Lorde reveals her cover of Talking Heads' 'Take Me to the River' for upcoming tribute album

Lorde ’s take on Talking Heads ' hit “Take Me to the River” was just released today, and it’s everything a tribute song should be.

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To celebrate last year’s remastering of their concert film Stop Making Sense and the band’s first appearance in 20 years, Talking Heads are releasing a compilation album called Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense , the album will see artists like Miley Cyrus and The National tackle some of the band’s greatest hits. Previous releases have included Paramore ’s animated take on “Burning Down the House” and Teezo Touchdown on the song “Making Flippy Floppy.” The third single was released this week, in which Lorde covers the first Talking Heads song she ever heard -- called “Take Me to the River.”

“Take Me to the River” is actually a cover in itself. The song was originally co-written and performed by Al Green , with a horn and bass-driven soul that will get you strutting and whistling before the song’s even over. But just four years later, Talking Heads went on to transform the song into a precursor for 80’s experimental rock. In their version, “Take Me to the River” is full of new wave midi instruments- a sign of the times back in 1978. Instead of walkable horns and bass, they slow the song and shift focus toward the keyboard and drums. Lead singer David Byrne leans away from imitating Green’s famous vocals and instead puts the melody and lyrics into his own style. “Take me to the river / Dip me in the water / Washing me down, washing me down,” Bryne sings, as he plays around with volume and stop-rhythm.

Through all of their artistic changes, the Talking Heads’ cover became entirely their own song. Having charted #26 in the US Hot 100 billboard chart, the band performed “Take Me” live in concert, which was recorded and turned into the film Stop Making Sense . Thus, the hit is also a part of the upcoming tribute album, and has been newly covered by Lorde.

Lorde stays very true to the original, or to clarify, the Talking Heads version. The singer plays around with a midi style while also giving it a cleaner, technological update and stripping back any clouded-sounding instruments. This gives the cover more breathing room and moves it closer to "easy listening" Rock. She also seems to make her voice a tad thinner, akin to Bryne’s style, but doesn’t lose her own sense of artistry either. Lorde still has her signature mix of vocal layering and reverb, and manages to strike that perfect balance between a new and classic cover song.

All in all, it’s another great tribute. Lorde is a perfect fit for both the song and the musical intentions of Talking Heads. Her familiarity with electronic experimentalism, and being unafraid of being labeled "weird," aligns her with the band’s legacy. Even Lorde herself acknowledged her similarities with Talking Heads in a letter released alongside the single. She recalled how her mother first introduced the band to her with a music video, and how she realized “the band in the grainy video live with the same strangeness that I do.”

“It’s beyond a great honour to be a part of this compilation,” Lorde wrote. “In doing so, I am reaching back through time and pinning something to [my inner] kid’s wall. Hope you like it.”

So, have we convinced you to listen yet? You can check out the new cover of “Take Me to the River” above, as well as on Audacy’s Talking Head Radio and Lorde Radio . Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense doesn’t have a full release date yet, so stay tuned for more.