Continuing a countdown of my favorite albums of 1985…
#4 – Little Creatures – Talking Heads
Like The Smiths, Talking Heads’ influence far outpaces their longevity and output. The band recorded for 15 years and released eight studio albums, but that was enough to achieve legendary status.
Little Creatures is the band’s sixth record, and its first after the successful concert album Stop Making Sense. It became their biggest hit, going double platinum in the U.S.
The album is more accessible than the band’s previous releases, favoring pop and country flavors over the art punk and worldbeat of earlier work. I’d rank it in the middle of the pack but, because everything this band does is genius, that makes it pretty damn excellent.
Standout tracks include opener ‘And She Was,’ a jaunty New Wave bauble that lets you know you’re in for a good time, and closer ‘Road to Nowhere,’ a rollicking trip into the abyss. ‘Creatures of Love’ and ‘The Lady Don’t Mind’ showcase Byrne’s quirky delivery and the band’s tight rhythm section in exciting new ways. One thing about Talking Heads is they were always reinventing themselves, giving fans new reasons to love them.
The song that symbolizes this album for me is ‘Television Man,’ an epic that showcases everything weird and wonderful about this extraordinary band.
I’m looking and I’m dreaming for the first time
And I’m inside and I’m outside at the same time
And everything is real
Do I like the way I feel?
[Chorus]
When the world crashes in, into my living room
Television man made me what I am
People like to put the television down
But we are just good friends
I’m a television man
[Verse 2]
And I knew a girl, she was a macho man
And I, it’s alright, I wasn’t fooled for long
This is the place for me
I’m the king and you’re the queen
[Chorus]
When the world crashes in, into my living room
Television man made me what I am
People like to put the television down
But we are just good friends
I’m a television man
[Bridge 1]
Take a walk in the beautiful garden
Everyone would like to say hello
It doesn’t matter what you say
Come and take us away
[Instrumental with vocal improvisation]
[Bridge 2]
The world crashes in, into my living room
The world crashes in, into my living room
The world crashes in, into my living room
The world crashes in, into my living room
(And I say)
[Outro]
And we are still good friends (Television man)
I’m watching everything (Television man)
Television man (Television man)
I’m watching everything, I gotta be
Television man, and I’m gonna say
We are still good friends, and I’m trying to be
Watchin’ everything, and I gotta say
We are still good friends, you know the way it is
Television man, I’ve got what you need
We are still good friends, I know the way you are
Television man, I know what you’re tryin’ to be
Watchin’ everything, and I gotta say
That’s how the story ends
Meet Me In Montauk 
I’m such a big fan of this album, which I played constantly in college. My college band, the Generics, covered “Stay Up Late” – as fun a song to perform as it was to listen to.