Talking Heads 77

Day 14 of Albums You Must Hear Before You Die! Again, I’ve gotten a debut album from a band that defined a generation, and went on to create some of the most iconic music of the 1980’s. Talking Heads released 77 in 1977 and helped to usher in the New Wave genre, the love child of Punk Rock and Pop. While most of the biggest hits for Talking Heads will come from later offerings, 77 is a gem of an album. Lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter David Byrne has one of the most recognizable voices of the New Wave era. Byrne’s vocals aren’t the most powerful but they mesh beautifully with the music. Talking Heads, especially in 1977 didn’t follow any of the trends stylistically of the time. No radical wardrobe, Mohawks, piercings, spiked dog collars or make up. This band wore well fitting polos and slacks in most live performances that I could find from 1977-80. Maybe thats why some referred to the art grads in Talking Heads as “art fags”. My favorite song from Talking Heads is Burning Down The House, which is not on this album, however, my second favorite song is actually on this album, and that song is Psycho Killer. This song really showcases the abilities and potential of Talking Heads. Simple, yet deep and funky bass, prominent kick drum, and nearly primal vocals. It also takes on the prospective of a character in a fictional story, (Not the Son Of Sam serial killer like many suggested) something that Talking Heads becomes known for. I feel like the band not only shined the best on this track but probably had the most fun making and performing. Tentative Decisions has great use of marching percussion. The Book I Read has great rhythm guitar. The band gels well on this one and is a very chill song. The ever changing tempo of No Compassion keeps it interesting. The closing track Pulled Up seems like a song of gratitude and it showcases their signature sound. Talking Heads seemingly came out of nowhere in 1977 but they sure stuck around for a while and I’m glad they did! I was very impressed with the bass player Tina Weymouth, who joined the band before even knowing how to play bass guitar. This band didn’t try to blow anyones socks off or create a fake persona. They were themselves and it paid off. When music videos became a thing, these “art fags” were really able to shine with some of the most creative visuals in music. The only negative thing I have to say about this album is there a few filler songs that I wanted to skip over. Maybe that will change on future listens but upon my first spin of 77 I knew which songs I liked and which ones that I didn’t because, they felt lazy. I’m looking forward to more music from this band. Share your thoughts, opinions and memories below!!

I expected more from this album. The big single from it ("Psycho Killer") is a crusher but, sadly, the rest of the album doesn't live up to that track. It feels ... lazy. And not in the good, "gonna sit on the couch with a bourbon and a good book" kind of lazy. The whole album feels phoned in. Boring. It's only saved from a truly failing mark by "Psycho Killer" being so damn good. It's like they poured all their energy into that one song and had nothing left for the rest of the album. Disappointing.

Oh my God. Oh my God. Thought the only weakness in this album was the incessant AYAYAYAYAYA which is used quite a bit but it's sort of like a joke that is used too much that it becomes funny again. AYAYAYAYAYA goes in and out of fashion in this album and then back in again. It kept me on my toes and I love this so much. EVERY. FUCKING. TRACK. So much softer, subtle and ever changing than I expected. So much more interesting than anything I've heard before from them. Major heart eyes and aubergine emoji. A new favourite indeed.

The first time I heard the Talking Heads was their smash hit Psycho Killer, which I didn't much like. It struck me at the time as a novelty tune, goofiness for it's own sake, and I wasn't amused. But unlike many other groups, Talking Heads is best understood in the context of their albums rather than their singles, and so it is with Talking Heads '77. It turns out that front man David Byrne's dyspeptic yelp is of a piece with his elliptical musings about emotional states and offbeat philosophizing. Although Talking Heads is lumped in with punk and new wave, it doesn't have a lot in common with either. For one thing, the songs are a lot more complex musically than most punk and new wave. For another the rhythm section of Tina Weymouth on bass Chris Frantz on drums is frequently funky, drawing from pop, R&B, and Latin music. Taken together, these elements result in music which is as brainy as it is fun. And finally, Psycho Killer reveals itself as simply the most outré and extreme of the songs on Talking Heads '77, and frankly, the least interesting of the bunch. Taken together, Talking Heads '77 is a consistently terrific album and as clear a statement of purpose as you could want from a band's first album.

How do you categorize Talking Heads? Funk? New wave? Avant-pop? There is something unsettling about this album. David isn’t completely happy. Perhaps even angry. But he’s having fun anyway.

Talking Heads is one of my all time favorites, but 77 has never been my favorite of theirs. Going into this, I was prepared to give it a 4, due to its low ranking among my own Talking Heads cannon. But listening to this with critical ears, it is really a great album. There are some all time favorites in here, like Book That I Read, Psycho Killer, and Sugar On My Tongue. Byrne's style isn't fully developed yet, but the band is already firing on all cylinders. Talking Heads is already an excellent band by '77.

Man. Where do I start. The Talking Heads opened me up to a whole world of music that I would have considered too jokey or gimmicky until I took the plunge. They really were an entry point for me to 80s new wave and post-punk music. I came to this record after I had gotten into the live performance "Stop Making Sense" and the studio albums "Speaking in Tongues" and "Remain in Light." There is a live double album called "The Name of this Band is Talking Heads" and that's where I first heard the song "The Book I Read" which is a standout on this record and even better live (like most Talking Heads songs). And, that's one of the many things that makes Talking Heads unique: They're an incredible studio band (thanks Brian Eno!) but are also transcendent live performers. When I listen to this record now, as a Talking Heads fan, it feels very quaint. Like they were all just learning their instruments. It isn't quite "there" yet, and I guess that's charming. But I'd rather listen to most of their other records (which better be on this list, dammit!). Highlights: "Psycho Killer" of course; "The Book I Read" and the opener "Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town." And, David Byrne was a charismatic frontman even from this first record - love his lyrics and delivery on every song. What an arteeeeest.

What a cool band the Talking Heads were. Their albums have this consistent sound that is definitively Talking Heads, but they are all different, and all great in their own ways. This album doesn't sound dated at all, despite being nearly 45 years old 5/5

With melodic, bright tunes and the usual anxiety ridden lyrics, TH sounded quite different from their “punk” contemporaries, the Ramones & Clash, for example. I always felt Psycho-killer sounded out of place, musically and lyrically, on this album, or any TH album, for that matter, but you can’t begrudge them for recording a hit & signature tune. I had decided in advance that I’d give the first 4 TH albums a 5, but after re-listening to 77, I waivered. Then I listened again this morning and decided that with songs like “New Feeling” and “Don’t worry about the government” and especially “No Compassion” I’m back to 5.

Already one of my favorite albums. Great start!

Beautiful, high energy without ever getting manic. Big sax in First Week/Last Week is so good. The mix on the acoustic version is sick too, his voice sounds unreal.

Short, strained, weird, are just a few of the words to describe vocals on this album. Lyrically, there is not a discernible theme unless that theme was to have no theme, to stay as out of a rut as much as possible... a glaring success. Fun, immediately gratifying, welcomely disruptive, are just a few ways to describe how this album is overall. No commitment required to actually listen to it, but interesting enough to hear it all the way through rather than skipping. Punk, pop punk, this punk, especially from the early days, is not a flavor for everyone. However, like most genres, the acquired taste happens over time and for this listener, that time is now for punk in general. Talking Heads embraces the silliness, encourages a certain type of freedom, and asks the listener to not worry about committing to this album any expectation of profundity. Musically, the album doesn't have the disarray or chaotic elements usually associated with anti-establishment expectations. The compositions are well-timed, clean, and downright professional at times while still maintaining that blatant disavowal of what could only be described as mainstream. Vocals, while weird and, again, seemingly about nothing, astonishingly fit. This listener cannot speak to how this album resonated with anyone in 1977, but for 2021 this album is definitely for the older soul, and that's not a bad thing. In fact, it's good --- perhaps relieving to engage with something that is serious about not being serious, letting their vision be left to the listener's own sense of comprehension, or not. No pressure.

Great album. Love the steel drums. Psycho Killer and Pulled up are my favorites off the album. Probably a 4.4 to give room for Talking Heads later albums

The album feels very lowkey It’s trying to be so funky but it’s really not Overall „Talking Heads 77“ is quiet normal, desperately trying to be adventurous. While not successful at doing so, it is still unique for this particular reason. Some songs are worth coming back to like „happy day“ or the hit song „psycho killer“. As a whole it doesn’t hit a spot and is definitely not a must listen, if you’re not a fan, especially regarding the records the band would release later in their career.

Like the songs on More Songs About Buildings and Food, most of the songs here play out better in a live setting, as captured on their seminal live album “The Name of This Band is Talking Heads”. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that Talking Heads weren’t really able to capture their live energy and make a great studio record until Fear of Music. Seriously, listen to the performances of “The Book I Read”, “Pulled Up” or “New Feeling” from that record after you listen to this record. The difference in energy is palpable. On ‘77, those songs (along with most of the others) feel like a slog to get through, making for an underwhelming record, especially when you know there is an exceptionally well recorded live document of most of these songs where the band is firing on all cylinders.

As a debut album it is wildly successful at telling us exactly who Talking Heads are and what they’re all about. David Byrne is the chosen one of the new wave art punk revolution. I love the quirky POV of this album, and the playfulness in the lyrics. I’m just such a sucker for weirdo misfits that put humour into their work. Stellar record, just love the shit out of this band for daring to be so authentically different and carving their own path.

Post-punk masterpiece

Though they are still not at the height of their powers here, this early, more stripped down version of the band may be my favorite incarnation in many ways. I think it's because you can focus so clearly on the songwriting itself, rather than it being somewhat buried in the dazzle of the production and arrangements as would start to happen on later albums. Love it all.

I went into this one loving the album, but I listened to it for really the first time through a critic's lens and I am torn between 4 and 5 stars. I think it is definitely my favorite one so far, but I don't know if it is the complete top top of my ranking system. I think it is a 4/5 among my favorite albums and the albums I listen to, but it is probably a 5/5 with random albums, so I think I have to give it the full 5 stars. From the get-go, the driving funk bass with random piano and guitar riffs is really cool, and the tempo changes driven by the drums throughout are so well done. David Byrne also has one of my favorite voices ever because he makes screaming sound good. The back half with a lineup of The Book I Read, Government, First Week, fucking psycho killer, AND pulled up is truly an incredible stretch, and the album takes me back to dancing with my family in the living room, rediscovering it in high school, and my brother screaming Talking Heads lyrics at me throughout #TinaWeymouthStanClub

Finally! I was going to sue this whole generator if a Talking Heads album didn't come up on here. They are one of the best bands in the history of music. It's a delight to hear the whole album where they debuted. David Byrne is a global treasure. The whole band deserves all the accolades, but Byrne owns the vision.

Psycho Killer made me rethink the kind of music that I considered "my music"

Great debut

timelss, great album

Classic album. I need some Talking Heads vinyl stat. I love the guitar work in particular.

Had forgotten how good this album was

Decided I’m a guy who really likes Talking Heads now, saved to my albums

A great first album. Weird but catchy and lively songs. Not too heavy. And there's a reason why Psycho Killer is a hit. Got me to listen to other Talking Heads albums.

My favorite talking heads album

In my youth I once snuck into the Sydney Opera House to watch David Byrne sound checking. He didn't play any of these songs so this anecdote probably doesn't have much relevance here. Great album though.

A classic and stands the test of time, maybe even improved with age

Fun listen

Decisions, decisions, decisions... a big theme throughout. This album feels like it needs a few more listens to really pick up every detail. David Byrne has a unique voice. Tina Weymouth crushing it on the bass.

Yet another wicked album- classic psycho killer track but upbeat vibes on the whole album. Love it

Cool album lots of interesting sounding songs

Sounds as fresh as the hype promised. I'm not exactly speechless, but my enjoyment is almost entirely non-verbal. Christgau's impressions seem pretty close to truth here.

The style, substance and musicality of this record... brilliant!

Rad debut from the Heads. Love —> Building on Fire should’ve made the cut.

Track Four, Happy Day, sounds like Longlegs singing. I dig it, but track Five is DEFINITELY Longlegs. Psycho Killer has been a favorite of mine for years, so kind of sad to see the rest of the album is just pretty okay.

No. 187/1001 Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town 4/5 New Feeling 3/5 Tentative Decisiones 3/5 Happy Day 2/5 Who is It? 3/5 No Compassion 2/5 The Book I Read 3/5 Don't Worry About The Government 2/5 First Week / Last Week... Carefree 2/5 Psycho Killer 2/5 Pulled Up 2/5 Average: 2,55 Don't like the voice. Didn't think the instrumentals where interesting aswell.

Ditzy.

I feel like he is 'yipping' all the time. Does that make sense? I don't mind the music but his voice pisses me off after 4 tracks.

Rather like Arcade Fire Talking Heads are a group I have really thought I should get to grips with but each time I listen to an album I’m left cold. This is a good example of that. After Physco Killer (which is by no means a track I go wild on like other people) the album highlight there is bottles of interest to me. This was a quick listen as I was away from home watching Leeds at Wembley (we lost!) so didn’t have my music head on at all. And since I’m now in bad mood this album deserves nothing more than a 2. 2/5 26/5/24

Hard pass. Definitely not my vibe at all. Musically a lot of these songs sound great but the lyrics and vocals bring it crashing down, maybe its just over my head. Psycho Killer is the only song I know off this album and I'd be fine with never hearing it again.

1.5 Speaking of the late 70s CBGB scene, here’s the worst group it has to offer. While I’ve never been the biggest of theirs to begin with, if there’s one thing this list has affirmed for me, it’s that I don’t like The Talking Heads. I swear they just write funk music for white people, and paired with David Byrne’s vocals, I’m beginning to find them unbearable. I don’t really have much to comment on these songs other than that the vast majority sound similar and are annoying. This very much has the feel of a debut album in sound and scope, and I have no idea why it made this list other than the fact that music critics seem to have a hard-on for these guys (and gal). The best track here is Psycho Killer, but that’s kind of by default - generally speaking, I would say the song is just okay. The only good thing it really has going for it is that it inspired the name for one of my favorite punk bands, who, when covering the song and not knowing what David Byrne was saying in the chorus (tbf neither do I), improvised the lyric “Hüsker Dü”. So, at least quality music was inspired somewhere down the line. Also, can we talk about how the first song is just a rip-off of Come and Get Your Love by Redbone? Monumental debut my ass. For all good things Lou Reed has created, this is not one of them.

i heard good things about talking heads so i went into this with high hopes this album sounds like you gave a bunch of tribute bands the challenge to make a completely new song using Psycho Killer as their inspiration holy shit this album sounds the exact same throughout and it sucks major balls

I listened to this while shopping and I gotta admit I felt like it was a 2 track album. 2 longs songs that did not seem different from each other nor keep my attention. Nothing to write up on this album.

"Who is it? What is it? Who is it? What is it?" Idk who or what it is but it isn't good. They wrote psycho killer which is good and everyone have them a free pass on the rest of the album. It seriously feels like at times he doesn't know what to say and just says random words. This genre is usually my favorite but I'll not miss putting this album to bed and never listening again.

This is technically music. I tolerate small doses of Talking Heads, but that's about it. David Byrne sings like he's injured. It's weird that they are an American band, I always assumed they were British because they sound so posh. The instrumentals are decent, but I was bored almost immediately. If only you could've seen my face when I heard the weird shriek on "The Book I Read," and when I heard David Byrne imitating Beans on "First Week." I hate to say it, but this is below the Butthole Surfers album to me. Favorite tracks: Uh-Oh, Loves Comes to Town. Album art: Whole lotta red. Two albums this week with mostly empty, red covers. Might be a subliminal message to listen to Playboi Carti. Anyway, this one is stupid compared to the Gang of Four album, I don't care if it came first. 1.5/5

The Talking Heads were pure twisted genius. Fresh bright guitars, the entire album is crisp and clean. Lyrically fascinating, dark but so much fun. David Byrne sounds like he could become completely unhinged at any moment. It’s glorious.

Great new wave groove. I was drumming the steering wheel of my car all day to this.

Damn man, they went rock hard with this one. It's all over the place, in the best possible ways. That funky bass line! The piano licks!? It's the coolest shit. I'm not so hot on the vocals but I couldn't imagine them without em.

Absolute gem of a record. It's clever, funny, and you can dance to it. What is not to like?

Superb !

How can you go wrong with an album that opens with uh oh

Essential

Guy walks into my dorm room circa 1987 as I'm playing 77 and comments on my playing "happy music." This is such good music. It stood out from what the radio stations were pumping in the mid to late 70s. Byrne is amazing, and the band provides consistently strong rhythm. I was 11 when this came out, and it's gets a full album play at least once a year.

Psycho killer

Everyone who knows me knows that I never shut up about Talking Heads. I’ve already said everything I could ever say about them. One of the best bands ever.

Top tier heads

Really fun

Fougueux, parfois dissonant, toujours tourbillon entraînant aux mélodies irrésistibles et aux sujets inattendus

Easiest 5 of my life. Every single one of these songs is a banger. I cannot believe I didn’t give the other talking heads albums 5s

She talk on my head til I 77

Loving this run of Talking Heads albums (and there must be a couple more to come, I reckon). They're all up around 4.5 for me, so giving a 5 to this one to even it out.

One of the all time great debuts.

Love it

Oh New Wave so much of you on this list. Have always been a fan of Psycho Killer, but a whole album of this style of singing can be a little much at times. This is a pretty solid debut album. I could nitpick, but it would only be the odd lyrical choice or my personal taste of wishing vocals could be replaced with a brass instrument. With more time this album would only grow on me more. A 4.6 rounded up

This isn’t a Darkside of the Moon 5- But there are some great songs here - and the band doesn’t get enough credit for the unique rhythms and sound. This was a groundbreaking album.

Not really a lot to say except that they are a group of geniuses in terms of artistic and thought out expressive art. I know them mostly from their live performance Stop Making Sense, though I enjoyed this look into their early years a lot. This album is quite rough around the edges, but wonderfully so.

Really good! Very mature for a debut. Groundbreaking and singular for its time (other than Marquee Moon from earlier that same year). My Top 3: 3. Happy Day 2. Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town 1. Don't Worry About the Government

I listened to this album

such a great album

Ah, good old Talking Heads. This is a great and fun listen as expected. Might not be my favorite record by them but I still like it a lot.Talking Heads doesn’t disappoint! (Doesn’t disappoint me at least, lol)

Classic Talking Heads. Love the energy. Crazy that this is their debut album! Sound like nobody else, right out of the gate. Am slightly irritated that my favorite TH album, Little Creatures, didn’t make the list. But all the stars to this one.

Timeless really, 47 years old and could be released today. Contains the classic Psycho Killer a track so fresh it would be a hit if released in 2024.

Really creative songwriting and a great early autumn vibefest. Had to listen to it again because the music in the supermarket was too loud and I wasn't even mad. Danced along in the kitchen, though I did cry a bit from jealousy :(( I want mY house to have every convenience!

Fun, quirky, and wildly original.

Fantastic with some all-time classic bangers

absolutely amazing album listen to hundreds of times over the years.

One of my top five albums of all time. Underrated masterpiece.

This is my favorite Talking Heads record, not their best, but my favorite. I love every single song and everything about this album, it's the album that got me in to them, and I love listening to this. Also "Sugar on my Tongue" is one of the strongest non-album extra tracks that exists from any album.

10/10 for armenian minivan ride

I love This album.

Talking Heads: 77 is the debut work from the band, and includes one of their biggest hits, "Psycho Killer." The band created a nervous, dorky version of funk, let by the awkward, intellectualized lyrics from David Byrne. Their songs paint pictures of a character fitting into - and not fitting into - his world, which makes their music feel related to punk. The band created music with a rhythmically complicated version of minimalism: simple melodic progressions played with interesting rhythms. This helps makes the Talking Head's version of punk - a dorky, funky, punk - into work with popular appeal. 77 shows the early version of the band, with all of the elements that would make the band into stars. These tracks may lack the polish of the Talking Heads' later work, but they show the potential of the band and the engaging sound they were developing.

One of the best albums I have listened in this challenge so far.

Once again the Talking Heads lied to me. There are nowhere near 77 tracks on this album

GREAT

Yeah yeah

Upbeat songs about nothing deep are my jam

you can definitely hear that they're still figuring out but they're clearly just having so much fun :) I don't think they can really do anything wrong even if this is one of their weaker records

First of their albums I bought for myself after realizing the greatness of this band, probably right after Stop Making Sense came out. It took me a few listens before I embraced every track but there's no going back now. Word.

Great and way ahead of its time. Found the original version (not the remastered), still sounded fresh almost 50 years later.

One of my favourite albums! Can’t give less then a 5!

Just great. You Pulled me Up!

Talking Heads - one of the groups I dived into because of this project. This is an effortlessly good album.

a true inspiration to all autism-coded individuals that you too can make one of the greatest art rock albums of all time, as long as you all absolutely fucking hate each other. sometimes that is art's greatest crucible. Talking Heads 77 and Remain in Light are in the Matt Canon for a reason. some of this album fails, but I dont care. all I want is ambition. pop and rock music shouldn't be afraid to make your brain itch.

It makes me feel like I am in a radio station in usa

5 out of 5. An album that started it all for a great band with I think a great consistent output.

Probably my favorite Talking Heads album. It’s just so good. Every song is absolutely stellar, and there are no weak tracks. “Psycho Killer” is an elite song; one you have to sing along to at the top of your lungs whenever you hear it. But “Uh Oh, Love Comes to Town,” “No Compassion,” “Pulled Up,” and honestly every other song… just cannot choose a favorite. Might not be possible. It’s been awhile since I’ve listened to this, and I forgot just how good it is. This album will be on heavy rotation for me for at least the next month.