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Rating: NAKED IN THE FOREST.
"David Byrne has an asylum look, but he doesn't emit a sense of danger: he just seems like a jolly madcap sent home from the psychiatric ward with a bag of Thorazine." (Lester Bangs)
Uncle Lester sketched the psycho-physical contours of Master David Byrne with affectionate and benign wit, and he really knew about musical asylums: a sort of Franco Basaglia of rock novelists. It was the dawn of the Talking Heads' Copernican revolution. With the mood-driven and tachycardic decade of the Seventies closed, a bridge of conceptual stylistic melting-pot ideally embraced the ancestral rhythm of Mother Africa and the convulsive paranoia of the modern West. A brief chronological recap, with the four Talking Heads opening astonishingly new and ancient sounds in a vast horizon, previously unknown and distant; from the 77 debut that mocked new-wave and oblique notes to the protean triptych with Mr. Eno in the director's chair, of which Remain In Light would be the epochal and infinite Everest. Finally, the dadaist and crazed singing of the plastic manikin Byrne on metropolitan neurosis lyrics, further shuffling the deck with the help of comrades Harrison, Weymouth, and Frantz. Practically they anticipated the sonic hybrid, the impossible intersection that united tradition and avant-garde, tribalism and intellectual fervor. Practically, they forged the ethno-world of the Eighties. Seminal? By all means! If we want to associate the magic word in the right context, distant from spermatozoa and Ron Jeremy, few others were so striking and pioneering. After some works that brought the New York heads closer to communication-friendly pop-rock without too many frills (Little Creatures the emblem), 1988 arrived, another turning point to close a decade. And here comes another stroke of genius, piper David and the comrades from the esteemed workshop decide to relocate to France, in Paris, under the supervision of the discreet Steve Lillywhite, African musicians, drums, funk brass, and Johnny Marr's guitar as a precious ally in four tracks.
Naked remains the best possible epitaph and farewell to the extraordinary TH adventure. Orphaned of the demigod Brian for a while, the expanding ego of bandleader Byrne and the grouchy arguments over sound copyright would mark the beginning of the end. But our heroes still have resources for the final exit, dodging the ethnic-rock wave of some years back in a spiced-up pop, feeding on its opposites in the whirlwind of wandering in a hundred different directions, never losing its way. The epilogue of Naked is a continuous flow of hope and tension, the "globalized" (positive) urgency to intersect different languages and cultures. Among calypso moves and the Louisianan ardor of Mommy, Daddy, You And I, the James Brown finely wrought in suit and tie of the sly Blind (fantastic video directed by Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel) or the multi-colored Central America of trumpets, winds, and congas that pervade Mr. Jones. A journey full of exclamation points, where the sinister, elusive electronics of The Facts Of Life meet innocent jingle-jangle guitars and a sinuous bass (Nothing But Flowers). Like the confluence of the Marañón and Ucayali (two rivers in the central Andean region) originates the Amazon River and its 7040 km, the skeletal blues of the forefathers in Ruby Dear is annulled sucked into the deep waters of the restless Cool Water. Stop, and end credits.
An eclectic tropicalism, evoking the Amazonian climate always warm and always humid, with intense cloudiness and abundant rains distributed evenly throughout the year. You might feel lost and finally naked, with the pronounced climbing ability of the arboreal animals. Because the distinguished monkey that watches us from the cover of Naked teaches: only those who stubbornly dare evolve and return pacified to nature. We are all free (and naked) in the forest.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Blind (04:58)
Signs
Signs are lost
Signs disappear
Turn Invisible
Got no sign
Somebody got busted
Got a face of stone
And a ghostwritten biography
Dogs start to rush in,
Hungry for some food
Dogs start a-twitching
And they're looking at you
It was light
By five
Torn all apart
All in the name of democracy
He's hurt
He's dying
Claimed he was a terrorist
Claimed to avert a catastrophe
Someone should'a told him
That the buck stops here
No one ever said
That he was involved with thieves
And they're blind, blind
blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
blind, blind
blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
No sense of harmony, No sense of
time, Don't mention harmony, Say:
What time is it? Give
a little shock, and he raises his hand
Somebody shouts out, says: What is
it? What is it? What is it?
He was shot down in the night! Peo-
ple ride by but his body's still alive.
The girl in the window what has she
done? She looks down at me...
says: "I don't want to die!"
And I'm blind, blind
blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
blind, blind
blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
Somebody could have told us where they go
Crawling all around looking for foot, foot, footprints
Now tell me what the Hell have we become?
Some dirty little bastards What the hell is going on?
No sense of harmony, No sense of
time, Don't mention harmony, Say:
What time is it? Give
a little shock, and he raises his hand
Somebody shouts out, says: What is
it? What is it? What is it?
He was shot down in the night! Peo-
ple ride by but his body's still alive.
The girl in the window what has she
done? She looks down at me...
says: "I don't want to die!"
They're blind and they're blind
blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
blind, blind
blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
blind, blind
blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
blind, blind
blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
02 Mr. Jones (04:18)
Mr. Jones
Put a wiggle in your stride
Loosen up
I believe he'll be alright
Changing clothes
Now he's got ventilated slacks
Bouncing off the walls
Mr. Jones is back!
Bulge out
And wind your waist
Tight pants
Got curly hair
Drinking cold beer
From metal cans
Moonshine
And Handi-Wipes!
Mr. Jones is back in town
It's his lucky day
Hold up your hands and shout
Jones is on his way
Pitter pat
Mr. Jones is back in town
Aces high
Now his pants are falling down
He looks so fine
In those patent leather shoes
Mr. Jones you look tired
I believe you'll be alright
Sales men
Conventioneers
Some rock stars
With tamborines
Short skirts
And skinny legs
Selling bibles
And real estate
It's a big day for Mr. Jones
He is not so square
Mr. Jones will stick around
He's everybody's friend
Fast cars
And motorbikes
I'm sure glad
He's on our side
The Jones Gang
Down at the bar
Watch out, this time
They've gone too far
They call for Mr. Jones
They put him in charge
Mr. Jones will help us out
He's a lucky guy
It is Mr. Jones' Birthday party
For another year
In his hotel room Party favors
It's a holiday
03 Totally Nude (04:03)
Big and I'm bad
And I want you to know
I hand around
Where the grass is greener
Totally naked, baby
Totally nude
'Cause if I want to
Who's gonna stop me?
I'm absolutely free
Living in the trees
The birdies and the bees
'Cause I'm a nature boy
Locked up inside
You can't tell me where it's at
Open up, open up, open the door
Rocks and trees and physical culture
Some days you hide
I guess you wonder where you are
Nature boy, nature man, take me along
We got a life that's undiscovered
We threw it all away
Throw it all away
Rolling every way
It's irresponsible
So civilized
I guess you wonder where you are
Nature boy, nature man, take me along
Deep in the woods we're undiscovered
I'm a little fish and you're the river
Living in a boat that's underwater
We can tip, tip, tip it over
You can push, push, make it better now
Wake your daddy up
It's a quarter to five
Our little boat
Has lost it's rudder
Dive to the bottom
And we never come up
A polka party
For Bob and Martha
I'm absolutely free
living in the trees
The birdies and the bees
'Cause I'm a nature boy
Think what you like
This is really where it's at
Open up, open up, open the door
We don't need clothes and we don't need money
So civilized
I guess you wonder where you are
Nature boy, nature man, take me along
Deep in the woods we're undiscovered
04 Ruby Dear (03:48)
'Round and 'round
and we won't let go
And where we stop
no one knows
uh-huh uh-huh
Down and down
in a spin we turn
Looking like
we'll never learn
uh-huh uh-huh
Think about
what ev'ryone is saying
Ruby dear
Oh don't you hear
Late at night
when the radio is playing
Ruby dear
So looky here
Oh this record's broken
It slips a beat
And all those watermelons
Have gone to seed
Nothing lives
in this dirty little river
No one here
Will shed a tear
It dried up
but it couldn't run forever
Ruby dear
That's what we hear
I still like the ocean
Down by the sea
They left that door wide open
It tempted me
Hounding me
from the bedroom to the kitchen
Ruby dear
I'm still right here
Now they throwed
the fox amongst the chickens
It's too deep
I'll drown in my sleep!
Angels and prostitutes
They might look the same
And if to Hell we're going
I'll see you there
'Round and 'round
and we won't let go
And where we stop
no one knows
uh-huh uh-huh
Down the street
where the bonfires glow
Looking like
they lost control
uh-huh uh-huh
Settle down
in that rocking chair
Breathing in
that rotten air
uh-huh uh-huh
Johnny Jones
fell fast asleep
Down a hole
where the rocks are steep
uh-huh uh-huh
05 (Nothing but) Flowers (05:14)
Here we stand
Like an Adam and an Eve
Waterfalls
The Garden of Eden
Two fools in love
So beautiful and strong
The birds in the trees
Are smiling upon them
From the age of the dinosaurs
Cars have run on gasoline
Where, where have they gone?
Now, it's nothing but flowers
There was a factory
Now there are mountains and rivers
(you got it, you got it)
We caught a rattlesnake
Now we got something for dinner
(we got it, we got it)
There was a shopping mall
Now it's all covered with flowers
(you've got it, you've got it)
If this is paradise
I wish I had a lawnmower
(you've got it, you've got it)
Years ago
I was an angry young man
I'd pretend
That I was a billboard
Standing tall
By the side of the road
I fell in love
With a beautiful highway
This used to be real estate
Now it's only fields and trees
Where, where is the town
Now, it's nothing but flowers
The highways and cars
Were sacrificed for agriculture
I thought that we'd start over
But I guess I was wrong
Once there were parking lots
Now it's a peaceful oasis
(you got it, you got it)
This was a Pizza Hut
Now it's all covered with daisies
(you got it, you got it)
I miss the honky tonks,
Dairy Queens, and 7-Elevens
(you got it, you got it)
And as things fell apart
Nobody paid much attention
(you got it, you got it)
I dream of cherry pies,
Candy bars, and chocolate chip cookies
(you got it, you got it)
We used to microwave
Now we just eat nuts and berries
(you got it, you got it)
This was a discount store,
Now it's turned into a cornfield
(you got it, you got it)
Don't leave me stranded here
I can't get used to this lifestyle
06 The Democratic Circus (05:01)
Found out this morning
There's a circus coming to town
They drive in Cadillacs
Using walkie-talkies, and the Secret Service
Their big top
Imitation of life
And all the flags and microphones
We have to cover our eyes
We play the sideshows
And we like the tunnel of love
And when we ride the ferris wheel
We're little children again
And when they're asking for volunteers
We'll be the first ones aboard
And when the ringmaster calls our names
We'll be the first ones to go ... to sleep
Stealing all our dreams
Dreams for sale
They sell 'em back to you
On with the show
Start the parade
We sand along
Sweep us away
It's political party time
Going down, going down
And the celebrities all come out
Coming down, coming down, coming...
The sun is going down
And the dogs are starting to howl
We stay out after dark
Eating cotton candy
And the music's playing...
How we all laughed!
We split our sides
The cameras flashed
We almost died!
The rain's gonna pour on down, falling out of the sky
Coming down, coming down
And the celebrities all run out, and the rain's
Coming down, coming down
Gonna rain,
Gonna rain, gonna rain
Gonna rain, gonna rain,
Rain, rain
Rain, rain
And now I wonder who's boss
And who he's leavin' behind?
08 Mommy Daddy You and I (03:58)
All the way home from baltimore
We couldn't find a seat
Conductor says he's sorry for
The blisters on our feet
Comes a-riding in a bus
The high and the low
Mommy, daddy, you and i
Going on a trip
And we're not going home
Mommy, daddy, you and i
Driving, keep driving
Driving, driving all night
Sleeping on my daddy's shoulder
Drinking from a paper cup
And i'm wearing my grandfather's clothes
And they say that up north it gets cold
Crawling out of bed one night
Walking in my sleep
We're not the only family
To take this little trip
Driving all the way up
It's 30 below
Mommy, daddy, you and i
Even little kids
Getting ready to go
Mommy, daddy,you and i
Chilly, chilly-willy
It's colder the further we go
Some are born to take advantage
But saying it don't make it so
So hold me and don't let me go
'cause the sidewalks are covered with snow
He's speaking english now
And he's smoothing out his clothes
He's mr. button down
He's leaving home
Making changes day by day
And we still ain't got no plan
How we gonna make our way
In this foreign land?
Well we'll keep driving, keep driving
Driving with all of our might
Changing, still changing
Changing the water of life
Keep that little man a shining
See how the tail can wag the dog
And we're all riding in this old bus
And the driver is singing to us
And we're wearing out grandfather's clothes
'cause we heard that up north it gets cold
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