After the Paramore cover, here are the Talking Heads reinterpreted by Lorde
Last January, with the publication of the cover of “Burning down the house” created by Paramore, a tribute album to Talking Heads has been announced by the A24 Music label with songs by David Byrne and his companions reinterpreted by a long series of artists. Now, after “Making flippy floppy” by Teezo Touchdown, it has arrived another taste of the album with the rereading of “Take me to the river” in Lorde's version of the New York band.
The song, originally written by Al Green along with guitarist Mabon “Teenie” Hodgeswas re-recorded by Talking Heads for their second studio album, “More songs about buildings and food” of 1978. Despite Byrne's initial lack of belief in releasing a cover, the group's version, recorded with co-producer Brian Eno, reached number one number 26 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in February 1979.
For her part, Lorde shared a long letter in which she talks about the importance that Talking Heads had in her life and for her artistic growth. As reported in a post published on social media by A24 Music, the New Zealand musician said:
“Do you remember the first time you listened to Talking Heads? I'll tell you my story. It was 2008, I was twelve years old, my eyes were painted black, my skin was ravaged by acne. My bedroom was a nest of posters, broken toys, street signs. I had given a kiss with the tongue. Something was happening to me, I felt a constant and burning need to express myself, to draw a map that would lead to who I am. I couldn't do it well, there was a deep discomfort and I had no choice but to keep trying. At the same time, I realized that if I looked at a photo or listened to a song, sometimes a wave of feelings would take over my entire body. In this way, I could remove my strange inner sensations and replace them with what I wanted. I couldn't predict exactly what this thing would lead me to, so I had to try everything. Things are either banal or they are beautiful. (…) Once, my mother, Also an artist, she noticed this. So, one night she brought her laptop into my room and put a video on Youtube. It was grainy, at 240p resolution at best. In the video I saw an old-time band performing on a TV show. The singer was wearing a suit, had high cheekbones and dark hair combed back. To the left of him a blonde girl was playing the bass. The dark-haired man was singing a song about longing for someone, but he wasn't sure why. He was a preacher, a controlled fire, a wild animal. He moved like I'd never seen anyone do, and his eyes rolled back in his head. I didn't understand what I felt, but I knew that the band in the grainy video lived with the same strangeness as me. My hands were tingling.”
Of her cover of “Take me to the river,” Lorde added: “This version was made in a few days in Echo Park, LA with my friend Jimmy. It's my interpretation of that pixelated spiritual experience. 'We did it quickly, I didn't allow myself to do it too neatly, it had to look young and imperfect, like the peeling posters, and the skin full of acne. It's more than a great honor to be part of this compilation.”
The tribute album, titled “Everyone's getting involved: a tribute to Talking Heads' Stop making sense”, will include sixteen cover of Talking Heads songs reread by as many artists to pay homage “Stop making sense“, The concert film of David Byrne's band from 1984, directed by Jonathan Demme and last year celebrated with a re-release for its fortieth anniversary. In addition to Paramore, Teezo Touchdown and Lorde, Miley Cyrus, the National, BadBadNotGood, Blondshell, the Cavemen, the Chicano Batman with Money Mark, DJ Tunez, El Mató at a Policía Motorizado, girl in red, participated in the project Jean Dawson, Kevin Abstract, the Linda Lindas, and Toro y Moi. At the moment, The release date is not yet known of the album.