Swamp

This song is the entire Reagan Era, spelled out for anyone paying attention. ("Making Flippy Floppy" is the other brilliant Byrne comment on era it was made in---when thugs and sociopaths like Ed Meese, Alexander Haig and James Watt were running the show.)

I always heard Byrne saying not "Hi hi hi hi hi hi" but "High high high high high high" as in the glorification of the nation state and the desperate clinging to the hoary idea of World Dominance. It's a embodiment of the Nuremberg mindset that came over much of America in the 1980's, exemplified best by the mass hysteria of "patriotism" at the 1984 Olympics.

Notice Byrne in "Stop Making Sense", while singing "Swamp"; he's subtle about it, but at one point he raises his arm in a modified fascist salute, while singing the "High high high high high" chorus.

It also doesn't hurt that this is an absolutely stunning piece of music too.

Just brilliant.

Sounds like he's talking about the devil's big plan to destroy the Earth by corrupting leaders to start a nuclear exchange. He wants everyone to stay and watch the "beauties in solid motion" so he can collect their bones.

Then aliens who have been watching will realize these people dropped the bomb "one time too many" and we have no way out. So they come to take people to a new home.

I do love the lines "How many people do you think I am?" and "Click click - see ya later, pika pika - risky business" ... I was told by my dad [who made me know Talking Heads] that in the part of "How many people do you think I am?", it is the Devil who talks...

I think this song is about capitalism, greed, burning out of city types and that Michael Douglas film "Falling Down". and maybe the temptation to become "dirty" to keep up with everyone else and have all the material things they have, but when you get caught...

Risky business...all that blood....no window to slip out of...when your hands get dirty.....

today i discovered that this song is even more awsome than usual whne u blast it going down a highway at night at 90mph im not saying u should try it but whne the "hi hi hi hi...." part plays.... oh damn so fucking cool

coolest song ever? quite possibly.

This song makes me think of a schitzophrenic street bum- you know the kind, definitely in thier own world/worlds, but still able subsist in this one, and pass by you uttering random things that seem to have no connection to anything - except they do.

nuclear holocaust

is this not a bloody cool song!!!

perfect for walking or marchingtoo like he does in stop making sense - love it

Yes, most definately about nuclear weapons/dangers-risks of psychotic presidents and dictators and their nuclear weapons:

"Click Click, See Ya Later; Beta Beta, No Time To Rest; Pika Pika, - Risky Business; All That Blood Will Never Cover That Mess"

click click - sound a geiger counter makes Beta Beta - decay where a beta particle is emitted from an atomic nucleus... measured in time Pika Pika - Flash (flash of an atomic or radioactive BLAST in japanese) All that blood Will Never Cover that Mess - could mean many things - the blood of the inoccents will never cover the crime? the blood of the supposed aggrieved party (for instance the US after Pearl Harbor... but if you believe that you should do some serious research into who in the US knew and actually even insured the japanese would attack pearl harbor before Dec 7 1941) will not cover the blood of those murdered by nuclear weapons.. plenty can define this line.

A great song. By a great writer and a great band.

Thanks, Dave Byrne.