Saturday, December 31, 2011
Saturday Night At The Liberal Curmudgeon: Talking Heads' "Once In A Lifetime"
Talking Heads perform "Once In A Lifetime" in Jonathan Demme's "Stop Making Sense" (1984), one of the greatest rock concert films. The lyrics, which include, "You may tell yourself, this is not my beautiful house. You may tell yourself, this is not my beautiful wife," express the alienation with a funky backbeat that is the hallmark of this outstanding New Wave band and David Byrne's songs. The sense of strangeness is heightened by Byrne's agitated motions and oversized suit.
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3 comments:
A very Happy New Year to you, too, Jeff.
Thanks for your wishes on my blog and I am with you - we will keep fighting the bastards.
I agree. 'Stop Making Sense' might be the greatest of concert movies in that there was no ancillary story as there was in 'Gimme Shelter' and 'The Last Waltz'. 'Rust Never Sleeps' comes close, however. Leave it to The Liberal Curmudgeon to remind us. BTW, watching 'Life During Wartime' is exhausting; Chris Frantz's consitent drumming is incredible; and Byrne's large suit is performance comedy at its best.
If it's exhausting to watch, think about how exhausting the entire concert must have been for the band!
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