Byrne told Record Mirror in 1988 that many of the songs on Naked are “about human beings stripped of their pretensions; stripped of their surface trappings“, which in turn inspired putting a picture of a chimpanzee on the album cover.
Naked is the eighth and final studio album by American rock band Talking Heads, released on March 15, 1988, by Sire Records. Following the more straightforward new wave and pop rock sound on Little Creatures (1985) and True Stories (1986), Naked marked a return to the world beat stylings of both Remain in Light (1980) and Speaking in Tongues (1983), blending elements of Afrobeat, Latin funk, and art pop. The album’s songs were formed from improvisational jam sessions recorded in Paris, which featured the participation of numerous guest musicians such as former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Kirsty MacColl. Lyrics and vocals were then added in New York City following the Paris recordings.
[Nothing But] Flowers was released as one of 2 singles, in October 1988. The other single, Blind, was released earlier, in August of that year. It is track 5.
Other places the song has appeared: Filmmaker Kevin Smith used the song as the opening of Clerks 2; Meu Tio Matou um Cara (as covered by Caetano Veloso;) and the animated feature The Mitchells vs. the Machines. The song is quoted at the start of Bret Easton Ellis’ novel American Psycho (1991.)
The Music Video: featured innovative uses of typography by graphic designers Tibor Kalman and Emily Oberman. The band performs in the video with an expanded lineup featuring Marr, MacColl, Brice Wassy, Yves N’Djock and Abdou M’Boup, all of whom performed on the studio recording of the song. The music video was directed by Sandy McLeod and David Byrne.
Talking Heads:
Tina Weymouth – Bass
David Byrne – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Chris Frantz -Drums
Jerry Harrison – Keyboards, Guitar
Additional musicians:
Kirsty MacColl – backing vocals
Johnny Marr – 12-string guitar
Abdou M’Boup – congas
Yves N’Djock – guitar
Brice Wassy – shaker
Source: wikipedia
I went through and typed out the facts shown on the video. Facts as of 1988, which is almost 40 years ago. I wonder how today’s facts measure up?
Facts on the video
Acres of the world’s tropical rain forests cleared every day: 76,320
Number of privately owned machine guns in the U.S.: 183,895
Number of times since 1989 that Britain has “refined” its method of counting the unemployed: 24
Number of those refinements that that have resulted in a lower unemployment rate: 23
Number of Finnish women who have pledged not to have children until Finland bans nuclear power: 4,000
Percentage of Americans who say that they have been “moved to tears” by a greeting card: 29
Pounds of hazardous waste generated per capita in the U.S. in 1950: 4.6
Today (1988): 2,600
Number of employees it takes to answer a letter received by the Secretary of Health and Human Services: 55
Number of 14 year-olds currently detained in South Africa: 290
(Nothing But) Flowers
Here we stand
Like an Adam and an Eve
Waterfalls
The Garden of Eden
Two fools in love
So beautiful and strong
The birds in the trees
Are smiling upon them
From the age of the dinosaurs
Cars have run on gasoline
Where, where have they gone?
Now, it's nothing but flowers
There was a factory
Now there are mountains and rivers
You got it, you got it
We caught a rattlesnake
Now we got something for dinner
We got it, we got it
There was a shopping mall
Now it's all covered with flowers
You've got it, you've got it
If this is paradise
I wish I had a lawnmower
You've got it, you've got it
Years ago I was an angry young man
And I'd pretend
That I was a billboard
Standing tall
By the side of the road
I fell in love
With a beautiful highway
This used to be real estate
Now it's only fields and trees
Where, where is the town
Now, it's nothing but flowers
The highways and cars
Were sacrificed for agriculture
I thought that we'd start over
But I guess I was wrong
Once there were parking lots
Now it's a peaceful oasis
You've got it, you've got it
This was a Pizza Hut
Now it's all covered with daisies
You got it, you got it
I miss the honky tonks, Dairy Queens, and 7-Elevens
You got it, you got it
And as things fell apart
Nobody paid much attention
You got it, you got it
I dream of cherry pies, Candy bars, and chocolate chip cookies
You got it, you got it
We used to microwave
Now we just eat nuts and berries
You got it, you got it
This was a discount store,
Now it's turned into a cornfield
You've got it, you've got it
Don't leave me stranded here
I can't get used to this lifestyle
Songwriters: All lyrics written by David Byrne, all music composed by Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, and Tina Weymouth.
Jim Adams is the host of Song Lyric Sunday. This week Jim wants us to find a song about enjoying the outdoors.
Tao-Talk 
Nice choice, Lisa and it would be really cool if nature could completely reclaim the urban landscape making a new utopia after civilization fails and all we see are flowers.
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Jim, glad you like the choice and yes, it would be cool <3
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I’ve never heard this song before but the sound of their voices is a blast from the past.
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Christine, this is a new song to me also. Another one to add to their fabulous catalogue of music.
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Great choice Lisa one of my favourites – I might have been tempted to go for this again but I featured it in April for the Earthday theme – so I’m so glad you did😀
Talking Heads are just so talented and I love their music great way to start Sunday 🌸
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Ange so cool you know and used this song before. It is perfect for Earthday. Thanks <3
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It’s a real cracker 😃
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A good choice for the theme, and it was nice to see the late, great Kirsty in there.
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Clive, thank you very much. I liked the others they chose to join them with the song. Enhances it for sure.
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Thank you for this- I loved the write up as much if not more than the music. I too would be interested in the current digits on the list of socially conscious numbers listed- I would research it- but I have a lot to do today and do not want to depress myself!
Thank you for this, Li.
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Thanks, V. I understand about not wanting to get depressed by realizing how bad it is. Have a great Sunday!
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Your post got me thinking Li. Oh those facts would be frightening today, I just know it.
A great song choice and it fits the theme beautifully ❤️ 🌺☺️
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Thanks much, Christine. The vision of a future with nothing but flowers keeps my spirits high <3
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wow Li, your research here was interesting and I learned a lot – about 1988 and how some things change and some things do not – and well – lost ot ponder – and I only knew a few songs from Talking Heads – they sure were deeper than I knew.
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Yvette, great comment. They aren’t just pretty faces :)
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Such a great TH song to feature today, Lisa. Excellent choice!
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Glad you like the choice, Nancy. Thanks!
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My pleasure, Lisa
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Great song! Talking Heads had some interesting stuff. I do recall getting my hands on the “Naked” album from somebody at the time it came out and taping it on music cassette. I think it was hearing “Mr. Jones” on the radio that prompted me to tape it.
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Christian, not sure if I’ve heard the album all of the way through. I do have their greatest hits Sand in the Vaseline which probably has a few from it on there. Was Mr. Jones about David Bowie?
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Good question about “Mr. Jones.” I’ve never read up on that song. Perhaps something for my song deep-dive feature, if I resume it.
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This is a fun tune that I have never heard before. It has a hint of Islands’ music and a bit of Graceland by Paul Simon. With a Bowie style (in the voice).
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Marina, glad you liked the tune and like the way you’ve assessed its influences. I found it in a list of “top 50 natue loving songs.”
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Clerks 2…that is where I heard this before…I love those two movies. Great pick Lisa…it’s so smooth and it flows/rolls well.
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Yes it does, Max :)
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