Life During Wartime

I was asked by Rich Meisenheimer of Blank Space gallery in Connecticut to contribute a piece for an upcoming show, "Same As It Ever Was", dedicated to the music of the Talking Heads. I  immediately picked "Life During Wartime", off of the seminal record "Fear of Music".
It's a song filled with imagery, hilarity, and horror.

"Heard of a van that is loaded with weapons, packed up and ready to go
Heard of some gravesites, out by the highway, a place where nobody knows
The sound of gunfire, off in the distance, I'm getting used to it now Lived in a brownstone, lived in the ghetto, I've lived all over this town
This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no fooling around No time for dancing, or lovey dovey, I ain't got time for that now
Transmit the message, to the receiver, hope for an answer some day
I got three passports, a couple of visas, don't even know my real name
High on a hillside, the trucks are loading, everything's ready to roll
I sleep in the daytime, I work in the nightime, I might not ever get home
This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no fooling around This ain't no Mudd Club, or C. B. G. B.'s, I ain't got time for that now Heard about Houston? Heard about Detroit? Heard about Pittsburgh, P. A.?
You oughta know not to stand by the window somebody might see you up there
I got some groceries, some peanut butter, to last a couple of days
But I ain't got no speakers, ain't got no headphones, ain't got no records to play
Why stay in college? Why go to night school? Gonna be different this time Can't write a letter, can't send a postcard, I can't write nothing at all This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no fooling around I'd like to kiss you, I'd love you hold you I ain't got no time for that now
Trouble in transit, got through the roadblock, we blended with the crowd
We got computer, we're tapping phone lines, I know that ain't allowed
We dress like students, we dress like housewives, or in a suit and a tie I've changed my hairstyle so many times now, I don't know what I look like!
You make me shiver, I feel so tender, we make a pretty good team
Don't get exhausted, I'll do some driving, you ought to get you some sleep
Get your instructions, follow directions, then you should change your address
Maybe tomorrow, maybe the next day, whatever you think is best Burned all my notebooks, what good are notebooks? They won't help me survive.
My chest is aching, burns like a furnace, the burning keeps me alive Try to stay healthy, physical fitness, don't want to catch no disease
Try to be careful, don't take no chances, you ought to get you some sleep..."

 The print will be available from me in about a week or so, after the gallery show has come down.