More Songs About Buildings and Food

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Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Robert Christgau	(A)
Rolling Stone

More Songs About Buildings and Food is Talking Heads' second album, the first of a string of three co-produced by Brian Eno. The album was significantly more popular than their first, Talking Heads: 77. The band's blend of funky bass, bubblegum, country, reggae and punk influences, with David Byrne's unique voice, established the group as a critical success known for their live shows, but still with disappointing album sales.

Concerning the album's title:

When we were making this album I remembered this stupid discussion we had about titles for the last album," Tina smirked. "At that time I said, 'What are we gonna call an album that's just about buildings and food?' And Chris said, 'You call it more songs about buildings and food.'"

More Songs about Buildings and Food was released on July 21, 1978. It peaked at #29 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. The album's one single, a cover of the Al Green hit "Take Me to the River", peaked at #26 on the Pop Singles chart in 1979.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 382 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. In 2006, it was ranked the 45th-best album of the 1970s by Pitchfork Media.

In 2005, it was re-released and remastered by Warner Music Group on their Warner Bros./Sire Records/Rhino Records labels in DualDisc format, with four bonus tracks on the CD side ("Stay Hungry" (1977 version), alternate versions of "I'm Not in Love" and "The Big Country", and the 'Country Angel' version of "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel"). The DVD-Audio side includes both stereo and 5.1 surround high resolution (96 kHz/24bit) mixes, as well as a Dolby Digital version and videos of the band performing "Found a Job" and "Warning Sign." In Europe, it was released as a CD+DVDA two disc set rather than a single DualDisc. The reissue was produced by Andy Zax with Talking Heads

Cover Artwork

The front cover of the album, conceived by Byrne and executed by artist Jimmy De Sana is a photomosaic of the band comprising 529 close-up Polaroid photographs.

Track listing

Harrison (L) and Byrne (R) with Talking Heads in August 1978 at Jay's Longhorn Bar, Minneapolis, MN
Photo: Michael Markos

All songs written by David Byrne, except where noted.

Side one

1. "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel" – 2:11
2. "With Our Love" – 3:30
3. "The Good Thing" – 3:03
4. "Warning Sign" – 3:55
5. "The Girls Want to Be With the Girls" – 2:37
6. "Found a Job" – 5:00

Side two

7. "Artists Only" (Byrne, Wayne Zieve) – 3:34
8. "I'm Not in Love" – 4:33
9. "Stay Hungry" (Byrne, Chris Frantz) – 2:39
10. "Take Me to the River" (Al Green, Teenie Hodges) – 5:00
11. "The Big Country" – 5:30

2005 reissue bonus tracks

12. "Stay Hungry (1977 Version)" (Byrne, Chris Frantz) – 3:45
13. "I'm Not In Love (Alternate Version)" – 5:15
14. "The Big Country (Alternate Version)" - 5:01
15. "Thank You For Sending Me An Angel (Country Angel Version)" - 2:12

Personnel

• David Byrne – vocals, guitars, synthesized percussion
• Chris Frantz – drums and percussion
• Jerry Harrison – piano, organ, synthesizer, guitar, backing vocals
• Tina Weymouth – bass guitar, backing vocals

Additional personnel

• Brian Eno – synthesizers, piano, guitar, percussion, background singing
• Tina & the Typing Pool – backing vocals on "The Good Thing"

Recording personnel

• Benji Armbrister – assistant engineer
• Rhett Davies – engineer, mixing
• Joe Gastwirt – mastering
• Ed Stasium – mixing on "Found a Job"

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1978	Billboard Pop Albums	29
1978	UK Albums	21

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1978	"Take Me to the River"	Billboard Pop Singles	26

Certifications

Organization	Level	Date
RIAA – USA	Gold	November 16, 1983