Track Listing

1. Psycho Killer
2. Take Me To The River
3. Once In A Lifetime
4. Burning Down The House
5. This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
6. Life During Wartime
7. And She Was
8. Road To Nowhere
9. Wild Wild Life
10. Nothing But Flowers
11. Sax And Violins
12. Lifetime Piling Up

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2854 in Music
• Released on: 1992-10-12
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

CD Description
Expanding on the excellent two-disc SAND IN THE VASELINE compilation, the three-CD/one-DVD Talking Heads box set, ONCE IN A LIFETIME, includes most of the former release, along with more than 20 additional tracks. Like the highly visual NYC art-rockers themselves, the collection, in both sound and design, is perversely smart and strangely beautiful.
Starting with the group's early days in the late 1970s, ONCE IN A LIFETIME features frantic, urban-themed tracks such as "Don't Worry about the Government" and "Pulled Up". From the city, the setting shifts to wider spaces on their breakthroughcover of Al Green's "Take Me to the River" and the rural twang of "The Big Country". The second disc sees the Heads hitting the zenith of their fruitful collaborations with Brian Eno, while frontman David Byrne reaches new levels of both lyricism and experimentation on the iconic title track. The third disc cherry-picks from the group's later years, including their most accessible songs ("And She Was", "Road to Nowhere", and "Wild Wild Life"), along with the previous unreleased outtake "In Asking Land". As a summation of the consistently inventive and restlessly energetic ensemble that was the Talking Heads, things don't get any better than ONCE IN A LIFETIME.

Customer Reviews

Get this, especially if you're inquisitive about this band.
I don't really know what exactly they've done to some of Talking Heads songs here, bit of studio fiddling mustve gone on, but i will say this, This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) is absolutely jaw-dropping, as are the live versions of Life During Wartime and Slippery People. This is the only truly phenomenal greatest hits album I have heard. If you are sitting there thinking 'I would like to hear something powerful and original and joyous and life-affirming' and you haven't heard this lot, well i think you better go and get this. Go on, get up, walk to the store. Go in, say 'hello i am a keen purchaser of awesome music and am pleased to be as ripped off by you as possible Mr HMV as long as it means i am a step closer to spiritual contentment.' Talking Heads are loved by quirky people the world over, but i am not happy about this. Yes, they are off-centre 'arty' types, but this doesn't recommend a record to most people. It probably does quite the opposite. So what i want to say instead is that this is unbelievably great danceable pop music. The first thing i ever heard of Talking Heads was Road To Nowhere, or rather i knew of the song, thought it was OK, you know like 'Sweet Home Alabama'or the Eagles 'Hotel California.' But sitting down, putting the disc on, going to track 9, hearing the chorus thinking 'hmm thats nice if faintly strange', hearing the thumping drums, beginning to stir in your seat, hearing David Byrne's sly 'yeaah' and then just jumping out of your seat going 'jesus christ i have just seen the light' - and feeling like there is no-where you can go, nothing you can do to express how wonderful this is - Road To Nowhere, yes even that fits into place - defiance in the face of the end, sheer brilliant enpowering defiance........ The only thing wrong with this compilation is the running order - for the virgin listener I mean, because Psycho Killer is not as 'soulful' as the rest and it probably should'nt start the album. But then again, it is a classic. All you have to do is wipe your mind clean and step into the music. Just thinking about this album makes you want to put it on. If you are happy, this album. If you are sad, this album.

Fantastic trip down their alley
This CD is absolutley fantastic. This has been my anthem CD for many of my student years, and since then has been on top of my pile of CD's. Although mostly undiscovered (I believe) amongst the "modern generation", they have such a fantstic collection of songs that anyone that "gives it a go" will find at least one song they absolutley go mad for; and will find an absolute treasure somewhere on the collection. I love them ... really because of this album!

buy it for the ones you know, love it for the ones you didnt
This CD has all the best talking heads songs on it, I first bought it for 'once in a lifetime' but ended up changing my favourite from 'and she was' to 'nothing but flowers'. Pop with 'O' levels. fantastic