Talking Heads have announced a Super Deluxe Edition of their debut album 77. It will be out November 8 via Rhino and features the original album remastered, a second disc of rarities, and a never-before-released double live album recorded on October 7, 1977 at CBGB. Check out the tracklist below.
Among the rarities is an acoustic version of “Psycho Killer” featuring the late Arthur Russell on cello. “We knew cellist and singer/songwriter Arthur Russell from the downtown world,” David Byrne says now. “He died early from AIDS, and during his life, he released very disparate records — spacey tunes on the album ‘World of Echo’ and disco club tunes under the name Dinosaur L. He left a huge legacy of recordings, which are still filtering out 40 years after his passing. I remember seeing him play Philip Glass music for a Mabou Mines production of a Beckett play. I think Beckett’s folks hated it, as they didn’t want there to be music in his plays. So it wasn’t a huge stretch that we’d invite Arthur to arrange and play on an alternate version of “Psycho Killer.” Somewhat perversely, I always saw the song as being a slightly more intimate folk rock thing rather than the rock song that folks seemed to love. So I had a special attachment to this version.” Listen below.
The Super Deluxe Edition also contains reproductions of the four Sire Records 7”s from Talking Heads: 77, including “Love → Building on Fire / New Feeling,” “Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town / I Wish You Didn’t Say That,” “Psycho Killer / Psycho Killer (Acoustic),” and “Pulled Up / Don’t Worry About The Government.” There’s also an 80-page hardcover book featuring never-before-seen photos, fliers, artwork, and new liner notes written by all four members — Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison — as well as recording engineer Ed Stasium.
There is also a 2-LP set with the original album and rarities disc, as well as a 3-CD/Blu-Ray that features the same 80-page hardcover book but also a brand new Atmos Mix, 5.1 Mix DTS-HD MA, 5.1 Mix LPCM, all overseen by Jerry Harrison, and a 2024 Stereo Remaster. Preorders are available.
See where 77 fell in our ranking of Talking Heads Albums Worst to Best.
Original Album Remastered
Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town
New Feeling
Tentative Decisions
Happy Day
Who Is It?
No Compassion
The Book I Read
Don’t Worry About the Government
First Week/Last Week… Carefree
Psycho Killer
Pulled Up
Rarities
Sugar on My Tongue
I Want to Live
(Love Goes To) Building On Fire
I Wish You Wouldn’t Say That
Psycho Killer (Acoustic Version)
Uh-Oh Love Comes to Town (Alternate “Pop” Version)
New Feeling (Alternate “Pop” Version)
Pulled Up (Alternate “Pop” Version) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Stay Hungry (1977 Version)
First Week/Last Week… Carefree (Acoustic Version)
I Feel It in My Heart
Psycho Killer (Alternate Version) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Live (All Previously Unreleased)
(Love Goes To) Building On Fire (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Don’t Worry About the Government (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Take Me to the River (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
The Book I Read (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
New Feeling (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
A Clean Break (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
No Compassion (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Thank You for Sending Me an Angel (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Who Is It? (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Pulled Up (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Uh-Oh Love Comes to Town (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Psycho Killer (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
Stay Hungry (Live at CBGB’s, New York, New York, 10/10/77) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)