This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) Lyrics
newcoterierotary said: "do you really think someone who was in love would say
"I'm just an animal looking for a home Share the same space for a minute or two" "
Me. I would say that. We're all animals, shuffling around our stupid little pointless lives looking for a place to belong. And those lives are so fleeting, they might as well be a minute or two.
When you realize that in the grand scheme of things everything you have and know is the blink of an eye then gone, the most romantic thing you can say to another person is share with me the boring, mundane, and stay with me "out of the passing of time". Time is precious, what better reason could there be to stay with someone?
A lot of what some of you think makes this song depressing, is what I find heartwarming.
"We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet... I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things... all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness'." - Shall We Dance
"We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet... I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things... all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness'." - Shall We Dance
Also "Want to treasure the rest of your days here, and give you pleasure in so many ways, dear." - Hard to Concentrate by RHCP.
Also "Want to treasure the rest of your days here, and give you pleasure in so many ways, dear." - Hard to Concentrate by RHCP.
Newcoterierotary hit the nail on the head. This is a disarmingly beautiful song.
Newcoterierotary hit the nail on the head. This is a disarmingly beautiful song.
This must be what finding real love is like.
This song is so beautiful (especially the live version) and seems like such a love song but I agree that there is a tinge of something dark and more subversive about it. The (naive melody) part of the title especially lends itself to this. I think I recently figured it out... at least it makes sense to me.
"Home, is where I want to be pick me up and turn me round" -- He is looking to feel at home, not just to be at home. He wants to feel like he belongs and to know that he is doing what he was meant to do.
"I feel numb, burn with a week heart" -- He's been hurt and he's sort of numb to it now. He feels like he doesn't really care what happens anymore.
"Guess I must be having fun" -- He feels like he should be having more fun than he is. The things he's doing are fun and being with this woman is fun but he still doesn't feel like it's perfect. He has no idea what could be more fun, but he knows that this isn't where he belongs. Somethings not quite right.
"The less we say about it the better" -- It's easier to just not talk about it. He's having a pretty good time, it's best to just ignore the fact that something doesn't fit.
"Make it up as we go along" -- He's living without plans, he doesn't know where he's going but if he doesn't think about it, it's ok.
"Feet on the ground/ Head in the sky/ It's OK I know nothing's wrong... nothing" -- His body is on the ground but his head is detached... He doesn't feel like he's living his life. His body is going through the motions but his mind feels surreal and lost. He knows nothing is wrong logically. His life is headed in a sensible place - he should be having fun. he keeps telling himself that he is, and that nothings wrong but he knows in his heart that something untangible doesn't feel right.
"Hi yo, I've got plenty of time" -- goes along with 'the less we say about it the better.' He feels like he's got a long life ahead and he doesn't have to figure out whats wrong, it will work itself out.
"Hi yo, you've got light in your eyes" -- He does think this girl is beautiful and is in love with her
" And you're standing here beside me, I love the passing of time" -- He subtly feels like she's not with him, she's just next to him, but he loves spending time with her and definitely wants to love her.
"Never for money, always for love" -- Sometimes he thinks the girl might just want him for his money, so he tells himself otherwise. Perhaps this is his naivite?
"Cover up and say goodnight" -- He's ignoring these feelings in his heart and just getting in bed with her. Logically, he should be happy and having fun but he still knows he's not in his heart. So he covers it up and says goodnight.
"Home, is where I want to be/ but I guess I'm already there" -- He really wants to feel at home, to feel like he belongs and that he's doing exactly what he's meant to do. Logically, he feels like he should feel that way about his current situation. He's got this woman who loves him and a lot of money, he's doing fun things. Isn't this home? Logically, it should be. But it doesn't feel like it...
"I come home, she lifted up her wings" -- He thinks of her like an angel - she's beautiful and he does think she's fantastic.
"I guess that this must be the place" -- He guesses this is it. This is his life, it's everything he wanted. I guess he's there. But something feels out of place. He still feels detached and surreal.
"I can't tell one from another, did I find you or you find me" -- He doesn't feel like they found eachother, more that they just ended up together. Still feels detached and surreal. this one's open to more interpretation though (not that the others aren't... just this one in particular i feel like could be more)
"There was a time, before we were born, if someone asks this is where I'll be" -- He's going to remove himself from the world for a while, maybe that will help. He doesn't want to die but he wants to remove himself, like he was before he was born.
"We drift in and out/ Sing into my mouth" -- He drifts in and out of love, sometimes he feels like he's in the right place but mostly he feels something is wrong. Also a representation of the physcial act of making love and kissing, written very poetically.
"Out of all those kinds of people, you got a face with a view" -- She's beautiful, more than anybody.
"I'm just an animal looking for a home and, share the same space for a minute or two and you love me till my heart stops, love me till I'm dead." -- She love's him to death, he is everything to her. Unfortunatley, he still feels like he's drifting along, out of place. He knows she's beautiful but he doesn't love her like she loves him. He still feels detached, like he should love her but he says it like he means it - he's just an animal looking for a home and happens to share the same space (not home yet) for a minute or two with her.
"Eyes that light up, eyes look through you" -- Her eyes light up when she sees him, but his look through her :(
"Cover up the blank spots hit me on the head" -- He wants to love her and feel at home so badly that he just covers up his doubt. He wishes he could just be knocked out and be head over heels in love. This song is so awesome and beautiful - my favorite by the Talking Heads. This explanation just came to me on a 4 hour walk I was on listening to this song for part of it. It's so beautifully written and the music flows and fits so well - it's beautiful with a hint of sadness.
This is exactly what I thought the song meant too. As I was reading all the previous comments I thought about how idealistic people were being about this song, or should I say naive... I mean people even played this at their weddings, which made me cringe for them. It reminded me of when an ex-boyfriend had played the song "You Can't Always Get What you Want" by the Rolling Stones to me as a profession of love. Oye vey.
This is exactly what I thought the song meant too. As I was reading all the previous comments I thought about how idealistic people were being about this song, or should I say naive... I mean people even played this at their weddings, which made me cringe for them. It reminded me of when an ex-boyfriend had played the song "You Can't Always Get What you Want" by the Rolling Stones to me as a profession of love. Oye vey.
Very nice analysis. I think often we look too far into the meaning of each line or phrase of songs. While I think you're spot on with some of the lines, I think there are a number of "throw-in" lines that are just thoughts David had. The song, in general, is a love song. He said it himself that it's the only love song he has ever written. That is really all we need to know. He is writing about love and it's beautiful.
Very nice analysis. I think often we look too far into the meaning of each line or phrase of songs. While I think you're spot on with some of the lines, I think there are a number of "throw-in" lines that are just thoughts David had. The song, in general, is a love song. He said it himself that it's the only love song he has ever written. That is really all we need to know. He is writing about love and it's beautiful.
The "Naive Melody" is simply about the actual melody of the song. It's so...
The "Naive Melody" is simply about the actual melody of the song. It's so simplistic that they called it the "Naive Melody" and they liked it so much that they included it in the name of the song.
Nice job, though. I enjoyed reading it.
@pezdel This is a great interpretation, I was thinking of using this at my wedding but after reading your analysis and not disagreeing with anything you said made me realise how naive I was. Yeah probably not the best song for a first dance!
@pezdel This is a great interpretation, I was thinking of using this at my wedding but after reading your analysis and not disagreeing with anything you said made me realise how naive I was. Yeah probably not the best song for a first dance!
This song is so beautiful and so sweet that it makes me want to cry. I guess all I can think to say about it is, it's a love song. About finding that feeling of being home in a person, about spending time with this person and never wanting it to end. My favorite lyrics are:
"Home, is where I want to be But I guess I'm already there. I come home, she lifted up her wings I guess that this must be the place."
I love the live version from Stop Making Sense. Not only does it sound better than the studio version, but I love the visuals. The only light comes from a lamp onstage and when it's first turned on, the screens behind the band light up with images of books in a bookshelf. Seeing that always makes me think of my father's house and how he always has a lamp turned on in his bedroom to illuminate the books in his bookcase. Also, I never realized that I wanted to be a lamp until I saw the video... ;)
do you really want to be a lamp?..., nice comment agree is the part that it reminds you of something particularly for you, and one of my favorite parts is:
do you really want to be a lamp?..., nice comment agree is the part that it reminds you of something particularly for you, and one of my favorite parts is:
"Sing into my mouth"
"Sing into my mouth"
Seems like a different use for the mouth or a sensual thing to ask somebody to do so instead of singing to his ears.
Seems like a different use for the mouth or a sensual thing to ask somebody to do so instead of singing to his ears.
Sorry if i don't make myself clear: english is not my first language.
Sorry if i don't make myself clear: english is not my first language.
I was joking about wanting to be a lamp... I just wish sometimes that I could dance with David Byrne. But I'm not sure being a lamp in itself would be very fun.
I was joking about wanting to be a lamp... I just wish sometimes that I could dance with David Byrne. But I'm not sure being a lamp in itself would be very fun.
I love that line too, about "sing into my mouth." It makes me think of two people kissing, and sighing with pleasure into the other's mouth.
I love that line too, about "sing into my mouth." It makes me think of two people kissing, and sighing with pleasure into the other's mouth.
This song is my favourite song of all time. Possibly the most romantic, and it is about returning to the one you love. The only song more romantic? Songbird by Fleetwood Mac.
david byrne said this is one of the only love songs he's written. in "stop making sense," he sings it to a lamp. the man is a genius
Very few people would read that statement and agree, I am one of them.
Very few people would read that statement and agree, I am one of them.
There was a time, before we were born. If someone asks, this is where I'll be.
There was a time, before we were born. If someone asks, this is where I'll be.
Almost like when someone says, "I'll be at the office". . .they may be many places, but "the office" is the reason they left the house.
Almost like when someone says, "I'll be at the office". . .they may be many places, but "the office" is the reason they left the house.
OK fine, he's a genius. LOL
OK fine, he's a genius. LOL
Stop Making Sense is the best movie ever. I love the david byrne self interview, where he says, "i have written one love song... in this film i sing it to a lamp". he's my hero!!!!!! it seems like 90 percent of popular music is about love, but for some reason when david byrne sings a love song, it's extra special.
Stop Making Sense is the best movie ever. I love the david byrne self interview, where he says, "i have written one love song... in this film i sing it to a lamp". he's my hero!!!!!! it seems like 90 percent of popular music is about love, but for some reason when david byrne sings a love song, it's extra special.
i always look for the angle in talking heads songs, for what is subversive. but i have to say if there is something subversive about this song i don't want to know it. it is so joyful and beautiful. i sing along loudly to it and it makes me happy.
In the "Self Interview" on the DVD of the concert film Stop Making Sense, Byrne admits that it is a love song, a topic he tends to avoid because it is "kinda big". He also said of the song[2]:
"That's a love song made up almost completely of non sequiturs, phrases that may have a strong emotional resonance but don't have any narrative qualities. It's a real honest kind of love song. I don't think I've ever done a real love song before. Mine always had a sort of reservation, or a twist. I tried to write one that wasn't corny, that didn't sound stupid or lame the way many do. I think I succeeded; I was pretty happy with that."
David Byrne singing to a lamp... Brilliant!!
This song is also one of my all-time favorites. I don't know why but it reminds me of the innocent youth that we all experience but can never go back to. It's a definite comfort song for me.