Happy 40th: Talking Heads, MORE SONGS ABOUT BUILDINGS AND FOOD

40 years ago this month, Talking Heads released their sophomore album, an LP which found them teaming for the first time with a soon-to-be repeat collaborator: Brian Eno.

Recorded at Compass Point in Nassau, MORE SONGS ABOUT BUILDINGS AND FOOD is generally considered to have been some semblance of a breakthrough album for Talking Heads, as it provided them with the first top-30 single of their career: a cover of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River,” which made it to #26 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The title of the album arose from a conversation which took place between Tina Weymouth and Chris Franz. “When we were making this album I remembered this stupid discussion we had about titles for the last album," Weymouth told Creem Magazine in 1979. "At that time I said, 'What are we gonna call an album that's just about buildings and food?' And Chris said, 'You call it more songs about buildings and food.’”

Done and done…or was it?! 25+ years later, Andy Partridge – best known as one of the singers and songwriters for XTC – claimed on Twitter that he was actually the one who gave the album title to David Byrne. Seems pretty weird for Weymouth to concoct a story about coming up with the title when she wasn’t even the one who was ostensibly given the title by Partridge, but believe whoever you want, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s a great album.