The Talking Heads Song They Wish Never Existed
Talking Heads is one of the most iconic bands of all time, but even legendary musicians have regrets. And for drummer Chris Frantz, one particular track still makes him cringe. That song? Give Me Back My Name from their 1985 album Little Creatures .
Now, before you think this is some dramatic feud, it’s not. It’s just one of those classic band dilemmas—what one member loves, another might absolutely hate. Think of John Lennon rolling his eyes at Paul McCartney’s sweeter Beatles songs or Mick Jagger dismissing an entire Rolling Stones album that Keith Richards adored. Every band has moments like this.
In the case of Talking Heads, the tension often stemmed from David Byrne’s strong artistic vision. Byrne was the band’s creative powerhouse—his voice, his lyrics, his stage presence—he was Talking Heads. And while the other members, like Frantz and bassist Tina Weymouth, respected that, they weren’t always thrilled with every song that made it onto an album.
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Frantz, in an interview, admitted that Give Me Back My Name never resonated with him. He didn’t hate it, but he just didn’t connect with it at all. His exact words? “The music is good, but the lyrics and vocal melodies are whiny and sad.” He felt no emotional pull then, and he still doesn’t today.
Interestingly, this isn’t the only song that didn’t sit well with the band. Weymouth has her own least favorite: The Big Country . She once explained that sometimes, the band would almost “fight back” against Byrne’s lyrics by making the instrumentation intentionally dumb or contradictory—just to add their own touch.
It all boils down to creative differences. Talking Heads was never a democratic band in the way that some groups are. Byrne’s vision often took center stage, and sometimes, that meant the rest of the band was just along for the ride. Give Me Back My Name is a prime example—an introspective Byrne track that his bandmates just couldn’t get into.
Of course, in the grand scheme of Talking Heads’ legacy, this is just a small blip. They’re still one of the most influential bands in history. But it’s always fascinating to hear what musicians really think about their own work—especially when they wish they could erase a song from existence.
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