Talking Heads announce deluxe reissue of debut album Talking Heads: 77

The 4 LP box set will include demos, outtakes, live recordings, an 80-page hardback book and more.

Talking Heads have announced plans for a deluxe reissue of their catalytic debut album Talking Heads: 77.

Talking Heads: 77 (Super Deluxe Edition) is scheduled for arrival in November and will pair a new remaster of the critically acclaimed album with a collection of demos, outtakes and alternate versions and previously unreleased live recordings from an October 10th, 1977 performance at venerated New York City punk mecca CBGB across four LPs and four 7” singles. Also included within the expanded box set is an 80-page hardback book that takes in unseen photographs, concert flyers, artwork and liner note contributions penned by each member of the band.

Leading the reissue’s announcement today Talking Heads have shared a seldom heard acoustic version of their landmark early single ‘Psycho Killer’ featuring cello contributions from late, lionised singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Arthur Russell.

Frontman David Byrne shares of the band’s relationship with Russell,

“We knew cellist and singer/songwriter Arthur Russell from the downtown world. He died early from AIDS, and during his life, he released very disparate records—spacey tunes on the album ‘World of Echo’ and disco club tunes under the name Dinosaur L. He left a huge legacy of recordings, which are still filtering out 40 years after his passing. I remember seeing him play Philip Glass music for a Mabou Mines production of a Beckett play. I think Beckett’s folks hated it, as they didn’t want there to be music in his plays. So it wasn’t a huge stretch that we’d invite Arthur to arrange and play on an alternate version of “Psycho Killer.” Somewhat perversely, I always saw the song as being a slightly more intimate folk rock thing rather than the rock song that folks seemed to love. So I had a special attachment to this version.”

Hear Talking Heads’ newly shared alternate version of ‘Psycho Killer’ and view the track list for Talking Heads: 77 (Super Deluxe Edition) below.

Talking Heads: 77 (Super Deluxe Edition)

Disc 1

1 ‘Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town’
2 ‘New Feeling’
3 ‘Tentative Decisions’
4 ‘Happy Day’
5 ‘Who Is It?’
6 ‘No Compassion’
7 ‘The Book I Read’
8 ‘Don’t Worry About The Government’
9 ‘First Week/Last Week… Carefree’
10 ‘Psycho Killer’
11 ‘Pulled Up’

Disc 2

1 ‘Sugar On My Tongue’
2 ‘I Want To Live’
3 ‘(Love Goes To) Building On Fire’
4 ‘I Wish You Wouldn’t Say That’
5 ‘Psycho Killer (Acoustic Version)’
6 ‘Uh-Oh Love Comes to Town (Alternate “Pop” Version)’
7 ‘New Feeling (Alternate “Pop” Version)’
8 ‘Pulled Up (Alternate “Pop” Version)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
9 ‘Stay Hungry (1977 Version)’
10 ‘First Week/Last Week… Carefree (Acoustic Version)’
11 ‘I Feel It In My Heart’
12 ‘Psycho Killer (Alternate Version)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

Discs 3 and 4

1 ‘(Love Goes To) Building On Fire (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
2 ‘Don’t Worry About the Government (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
3 ‘Take Me To The River (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
4 ‘The Book I Read (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
5 ‘New Feeling (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
6 ‘A Clean Break (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
7 ‘No Compassion (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
8 ‘Thank You For Sending Me An Angel (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
9 ‘Who Is It? (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
10 ‘Pulled Up (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
11 ‘Uh-Oh Love Comes to Town (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
12 ‘Psycho Killer (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
13 ‘Stay Hungry (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77)’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

Talking Heads: 77 (Super Deluxe Edition) releases on November 8th via Rhino. Pre-order the vinyl box set here.

Words by Sam Wilkinson.

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