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: 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
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