Talking Heads

Released: April 24, 1984

Songwriter: Jerry Harrison Chris Frantz Tina Weymouth David Byrne

Producer: Gary Goetzman Tina Weymouth Jerry Harrison Chris Frantz David Byrne

[Verse 1]
Ah
Watch out
You might get what you're after
Cool, babies!
Strange but not a stranger
I’m an ordinary guy
Burning down the house

[Verse 2]
Hold tight
Wait 'til the party's over
Hold tight
We’re in for nasty weather
There has got to be a way
Burning down the house

[Chorus 1]
Here's your ticket, pack your bag
It's time for jumping overboard
The transportation is here
Close enough but not too far
Maybe you know where you are
Fighting fire with fire
Ah

[Verse 3]
All wet
Here, you might need a raincoat
Shakedown
Dreams walking in broad daylight
Three hundred sixty-five degrees
Burning down the house

[Chorus 2]
It was once upon a place
Sometimes I listen to myself
Gonna come in first place
People on their way to work
Say, “Baby, what did you expect?”
Gonna burst into flame

[Synthesizer Solo]
Burning down the house

[Verse 4]
My house
'S out of the ordinary
That's right
Don't want to hurt nobody
Some things sure can sweep me off my feet
Burning down the house

[Chorus 3]
No visible means of support
And you have not seen nothing yet
Everything's stuck together
I don't know what you expect
Staring into the TV set
Fighting fire with fire
Ah

[Instrumental]

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.

more tracks from the album

Stop Making Sense

From the album

Stop Making Sense (1984)

Talking Heads popular songs

Burning Down the House - LiveTalking Heads

Talking Heads

Stop Making Sense