(Nothing But) Flowers

"(Nothing But) Flowers"
Single by Talking Heads
from the album Naked
Released	1988
Format	7"
Recorded	1987
Genre	New Wave Worldbeat
Length	5:39
Label	EMI
Writer(s)	David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth
Producer	David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Steve Lilywhite, Tina Weymouth
Talking Heads singles chronology
"Blind" (1988) "(Nothing But) Flowers" (1988) "Sax and Violins" (1991)

"(Nothing But) Flowers" is a song by the rock band Talking Heads. It appears on the band's final album Naked, released in 1988. It was also released as a single accompanied by a successful music video, which featured innovative uses of typography by graphic designer Tibor Kalman.^[1] In addition to the band, the song features Kirsty MacColl on backup vocals and The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. It peaked at number 79 in the UK Singles Chart.

Lyrics

The lyrics describe a world where modern progress has been reverted to a more natural state, due either to a political movement or by a necessity, such as dealing with overpopulation. While the protagonist may have once been in favor of the transformation, he finds himself now missing the modern conveniences and culture of the industrialized age.

Covers

The song was covered by Guster on their live album Guster on Ice, as well as by Caetano Veloso on his album A Foreign Sound.

In popular culture

A passage from the song was used as an epigraph in Bret Easton Ellis' novel American Psycho: "And as things fell apart/Nobody paid much attention".

The song was also used in the beginning of Clerks II.

References

1. ^ Heller, Steven; Fili, Louise (2006). Stylepedia. Chronicle Books. pp. 181. ISBN 0-8118-3346-1. http://books.google.com/books?id=n2QcKzGHEMIC&printsec=frontcover&client=firefox-a#PPA181,M1. Retrieved 2008-12-26.