Talking Heads Announce Talking Heads: 77 Deluxe Edition

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Talking Heads have announced an extensive 4xLP box set celebrating their 1977 landmark debut, Talking Heads: 77.

Arriving on November 8th, the super deluxe edition of Talking Heads: 77 features one LP of the remastered original album, one LP comprised of rare and previously-unreleased demos and outtakes, and two LPs with the complete live album Live at CBGB’s, New York, NY, Oct. 10, 1977, which is only available in this box set.

The box set also contains four 7-inch singles, including the newly-released acoustic version of “Psycho Killer” featuring Arthur Russell. The singles are set in a gatefold with a black and white image of the band; the box set also features an 80-page hardcover book featuring unearthed photos, fliers, artwork, and liner notes handwritten by band members David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison, as well as original recording engineer Ed Stasium. Pre-orders for the vinyl box set are now ongoing.

The reissue will also be available as as a 2xLP neon green vinyl set available exclusively at Barnes & Noble and a 2xLP standard black vinyl offered at all general retailers. In addition to the vinyl and the box set arriving on all streaming services, Talking Heads are releasing a 3xCD Blu-Ray edition that includes the same hardcover book as well as a 2024 stereo remaster. Pre-orders are ongoing.

It’s a massive collection and a definitive look back on the first years of their career for the Talking Heads, who reunited last year to celebrate a 40th anniversary re-release of Stop Making Sense. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the box set is the previously unheard live album, which captures the band’s final performance at the famed New York club CBGB. There are also a slew of unreleased rarities, including alternate versions of “Psycho Killer” and “Pulled Up.”

Regarding the new acoustic rendition of “Psycho Killer” featuring Arthur Russell, David Byrne wrote in a statement, “We knew cellist and singer/songwriter Arthur Russell from the downtown world. He died early from AIDS, and during his life, he released very disparate records — spacey tunes on the album World of Echo and disco club tunes under the name Dinosaur L. He left a huge legacy of recordings, which are still filtering out 40 years after his passing.”

Byrne continued, saying “I remember seeing him play Philip Glass music for a Mabou Mines production of a Beckett play. I think Beckett’s folks hated it, as they didn’t want there to be music in his plays. So it wasn’t a huge stretch that we’d invite Arthur to arrange and play on an alternate version of “Psycho Killer.” Somewhat perversely, I always saw the song as being a slightly more intimate folk rock thing rather than the rock song that folks seemed to love. So I had a special attachment to this version.” Stream the acoustic version of “Psycho Killer” below.

While Talking Heads didn’t reunite for shows this year, they kept the Stop Making Sense celebration going with the tribute album Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense. The covers album featured contributions from Miley Cyrus, Paramore, Lorde, The National, and many more.

Talking Heads Box Set Reissue Talking Heads 77 1977 debut live album psycho killer featuring arthur russell
Talking Heads Box Set Reissue Talking Heads 77 1977 debut live album psycho killer featuring arthur russell

Talking Heads: 77 (Super Deluxe Edition) Tracklist:
Original Album Remastered
01. Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town
02. New Feeling
03. Tentative Decisions
04. Happy Day
05. Who Is It?
06. No Compassion
07. The Book I Read
08. Don’t Worry About the Government
09. First Week/Last Week… Carefree
10. Psycho Killer
11. Pulled Up

Rarities
01. Sugar on My Tongue
02. I Want to Live
03. (Love Goes To) Building On Fire
04. I Wish You Wouldn’t Say That
05. Psycho Killer (Acoustic Version)
06. Uh-Oh Love Comes to Town (Alternate “Pop” Version)
07. New Feeling (Alternate “Pop” Version)
08. Pulled Up (Alternate “Pop” Version)
09. Stay Hungry (1977 Version)
10. First Week/Last Week… Carefree (Acoustic Version)
11. I Feel It in My Heart
12. Psycho Killer (Alternate Version)

Live at CBGB, New York, New York, 10/10/77
01. (Love Goes To) Building On Fire
02. Don’t Worry About the Government
03. Take Me to the River
04. The Book I Read
05. New Feeling
06. A Clean Break
07. No Compassion
08. Thank You for Sending Me an Angel
09. Who Is It?
10. Pulled Up
11. Uh-Oh Love Comes to Town
12. Psycho Killer
13. Stay Hungry

Talking Heads Announce Talking Heads: 77 Deluxe Edition
Paolo Ragusa

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