Naked

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Naked, from 1988, is the eighth and last studio album by Talking Heads. After the straightforward pop songs of Little Creatures and True Stories, the band wanted something different. They travelled to Paris to work with producer Steve Lillywhite and international musicians, including Johnny Marr and Kirsty MacColl. Beforehand the band had already recorded about forty improvised tracks. In Paris they played all day and chose the best take at the end of each day. Lyrics and melodies followed only later, in New York.

The result mixes Afrobeat, Latin funk and art pop, with a warm, organic and percussive sound, deliberately different from the bombastic production of the 1980s. David Byrne said that many of the songs are about people without pretensions, which is why there is a chimpanzee on the cover. Critics saw a return to old form. The album reached number three in Great Britain. After that the band went on hiatus.

Listening

Track list

1. 1Blind5:00Apple Music ↗
2. 2Mr. Jones4:20Apple Music ↗
3. 3Totally Nude4:12Apple Music ↗
4. 4Ruby Dear3:50Apple Music ↗
5. 5(Nothing But) Flowers5:34Apple Music ↗
6. 6The Democratic Circus5:04Apple Music ↗
7. 7The Facts of Life6:29Apple Music ↗
8. 8Mommy Daddy You and I3:58Apple Music ↗
9. 9Big Daddy5:38Apple Music ↗
10. 10Bill3:23Apple Music ↗
11. 11Cool Water5:16Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗