Complete List Of Talking Heads Songs From A to Z

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Talking Heads transformed the possibilities of rock music by combining punk’s restless energy with funk, art rock, electronic experimentation, African-inspired rhythms, and David Byrne’s sharply observant writing. This complete A-to-Z guide collects the band’s studio songs, soundtrack recordings, live-only releases, demos, rarities, and archival discoveries from their earliest New York recordings through Tentative Decisions: Demos & Live.

Feature Photo: Ron Pownall; Distributed by Sire Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Formed in 1975 in New York City, Talking Heads emerged from the city’s vibrant punk scene to become pioneers of new wave music. The band consisted of David Byrne on lead vocals and guitar, Chris Frantz on drums, Tina Weymouth on bass, and Jerry Harrison on keyboards and guitar. Byrne, Frantz, and Weymouth initially met as students at the Rhode Island School of Design before relocating to New York, where they recruited Harrison to complete the lineup. Their debut performance as Talking Heads took place at the renowned CBGB club, a hub for the burgeoning punk movement.

Over their active years, Talking Heads released eight studio albums, each showcasing their evolving musical style and innovative approach. Their discography includes Talking Heads: 77 (1977), More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978), Fear of Music (1979), Remain in Light (1980), Speaking in Tongues (1983), Little Creatures (1985), True Stories (1986), and Naked (1988). These albums highlight the band’s fusion of punk, art rock, funk, electronic music, and world music influences, contributing to their distinctive sound.

Among their most notable singles, “Psycho Killer” from their debut album introduced audiences to their unique style. “Once in a Lifetime” from Remain in Light became a defining track, blending African-inspired polyrhythms with introspective lyrics. “Burning Down the House,” featured on Speaking in Tongues, became their highest-charting American hit, reaching the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10. Other significant songs include “And She Was” and “Road to Nowhere” from Little Creatures, each contributing to the band’s enduring place in 1980s music.

Throughout their career, Talking Heads received critical acclaim and lasting recognition. In 2002, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their albums and songs have continued to appear in major critical surveys, while “Psycho Killer,” “Life During Wartime,” and “Once in a Lifetime” remain central examples of the band’s influence on rock, alternative music, dance music, and visual culture.

The band’s appeal lies in its innovative fusion of diverse musical genres and willingness to experiment with unconventional sounds and themes. Its collaboration with producer Brian Eno on More Songs About Buildings and Food, Fear of Music, and Remain in Light led to groundbreaking work that blended electronic production, funk, layered rhythms, and traditional rock structures. The band’s music videos, particularly the video for “Once in a Lifetime,” also became defining images of the early music-video era.

Jonathan Demme’s Stop Making Sense captured Talking Heads at the height of their live power and became one of the most celebrated concert films ever made. Its complete soundtrack returned in expanded anniversary editions in 2023 and 2024, bringing the full concert back into circulation and reuniting Byrne, Frantz, Weymouth, and Harrison for public discussions surrounding the restored film.

The band’s archival catalog has continued to expand. Talking Heads: 77 (Super Deluxe Edition) arrived in 2024 with demos, alternate versions, B-sides, and a complete 1977 CBGB performance. The 2025 super deluxe edition of More Songs About Buildings and Food added alternate versions, the previously unavailable instrumental “Electricity,” and a 1978 concert from New York’s Entermedia Theatre. In 2026, Tentative Decisions: Demos & Live collected early demos and previously unreleased performances, including live covers of “1, 2, 3 Red Light” and “Pablo Picasso.”

Beyond their work as a band, the members of Talking Heads engaged in numerous influential projects. David Byrne pursued a solo career, released albums and film soundtracks, and collaborated with Brian Eno on My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth formed Tom Tom Club, achieving success with songs including “Genius of Love.” Jerry Harrison released solo albums and became a respected producer, working with bands including the Violent Femmes and Live.

Complete List Of Talking Heads Songs From A to Z

#–E

“1, 2, 3 Red Light” (live) – Tentative Decisions: Demos & Live (2026)
“Air” – Fear of Music (1979)
“And She Was” – Little Creatures (1985)
“Animals” – Fear of Music (1979)
“Artists Only” – More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
“The Big Country” – More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
“Big Daddy” – Naked (1988)
“Bill” – Naked (1988)
“Blind” – Naked (1988)
“The Book I Read” – Talking Heads: 77 (1977)
“Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)” – Remain in Light (1980)
“Burning Down the House” – Speaking in Tongues (1983)
“Cities” – Fear of Music (1979)
“City of Dreams” – True Stories (1986)
“A Clean Break (Let’s Work) (live)” – The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads (1982)
“Cool Water” – Naked (1988)
“Creatures of Love” – Little Creatures (1985)
“Crosseyed and Painless” – Remain in Light (1980)
“Dancing for Money” – Fear of Music (CD Reissue) (2006)
“The Democratic Circus” – Naked (1988)
“Don’t Worry About the Government” – Talking Heads: 77 (1977)
“Double Groove” – Remain in Light (CD Reissue) (2006)
“Dream Operator” – True Stories (1986)
“Drugs” – Fear of Music (1979)
“Electric Guitar” – Fear of Music (1979)
“Electricity” (instrumental) – More Songs About Buildings and Food (Super Deluxe Edition) (2025)

F–K

“The Facts of Life” – Naked (1988)
“Fela’s Riff” – Remain in Light (CD Reissue) (2006)
“First Week/Last Week… Carefree” – Talking Heads: 77 (1977)
“Found a Job” – More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
“Gangster of Love” – Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites (1992)
“Girlfriend Is Better” – Speaking in Tongues (1983)
“The Girls Want to Be with the Girls” – More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
“Give Me Back My Name” – Little Creatures (1985)
“The Good Thing” – More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
“The Great Curve” – Remain in Light (1980)
“Happy Day” – Talking Heads: 77 (1977)
“Heaven” – Fear of Music (1979)
“Hey Now” – True Stories (1986)
“Houses in Motion” – Remain in Light (1980)
“I Feel It in My Heart” – Talking Heads: 77 (Reissue) (2005)
“I Get Wild/Wild Gravity” – Speaking in Tongues (1983)
“I’m Not in Love” – More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
“In Asking Land” – Once in a Lifetime (Box Set) (2003)
“I Want to Live (demo)” – Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites (1992)
“I Wish You Wouldn’t Say That” – Non-album single, B-side to “Psycho Killer” (1977)
“I Zimbra” – Fear of Music (1979)

L–Q

“The Lady Don’t Mind” – Little Creatures (1985)
“Life During Wartime” – Fear of Music (1979)
“Lifetime Piling Up” – Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites (1992)
“Listening Wind” – Remain in Light (1980)
“Love → Building on Fire” – Non-album single (1977)
“Love for Sale” – True Stories (1986)
“Making Flippy Floppy” – Speaking in Tongues (1983)
“Memories Can’t Wait” – Fear of Music (1979)
“Mind” – Fear of Music (1979)
“Mommy Daddy You and I” – Naked (1988)
“Moon Rocks” – Speaking in Tongues (1983)
“Mr. Jones” – Naked (1988)
“New Feeling” – Talking Heads: 77 (1977)
“No Compassion” – Talking Heads: 77 (1977)
“(Nothing But) Flowers” – Naked (1988)
“Once in a Lifetime” – Remain in Light (1980)
“The Overload” – Remain in Light (1980)
“Pablo Picasso” (live) – Tentative Decisions: Demos & Live (2026)
“Papa Legba” – True Stories (1986)
“Paper” – Fear of Music (1979)
“People Like Us” – True Stories (1986)
“Perfect World” – Little Creatures (1985)
“Popsicle” – Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites (1992)
“Psycho Killer” – Talking Heads: 77 (1977)
“Pulled Up” – Talking Heads: 77 (1977)
“Pull Up the Roots” – Speaking in Tongues (1983)
“Puzzlin’ Evidence” – True Stories (1986)

R–Z

“Radio Head” – True Stories (1986)
“Right Start” – Remain in Light (CD Reissue) (2006)
“Road to Nowhere” – Little Creatures (1985)
“Ruby Dear” – Naked (1988)
“Sax and Violins” – Until the End of the World: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack (1991)
“Seen and Not Seen” – Remain in Light (1980)
“Slippery People” – Speaking in Tongues (1983)
“Stay Hungry” – More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
“Stay Up Late” – Little Creatures (1985)
“Sugar on My Tongue” (demo) – Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites (1992)
“Swamp” – Speaking in Tongues (1983)
“Take Me to the River” – More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
“Television Man” – Little Creatures (1985)
“Tentative Decisions” – Talking Heads: 77 (1977)
“Thank You for Sending Me an Angel” – More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
“This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” – Speaking in Tongues (1983)
“Totally Nude” – Naked (1988)
“Two Note Swivel” – Speaking in Tongues (CD Reissue) (2006)
“Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town” – Talking Heads: 77 (1977)
“Unison” – Remain in Light (CD Reissue) (2006)
“Walk It Down” – Little Creatures (1985)
“Warning Sign” – More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
“What a Day That Was” (live) – Stop Making Sense (1984)
“Who Is It?” – Talking Heads: 77 (1977)
“Wild Wild Life” – True Stories (1986)
“With Our Love” – More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)