#THREAD
In 1985, David Byrne released the brass-heavy album 'Music for The Knee Plays', composed for Robert Wilson's opera the 'CIVIL WARS'.
It was a huge departure from Talking Heads, & I was lucky enough to see it performed in London in the mid 1980s.
In 1985, David Byrne released the brass-heavy album 'Music for The Knee Plays', composed for Robert Wilson's opera the 'CIVIL WARS'.
It was a huge departure from Talking Heads, & I was lucky enough to see it performed in London in the mid 1980s.
Musically, Byrne was influenced by hearing the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, & created brass-led art-school sounding marching songs, though in places it is also reminiscent of a sunnier patch of the territory staked out in another brilliant overlooked solo album, 'The Catherine Wheel'.
Byrne stirs in some traditional gospel tunes, arranged to match the iconoclastic style. Byrne's lyrics, performed in his dry, slightly bemused style, are acutely observed and/or humorously naïve slices of American life.
Below, I'll choose my favourite track & #thread its lyrics.
Below, I'll choose my favourite track & #thread its lyrics.
My favourite track, 'In The Future', is a detached, meditative prophecy on what the future may hold. The music is sparse, hypnotic, & imho, when combined with the lyrics, just brilliant.
Byrne fan Jean-Philippe Boisbriand made an excellent music video:
Byrne fan Jean-Philippe Boisbriand made an excellent music video:
Lyrics to 'In The Future', by David Byrne:
In the future everyone will have the same haircut and the same clothes.
In the future everyone will be very fat from the starchy diet.
In the future everyone will be very thin from not having enough to eat.
In the future everyone will have the same haircut and the same clothes.
In the future everyone will be very fat from the starchy diet.
In the future everyone will be very thin from not having enough to eat.
In the future it will be next to impossible to tell girls from boys, even in bed.
In the future men will be "super masculine" & women will be "ultra-feminine".
In the future half of us will be "mentally ill".
In the future there will be no religion or spiritualism of any sort.
In the future men will be "super masculine" & women will be "ultra-feminine".
In the future half of us will be "mentally ill".
In the future there will be no religion or spiritualism of any sort.
In the future the "psychic arts" will be put to practical use.
In the future we will not think that "nature" is beautiful.
In the future the weather will always be the same.
In the future no one will fight with anyone else.
In the future there will be an atomic war.
In the future we will not think that "nature" is beautiful.
In the future the weather will always be the same.
In the future no one will fight with anyone else.
In the future there will be an atomic war.
In the future water will be expensive.
In the future all material items will be free.
In the future everyone's house will be like a little fortress.
In the future everyone's house will be a total entertainment centre.
In the future all material items will be free.
In the future everyone's house will be like a little fortress.
In the future everyone's house will be a total entertainment centre.
In the future everyone but the wealthy will be very happy.
In the future everyone but the wealthy will be very filthy.
In the future everyone but the wealthy will be very healthy.
In the future TV will be so good that the printed word will function as an artform only.
In the future everyone but the wealthy will be very filthy.
In the future everyone but the wealthy will be very healthy.
In the future TV will be so good that the printed word will function as an artform only.
In the future people with boring jobs will take pills to relieve the boredom.
In the future that no one will live in cities.
In the future there will be mini-wars going on everywhere.
In the future everyone will think about love all the time.
In the future that no one will live in cities.
In the future there will be mini-wars going on everywhere.
In the future everyone will think about love all the time.
In the future political and other decisions will be based completely on opinion polls.
In the future there will be machines which will produce a religious experience in the user.
In the future there will be groups of wild people, living in the wilderness.
In the future there will be machines which will produce a religious experience in the user.
In the future there will be groups of wild people, living in the wilderness.
In the future there will only be paper money which will be personalised.
In the future there will be a classless society.
In the future everyone will only get to go home once a year.
In the future everyone will stay home all the time.
In the future there will be a classless society.
In the future everyone will only get to go home once a year.
In the future everyone will stay home all the time.
In the future we will not have time for leisure activities.
In the future we will only "work" one day a week.
In the future our bodies will be shrivelled up but our brains will be bigger.
In the future there will be starving people everywhere.
In the future we will only "work" one day a week.
In the future our bodies will be shrivelled up but our brains will be bigger.
In the future there will be starving people everywhere.
In the future people will live in space.
In the future no one will be able to afford TV.
In the future the helpless will be killed.
In the future everyone will have their own style of way-out clothes.
In the future we will make love to anything, anytime, anywhere.
In the future no one will be able to afford TV.
In the future the helpless will be killed.
In the future everyone will have their own style of way-out clothes.
In the future we will make love to anything, anytime, anywhere.
In the future there will be so much going on that no one will be able to keep track of it.
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