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Arcade Fire — Speaking in Tongues (w/ David Byrne)
Album: Culture War / Speaking in Tongues
Avg rating:
7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1090









Released: 2011
Length: 3:45
Plays (last 30 days): 2
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Hypocrite reader,
My double, my brother

Your daddy really took it out of you

But did he speak it in tongues?
But did he speak it in tongues?

Sneaking out the windows now

You've got the spirit now

Hypocrite reader,
My double, my brother

Where did we lose our way?

It's like we're speaking in tongues
It's like we're speaking in tongues

Sneaking out the windows now

You've got the spirit now
You've got the spirit now
You've got the spirit now

Hypocrite reader,
My double, my brother

Now I can't understand a word

Now you're speaking in tongues
(Speaking in tongues)
Now you're speaking in tongues
(Speaking in tongues)
Now you're speaking in tongues
(Speaking in tongues)
Now you're speaking in tongues
(Speaking in tongues)

Come out of your head
And into my world now

Come out of your head
And into my world, my world, my world now

(Speaking in tongues)
Comments (74)add comment
has a very 80s sound, to me. i would have probably really liked this then.
Posted 1 year ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
 fedtho wrote:

I didn't know this song, but listened up recognizing the Arcade Fire touch. 

I have grown to love mostly their first two albums after attending the *fabulous* concert they gave some years ago at the Paleo Festival in Nyon, Switzerland. 
Before this concert, admittedly, I didn't get them at all. 

I can't say that I'm really fond of this one song here, but I don't think it's fair to call them "mediocre" or what not. Not once you've seen the energy and creativity they're capable of live. All of them, together!
I admire and respect them. So they don't live up to the hype with each and every song they do ? That's not their fault.  



And a couple of years ago they  absolutely turned the mundane Hallen Stadion in Zürich on it's head. Upped it with three encores!!!
Posted 2 years ago by johnfiva    [ Reply ]
 u1538526 wrote:

Today, because of the accusations against Win, all Canadian radio stations removed Arcade Fire from their playlists.  I wonder what RP will do ...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/entert...



I guess you have your answer. . . .
Posted 2 years ago by Webfoot    [ Reply ]
Today, because of the accusations against Win, all Canadian radio stations removed Arcade Fire from their playlists.  I wonder what RP will do ...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/entert...
Posted 2 years ago by u1538526    [ Reply ]
Was the addition of Byrne some sort of nod to Talking Heads album Speaking in Tongues? 
Posted 5 years ago by Marr    [ Reply ]
8 -> 9
Posted 5 years ago by FRP    [ Reply ]
What a ridiculous little song. 
Posted 6 years ago by Grayson    [ Reply ]
I think this is great, sorry everyone.  Gets at least a 7 from the Bristol office.
Posted 7 years ago by DaidyBoy    [ Reply ]
I didn't know this song, but listened up recognizing the Arcade Fire touch. 

I have grown to love mostly their first two albums after attending the *fabulous* concert they gave some years ago at the Paleo Festival in Nyon, Switzerland. 
Before this concert, admittedly, I didn't get them at all. 

I can't say that I'm really fond of this one song here, but I don't think it's fair to call them "mediocre" or what not. Not once you've seen the energy and creativity they're capable of live. All of them, together!
I admire and respect them. So they don't live up to the hype with each and every song they do ? That's not their fault.  
Posted 9 years ago by fedtho    [ Reply ]
Speaking of PSD
Posted 9 years ago by kingart    [ Reply ]
Never have so many in a band, toiled so little, to make such boring, lifeless, souless, mundane, predictable music.

Is this  really a band or a set of software algorithms? 

 
Posted 9 years ago by idiot_wind    [ Reply ]
Anything that makes me turn up the volume deserves at least a 9!
Posted 10 years ago by Mayasha    [ Reply ]
AF has dozens of amazing tunes, but this isn't one of them.
Posted 10 years ago by Piranga    [ Reply ]
I've seen this band a few times on TV.


How can  a band with so many members play such mediocre music? 
Posted 11 years ago by idiot_wind    [ Reply ]

Don't be distracted by the Byrne haters, he is not the problem.  Why do they keep letting that Arcade Fire guy sing?{#Stop} I mean when someone says I can sing better than that they are usually full of it, but that is probably a true statement when talking about this guy!


Posted 11 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
 FlatCat wrote:
Just realized (after many hearings of this), that "Hypocrite reader, my double, my brother" is a reference from T.S. Eliot's poem, The Wasteland:

"Hypocrite lecteur, mon semblable, mon frère!", which is itself a reference Baudelaire's Les Fleur du Mal.
 

Holy moly!  Good eye!  Thanks for posting this...

love this song...

 
Posted 11 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
What are these tongs of which you speak?
Posted 11 years ago by TerryS    [ Reply ]
Just realized (after many hearings of this), that "Hypocrite reader, my double, my brother" is a reference from T.S. Eliot's poem, The Wasteland:

"Hypocrite lecteur, mon semblable, mon frère!", which is itself a reference Baudelaire's Les Fleur du Mal.
Posted 11 years ago by FlatCat    [ Reply ]

Everybody in my church be speaking in tongues...  love this song...

Proverbs 18:21—  Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.


 
Posted 11 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
Someone get an extinguisher to put out the Robo-drummer Fire. 
Posted 11 years ago by kingart    [ Reply ]
..this one (along with some of the St Vincent duets) shows Byrne can actually sort of sing when he applies himself..7 & a possible grower..
Posted 11 years ago by cShaggy    [ Reply ]
Stop the Byrne bashing. The man is one of the biggest talents in modern music. A great voice would have only distracted our attention from the sheer brilliance of his compositions.
Posted 12 years ago by justin4kick    [ Reply ]
My favorite David Byrne work is still his collaboration with Eno, "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts".  You know, the one where he doesn't sing.
Posted 12 years ago by ladybinnath    [ Reply ]
 jpdribbler wrote:
Might well be my favorite David Byrne song (which, admittedly, isn't too hard).
 
Really good
Posted 12 years ago by coding_to_music    [ Reply ]
Time for the PSD. Robodrumming in tongues. 
Posted 12 years ago by kingart    [ Reply ]
Might well be my favorite David Byrne song (which, admittedly, isn't too hard).
Posted 12 years ago by jpdribbler    [ Reply ]

With David "the voice" Byrne...?

Enough for me to hate it!


Posted 12 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
Cool: three Canadian artists in a row; two parties from Montreal, my home town...thanks, Bill.
Posted 12 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
I could do without Arcade Fire. I used to like them, but every damn song sounds the same. Robo drummer, cryptic lyrics, programmable rhythm tracks. Mute. 
 
Posted 12 years ago by kingart    [ Reply ]
 terrapin52 wrote:
They had to throw Byrne in here just to ruin the song.  What is the fetish with this horrible singer?
 

I would ask the same question about Bob Dylan...
Posted 12 years ago by TJS    [ Reply ]
These guys both have such amazing voices. I'm not even going to bother to check the rest of the comments because, after all, who could possibly disagree with such a universally agreed upon statement?
Posted 12 years ago by Sasha2001    [ Reply ]
Hmm, I don't find anything wrong with either of their voices. I quite enjoy this song, too!
Posted 12 years ago by zair99    [ Reply ]
Nearly pulls it off, not quite though, for me.
Posted 12 years ago by TerryS    [ Reply ]
One horrible voice after another: this guy after neil young... oh well, rp break it is then...
 sirdroseph wrote:


Byrne is an acquired voice no doubt, but if you just want to use horrible that would apply to the Arcades singer would it not?{#Stop}
 


Posted 12 years ago by gigikent    [ Reply ]
 terrapin52 wrote:
They had to throw Byrne in here just to ruin the song.  What is the fetish with this horrible singer?
 

Byrne is an acquired voice no doubt, but if you just want to use horrible that would apply to the Arcades singer would it not?{#Stop}
Posted 12 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
 BillG wrote:

Cover?  I don't think so. 
 

My bad, that is the downside of commenting on songs when I am not actually listening. Was thinking this was the Arcade cover of Naive Melody which is terrible! Had I actually been listening I would have known that!{#Lol}
Posted 12 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
It's got a good beat, and you can dance to it. I give it a "7", Dick...{#Dancingbanana}
Posted 12 years ago by bev    [ Reply ]
I really dig this.  Probably deserves a little better rating.  Speaking of David Byrne (though not in tongues)...there is, I swear to God, a Talking Heads cover band.  And they're really, really fun live.  They're called Start Making Sense and I'm gonna see them again in a few weeks.

Posted 12 years ago by CamLwalk    [ Reply ]
Boring and "intellectual" voice of D. Byrne can bury any song, that's the fact.
Posted 12 years ago by whomhow    [ Reply ]
Great song, love the collaboration. I get that some folks don't think David Byrne is a great singer; his voice is odd. But his contribution to music is immeasurable. Embrace the oddness. 
Posted 12 years ago by mikexican    [ Reply ]
They had to throw Byrne in here just to ruin the song.  What is the fetish with this horrible singer?
Posted 13 years ago by terrapin52    [ Reply ]
 BillG wrote:

Cover?  I don't think so. 
 

confusion with the Talking Heads ALBUM title...
Posted 13 years ago by MiracleDrug    [ Reply ]
Ooh. Nice transition from "Dream On" by Depeche Mode to this one.
Posted 13 years ago by newwavegurly    [ Reply ]
 sirdroseph wrote:

Covers are perfectly fine, horrible covers such as this not so much!

 
Not a cover.  Not a cover at all.  Maybe it just sounds like that song that was done sometime but that one band that did that other song...

Posted 13 years ago by Byronape    [ Reply ]
Back yourselves.
Posted 13 years ago by nigelr    [ Reply ]
 sandpebble wrote:

Once was quite enough. Thanks for the advice though....I never would have come up with that on my own....Troll

 
pebble

Posted 13 years ago by cohifi    [ Reply ]
 cohifi wrote:

don't listen to it, then.......

 
Once was quite enough. Thanks for the advice though....I never would have come up with that on my own....Troll

Posted 13 years ago by sandpebble    [ Reply ]
 sirdroseph wrote:

Covers are perfectly fine, horrible covers such as this not so much!

 
Cover?  I don't think so. 
Posted 13 years ago by William    [ Reply ]
Fits in the rotation. Nice!
Posted 13 years ago by helgigermany    [ Reply ]
 fredriley wrote:

I was thinking the other way around. At least Arcade Fire are new, fresh and have something to say. DB is yesterday's man.

Asbestos suit donned....

 
Is it a ridiculously oversized (David Byrne-style) asbestos suit?


Posted 13 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
I have enough dogs barking in my neighborhood.
Posted 13 years ago by old_shep    [ Reply ]

Covers are perfectly fine, horrible covers such as this not so much!


Posted 13 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
 Mita wrote:
No covers, RP!
 
You are definitely listening to the wrong station.
Posted 13 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]

It just sounds right to me. I dont know original and didnt hear Byrne when I likedid it. Yup, likedid.

 


Posted 13 years ago by moocray    [ Reply ]
                ?

Posted 13 years ago by HazzeSwede    [ Reply ]
Great song, just needs to be remixed- and i mean the levels of individual musical instruments and voices need to be adjusted...for my ears 
Posted 13 years ago by Cellocaster_Paul    [ Reply ]
 sandpebble wrote:

Arcade Fire covers "Home, A naive melody" on utube....it's AWFUL!

 
don't listen to it, then.......

Posted 13 years ago by cohifi    [ Reply ]
 Mita wrote:
David Byrne can't save Arcade Fire. No covers, RP!
 
Arcade Fire covers "Home, A naive melody" on utube....it's AWFUL!

Posted 13 years ago by sandpebble    [ Reply ]
man I love Arcade Fire - saw them in concert twice this summer   o lucky me!!   {#Dancingbanana_2}
Posted 13 years ago by ploba    [ Reply ]
 Mita wrote:
David Byrne can't save Arcade Fire. No covers, RP!
 
I was thinking the other way around. At least Arcade Fire are new, fresh and have something to say. DB is yesterday's man.

Asbestos suit donned....

Posted 13 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
David Byrne can't save Arcade Fire. No covers, RP!
Posted 13 years ago by Mita    [ Reply ]
I thought I heard David Byrne i there
Posted 13 years ago by alvarorb    [ Reply ]
 Alexandra wrote:
 David Byrne's vocals are barely there, until the end.

 
Kinda odd.  Almost unnecessary.  It's like they were recording the song and he popped his head in to harmonize for a bit.

I like it!

Posted 13 years ago by ziggytrix    [ Reply ]
Big fan of Arcade Fire and David Byrne.  Therefore, I dig it.
Posted 13 years ago by Jacksonstat    [ Reply ]
First time hearing this. It's pleasant - gets a 7 so far, and will probably grow on me with future listens. {#Bounce}
Posted 13 years ago by Cynaera    [ Reply ]
fallin on your face
you must be havin fun
Posted 13 years ago by LPCity    [ Reply ]
Okay. Can't say much more. Just okay.
Posted 13 years ago by michaelgmitchell    [ Reply ]
Hmm...this might be the best-sounding one yet on this CD......and David Byrne's vocals are barely there, until the end. Nice collaboration.

Posted 13 years ago by Alexandra    [ Reply ]