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Wednesday 16 November 2016

Facts Just Twist The Truth Around


Looks like Jerry missed the message about wearing red for the photo shoot.

Songs to raise the spirits and raise the roof after a week/year of shite and disappointment- Crosseyed And Painless (The Heat Goes On). In 1980 Talking Heads were the funkiest post-punk group on the planet, expanding to include new people in the studio and soon a killer line up of live musicians, with with Brian Eno continuing on production. David Byrne's control freakery had almost driven Tina and Chris out but they stuck together to make their last truly great album, Remain In Light. This is the opener and sets the tone for what is to come.



Byrne has said that the album was 'spiritual' and 'joyous and ecstatic and yet it's serious'. The groove on this song is something else, rhythms for dancing and losing yourself. The vocal parts call and respond like uptight gospel. And the lyrics defy explanation. 'Lost my shape, trying to act casual' he starts out. The phrase 'I'm still waiting' comes and goes and then towards the end he starts to list what facts can and can't do. And as we all know, we are now in a post-fact world.

'Facts are simple and facts are straight
Facts are lazy and facts are late
Facts all come with points of view
Facts don't do what I want them to
Facts just twist the truth around
Facts are living turned inside out
Facts are getting the best of them
Facts are nothing on the face of things
Facts don't stain the furniture
Facts go out and slam the door
Facts are written all over your face
Facts continue to change their shape
I'm still waiting... '

6 comments:

TheRobster said...

Class. Remain In Light is the best TH album for me.

Unknown said...

immaculate

Unknown said...

by the way a great song for those of us in the 40+ bracket to cut a rug to. The call to arms/dance that you have issued is of course great. Tunes like this allow those of us who lack the ability/energy to hop around do a suitable frug in remembrance of alternative discos of the day. Not that this tune should be considered alternative - it's a prty song if anything.

Dubrobots said...

Ah, Remain in Light, my favourite album of all time (along with about 30 other favourite albums of all time)

Echorich said...

The great thing about Talking Heads is you aren't wrong if you choose any of the first 4 albums as an all time favorite. Mine is either More Songs About Buildings and Food or Fear of Music, but I probably listen to Remain In Light more than any other album.
SA this is such a great song to reflect the world right now and to think that it came out around the time of another upheaval in the US, when an Actor would become President, is just Seer-like.

Swiss Adam said...

I often think Fear of Music is my favourite. Until I listen to Remain In Light. More Songs...