This Must Be The Song
It’s been so long since I’ve fallen in love with a song.
I’m not talking about the kind of song you simply groove or lip-sync to, or one that you add to a playlist. I’m talking OBSESSED love. The kind of song you listen to on repeat until you memorize every word. And then you play it some more.
This just happened to me with a song, only to discover it was a cover.
You probably know it: This Must Be The Place by the Talking Heads.
But the version that reeled me in is by Vacations, an Australian band that performed it on a SiriusXM Session. I heard it a few times on one of their channels and began searching for it because I needed it intravenously.
Annnnd here’s the problem. This propriety version is unavailable on the internet. Seriously. I couldn’t find something on the internet. Something my body desperately craved. The only way I could hear it was via the damn SiriusXM app. But no, you can’t just stream it. I had to listen to the entire 23-minute “session” until it came on at the end. Granted, Vacations makes good music, so the show was enjoyable, but I had to wait 23 minutes to hear it ONE TIME. No rewinds. No toggling. I couldn’t live like this.
My solution: screen record it. So I did and now it lives as a video on my phone. I have to manually repeat it. I don’t care. I can hear it in my head and from my hand now.
Admittedly, I’m slightly ashamed that I was previously unfamiliar with this song other than overhearing it from my brother’s boombox in the ‘80s. My parents weren't big Talking Heads fans and my ears were subject to whatever my folks and older brother played growing up. So it’s basically new to me.
This Must Be The Place might be one of the greatest love songs of all time. Not only am I ashamed I only just discovered it, but I’m gutted that I’ll probably never write a song, poem or an ode as perfect. David Byrne likely wrote it for Adelle Lutz (who you may remember from Beetlejuice). Ya girl, I woulda married him, too.
Digging deeper I’ve found at least a dozen Reddit threads professing love and adoration for the song. So many covers and inspired lyrics stemming from the original. It has been woven into the fabric of millions of lives, past, present and undoubtedly, future.
It feels good to fall in love with the power of a teenage crush again. I don’t care if I was late to the game; I’m just happy to be here, listening.
Here is where I would post the Vacations version (which I like better than the original — don’t come for me), but due to musical ownership, here is the original version followed by the lyrics.
P.S. If you know me personally and are reading this, I’ll send you my screen recording to listen :D
Home is where I want to be
Pick me up and turn me round
I feel numb, born with a weak heart
I guess I must be having fun
The less we say about it the better
Make it up as we go along
Feet on the ground, head in the sky
It's okay, I know nothing's wrong, nothing
Hi yo, I got plenty of time
Hi yo, you got light in your eyes
And you're standing here beside me
I love the passing of time
Never for money, always for love
Cover us and say goodnight
Say goodnight
Home is where I want to be
But I guess I'm already there
I come home, she lifted up her wings
I guess that this must be the place
I can't tell one from another
Did I find you, or you find me?
There was a time before we were born
If someone asks, this where I'll be, where I'll be
Hi yo, we drift in and out
Hi yo, sing into my mouth
Out of all those kinds of people
You got a face with a view
I'm just an animal looking for a home, and
Share the same space for a minute or two
And you love me 'til my heart stops
Love me 'til I'm dead
Eyes that light up, eyes look through you
Cover up the blank spots
Hit me on the head
And ah-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ah-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Hey
Ah-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ah-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh