MSM Record of the Week: Slippery People – Talking Heads | Speaking In Tongues Live

Talking Heads, New Wave and David Byrne

To understand why Talking Heads sounded so different though, you almost have to go back to the late 1970s.

Talking Heads emerged during a period where even the language used to describe bands like them was still evolving.

Fronted by the brilliantly eccentric David Byrne, Talking Heads mixed rock, funk, art-pop, dance music, world influences and experimental ideas together and somehow made it all work.

Their record label, Sire Records, and particularly A&R man Seymour Stein, played a huge role in pushing the term New Wave. Stein himself has often claimed that he coined or at least heavily popularised the phrase around the bands he was signing at the time.

Whether that is completely true or not is perhaps open to debate.

What is undeniable though is that Talking Heads never really fitted neatly into punk, rock, pop or anything else.

They were simply…

Talking Heads.

And perhaps that is exactly why songs like Slippery People still sound unusual over forty years later.

Who Are Speaking In Tongues?

But this article is not really about Talking Heads.

This is about hearing Slippery People performed live by Speaking In Tongues at The Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth.

For those unfamiliar with them, Speaking In Tongues are a Talking Heads tribute act dedicated to recreating the energy, musicianship, movement and unique atmosphere of the original band.

Music Scene Magazine recently attended their packed Wedgewood Rooms show where we reviewed the performance, interviewed the band and captured images and video throughout the evening.

Related Content

• Read our Speaking In Tongues Live Review

• Listen to the Speaking In Tongues Interview

• Watch Slippery People LIVE

The Moment It Clicked

When I first heard Speaking In Tongues perform this song live, something happened almost immediately.

I smiled.

Not because I suddenly understood the song.

Quite the opposite.

It made me smile because the band absolutely nailed the energy, movement and feel of the original whilst somehow reminding me exactly why Talking Heads were so different in the first place.

It transported me straight back to hearing this song years ago and thinking:

“What on earth is David Byrne talking about?”

What Is Slippery People by Talking Heads Really About?

The simple answer is:

Nobody really knows.

David Byrne has never really provided a definitive explanation and perhaps that is exactly the point.

Listening back to the lyrics now though, I cannot help wondering whether this song could partly be about people themselves.

More specifically:

People who are difficult to understand.

People who are difficult to trust.

People who perhaps are not entirely genuine.

The Slippery People Theory

The title itself is interesting.

Slippery People.

Slippery.

Not solid.

Hard to hold onto.

Hard to understand.

Difficult to trust.

Maybe I’m completely wrong but lines such as:

“These slippery people help us understand”

make me wonder whether Byrne was describing people who influence us, shape our thinking or perhaps even manipulate us.

Then you have:

“Don’t play no games”

which feels almost like a warning.

And:

“God help us, help us lose our minds”

which could easily be interpreted as somebody becoming overwhelmed by confusion, chaos or simply the people around them.

Maybe these slippery people are:

• Manipulative people
• Religious figures
• Music executives
• Society itself
• Or simply people trying to navigate life

Turn Like A Wheel Inside A Wheel

Perhaps my favourite lyric is:

“Turn like a wheel inside a wheel.”

That could mean:

• Repeating cycles
• Mistakes repeating themselves
• Life endlessly moving
• Being trapped
• Spiritual imagery

Or absolutely none of those things.

And perhaps that is the genius of Talking Heads.

Final Thoughts

What fascinates me most is that despite all this confusion hidden within the lyrics, Slippery People somehow sounds joyful.

It sounds like movement.

It sounds like celebration.

It sounds like happiness.

Personally?

I still think there is a reasonable argument that this song may partly be about disingenuous people or people who influence our lives in ways we do not fully understand.

But maybe the real answer is much simpler.

Maybe David Byrne simply wanted us all dancing while trying to work it out.

And perhaps that is exactly what makes Slippery People such a brilliant choice for MSM Record of the Week.

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In-Depth Exploration of Iconic Song Insights

Dive into the compelling story behind ‘Slippery People,’ featuring expert analysis of Talking Heads and the Speaking In Tongues tribute band.