Quote by: David Byrne

But at times words can be a dangerous addition to music — they can pin it down. Words imply that the music is about what the words say, literally, and nothing more. If done poorly, they can destroy the pleasant ambiguity that constitutes much of the reason we love music. That ambiguity allows listeners to psychologically tailor a song to suit their needs, sensibilities, and situations, but words can limit that, too. There are plenty of beautiful tracks that I can’t listen to because they’ve been “ruined” by bad words — my own and others. In Beyonce's song "Irreplaceable," she rhymes "minute" with "minute," and I cringe every time I hear it (partly because by that point I'm singing along). On my own song "Astronaut," I wrap up with the line "feel like I'm an astronaut," which seems like the dumbest metaphor for alienation ever. Ugh.


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Author Bio


  • NameDavid Byrne
  • DescriptionScottish alternative rock musician and promoter of world music
  • BornMay 14, 1952
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionFilm Producer; Composer; Actor; Singer; Screenwriter; Musician; Writer; Bicycle Racer
  • AwardsAcademy Award For Best Original Score; Webby Lifetime Achievement Award