The 500 - #383 - More Songs About Buildings And Food - Talking Heads

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 383

Album Title: More Songs About Buildings And Food
Artist: Talking Heads
Genre: New Wave, Avant-Pop
Recorded: Compass Point - Nassau, Bahamas
Released: July, 1978
My age at release: 13
How familiar was I with it before this week: Somewhat
Song I am putting on my Spotify: Take Me To The River

Talking Heads were officially formed in 1975 in New York City. However, the band's origin can be traced to the Rhode Island School of Design in 1973 where guitarist and vocalist David Byrne formed the band The Artistics with drummer Chris Frantz. Transportation to gigs was often provided by Frantz's girlfriend, Tina Weymouth.

Rhode Island School of Design 

When The Artistics disbanded two years later, the trio moved to a communal loft in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Unable to find a bassist, Frantz convinced Weymouth to learn the instrument. And the Talking Heads were born.

Talking Heads (original line-up) 1976

The band's name came from television production parlance. It refers to a camera shot, often used in newscasts. In it, only "the head and shoulders of an individual talking" are captured. According to Weymouth, it perfectly fit the aesthetic the band hoped to achieve -- "all content, no filler."

Keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist Jerry Harrison (who was the guest on this week's episode of The 500 Podcast), joined the band in 1977 and the classic line-up, which would remain intact for the next 14 years, was formed.

Talking Heads (1977) l-r Harrison, Byrne, Weymouth, Frantz

More Songs About Buildings and Food is the second studio record by Talking Heads and one of four that appear on The 500 list.  Like many 1970s artists, my first encounter with Talking Heads was their appearance on Saturday Night Live. The date was February 10, 1979, almost 42 years to the day of this post.  It also featured host Cicely Tyson, who passed away two weeks ago. (#Coincidences)

Cicely Tyson in a Saturday Night Live Promotional Photo (Feb. 1979)

Admittedly, I looked up the date of this broadcast's airing. However, I do know I was babysitting at 11:30 p.m. on the night I saw it. Other than the money (a whopping $1/hour), watching Saturday Night Live uninterrupted was my favourite part of a babysitting gig. 

Saturday Night Live - 1979 - The "Not Ready for Prime Time" Players

The children were fast asleep, the parents would not arrive home until at least 1:30 a.m., and I had a full bowl of potato chips and a fridge full of pop at my disposal. It was early-teen heaven.

Talking Heads' performance of Take Me To The River was everything I loved about Saturday Night Live, even if I didn't know how to articulate it at the time. It was entertaining, weird, avant-garde, clever, subversive and, perhaps most importantly, it felt like I was getting a window into the future.

In an uncomfortable interview on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, about a month after their Saturday Night Live performance, a 27-year-old Weymouth said this about the band's music: 

"It's pretty highfalutin, but we want to make our mark in music history."

Well, I suppose, as I write these words 42 years after that awkward exchange between Clark's polished presentation and four artistically gifted introverts, I have to say ... Mission Accomplished, Ms. Weymouth.

"All content, no filler."

It's not about the floor

Recently, I heard an story from writer David Mandel (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep) about his time on Saturday Night Live in the mid-90's. Nicole Kidman, who was married to Tom Cruise at the time, was hosting and Mandel was tasked with writing her monologue.

He decided on a premise where she took questions from the "audience" (which was populated with cast members or writers as "plants".) Every question would be about Cruise (who, arguably, was the biggest blockbuster star of the day.) After the 3rd or 4th question about Cruise, Kidman would run off stage in frustration. Moments later, she would reappear, dramatically sliding across the stage while wearing only a man's white dress shirt, boxers and a pair of white socks - a look made famous by Cruise in his 1983 film "Risky Business". She would then recreate the dance scene from the movie, complete with couch and trophy microphone.

However, the real story took place during the week preceding the live broadcast of the show. According to Mandel, Kidman approached him on multiple occasions to express her concern about the wax on the stage. She was quite worried that she would slip and fall because of the socks and the waxy floor. Mandel took her concerns seriously and consulted with producers, directors, stage hands, custodial staff, costume makers and even stunt coordinators to ensure her safety. Socks were tested, waxes were evaluated, the stage was inspected - regardless, Kidman continued to become increasingly nervous that the sketch was a bad idea.

Just as Mandel was about to scrap the plan and return to his writing desk to pen a new monologue, Kidman's personal assistant caught wind of the situation and approached him. Quietly she said, "It's not about the floor - she's just really nervous about performing on live television. It'll be fine."

That story stuck with me because I recognized its application to my profession. When dealing with a student who is angry, rude, confrontational, oppositional, even violent; it is important to remember that it often has nothing to do with the things that seem the most likely triggers, or even the things that they say are bothering them.  There are a host of other questions you need to consider.

Are they hungry?
Are they tired?
Are they feeling unloved?
Are they feeling vulnerable?
Are they frightened?

Likely, it isn't something that can be solved quickly or easily, regardless of the help you might enlist from those around you. Sometimes, it's just about being patient and kind...and listening. Sometimes it is about realizing...

"It's not about the floor".