Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean

“Psycho Killer” Artist: The Talking Heads Music / Lyrics by David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Tina Weymouth Label: Sire, 1977

The creation of bands from within the ranks of art school students has a long and venerable history in the world of rock and roll. Just as the Rolling Stones and The Who were led by art school students whose visual and abstract ideas of rock were at least as important as the chords they chose, the Talking Heads was an idea of “rock band as avant-garde multimedia installation.” The Talking Heads was founded by David Byrne and Chris Frantz in 1974 at the Rhode Island School of Design. Joined later by Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison, the group both pre-figures 80s punk and harks back to 60s punk.

A huge favorite of the CBGB’s punk scene, the Talking Heads’ nerdy allure was epitomized in the oversized, boxy suit David Byrne wore in the magnificent concert film “Stop Making Sense.” However, like fellow art-schoolers Mick Jagger, Pete Townsend, David Bowie, Michael Stipe and Thurston Moore, Talking Heads’ front man David Byrne had impeccable critical taste: in influences, in sidemen, and in long-term creative arcs. “Psychokiller” captures both the psychosis and the ironic humor that epitomized the alienated pop that characterized various flavors of “art school rock.”

The Talking Heads has found its way into many pop-culture references. In an episode of the Simpsons, cartoon character Lisa Simpson cites Byrne as one of history’s “most successful nerds.” A hilarious but sophomoric parody of “Psycho Killer,” called “Psycho Chicken,” was recorded by a group called the Fools shortly after the original; several (censored) versions are still circulating on the Internet.

Musical style notes

In the language of TV broadcasting, a “Talking Head” is slang for a head shot that involves no active content other than the narration. This is a fairly apt descriptor for the Talking Heads’ early musical style, in which most of the content is in the lyrics and the concept, and the playing was fairly rudimentary. “Psycho Killer” is a good example of this conceptually creative but musically simple early period. The chord progressions are simple; the rhythm is a straightforward 4-beat thump-thump-thump-thump that functions as a vehicle for Byrne’s agitated and slightly creepy sung-recitation.

As their career progressed, the Talking Heads’ musical content became more sophisticated (Listen to their cover of soul man Al Green’s “Take Me To The River,” or the transcendent “Once In a Lifetime.”) This can at least partly be attributed to the addition of producer Brian Eno, whose influence led the band into the post-punk, techno-influenced style that became known as “New Wave.”

Musical “Road Map”

Timings Comments Lyrics 0:00-0:24 Introduction

Solo bass; keyboards, guitars and drums layer in one by one. 0:24-0:40 Verse 1 I can’t seem to face up to the facts I’m tense and nervous and I can’t relax… 0:40-1:22 Chorus Psycho Killer – Qu’est-ce que c’est? Fa Fa fa fa Fa fa fa fa fa—far better Run Run Run Run Run Run Run Away… Psycho Killer – Qu’est-ce que se? Fa Fa fa fa far better… Run Run Run Run Run Run Run Away…

Oh oh oh oooooh Ah-Yay-yay-yay-yay

1: 22-1:38 Verse 2 You start a conversation you can’t even finish… Half sung, half-spoken. You’re talking a lot, but you’re not saying anything… 1:38-2:13 Chorus Psycho Killer – Qu’est-ce que c’est? Fa fa fa fa Fa fa fa fa fa—far better Run Run Run Run Run Run Run Away…

Psycho Killer – Qu’est-ce que se? Fa fa fa fa Fa fa fa fa far better… Run Run Run Run Run Run Run Away…

2:13-2:40 Bridge Ce que j'ai fait, ce soir-là Ce qu'elle a dit, ce soir-là… Note short, staccato attacks on notes. 2:40-2:52 New verse, with slightly different melody We are vain and we are blind I hate people when they’re not polite… 2:52-3:30 Chorus Psycho Killer – Qu’est-ce que c’est? Fa fa fa fa Fa fa fa fa fa—far better Run Run Run Run Run Run Run Away…

Psycho Killer – Qu’est-ce que se? Fa fa fa fa Fa fa fa fa far better… Run Run Run Run Run Run Run Away…

3:30-4:14 Guitar solo (two guitars)

Repeats to final chord at 4:14 (Note how the two guitars are mixed with very sharp stereo separation, as though they are having a dialogue.)

Angela Mariani would like to thank Dr. Chris Smith of Texas Tech University for his contribution to this Listening Guide.