10 fantasy Talking Heads covers we wish were real
For better or worse, Talking Heads have been endlessly emulated and imitated. Between two post-punk revivals, tributes to the weird and wonderful frontman, and odes to his big grey suit, their new wave sound has inspired budding bands and countless covers. Now, A24 has announced a tribute album to the post-punk pioneers following their restoration of Stop Making Sense last year.
To mark the 40-year anniversary of the beloved concert film, the production and distribution company allowed fans to experience it in cinemas worldwide. Following the success of the re-release, they have announced a tribute album which will feature covers of tracks from Stop Making Sense.
Teased with a glimpse at Paramore’s take on ‘Burning Down The House’, the news had Talking Heads enthusiasts whispering and wondering about who else might take on the task of emulating their energy. The full list of artists has now been released, with the likes of Lorde, Miley Cyrus, and Kevin Abstract set to provide their own renditions of their new wave classics.
Though the selection of artists has some interesting choices – we can’t wait to see what song BADBADNOTGOOD take on with their jazzy stylings – it feels a little underwhelming. As a result, we’ve collated ten Talking Heads covers we wish were happening, from St. Vincent taking on ‘This Must Be The Place’ to Confidence Man reinvigorating ‘Girlfriend Is Better’.
Find the full list of artists we think would nail a Talking Heads cover below.
10 fantasy Talking Heads covers we wish were real:
Opus Kink – ‘Psycho Killer’
The artist who takes on ‘Psycho Killer’ has big boots, or, more accurately, big grey suits to fill. “I’ve got a tape I’d like to play you,” Byrne declares in a now iconic line at the start of Stop Making Sense before delving into a sparse rendition of the murderous track. He immediately commands the energy of the audience, something he will retain for the next hour, so we need an artist with the same magnetic quality.
Enter Opus Kink. Telling tales of tarantulas and unrepentant soldiers in their own lyrics, the Brighton-born band are no stranger to a grisly subject matter. They’re also one of the most captivating live bands around, with a lively horn section and uncompromising stage presence. They’d undoubtedly capture an audience with a sped-up, sax-infused take on ‘Psycho Killer’.
Mitski – ‘Heaven’
After Byrne wraps up his solo rendition of ‘Psycho Killer’, he moves straight into ‘Heaven’. Joined on stage by Tina Weymouth, the two harmonise to deliver one of the most beautiful moments in the set, detailing the soothing monotony of heaven. It’s a track that’s worthy of its name and one that deserves an equally heavenly artist to take it on, so who better than Mitski?
With a song of the same name already in her discography, the sad girl staple seems more than capable of taking on the soothing sadness of ‘Heaven’. The song’s themes are already firmly in her wheelhouse, and it’s easy to imagine how she might polish the track up a little, adding musical swells and haunting harmonies as she saw fit.
Yves Tumor – ‘Slippery People’
With the audience now in the palm of their hands, Talking Heads launch into the congregational ‘Slippery People’ from Speaking In Tongues. Byrne becomes at once preacher and congregant, leading his backing vocalists with guitar strums and stomps while wondering aloud, “What’s the matter with him?” “He’s alright!” they reassure him.
There’s a spiritual element to Yves Tumor, to the performance of it all, to the lyrics, to the music itself, so there seems no better fit to take on ‘Slippery People’. With a glam rock edge to their experimental sound and energetic performance, Yves Tumor and its band would surely bring a new energy to the track.
Snapped Ankles – ‘Life During Wartime’
‘Life During Wartime’ may lose out on the title of Talking Heads’ signature song to ‘Psycho Killer’, but it’s almost certainly the main event in Stop Making Sense. The Fear of Music track moves Byrne to swing his knees around and wiggle his arms in a now-iconic dance before taking off on a jog around the stage as the synths soar.
The track deserves to be taken on by a band who can match its energy, a feat Snapped Ankles would certainly approach with vigour. There’s an anxious energy to their own music that’s equally deserving of a stage sprint, one even a ghillie suit couldn’t slow down. The London-born band would infuse the track with electronica and kraut to make it their own.
Warmduscher – ‘Making Flippy Floppy’
As Stop Making Sense reaches its midpoint, a now slick-haired Byrne unleashes ‘Making Flippy Floppy’ on the crowd. The track is at once effortlessly cool and anxious, commenting on the crazed president and original sin. “Making flippy floppy, trying to do the best,” Byrne shrugs before affirming, “Lock the door, we kill the beast, kill it!”
The eclectic, occasionally off-putting sleaze of Warmduscher could bring a new edge to the track, a band equally capable of dance and angularity. The deep intensity of vocals provided by Craig Higgins, also known as Clams Baker Jr, would only add to the track, as playful and pervasive instrumentation moulded around them.
Parquet Courts – ‘Swamp’
‘Swamp’ is true to its name. Airy, warping synths and bizarre delivery from Byrne come together to create one of Stop Making Sense’s heaviest tracks, emulating the feeling of wading through marshes and mud. Byrne mirrors the feeling in his performance, straight-faced, looking straight into the camera, and marching on one spot.
As a leading band in the post-punk revival, Parquet Courts are somewhat indebted to Talking Heads, and they’ve often emulated their sound. The instrumentation of ‘Marathon for Anger’, from their 2021 record Sympathy For Life, sounds like it could easily fit into Fear of Music. We’d love to hear them take on the murky waters of ‘Swamp’, walking the line between playful and sludgy.
St. Vincent – ‘This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)’
As a former collaborator of Byrne and an instrumental part of the generation he helmed the “triumph of art rock,” St. Vincent, also known as Annie Clark, seems like the perfect fit for the oversized formalwear. She shares a penchant for the avant-garde in her artistry, utilising personas and performance to enhance her compositions. As a worthy recipient of Byrne’s praise, we’d love to hear her provide a more modern art rock spin on a Talking Heads classic.
With her close knowledge of Byrne, Clark seems well-equipped to take on one of the band’s biggest hits in ‘This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)’. Clark could most certainly take the homely, lovey track in a new direction, painting it with her penchant for distortion and bold electronica, belting out the words, “You got light in your eyes.”
LCD Soundsystem – ‘Once In A Lifetime’
On record and on stage, ‘Once In A Lifetime’ is Talking Heads at their best. In Stop Making Sense, Byrne performs it with captivating gesticulation and a pair of glasses on the end of his nose, and it’s hard not to get lost in his repeated declarations of “Same as it ever was.” Playful percussion underscores his words in a song that is only fit to be taken on by LCD Soundsystem.
Amidst the indie electronica stylings of James Murphy, there are hints of LCD Soundsystem’s New York art-rock predecessors. From ‘other voices’ to ‘Dance Yourself Clean’, it’s easy to imagine Byrne smashing an LCD Soundsystem cover, so why not the other way around? Murphy’s delivery could match the intent of Byrne’s, while the band could provide punch instrumentation to serve his words.
Jockstrap – ‘Genius of Love’
‘Genius of Love’ might be a Tom Tom Club track, but we simply couldn’t exempt it from the list. Byrne briefly lends his microphone to bassist and Tom Tom Club member Weymouth, who graces it with airy vocals and tales of cocaine, dreaming and fun. “Who needs to think when your feet just go?” she repeatedly asks before Chris Frantz shouts out James Brown, and she cuts some bizarre shapes.
It’s a rogue choice, but done right, London experimental electropop duo Jockstrap could provide a killer cover of this song. George Ellery’s voice is primed for the vocal heights Weymouth reaches, and the band have continually proven their sonic capabilities for “fun, nasty fun.” An electronic version of the track could become a club staple.
Confidence Man – ‘Girlfriend Is Better’
Towards the end of Stop Making Sense, ‘Girlfriend Is Better’ from Speaking In Tongues makes an appearance. Byrne is fully suited up, cutting some serious shapes with the movement of the excess fabric. It’s a fun track with cosmic synths and descriptions of a girl with bows in her hair.
Confidence Man already have a song titled ‘Boyfriend’, so why not take on ‘Girlfriend Is Better?’ The Aussie band have an unparalleled love for dance, and would be sure to bring out all the fun in this track. You can almost hear Janet Planet imploring us to stop making sense.
