Released: March 15, 1988

Songwriter: Chris Frantz Tina Weymouth Jerry Harrison David Byrne

Producer: Talking Heads Steve Lillywhite

[Verse 1]
Monkey see and monkey do
Making babies, eating food
Smelly things, pubic hair
Words of love in the air

Sparks fly, shooting out
Making sure that everything is working
I can't turn you down
We are programmed happy little children

Matter over mind
We can not resist so I won't fight it
Love is a machine
Love is a machine without a driver

[Chorus]
The facts of life[x2]

[Verse 2]
A masterpiece, biology
Smoky water, air conditioned
Boys 'n' girls and automation
Chromosomes, designer jeans
And chimpanzees and human beings

[Chorus]
Machines of love[x4]

[Verse 3]
Strong in body, strong in mind
A love machine with the facts of life
The facts of life, the facts of life

So much sex 'n' violence must be a bad design
We're stupid to be fighting, every night

The monsters we create they welcome us aboard
The best in advertising from coast to coast
The girls and boys combine like monkeys in the zoo
The clouds have silver linings looks pretty good

People fall in love like in fairy tales
I'm not sure I like, what they can do
I'm afraid that God has no master plan
He only takes what he can use

Factory life, ice cream and pie
Factory life

Someday we'll live on Venus, men will walk on Mars
But we will still be monkeys down deep inside
If chimpanzees are smart then we will close our eyes
And let our instincts guide us, oh oh oh oh no

Talking Heads

Ground-breaking rock band Talking Heads is arguably one of the most influential bands of all time. Spearheaded by their slightly crazy lead singer David Byrne, they were at the forefront of the New Wave movement.

The band was formed in 1974 by Byrne and drummer Chris Frantz. Frantz’s then-girlfriend-later-wife Tina Weymouth was quickly recruited to play bass. After a few recordings and performances, guitarist/keyboardist Jerry Harrison was hired to round out the group.

Their first album, Talking 77, was appropriately released in 1977. It quickly received critical acclaim.