In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Home is where I want to be
Pick me up and turn me around
I feel numb, born with a weak heart
I guess I must be having fun
The less we say about it the better
Make it up as we go along
Feet on the ground, head in the sky
It's okay, I know nothing's wrong, nothing
Oh, I got plenty of time
Oh, you got light in your eyes
And you're standing here beside me
I love the passing of time
Never for money, always for love
Cover up and say goodnight, say goodnight
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 can't tell one from the other
I find you, or you find me?
There was a time before we were born
If someone asks, this is where I'll be, where I'll be, oh
We drift in and out
Oh, sing into my mouth
Out of all those kinds of people
You got a face with a view
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 'til I'm dead
Eyes that light up
Eyes look through you
Cover up the blank spots
Hit me on the head I got ooh!
Pick me up and turn me around
I feel numb, born with a weak heart
I guess I must be having fun
The less we say about it the better
Make it up as we go along
Feet on the ground, head in the sky
It's okay, I know nothing's wrong, nothing
Oh, I got plenty of time
Oh, you got light in your eyes
And you're standing here beside me
I love the passing of time
Never for money, always for love
Cover up and say goodnight, say goodnight
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 can't tell one from the other
I find you, or you find me?
There was a time before we were born
If someone asks, this is where I'll be, where I'll be, oh
We drift in and out
Oh, sing into my mouth
Out of all those kinds of people
You got a face with a view
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 'til I'm dead
Eyes that light up
Eyes look through you
Cover up the blank spots
Hit me on the head I got ooh!
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery, edited by blahreport, P514sub, tarface23
This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody) Lyrics as written by Jerry Harrison Chris Frantz
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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
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.
I would say the narrator is in love but he realizes how foolish his romantic notions are. Even the title "This Must Be the Place" is subverted by the subtitle "Naive Melody." He realizes that he is in love, feels that he must "be there" but realizes he is being foolish.
@patrick100... Naïve Melody refers to the actual rhythm of the song. It has nothing to do with the song itself or the meaning of the lyrics, this according to David Byrne himself.
@Tomtomp beautifully put!
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.
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.
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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Nice job, though. I enjoyed reading it.<br /> <br />
@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 wow, just wow. Your interpretation just blew my mind for a couple reasons: 1) I've been playing this song on loop without even knowing the full lyrics for the past month just because I love the Talking Heads and because it's very catchy. 2) I've been in the exact same predicament for the past few years with my girlfriend.<br /> <br /> My brain is trying to force me to fall in love with this perfect girl, but at the same time it feels "off". I have been scared to explore other people because what if this girl is the one for me? Being relatively inexperienced in relationships, I am scared that everything I've ever wanted is right in front of me. I'm scared that if I end it to explore other people, there is a possibility that she won't be waiting for me once I realize I've made a huge mistake. I can't say one bad word about this girl, honestly. I don't deserve her. I would be a selfish idiot to even think about ending ties with this girl. I can't even imagine what a better relationship would feel like. Yet my body and soul feels the same things in this song, eerily similar things. That is one reason I am sure your interpretation is the correct one, because EVERY SINGLE LINE is what I feel. That can not be coincidence. I almost wish this song had a conclusion because maybe then would I have some direction. In the meantime, I've been "covering up the blank spots". Spot on, Talking Heads. I never thought I would get so attached to a song because of the lyrics.<br /> <br /> What's ironic about the whole thing is that I played this at the bars, flying solo, "looking for a home", without even knowing the meaning.
@pezdel love your interpretation.
@pezdel Spot on It's so sad and awesome and relatable. Good work !
@pezdel @Dirty_Chavez your analysis is really thoughtful, but as fans of the song you should know David Byrne has actually publicly stated that this is the only earnest love song he has ever written, which I think makes it all the more powerful, and yes perfect for a wedding @mike569026 <br /> At at least for the writer, it is indeed a real love song, not a tragedy about feeling out of place. Also, in the liner notes it is explained that the "Naive Melody" part of the title refers to the way the music for the song was composed and written, not the meaning of the song.
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:<br /> <br /> "Sing into my mouth"<br /> <br /> Seems like a different use for the mouth or a sensual thing to ask somebody to do so instead of singing to his ears.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.
There was a time, before we were born. <br /> If someone asks, this is where I'll be. <br /> <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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.
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.