Happy 45th Anniversary to the Talking Heads Remain in Light

One of the best albums of the 80's, Talking Heads Remain in Light turns 45 years old today. 

RtBE was too young for the album when it was first released and was raised more on metal and hip-hop. We only really got turned on to the record through the band Phish. We can thank the Vermont jamband who covered this record at Halloween 1996 for making us realize Talking Heads were more than silly videos and a run of the mill 80's band. 

Discovering their amazing songs and diving in late '96 was a joy as they have so many good records, and have become one of our all-time favorites. Even with a great discography, Remain in Light seems to shine brightest. 

The first 16:25 of the album is some of the best dance rock ever with the trio of "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)", "Crosseyed and Painless" and "The Great Curve". Monster offerings that instantly gets the hips moving with funky punky African influenced rhythms. It i almost impossible to sit still when listneing to these three excellent tunes, they are made to move to. 

"Once In A Lifetime" starts side two with one of the most famous/best pop songs from the band while the art rock, Velvet Underground and noise influences seep in to close with "Houses in Motion", "Seen and Not Seen", "Listening Wind", and "The Overload" ending the record on a haunting note. 

Remain In Light touches on all aspects that the Heads do well, dance, art, noise, and pure pop.

I went back to check out Robert Christgau's review of the record from 1980, which he gave an A. Here is the whole thing:

In which David Byrne conquers his fear of music in a visionary Afrofunk synthesis--clear-eyed, detached, almost mystically optimistic. First side's a long dance-groove more sinuous than any known DOR that climaxes in the middle with the uncontorted "Crosseyed and Painless" but begins at the beginning: when Byrne shouts out that "the world moves on a woman's hips"--not exactly a new idea in rock and roll--it sounds as if he's just discovered the secret of life for himself, which he probably has. Second side celebrates a young terrorist and recalls John Cale in his spookiest pregeopolitical mode but also begins at the beginning: with "Once in a Lifetime," the greatest song Byrne will ever write. It's about the secret of life, which even a woman's hips can't encompass.

Pretty spot on, so for Remain in Light's anniversary, play it loud. Here are a few tunes to get you started.