabeth, your comment about how "people get used to being in wartime...nonchalance....a horrible thing to get used to" is absolutely bang on. This was the height of the Cold War, with young people questioning whether or not they'd reach 30 and also whether or not they really wanted to if they could. David Byrne really tapped into the weird mix of ennui/angst/anger/apathy that dominated youth culture in the West at that time.
@landofsuchbeauty , bingo. I still remember when the Berlin Wall fell..my old Punk/New Wave community were all on the phone with each other. Most of our conversations were, '..oh F!! We're gonna live! WTF do we do now?!?' I don't think any of us had even thought about life insurance or retirement planning before that happened. 😅
Also tapping heavily into the Theatre of the Absurd movement
This was performance art at its best! The lyrics really had nothing to do with the performance. Watch the whole concert movie "Stop Making Sense" as it is my favorite. Great songs, great rhythms, great visuals. Just enjoy. It is made strictly to entertain. You are overanylyzing! Stop trying to make sense of it! Lighten up. Appreciate the visuals!
Yes. But this was DB thinking about what it would be like to be the "other" side.
Just my two cents. I also think that many children grew up in their own war zones so the underlying emotions resonated.
I have been a huge Talking Heads fan since the early 80s. It was amazing to see someone with your expertise not only see this for the first time, but also do an insightful breakdown - especially after all of these years. My son is a massive Tool fan, so also intriguing that you did a comparison at the end.
Degreed musician here. Watched the entire show about 25 years ago and it completely changed my view on the possibilities of what live performance can be. Still love it.
oh, look. one of the greatest songs ever written by one of the greatest musical geniuses of our lifetime, in the best live concert ever shot (by another genius, Demme), performed by the best musicians of their time. utterly, devastatingly, brilliant
Bravo!
Exactamente!!!
YES!!!
It’s true
This whole concert is a blast. They actually put the stage together during the first few songs
Which David sing accompanied only by a boom box
Fingers crossed for more Talking Heads. I would freaking LOVE to see the full concert! Definitely would become patron just to watch it!
I saw this tour live and have been listening to the song for decades. This reaction has helped me understand it on a deeper level. Thanks.
This is my absolute favorite of all your reactions. We're confronting trauma in a new way in the history of music. No one else achieved this dizzying height of madness so that the traumatized might have a chance of bring understood. Funny enough I saw this concert film for the first time in Belfast, Northern Ireland. There had been a series of car bombs in the city a few days earlier. No wonder we got this. The audience was so excited, not knowing exactly why. We suspected that Talking Heads were an entertainment band, Then suddently, we saw that they are artists. It was as if Byrne had read our stories and said "Too many people think that life is about the next club night, DJ, drug, cool person, Andy Warhol, nihilist, when actual people are dying at every moment. For those of us who got searched by the British army on the way to the show, this song brought all of the history of violence into a single moment. The army were searching us for bomb devices and guns. We're trying to go to a rock and roll concert. I remember weeping at that moment nd not knowing why. Then I heard it loud and clear: ""He gets it. They get it. Finally somebody gets us." They are here to protect us from the madness of war. We want to sing and and dance to rock n' roll but we're stuck in this damned war, whether it's in Gaza, Syrian, Ukraine, Ireland. We want to taste life before we die.
THIS. ❤
Yes, music is a celebration of life! Which we need now more than ever with the madness going on in the world currently. I agree completely!
They were an amazing band, and this is an amazing song. And it's amazing what you lived through and how easily it was tolerated by the world at large. I think this song is very metaphoric as to the oppression and rigor of life in general, and the societal need to keep our problems to ourselves, for those hard-pressed by it, as well as specific to the experiences of war and subterfuge against oppression. It works on multiple levels, and I'm glad it had the power to make your experience feel validated and relatable.
This observation Now more than then; horrifying! Art reflecting reality.
I read it more like ABBA doing one of their uptempo breakup songs.
PLEASE Elizabeth NEEDS to see "girlfriend is better" from the same 1983 "stop making sense" concert. That performance is a MASTERPIECE and the funk on that track is brain melting! XD
That song is my favorite of theirs. I agree performance is awesome
100% cosign
This must be the place for actual vocal performance
One of the really good days of my life back in college was sitting in a theater watching this movie four times in a row. I believe I would do it again now, nearly forty years later.
Oh yes.
You have such a gorgeous sensitive personality. Many of us are numb but you slow everything down and help us taste every morsel.
As always, a super entertaining video and analysis. It's very cool to share your experience of hearing so many bands and songs for the first time! It would be SO cool if you could interview some of the band members/singers from your vids. Cheers.
When you are going through some horrible things in life, there are few things as frustrating as someone telling you it's going to be ok when you known it isn't. That's why songs like this are important, because it digs up that part of the human spirit that still feels joy. That's why I love songs that are about troubling subject matter that also make me want to dance. Dance in the storm. It pisses off the storm
I also think that when you have a song with really heavy lyrics, if you set those lyrics to music that is in itself very heavy, it comes across as "too much" and people may turn their heads away from the message (figuratively speaking). Sometimes that works, of course... but sometimes that dichotomy between words and music is what really gets people to "hear" the intent behind the words.
Talking Heads and DEVO had a knack for upbeat dystopia
That is an excellent description of them.
We are not men....
Great comparison.
I've had the chance to see both of them live.
That is so true! And I love them both. Hrmm, wonder what that says about me, lol!
I've been a Talking Heads fan for such a long time, and I've watched this performance many many times - I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on it, very interesting!
One of the best Talking Heads albums and concerts. The energy is amazing.
This was quite a spectacle.
26:50 "Whoa. Maybe that was the last song. That would be good, that would be a good choice" Only halfway through the concert. The energy IS amazing.
Stop making sense is a concert movie which is 40yrs old and is legendary ! The whole band got together recently on a talk show ( after acrimoniously splitting up many moons ago ) to promote the anniversary , one of my fav bands in the 80s
@@TheCharismaticVoice I think you would fall in love with the band if you watch, "Stop Making Sense." The film captured so much of what made Talking Heads unique & incredible, but it especially showcases their musicality, which got somewhat forgotten in all of the, "Art Rock," post-Punk hype. P.S. If you found this bizarre & theatrical, wait until you hear Screamin' Jay Hawkins. 😆
@@TheCharismaticVoice Listen too "Burning Down The House."
This concert,”Stop Making Sense” is widely considered one of the greatest concert films of all time. Talking Heads were originally visual artists, with three of the four original members forming their band at the Rhode Island School of Design. They paired with Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme (“Silence of the Lambs,” Married to the Mob,” “Swimming to Cambodia,” and “Philadelphia,” the movie that propelled Tom Hanks to his first Academy Award) to design and film this show. Some of the visuals of this concert, like David Byrne’s famous BIG SUIT, became culturally iconic at the time. Talking Heads created some of the most critically acclaimed albums of their time. Tina Weymouth (bass) and her husband Chris Frantz (drums) formed a very successful hip-hop/dance act called The Tom Tom Club while Talking Heads was still going. “Stop Making Sense” wasn’t Talking Heads’ only feature film. Byrne later directed a musical based on the album “True Stories.”
Not sure why nobody told her... you really should watch the movie. The opening four songs alone are transcendent. There really is no other concert film that captures such a fantastic event in such an engaging way.
Not only Jonathan Demme, but the cinematographer for Blade Runner, Jordan Cronenweth as well. Two groundbreaking visionaries in film coming together with a groundbreaking band to make something truly unique
Tom Tom Club made a single, forget the name, that became absolutely huge, and even more huge over time. I have been hearing it on commercials for 30 years or more. It never dies. It must have made Tina and Chris SOOOOO much money by now.
I saw this tour in an outdoor theater during the summer and it was hands down the best show I've ever seen.
Heard an interview with David Byrne quite a few years ago. He was asked how he came up with his quirky lyrics. For some of his songs, he played a game with his radio using the "cut-up" technique pioneered by the Dadaists, and employed by both William S. Burroughs and David Bowie in the 1970s. Byrne would scan across the AM and FM bands. He'd stop at each station for a few seconds and write down what he heard. He accumulated a lot of these audio snippets and integrated them into his songs. He discovered radio preachers were one of the best sources of strange phrases to cut into his lyrics. Also, as he's discussed in interviews over the last few years, he's on the autistic spectrum, which gives him a unique view of the world around him. A very interesting and very creative person, for sure.
Omg yes!!! This is one of the most fun and inventive bands of all time! This entire live concert film is a masterpiece!
Do yourself a favor and see the remastered film in theaters while you can! Playing now : )
@@joshs8685 oh crap not playing in my area
Honestly, I knew Burning Down the House, Once in a Lifetime, Psycho Killer, and Road to Nowhere before and thought they were great songs but never looked into Talking Heads more. Then I randomly came across an article talking about A24 remastering Stop Making Sense and how it's regarded as one of the best concert films of all time, and decided ah what the hell, I'll watch it. IT IS SO GOOD. I'm now a huge Talking Heads fan, and recently got Remain In Light and Speaking in Tongues original vinyl releases.
This is, hands down, the greatest concert film ever made. This Talking Heads, the most creative band of their era, at the top of their game and delivering a killer show.
22:30 When you said this might be a song about someone trying to figure out how to deal with living through war, I got goosebumps. I think you nailed it.
Love the talking heads. Thanks for sharing- brought back teen college years. I want my MTV.
Never expect mainstream music or lyrics from this awesome band, they were one of a kind.
Oh dear lord. David Byrne is one of a kind. Hard to believe you missed these guys. This concert film was genius
I'm a huge Talking Heads fan... I really appreciate your reaction... It took me so long to understand the vocal nuances in this song but you summed it up perfectly here... Thank you...
Your reaction was captivating to watch. Thank you.
Man, I can't even imagine being a vocalist trying to "analyze" the Talking Heads... LOL Growing up listening to them, they've always been the "weird group that we all love..." The first song I ever heard from them was Psycho Killer... which was weird... and when MTV came out, "Once in a Lifetime" was on all the time (and that video was weirder)... LOL As someone mentioned above, they were performance artists turned musicians, I think.. David Byrne is a genius, in my opinion... yeah, you should definitely watch this concert in it's entirety!!! He might not be the best singer, but their concerts are epic!!!
I mean most vocalists can’t sing it’s weird to even pretend it matters.
Byrne is a genius but he's not the only one in the band! Let's not forget that he stole songwriting credit from his bandmates during most of their existence.
@@annaphallactic they all did OK in the end. I'm glad his oddness brought Tina's bass into our musical history.
i remember burning down the house video , it was played all the time mid 80s
Absolutely love Talking Heads. Nobody else like them. This concert amazing from start to finish. "Psycho Killer".... And their version of "Take Me To The River" from this concert is one of my all time favorite covers.
I actually prefer their studio version of _Take Me To The River,_ but the one from this concert is pretty cool. Definitely one of the best covers EVER.
I love their concert film "Stop Making Sense" - saw it in the theater, epic! Bought it on VHS tape...
I was fortunate to be introduced to them in the mid-80s as a teen. Maybe about half a dozen in my school year liked them. But I was the only one who liked Joy Division lol.
@@lumpyfishgravy Same for me. Extremely occupied with music during the 80's and 90's, and mostly alternative. I have to admit I was a New Order fan before going back and checking out Joy Division though. Lucky enough to have friends and classmates sharing my tastes 😊.
@@ernesthakey3396 In maybe 1986ish, there was a second-run theater in Denver that played this movie constantly. People would dance int the aisles. It was great.
OMG! It was sooo much fun watching Elizabeth’s astonishment at this song and her take on everything from performance to meaning. This song first appeared on the album Fear of Music so yeah, this and all the others songs on that album are pretty paranoid. Her expressions of amazement made me happy and make me want to see more of her content. So honest! Too Cool!
The entire video (Stop Making Sense) is incredible! 🔥
Bless her heart, wouldn't it be interesting to watch her critique this entire concert video
Can we please take her to Cruel World ?! Her Musical soul might explode. :)
W the remaster blueray coming out that would be so great.
"Oh look. He's bringing out a boom box! I wonder what this is all about?"
No, not really, I couldn't make it through this.
@@sirslice7531 Hi. I have a tape I want to play.
One of the greatest live performances ever honestly. The music, the accuracy to the studio recording, the theatrics of the band. It's just great.
I think it's been heavily overdubbed in the studio.
@@Publius_Enigma they're just incredibly talented, and david byrne is a psycho about getting the right sound in any given space.
Sorry I missed this one. Brilliant analysis as always Elizabeth. Hard to believe this film is 40 years old now. It was way ahead of is time then and in some ways the world is still catching up. As well as the unique vision and choreography, props must go to wunderkind film-maker the late Jonathan Demme for arguably the most innovative rock concert footage ever (he can be glimpsed on stage with the handheld camera at one point). Wow, you really touched all bases with your analysis - vocals and lyrics, instrumentation, presentation, aerobics, you name it, you've got it covered. Outstanding reaction. Please do more of this amazing concert.
Talking Heads live performances are so true to their recordings. I love them!
_Stop Making Sense_ continues to be one of the best concert films ever made! If you haven't watched the whole show, I highly recommend it. The concert starts with _just_ David Byrne on stage and brings in the band piece-by-piece over the course of several songs. It's a great way to _see and hear_ what each member and instrument brings to the mix. Watching this number again has literally put tears in my eyes. I've loved this band since its heyday. (I was nine when this film came out.) Imagine how proud I am that they are one of my 19-year-old's favorite bands, too! As for aerobics _while_ singing, anyone who has done show choir, musical theater, etc. knows what kind of conditioning it can build...out of sheer necessity.
You absolutely must watch that full concert! That concert tour was probably Talking Heads at their zenith. It's well worth the time spent.
Highly recommend the full concert!!
The movie concert is 40yrs old , the band reunited 2 months ago on a talk show to promote it after acrimoniously splitting up many moons ago . Legends
It did a brief run in the theaters last year, and is going to be back in the theater the week of January 27th some places. Go see it if you can!
Yes, it’s so great in a theater. I’d seen it hundreds of times on dvd and I watched it in a theater this summer and it’s such a different experience
Such a influential band . Always loved the way they work together , & David what a force of a lead !
The music produces that chaotic and heart pounding/ heart racing beat that suits the lyrics of the song
This whole concert is a once in a lifetime experience 😉
Absolutely. A must see.
Ba doo doo-doo Ba doo doo-doo
I've seen this concert 100 times and enjoy it every time. I saw it at IMAX a few months back to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this concert. You really need to watch it from the beginning that literally starts with an empty stage and continues to build with musicians as they perform each song. Lot's of fun.
I saw it on the anniversary as well. The single GREATEST live concert movie.... ever.
I also saw it in IMAX last year, first time seeing it in the cinemas since the initial run in the 80's when I watched it over and over again (was an usher at a cinema that played it for the best part of a year). I know it backwards and forwards, but it was still incredible to see and hear it in a new way. Was overcome with emotion, from the expression of the film itself to reconnecting with my 19 year old self watching it on the big screen. Very cathartic and amazing experience.
@@chupap1 Did you work at the Skyway Theatre?
@@todradmaker4297 Nope. I worked at the Harvard Square Theatre in Cambridge MA.
@@chupap1Cool. Let me guess. You probably knew all the lines from Ghostbusters by heart as well. One of the great advantages of being an usher. I was the head usher at the Skyway Theatre in downtown Minneapolis. I remember seeing this obscure coming attractions poster of a torso shot of a man in a white suit and it just said; A film by Jonathan Demme and the Talking Heads STOP MAKING SENSE. I turned to the manager and said that this one was going to be BIG! We sold out every show for several months.
My dad had this whole live concert on dvd and would often watch it. I highly recommend watching the entire live set. To this day this talking heads concert is one of the most interesting ones ive seen. Especially considered the year it was filmed. Great stuff
Love this band, takes me back. Thank you for such a great technical review. Lots of running in that band, it must be mandatory. His moves are the best, and very unique. And his sound is very distinctive. Re watch the start and his behaviour before he starts: he knows this is going to be alot of stress and is psyching himself up for several minutes of work.
I attended the concert, not the film, October 18, 1983. THE best concert I have ever been to. I've seen the film and listened to the album countless times since then, timeless. Very much looking forward to this analysis.
Agreed. One of the 2 best I ever saw. They performed at Miami university just before filming in San Francisco. My ears rang for days but it was absolutely mesmerizing.
Me too
Saw one of their first shows with this lineup at the Heatwave Festival near Toronto in 1980. When they played this song, you could feel the earth move. Other acts included Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, B-52s, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, The Rumour, The Pretenders and local faves The Kings & Teenage Head.
I do not often suggest watching an entire concert, but this is the exception to the rule (by a landslide!). This whole concert/performance is amazing, the way they open the show, build it up (literally) and portrait their songs is simply top-tier. Please do yourself a favor and watch the whole concert, if you also want to do us a pleasure, you can make a video about it hehehe. (you will love the show)
It would be great to get a playlist of reactions to each song from the concert. It might be a little much to try it all in one video, especially given that this reaction is almost 5x as long as the song! :)
@@JamesRedekop in full agreement, yet.. i'd till watch that 7 hour video lol ;)
@@j0hnn13K I mean... I'd watch it, it'd just be easier broken up into bite-sized chunks. :)
@@JamesRedekop true true ;)
We were disappointed to find out some overdubs were used, but its still a fantastic concert film.
Elizabeth Zharoff, great analysis, particularly since you had never heard Talking Heads before; at the end of the analysis I think you really got it; one could describe Talking Heads performance with the title quote of one of their best albums: Stop Making Sense
I’m so glad you did this song! Thank you thank you
Elizabeth: Oh patrons! what did you give me this time? Patrons: ✨Cognitive Dissonance!✨
Exactly! It's so fabulous.
They seem to be seeking out the rock music they're most certain Elizabeth will be incapable of praising. Since she's very polite and doesn't want to offend viewers, and esp. patrons, who love the songs, it's a little mean to put her in these situations in which she has to struggle so hard to find something, anything, in them that she can honestly praise. And yet admittedly it's also fair, in that she didn't listen to rock her whole life and then structured her channel this way, to take it on a song at a time. (Personally I love the Heads, but I was always a rock fan and on board with them from the start.)
You know, I was thinking "cognitive dissonance" the entire time as she's struggling to wrap her head around it all. (Next up: The Smiths - "Girlfriend in a Coma")
@@bartlebyscrivener2980It's probably more interesting as an artist to discover Talking Heads, than to discover X band that sounds like 20 bands which came before it. Wether you like it or not, it's something you never heard before.
@@RedwoodGeorge or “unhappy birthday.”
Argued as the best concert film ever. Elizabeth might be upset to know about "Psycho Killer" and "Burning Down the House".
I might still be traumatized from the video for "Burning down the house." MTV played the hell out of it.
I'm not sure anyone has or ever will figure out the Talking Heads, but we love them. They were the soundtrack to the best personal times of my life. And I don't want to figure them out. It seems like there's a chance they might not still feel like a cherished secret.
YES! First music reaction person I've EVER seen where you noticed the lyrics too! The lyrics are off the hook on this track, like a novel.
Elizabeth, David Byrne is a musical genius. He breaks away from convention. He is unique. Check out his stage show, “American Utopia”, where the instruments are strapped to the band (unplugged), and everyone is performing complex dance choreography while they play! I think you’ll find it captivating and entertaining, and often very funny. Btw - David is now 71 years old and still performing. Loving your reactions. Keep them coming. Thank you.
I second this recommendation! AmericN Utopia is amazing!!
@@lazuli93 Third it. In the same way but completely the opposite that this performance makes you uncomfortable, American Utopia will wrap you in a warm blanket of fuzzy and you'll really "get" what David's all about.
Elizabeth, that was absolutely fascinating and entertaining to watch you trying to wrap your brain around David Byrne and the Talking Heads for the first time. I've been a fan since their early days. I think most of us diehard T-Heads fans will agree that David is not the greatest singer, but yet he's made a career of it. And in certain ways with it, he's really really good. It's hard to explain but once you start to get the concept and the history of the Talking Heads, something just seems to click, and it works with his artistic tendencies, his scathing sarcasm, his whimsical sense of humor, and his eccentricity. And even with that really tight voice, he can also managed to create some things that are just absolutely beautiful and haunting at the same time. Check out "Heaven" from this same Stop Making Sense concert movie. In fact you could probably enjoy the whole thing. I saw this movie three times in theaters and every time a lot of us were in the aisles or down at front dancing throughout most of the show. And they turned the volume up really really loud, which I loved. With them, it's always going to be thought-provoking, it's always going to be a bit eccentric, and it's always going to be fun.
Well said. I disagree with nothing stated.
I mean this in the fondest way as I love your passion for music, but you just may be too literal for Talking Heads. 😁
Keep in mind that fans back in the day were subjected to elementary school air raid drills and grew up knowing that a mistake by the Soviet Union or SAC could mean the end of everything. The "wartime" that David sings about seems quaint in comparison.
One of the things that can get missed about the Heads…without context and hindsight…is they’re “Punk”. They’re totally DIY! 3 art-school dropouts. Tina, famously, couldn’t play bass. She was Chris’ girlfriend, and they needed some bottom. David is no great singer; but they’re smart, and they have that white-boy Funk. Preppy white kids, playing Al Green. Punk, Funk, New Wave. But once it took…they carved their place, by hooking up with Brian Eno and embracing African rhythms. Smart lyrics…and you can sing and dance. DB is more frontman/impresario than “singer”.
Oh yesssss. The Talking Heads are unmatched. You really should watch the entire concert video/movie this came from, “Stop Making Sense.” It is out on a 40th anniversary release right now. I got to see it again a little over a week ago, and it was as great as the first time. This song comes a bit short of halfway through, 8th out of 19, so there was a ways to go yet. But, he and the rest of them keep up the same mad energy the whole way through. It is an amazing concert (concerts, actually, the film was shot during 4 concerts on successive days)! It was a magical time. The Talking Heads were at their peak, and because they couldn’t reproduce the full range of sound the four of them were able to assemble in the studio, they had to expand for the concert tour, adding another percussionist, a keyboardist, a guitar player, and two singers, all of whom were highly skilled. The energy and talent on that stage was amazing. I envy anyone who got to attend any of the actual concerts on that tour. I only got to see the movie. I just love listening to you. Your reactions are so genuine and human. Watching you experience and appreciate one of my favorite bands is a joy. Thanks
It is truly amazing to experience the joy and surprise that Elizabeth expresses when she listens for the first time to one of these pieces! One of the hardest things for someone who many years later for the first time comes upon a piece of music, or the composer themself, is to appreciate what it was like to live in that time period - to experience the nuances of how that particular composition or artist did something different. Follow the progression of albums of Pink Floyd, or David Bowie, or the Beatles (and so many others) and how each new album evolves beyond the previous one, for example. You had to have lived it to really know how that feels, but you can at least try, and it's great to see Elizabeth doing that. For example, I'm told Beethoven's 3rd Symphony (Eroica) was a breakout piece for that genre in that time period. But I'd have a hard time telling the difference between it and the two that came before it. Nowadays, Talking Heads might not seem so strange, but living in the late 1970's early 1980's when they hit the scene, it was easy to see that they were different and groundbreaking. BTW: Check out this interview on 60 Minutes of David Byrne... kzhead.info/sun/ebiQf6aGi4mClWw/bejne.html
David Byrne and The Talking Heads are full of this kind of thing. Super progressive, heavy messages with bouncy, and upbeat music. Just outstanding musicians.
Talking Heads are unmatched in their quirky creative brilliance! Loved them for decades and decades. Never gets old.
One of my favorite things about this band is that very very rarely is any individual player doing anything complex yet the arrangement is so full and exciting. Love it!
I love these guys. Entertaining, energetic and smart. Great music. His style is one of a kind.
You should watch this concert. I watched it, start to finish and could not stop smiling. It was so joyful and fun. Seriously. I never stopped smiling the whole time...and dancing.
This was from their "Stop making sense " Tour. This whole concert is great. He starts off solo then builds the set and band around him. Song after song.
Can I just take a moment here to compliment the motherfuggin color composition of this shot? Matching the hair to the map, hoody graphic to the mood lighting... I may be high on mushrooms right now, but this is beautiful.
i love this reaction
This is imo the best concert video ever filmed, with every performance being phenomenal, but the real magic is in watching it beginning to end. In the opening performances, starting with just David and a boom box and then the stage being built as the members of the band get added with each song. Great choice though, Patreon, as this is the highest point of the show ❤❤❤
Tina Weymouth puts down a killer grooving bassline. The performance as whole speaks for itself. I shared this some Facebook friends about 3 years I guess. They were the perfect type of band when MTV launched in 1981. So many possibilities musically and visually for David Byrne and talking heads to explore.
David Byrne is a true polymath. Brilliant: - musician - performer - composer - producer - designer - artist Etc etc Genius is a word that can be applied to few people but Byrne definitely deserves the honorific. This is my favourite Talking Heads song 😊
He is fascinating. If you listen to interviews he comes across as a smart, but quiet person. His persona as a performer is so strange. As a kid when I first heard his music and saw their videos I had no idea what to make of him, but was always fascinated by Talking Heads.
- author of How Music Works (A very worhtwhile and enjoyable read/ listen, not even just for Talking Heads/David Byrne fans))
@@ididthisonpulpous6526 He is autist ("mild aspergers" in his own words), if you look at his early interviews, he really struggle with cameras, the interviewers, even with the pace of speech. His lyrics also speak on some of that issues (metaphorically)
@@pedrova8058 I don't know that I've ever herd Byrne state that he is on the spectrum. Not a good idea to make diagnosis of people from the sidelines either.
This is an incredible reaction!
this is turning into one of my favorite channels.
This is part of a "Concert Film" that the Talking Heads did called "Stop Making Sense". It was directed by Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs, The Manchurian Candidate).
Looking forward to this one! Glad you have dipped your toe into Talking Heads. Hope you dive in soon. This video is from their 1984 concert movie Stop Making Sense, one of the best ever made. Yes, it is 40 years old and was recently rereleased in theaters. I am expecting an analysis of the tension in David Byrne's neck. It's difficult to miss.
When the 40th anniversary restoration first came out, I saw it because I had a free ticket and a free weekday. I went back two more times that week. Simply the most incredible concert film I've ever seen. It's a transcend experience, and David Byrne is practically incandescent from start to finish.
Will she analyze the song or the performance more, like she did with won't get fooled again?
Kirk played a quick 15 seconds of another song and I realized that their sound is VERY different throughout their discography. So I'm intrigued. I'll definitely do more!
The reaction works better if you play the videos in the order of the concert. Maybe you could react to the full movie, then upload each video separately.
First song is just David Byrne alone. Each song add more members of the band and pieces of the stage. At one point the band switches to the Tom Tom club a side project of the bass player and drummer, and performs one of their songs then returns to the talking heads. Tony Scott, who directed Top Gun, Crimson Tide, Man on Fire and much more. Even if you can't react to it all, you could watch it for yourself.
Your first stop and your first impression made me laugh out loud. Welcome to The Talking Heads. Strap in. Lol😂
The entire concert really needs a full review. it would be amazing how blown away she will be
David Byrne has described himself as having mild Asperges and he has said this has influenced his art. Not knowing this makes his artistic individuality seem even more eccentric. This combined with his being a product of the post punk 70s underground art music scene really sets him apart from his contemporaries. His unique flavor can sometimes be an acquired taste but man he is incredibly creative and influential.
Right. The helps explain a lot of his work. "In 2012, he said that he felt that music was his way of communicating when he could not do it face to face because of his autism."
I heard drummer, Chris Franz, once say “if you ever met David Byrne you wouldn’t envy him.” Beautiful art he shares with us.
Years ago when I was a competitive bicycle racer I often would explode on moderate length but steep climbs that would take a long time to recover from. My coach cured this by having me sing to myself until I could see the crest of the hill. The singing would slow my desire to sprint the climb, keep me in a constant leg cadence and not put me into an anaerobic condition that would be difficult to recover from. Maybe David Bryne's running helped him keep his breathing and tempo in check.
As a cyclist I find this Very cool.
David Byrne wrote a book about all of the cities he has cycled through...check it out
Great choice for your channel! This performance has a TON to talk about from your perspective as a vocal coach and singer. A month late to the party, but I don't think the lyrics are quite as grim as they would've initially read on paper (or the screen, rather) before you listened-I wouldn't say the speaker is, for example, laying down for death at 21:30. He and his brothers- and sisters-in-arms aren't passively suffering in a dystopian regime, which I agree would be a bit _too_ bleak for the tone. They're fighting back! "Got through the roadblock / We blended in with the crowd ... We got computers, we're tappin' phone lines." Byrne makes the stylistic choice to collapse on stage at that point, but not to die, just to have a quick nap-makes sense in the context of both the song's persistent drive you mentioned, and war, when you don't get to decide when your breaks are. After all, he soon leaps back to his feet again and is sprinting circles around the stage! 😉 The song certainly comments on humanity's ability to normalize even the worst of situations, but I think "adapt to" is a better verb than "normalize" in this case. But IMO it also comments on the quiet dignity of refusing to be a victim, which I think justifies the song's upbeat tone. And of course there's the important context of the social & musical dissatisfaction of the late 70s, when the Talking Heads rose to fame, the same dissatisfaction that gave birth to punk rock. I've always thought that, lyrically, this is a very punk-rock song, though not musically (in contrast to The Clash's fantastic "Spanish Bombs", released in '79, another jaunty song about war, specifically the Spanish Civil War). The Talking Heads got their big break playing at the prestigious CBGB club in NYC, which, interestingly, was probably more known for punk acts like The Ramones. And of course, the Heads name-drop CBGB in this very song! I hope this makes the contrast between the lyrics and music, and the song as a whole, a bit more palatable for you, but if not, I still enjoyed your thoughtful insights. And of course you should always be comfortable being honest with your audience, nobody will (or should) have the same opinion on every single song! 👍
Man, it's a great performance, it's avant garde. Just dig the funk, the groove, the energy and trip on the lyrics while you are grooving. Go back and listen to the concert from start to finish without interruptions, if you aren't on your feet by this track i will eat my favourite shorts.