The Defiant Band That Challenged Reagan: A Resounding Respite for the Trump Era

During the Reagan era, there was a notable increase in anti-civil rights sentiment and homophobia. However, this period also saw the emergence of powerful and impactful music. Songs like The Dead Kennedys' "Nazi Punks F-k Off," The Dicks' "The Dicks Hate the Police," Public Enemy's "Don't Believe the Hype," and N.W.A's "F-k tha Police" expressed a righteous defiance in response to this repression.

Noah Berlatsky

The Talking Heads, a band from the 1980s, may not be commonly associated with political themes. However, A24's recently restored 40th anniversary edition of their renowned concert film "Stop Making Sense" calls for a reevaluation. While the lyrics of Talking Heads may be less straightforward compared to those of N.W.A. or the Dead Kennedys, their unconventional and exuberant performance in 1984 served as an implicit criticism of the Reagan era.

In its 2023 debut for a new generation, the move serves as both a response to the Trump era and a rejection of it. Former President Donald Trump has been described as a departure from the Reagan GOP and has voiced dissatisfaction with the choice of the Reagan Library for the second Republican primary debate, an event he is not expected to attend.

However, it can also be argued that Trump embodies the conservative trends initiated by Reagan. Like Trump, Reagan fueled concerns about anti-White racism. He relied on support from White evangelicals who were fixated on patriarchal hierarchy, homophobia, and restricting reproductive rights—similar to Trump's voter base. The Republican Party's long-standing opposition to cosmopolitan diversity stems from a deep-seated resentment.

The Talking Heads, an influential band formed in the late 1970s, are known for their contribution to the New Wave, a subgenre that incorporated synthesizers and rigid dance floor rhythms into traditional guitar-driven blues. Other prominent bands associated with the New Wave movement, such as Devo, Blondie, Joy Division, and The Human League, are predominantly White and explore themes of isolation and dehumanization in their lyrics. Rather than being a form of protest, their political approach is primarily satirical.

In the case of the concert film "Stop Making Sense," director Jonathan Demme deviates from the conventional approach by minimizing crowd shots and directing the camera predominantly towards the stage. This choice aligns with the New Wave aesthetic.

Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, Alex Weir, Bernie Worrell, David Byrne, Steve Scales, Lynn Mabry and Ednah Holt perform in "Stop Making Sense."

Lead singer David Byrne takes the spotlight as the camera focuses on him, striding towards the microphone with confidence. With the iconic "Psycho Killer" playing, Byrne serenades the audience, flawlessly blending a mix of heartfelt whines and yodels, while a portable music player supplies the pulsating beats. The song captivates with its infectious exploration of paranoia and self-doubt, as Byrne gracefully moves across the stage, reminiscent of an otherworldly creature embracing its flaws.

Byrnes' distinctive dance style and physical appearance play a crucial role in "Stop Making Sense." Throughout the performance, he embodies a malfunctioning android or ectomorph, but he is never alone. With each song, more people join him on stage, starting with the original band members - Tina Weymouth on bass, Chris Frantz on drums, Jerry Harrison on keyboards and guitar. As the band absorbed influences from artists like George Clinton, James Brown, and Fela Kuti, they also added new performers to their lineup in the early 1980s. "Stop Making Sense" features the talented voices of Lynn Mabry and Ednah Hold, the legendary keyboardist Bernie Worrell from Parliament-Funkadelic, percussionist Steve Scales, and The Brothers Johnson guitarist Alex Weir. The full ensemble creates a captivating fusion of eclectic funk. One particular standout is their powerful rendition of "Burning Down the House," where Harrison and Scales synchronize their rhythmic skills to create a thunderous, polyphonic sound that is so intense, it feels like the stage might burst into flames at any moment.

Byrne appears to be fueled by batteries and perspiration as he trembles and quivers across the entire screen. However, Weir is determined to keep pace by running in place, as if on a treadmill, while lifting his legs slightly higher than Byrne's, just to assert his ability. Mabry and Hold exhibit the same level of energy, and they are not confined to the usual role of background singers, positioned 15 feet away from the limelight. Harrison, Byrne, and Weymouth momentarily pause to dance with them. Then, during the transcendental, Motown-inspired performance of "This Must Be the Place," they step onto center stage, blending their voices in exquisite three-part harmonies. Meanwhile, Byrne dances with a floor lamp, passionately declaring, "I feel numb / burn with a weak heart / I guess I must be having fun."

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STOP MAKING SENSE, David Byrne, 1984

© Cinecom/Courtesy Everett Collection

The Talking Heads lyrics constantly revolve around angst and anxiety, implying their sense of being broken in a broken world. However, when these lyrics are shouted out during a vibrant party, they transform from a plea for help into a statement of purpose.

This is exemplified most notably in the breathtaking rendition of "Once in a Lifetime," where suburban boredom is transformed into an eccentric form of transcendence. The line "You may ask yourself, how did I get here?" hits with the same ecstatic impact as Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People," with individuals of all races and genders emerging from their confinement and joyfully swimming in the metaphorical "water / flowing underground."

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Byrne's closest approach to addressing the merging of Christianity with repressive politics during the Reagan era is arguably evident in the song "Heaven." The song depicts the promised afterlife as a barren and mundane place where nothing ever happens. Although the concert film does not directly reference fascism or Reagan, it openly celebrates cosmopolitan integration and eccentric uniqueness, which were despised by those in power during that time. This New Wave movement immersed itself in Afrofuturism, envisioning a tomorrow that is inclusive, peculiar, and where the music resonates so loudly that the oppressive authorities become inaudible.

Though Reagan's time has passed, remnants of his influence persist in our culture and politics. While watching "Stop Making Sense," I was reminded of this connection, particularly in the way that Trump and his associates desire for us to remain passive in our own narrow confines, yearning fruitlessly for a future identical to the past, albeit more insipid. Within this context, the film progressively becomes more comprehensible and meaningful as it unfolds chaotically on screen, contradictorily unconventional yet fitting.