A previously unreleased and apparently never-completed 5-minute-long Talking Heads instrumental called “Theme” has surfaced online via a recording of the first of the band’s two sets opening for a pair of performances by Television at legendary New York City club CBGB’s on the night of July 30, 1976, according to fan site Talking-Heads.nl.
As you can hear via the audience recording that’s posted below, frontman David Byrne introduces the song by saying, “This is an instrumental.” When someone in the crowd yells out, “No title?,” Byrne responds, “We call it ‘Theme,’ but then we just keep it to ourselves.”
According to Talking-Heads.nl, it’s not known whether the mid-tempo song — written and performed when the band was still a three-piece — was played during the second set as well.
Talking Heads, “Theme” (Live)
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Vintage Video: Talking Heads live in 1978 — watch 80-minute ‘More Songs’-era set
- Video: ‘Talking Heads vs. Television’ — aka 1984 UK TV special ‘Once in a Lifetime’
- Download: David Byrne and St. Vincent release free ‘Brass Tactics’ EP
- Stream: Talking Heads’ early demo of ‘Wild Wild Life’ — single off ‘True Stories’
- Vintage Video: David Byrne’s ‘Between the Teeth’ — watch full 1993 concert film
- Video: Talking Heads play ‘Psycho Killer’ in 1975 — from upcoming ‘Chronology’ DVD
Somewhere… Ezra Koenig is furiously searching through his Columbia lit. anthologies, writing lyrics.
That’s been around Youtube for some time. Francey is not the first person to post that…