My discovery with the Talking Heads/Question for Talking Heads fans

[U2Fan101]

Talking Heads have always been one of those bands to me that I never knew anything about. Songs such as Once In a Lifetime and Burning Down the House I liked, but never knew they were by Talking Heads.

The other day I was at a friends place and he put in a Talking Heads live DVD.

Let's just say that I have discovered a new favorite band. I even enjoyed the Tom Tom Club, which ironically Genius of Love sounded familiar especially the "With my boyfriend...my lucky boyfriend" part, but I can't place where I've heard that song.

So for those who like the Talking Heads, should I just get a Best Of CD, or would you recc'md I start with the first album and go through one at at a time? I'm thinking I want to own all of their albums.

Reason why I ask is because in case there is an album that may be a not so good one to listen to. But from what my friend told me, all of their albums are good.

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

I started with Sand In the Vaseline, then filled in my collection from there. That will help you figure out what you like, and you can decide in what order you want to get the other albums.

 

[Salome]

The name of this band is ......
should not be missing in anyone's record collection

 

[Lancemc]

Stop Making Sense is the one-stop shop for all things great about Talking Heads.

The Eno albums are the best studio works from the band, More Songs About Buildings and Food, Fear of Music, and Remain in Light. The latest of which is one of my favorite albums of all time.

 

[lazarus]

Remain.
In.
Light.

As Lance said.

 

[Matt786]

You probably recognized "Genius of Love" because it was sampled in the Mariah Carey song "Fantasy".

And yeah, their first four albums are incredible. "Remain in Light" being the best, as others have mentioned.

 

[Angela Harlem]

The Once In a Lifetime album is the best, I reckon. You won't go wrong with any choice.

 

[XHendrix24]

This is a tough one. I'm a pretty big fan myself, so I might suggest just going ahead and getting all of the albums since the first five or six albums are all essential along with both of the live albums. But you won't go wrong with a Best Of, either.

Any way you slice it though, AWESOME band and one of my all-time favorites.

 

[corianderstem]

I love Stop Making Sense. The live versions of "Burning Down the House" and "Life During Wartime" are aces.

 

[If you shout...]

The problem in starting with Stop Making Sense (though it is definitely their most consistent release, excepting that awful cut-and-paste release on cassette and CD, from back in the day) is that it doesn't sound at all like the music they actually put down, in the studio. Accordingly, your best bet has already been suggested--Sand in the Vaseline (is that still in print, though...?) and then whatever you're interested in hearing more of, from there.

One of the greatest bands of all time, although I'd caution you to steer clear of their last two albums until you're a full-on blind follower. If you listen to them too soon, it may well kill your buzz and then shit on its corpse.

 

[corianderstem]

There's a single-CD best of that came out within the past few years, but I routinely come across Sand In the Vaseline in used CD shops. It might be out of print, but shouldn't be too hard to find a copy.

 

[Canadiens1131]

I'm a fan of '77, mostly because it's before they got weird.

 

[lazarus]

Before they got ENO.

Like Bowie & U2, Talking Heads was a very good band, but collaborating with him turned them into a great one.

 

[U2Fan101]

Thanks for the input guys. I wish I got into this band a lot earlier on. I have listened to a lot of songs already and have yet to find one I don't like.

I think I'm going to join BMG and do the 12 for the price of 1 and get all of the Talking Heads albums.

 

[If you shout...]

Thanks for the input guys. I wish I got into this band a lot earlier on. I have listened to a lot of songs already and have yet to find one I don't like.

I think I'm going to join BMG and do the 12 for the price of 1 and get all of the Talking Heads albums.

You should just get BRICK, unless you're able to get all the remastered dual-discs, or whatever they call them, for the price of one. If that's the case, then more power to you. One of the five all-time greats, for my money (and yours, it seems--score!). They're worth any amount.

 

[martha]

Thanks to this thread, I'm listening to Talking Heads for the first time in years. I've got my old vinyl copy of Remain in Light on the turntable. I think I'll have to get some Talking Heads on cd now.

I saw them on the Remain in Light tour. I think that concert is still in my top 10 shows.