Make It Up as We Go Along

A funny thing happened at work today: David Byrne came in to see our exhibitions.

I didn't actually recognize him in the moment and just registered him in my head as "cool looking old guy with loafers". I realized after the fact that I hadn't ever seen an older version of him than the one in Stop Making Sense, so I guess it made sense that I didn't start waving my arms up and down when he walked past me. I was a little sad that I didn't capitalize on the opportunity to meet him, though I don't know what I would have said anyways. It's fine!

It was a little serendipitous, as the Talking Heads have become a fixture in my life over the last year and a bit. Last year, Rebecca and I went to go see a screening of Stop Making Sense at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema near our apartment. I had listened to a couple of the band's albums and seen most of the film already, so I knew the general vibe of it and Rebecca had been meaning to listen to the band for ages. I figured it would be a fun date and a good way to introduce us to the band.

The theatre was way more packed than either of us anticipated and we had to take our seats in the balcony. There was a solid buzz of noise in the theatre and everyone seemed to be buzzing with anticipation for what was about to happen. "Psycho Killer" elicited passionate singalongs in seats and everyone around us seemed to be bopping up and down, but it was the beginning of "Burning Down the House" where half the theatre jumped up and started dancing in the aisles. The sound was cranked, we were tipsy, and everything was wonderful. "Life During Wartime" had the audience running in circles around the theatre's seating while Byrne did his laps of the stage on screen. The energy of our crowd never stopped for the entire film and it seemed like the closest you could come to seeing prime Talking Heads play live now. We became instant fans and it was the most fun I've ever had in a theatre.

After that, I made sure to get their entire discography to listen to immediately. They became our go-to music around the house and many of their songs slotted into my life seamlessly. I learned 4 or 5 songs on bass and couldn't believe I hadn't been learning them for my whole life.

One song in particular really stuck with me, and has since become one of "my songs". It immediately calms me down and I feel like I'm floating in still water as soon as it starts. It reminds of being in love and living with Rebecca. I would listen to it on hard days at work and when I got nervous before leaving the apartment to go a party with new people.

I guess I would have talked to David about that song.