Thanks for putting into words so well the reason I never really felt guilty about liking the lyrics to No Compassion.
No Compassion - really love that first (and last) section but dislike the middle; once again bits of songs pushed together to make one: 3/5 (just for section 1)
"No Compassion" - This is a very good rocker. The different parts don't seem like they'd fit together, but they do. I always took the narrator's perspective as someone who is impatient with other people and their emotions, but the song itself is pointing out the shortcomings of that viewpoint. But Tina would know much more than I would. 4/5
No Compassion This is not the most accessible song. I like the brittle nature of the music, so reflective of the lyrical content. Keeps a great groove throughout the whole song even though it's like 2 different songs. I do love the slide guitar (?) bit - I guess it sounds like a guitar being moved between different tunings. Whatever it is it is extremely cool. Byrne's vocal is a real performance - moving from calmly detached to wound up and cathartic. Not an easy one to categorize but I like it. 4/5 @SMRobinson that's an excellent critique of the song!
Our votes for “No Compassion” 1-0 2-0 3-4 4-7 5-14 Average: 4.3700 Updated Cumulative Rankings For Talking Heads: 77 1. No Compassion – 4.3700 (25) 2. Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town – 4.0310 (29) 3. New Feeling – 3.8846 (26) 4. Happy Day – 3.6900 (25) 5. Who Is It? – 3.5185 (27) 6. Tentative Decisions – 3.4185 (27)
Today’s song is “The Book I Read” Lyrics – The Book I Read Written by David Byrne. David: The song was covered in 1980 by Shaun Cassidy, produced by Todd Rundgren and backed by Utopia.
The Book I Read I'm spinning around and I feel alriiiiiiight Somewhat clumsy but endearing intro before the song relies on emphasized single chords for the first verse, then moves to the chorus with the organ. Then the best best part, the Na na na na ... bridge with - what is it - lower piano notes (?). I love the way Byrne dominates this with his excellent celebratory singing, so cheerful and innocent. Masterpiece of joy: 5/5 ♫ Na na na na Na na na na na-uh na Na na na na Na na na na na-na na ... hoo! Na na-na-na Na na na na na-na-na-na, woah ho Na na na na Ooh na na nnnn na na, na-ohohoh Choo, na na na na Ooooooooooooh! Ah yeah Na na na na Ooh, ooh, ooh ..... ♫
Book I Read This is another one where the album version is just as strong and perhaps even more compelling than the NOTBITH live album rendition. The latter has a more liquid loose groove, but the album has the most directly emotional vocal, with clearer intentions (and free of the really off the wall vocal tics that are, yeah, interesting, but detract a bit from the intention of the song). And what is the intent? It's a slightly oddball love song of course, with several different competing motifs sprinkled throughout. Love the minor chord section that functions as a pre chorus, and the shifting moods throughout. Great great stuff 4.5/5
The Book I Read. Another sorta love song. A very cool catchy track with that neat ‘na na’ bridge (which maybe goes on too long each time it comes). The opening guitar bits have that awful dead Bongiovi sound to them. Of course the version on “The Name Of This Band Is” is better; there is an awesome bit of Byrne chattering rhythm guitar near the end of that version. (I'm a huge fan of Byrne's rhythm guitar playing). The Stop Making Sense version is a nice one too. Overall, another great track 4.5/5 (Hilarious about this being an attempt to sound like KC & The Sunshine Band - I guess the "na na' part?) Shaun Cassidy version: what a crazy trip that is. Well, he's helped out by Todd Rundgren & Utopia. It's actually pretty decent.
That prickly guitar is another TH trademark so it's hard to dislike "The Book I Read" though the song was never a personal favorite. Meanwhile I reckoned I'd go through this life without hearing one Shaun Cassidy song but that all changed this morning. Good production on Cassidy's version, I did not shy away. Rundgren is a wizard of course and it's amazing how much Cassidy channeled Byrne (!) in the cover, and equally unamazing how little Byrne channeled K.C. and the Sunshine Band in his original. I do prefer the live version on "Name of This Band..."
The Book I Read The song strays all over the place musically, but David has the performance chops to bring delight and goodness to just about anything in this early stage. Maybe just a slight dip below the best on offer on the album, but the quality of these songs is amazing. 4/5
The Book I Read - 4/5 The best part of this is the guitar at the beginning. It’s a joyful song with an interesting lyric but it’s maybe a bit bland compared to others and, as such, goes on a little too long (particularly the na an na section). It sits mid-pack on this album but I’m sure it worked well in a live setting.
"The Book I Read" I really like this. The first time my sister heard this song she said, "What on earth is … that?!" Which made me like the song even more. 5/5
In another song that’s outside the rock norm, David talks about The Book I Read. He goes from saying that you wrote the book, to you are the book. I think it’s a love song, and the vocal is rather enthusiastic over the driving music. An extended na-na vocal section fits well into the song, and the result is one of the album’s best tracks and a great way to open side two. 4/5.
The Book I Read Feel a surge of love and wellbeing on hearing the first line (no idea if this is a Proustian thing). DB puts so much into this one. It sounds like the song's just tripping out of him from brain to tape. This album is soooooo good! 5/5
What a joyous song. The Book I Read is one of the very few songs from the debut album that was still being played live in 1983/84 so the band must’ve liked it too. It’s so upbeat and easy to singalong with … na na na naaaahhhh. It’s another oblique Byrne love song I think but dealt with in such a cheery manner that you can’t help but smile. Musically it’s wonderfully cheery too. My second favourite on ‘77 5/5
