Review: ‘Talking Heads: 77 (Super Deluxe)’ – Complete With Outtakes & A Concert

Last Friday the Talking Heads – David Byrne (guitar/vocals), Chris Frantz (drums), Tina Weymouth (bass), and Jerry Harrison (guitar/keyboards) – released a new three disc box set commemorating their landmark debut album Talking Heads: 77. The box comes complete with the original album plus a full disc of outtakes and alternative versions and a third disc featuring a live show (and radio broadcast) from CBGB’s in 1977. To my ears this is an absolute perfect package to celebrate this punk rock gem of a debut album (and yes, we do love our debut LPs here). And let’s make no mistake, the Talking Heads were a punk band, albeit from the artsy end of that pool. They may have looked like a group of substitute teachers jamming in the cafeteria during Study Hall, but these guys took punk, added art rock, new wave and world music to their sound to create something truly unique. Although many of those sounds – the art rock, world music and new wave – aren’t really present here on this very straight up, punk-y debut.

I wish I could say that I was cool enough in junior high school to tell you that I was in on the ground floor of the Talking Heads, and that I purchased this album when it came out. Alas, as I mentioned in my post about the Cure’s new album Songs From A Lost World, I was most decidedly not that cool in 7th grade and I have the photos to prove it. I have to admit, in 1977 I wasn’t even listening to rock n roll. I only turned on my clock radio to listen to Royals games while I went to sleep. I shouldn’t say I was devoid of musical influence, my brother was always cranking something next door and I’d occasionally catch something on the radio. It wasn’t until 1978 that my rock n roll awakening occurred. Because my rock music fandom began a year after this album came out, that might explain why for years I thought More Songs About Buildings And Food was the Talking Heads’ first album. The first track I remember ever hearing on the radio from them came from that album, “Take Me To The River,” and I thought it was their debut single. Of course at that time I never knew it was an Al Green cover…youth is wasted on the young, at least in my case. In my defense, I don’t think the local Midwest rock radio station in my town had been playing “Psycho Killer” in high rotation back then… but I can’t say for certain.

I think I’m like most Talking Heads fans from the Midwest, it wasn’t until I was in college in 1983-84 during that Speaking In Tongues and live Stop Making Sense era that I jumped on the Talking Heads’ bandwagon. While I was a fan I only had a few of their 8 studio records. It wasn’t until 2005 when they released that white brick of a box set, Talking Heads, that had all of the studio records before I even owned 77. I’d heard it – probably down in my buddy Drew’s room – but never owned it until that late date. While that box had some design flaws, each disc had some interesting bonus tracks. When I got that box in 2005, I have to admit, I was immediately drawn to their first two albums, but especially this debut record.

Talking Heads: 77 is probably best known for it’s most popular song, “Psycho Killer.” But there is so much great material on this album. “Uh-Oh Love Comes To Town” is just a great opening track and a great song. And coincidentally, it’s how I always thought about love until I was, well, in my 30s. “Pulled Up,” which is the last song on the album is also one of their best songs. The entire album features jittery guitar and borderline paranoid lyrics. Under the wrong circumstances this music could be very anxiety provoking. Byrne’s voice is just unhinged and yet so inviting. The songs are anything but grim. “Who Is It?” has sections that are borderline funky. This was clearly a band who could do a lot, despite at this stage of the game being somewhat minimalist. “The Book I Read” with it’s “na-na-na” breakdown is just a fun song… “The book I read was in your eyes.” If you don’t have this album, you should probably consider picking up this box…

Disc 2 features some very interesting outtakes and alternative versions of album tracks. Because I own the “brick” with all the studio records and it contains half of these bonus tracks, I already own half of them. But I doubt there are many people who have that problem. “Sugar On My Tongue” is a great track and I’m surprised it didn’t make the finished album. “Love Goes To A Building” is their first ever single – Jerry Harrison wasn’t in the band when they recorded it – is included and that’s a nice track to finally have. “I Want To Live” was a track I’d never heard before that I like but it sounds like a demo. “I Wish You Wouldn’t Say That” is a galloping jaunt of a song. There are a couple of different versions of “Psycho Killer” here and I’ll take as many versions and takes on that song that the Heads will give me.

The alternative versions are all interesting glimpses into the Heads creative process. They’re mostly labeled as “pop” versions. “Uh Oh Love Comes To Town (Alternate Pop Version)” features steel drums. “Pulled Up (Alternate Pop Version)” features a horn section. These are actually kind of cool versions to have. These versions would have wildly changed the nature of this record… would they have been hits? Hard to say. “Stay Hungry,” a track that was released on the 2nd album is here in an early form, which is interesting. “I Feel It In My Heart” is a track that was on the brick and everyone will be glad to have that one. It’s a solid disc of outtakes.

Disc 3 is the gem for me here, as I own the original album and half of outtakes. It’s – I assume – a full performance for a radio station from CBGBs. I love the way Byrne says, at the beginning, “The name of this band is Talking Heads…” and before every song says, “The name of this song is….” whatever the track is. He sounds like the science teacher in Ferris Bueller. After each track he says “Thank you…” in that Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada way. It’s a great performance for a band during it’s early days. They play tracks from 77, alongside songs that would come out on the 2nd album including “Take Me To The River,” and tracks that wouldn’t see the light of day until their live LP (The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads) like “A Clean Break.” This live performance is worth the price of admission here. It gives us the full view of who the Talking Heads were in 1977 and it’s a view we all need.

With the original album, a great slate of outtakes, and this wonderful live disc, I would recommend everyone out there, put this on the stereo and crank it up loud. The Rock Chick caught me dancing around the B&V lab with a glass of wine the other night reinforcing the fact that I simply, don’t dance. This is a chance to hear what it was like to be on the ground floor of one of America’s most influential, critically acclaimed bands. Enjoy this one loud.

Cheers!

“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…” but aren’t we all feeling like that now?