it was a long time ago that the talking heads hit it big. man, their music was EVERYWHERE.
in the summer of 1983, i ran a lakeside campground in my small town with my brother, and it was hard hard hard work, but it was fun. i remember a group from a nearby town rented three large spots for the whole summer, the one tucked away in the corner. each weekend, they drove down and camped, drinking beer, and having fun on their speedboats, followed by evenings at the pub. every night, they’d roll into the campground around 10pm and start a bonfire. every night, they’d play the talking heads from their car stereo, doors propped open, and the girls danced around the bonfire.
the music was a revelation for a small town girl raised on rock and roll, because it was smart, subversive. when you’re raised on ‘patio lanterns’, hearing songs like ‘burning down the house’ are truly mind blowing.
i celebrate post-punk introduced into my life by the talking heads.
PS here’s to sandra and her friends, dancing their brains out by the light of a raging bonfire, circa 1983.