Speaking in Tongues

by Talking Heads

Speaking in Tongues cover art

Stepping away from Brian Eno's dense production, 'Speaking in Tongues' features a more spacious and rhythmically direct sound, layering deep funk and post-punk with prominent synthesizers and gospel-inflected backing vocals. Frontman David Byrne crafted lyrics to fit his melodic nonsense-syllable improvisations, resulting in impressionistic phrases that complement the album's buoyant, groove-focused structures. This accessible approach produced the band's sole US top-ten hit, 'Burning Down the House,' securing the album as their commercial breakthrough.

Genres

  • New Wave
  • Synth Funk

Tracklist

  1. Burning Down the House
  2. Making Flippy Floppy
  3. Girlfriend Is Better
  4. Slippery People
  5. I Get Wild / Wild Gravity
  6. Swamp
  7. Moon Rocks
  8. Pull up the Roots
  9. This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)