Wild Wild Life

Talking Heads

I'm wearin' my
Fur pyjamas
I ride a
Hot potato
It's ticklin' my fancy
Speak up, I can't hear you

Here on this mountaintop, oh oh oh
I got some wild, wild life
I got some news to tell, oh oh
About some wild, wild life
Here come the doctor in charge, oh oh oh
She's got some wild, wild life
Ain't that the way you like it, oh oh
Livin' wild, wild life

I'll wrestle
With your conscience
You wrestle
With your partner
Sittin' on a windowsill
But he spends his time behind closed doors, so
Check out mister businessman, oh oh oh
He bought some wild, wild life
On the way to the stock exchange, oh oh oh
He got some wild, wild life
Make it up when he opens the door, oh oh oh
He doin' wild, wild life
I know that's the way you like it, oh oh
Livin' wild, wild

Peace of mind
Is a piece of cake
Thought control
You get on board anytime you like

Like sittin' on pins and needles
Things fall apart, it's scientific

Sleepin' on the interstate, oh oh oh
Gettin' wild, wild life
Checkin' in and checkin' out, oh oh
I got 'em wild, wild life
Spendin' all of my money and time, oh oh oh
On too much wild, wild life
We wanna go and we go, where we go, oh oh oh
Ah, doin' wild, wild life

I know it, that's how we start, oh oh oh
Got some wild, wild life
Take a picture, here in the daylight, oh oh
They got some wild, wild life
You've grown so tall, you've grown so fast, oh oh oh
Wild, wild life
And I know that's the way you like it, oh ho
Livin' wild, wild, wild, wild life


Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery

Wild Wild Life Lyrics as written by David Byrne

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Wild Wild Life song meanings
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26 Comments

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  • +3
    General CommentCocaine
    njchurchilon April 17, 2013   Link
  • +2
    My InterpretationThe impression I get from the music video and the song is having to do with drugs. Wild WIld Life itself makes me think of just being on a constant high and going to clubs in the eighties at night then go to wall street and mess around with the stock market. I heard that in the eighties alot of the business men were doing cocaine practicaly all the time. Also maybe certain prescription drugs (here comes the doctor shes got some wild wild life) (checking in checkin out) (spending all my money) go to work leave then get high. Just basicaly living in excess and doing cocaine. THe video on youtube reminds me of eighties night clubs where everyone was doing cocaine and things were just crazy and out of sight. Not everything that an exalted artist makes has to be so complicated that its meaning reflects some complicated phylisophical view it could just be straight forward but worded briliantly.
    melloncollie45on December 12, 2008   Link
  • +2
    My InterpretationI'm going with cocaine. If you replace "wild, wild life" with "cocaine" (& delete the "ohs" for clarity), this is what you get:

    I'm wearin'
    Fur Pyjamas
    I ride a
    Hot Potata'
    It's tickling my fancy
    Speak up, I can't hear you

    Here on this mountaintop
    I got some cocaine
    I got some news to tell ya
    About some cocaine
    Here come the doctor in charge
    She's got some cocaine
    Ain't that the way you like it
    Living wild

    I wrestle, with your conscience
    You wrestle, with your partner
    Sittin' on a window sill
    But he spends his time behind closed doors

    Check out Mister Businessman
    He bought some cocaine
    On the way to the stock exchange
    He got some cocaine
    Break it up when he opens the door
    He's doin' cocaine
    I know that's the way you like it
    Living wild

    Peace of mind?
    Piece of cake!
    Thought control!
    You get on board anytime you like

    Like sittin' on pins and needles
    Things fall apart, it's scientific

    Sleeping on the interstate
    Getting cocaine
    Checkin' in, checkin' out! Uh, huh!
    I got cocaine
    Spending all of my money and time
    Done too much cocaine
    We want to go, where we go, where we go
    I doing cocaine
    I know it, that's how we start
    Got some cocaine
    Take a picture, here in the daylight
    They got some cocaine
    You've grown so tall, you've grown so fast
    Wild, wild
    And I know that's the way you like it!
    Living wild wild wild wild, life
    Uglybunnyon June 13, 2018   Link
  • +1
    General CommentThe joke is: Everything mentioned is normal american lifestyle, but everyone feels like having a wild wild life.
    kidgforceon February 11, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General CommentThe song is about idolatry and ego and the false ideas about pop culture (yes that includes cocaine which was popular when this song was contemporary). Its about the illusion of having a wild life when in actuality we are all just imitating people like performers on a stage. If you watch the movie True Stories you will see that this song is performed by various people up on a stage who are impersonating celebrities.
    censored10on April 19, 2021   Link
  • 0
    General CommentWhat a great video as well. This song made me want to run right out and see the film(but it was three years before I ever saw the film from the time this song came out).
    In my youth, I recall sleeping on the interstate: not fun.
    "Check out Mr. Business Man...". I guess the stress of working the Stock Exchange drove him nuts.
    Major Valoron April 13, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentDB seems to like the financial services metaphors: in addition to this song's "Check out Mr. Businessman", there's "Stockbroker make a bad investment when love has come to town" from (what else?) "Love Has Come to Town."
    sean mcseanon January 05, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI came here to see if anyone agreed with my thoughts on this song, and I suppose they don't. After hearing it I really assumed it was about taking drugs in some form. Wild life seems like it could almost be replaceable by "drugs" in a general sense: both medicated drugs or recreational, either works. Hence buying wild life on the way to the stock exchange, or having the head doctor give it to you.
    Caleddinon January 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis song is all-around fun song that I believe was originally done to mock pop music at the time. However, it became a big hit instead.
    speakingintongueson August 08, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti agree with caleddin i felt it was about drug use
    Like sittin' on pins and needles
    Things fall apart, it's scientific
    meaning the hi then down side after. but still very up moveing song
    MakotoKino76on May 08, 2007   Link

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