Lorde explains how Talking Heads “truly changed” her as a person
After sharing her version of the Talking Heads cover of Al Green’s ‘Take Me to the River’, Lorde has explained how the legendary new-wave band “truly changed” her life.
The new cover as part of a forthcoming collection is part of the new album Everyone’s Getting Involved, set to be released by A24. The upcoming set of tracks also features Paramore, who previously shared their pounding take on ‘Burning Down The House‘. Miley Cyrus, Badbadnotgood, Girl In Red, The National and Toro Y Moi are also among those taking part.
In response to Paramore adding their sprinkling of magic to the Talking Heads recording, David Byrne is set to repay the favour by covering Paramore’s ‘Hard Times’ for Record Store Day, which will arrive on limited edition vinyl on April 20th.
While it remains uncertain whether Byrne will also take on a Lorde track in the future, the New Zealender has outlined her love for Talking Heads and recalled the first moment their music found its way into her life.
In a new open letter, Lorde began by writing: “Do you remember the first time you ever heard Talking Heads? I’ll tell you my story. Ok, it’s 2008. I’m twelve years old, eyes painted black, jaw blasted with acne. My bedroom is a nest of posters, broken toys, street signs. I’ve kissed with tongue.”
The ‘Green Light’ singer then explained how her mother was responsible for pushing Talking Heads upon her after noticing the “constant burning urge to express myself” within her daughter. Although it was only a YouTube video that Lorde describes as “grainy, 240p at best”, it was a mind-altering experience.
Lorde vividly remembered: “In the video I see a band from another time performing on a TV show. The lead singer wears a suit, has high cheekbones and slicked-back dark hair. To his left a blonde girl plays bass. They stand in pools of light. The dark haired man is singing a song about wanting someone, not being sure why. He is a preacher, a controlled fire, a wild animal.”
She added: “He’s moving like i’ve never seen anyone move, and his eyes are rolling back in his head. He knows how it feels to kiss with tongue.”
Elaborating on the feelings it evoked within her, Lorde continued: “I feel a portal open between me and the screen. Humor, lust, rhythm and ritual course through me. I don’t understand what I’m feeling, but I do understand that the band in the grainy video live with the same strangeness that I do. My palms tingle. My insides are replaced.”
The singer-songwriter then revealed watching Stop Making Sense was the natural next step to take with her love affair of Talking Heads, noting, “I am truly changed as I know you were too by that group of people on the Pantages stage moving together with warmth, strangeness and pure cool. It was so great to go to the theatre and feel that again on a big screen.”
Lorde concluded by discussing her new recording of ‘Take Me to The River’, saying, “I didn’t let myself tidy it up too much, it had to feel young and imperfect, the peeling posters, the jaw of acne. It’s beyond a great honor to be part of this compilation. In doing so, I am reaching back through time and pinning something to that kid’s wall. Hope you like it.”
Listen to the cover of a cover below.
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