Take My Freedom When The Riot Comes

Talk Talk have featured here a criminally few times, the last being Side 2 of a late period mixtape that I posted last April.

So, here's a brand new selection of 9 songs that manage to avoid duplicating anything on the previously published compilation. At first glance a bit random, it focuses solely on their 1980s material, so nothing from Laughing Stock. By accident rather than design, it also omits 12”mixes and second album It's My Life, though I have included a gorgeous version of Renée, taken from their stunning performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival on 11th July 1986.

 

Talk Talk's eponymous single was in fact a cover version of a song originally recorded by Mark Hollis' former band The Reaction and produced by his brother Ed and Steve Lillywhite. Titled Talk Talk Talk Talk, it only appeared on the compilation Streets, released on Beggars Banquet in 1977, and you can listen to it here. 

 

The version of Talk Talk on this selection slightly differs from the album version and was included on the soundtrack to Ron Howard's 1982 movie Night Shift, starring Henry Winkler, Shelley Long and Michael Keaton. I think I saw it once in the late 80s as part of Alex Cox's Moviedrome series on late night BBC2 but I don't recall much about it.

After the rousing brace of opening songs, the rest of the selection is a little on the downtempo/downbeat side for a Friday post but then Talk Talk's debut - and the closing song here - is called The Party's Over, so would you have expected anything less?

I thought the couple of choices from Spirit Of Eden might jar with their neighbours, but I think I just about get away with it. There's something quite pleasing about going from the organic, warm sound of Inheritance to the cold synth pop of Why Is It So Hard? I also quite like the segue between the final three tracks.

1) Another Word (Album Version) (1982)

2) Talk Talk ("Night Shift" Version) (1982)

3) Inheritance (Album Version) (1988)

4) Why Is It So Hard? (7" Mix By Steve Thompson) (1983)

5) Chameleon Day (Album Version) (1986)

6) Renée (Live @ Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland) (1986) 

7) April 5th (Album Version) (1986)

8) Wealth (Album Version) (1988)

9) The Party's Over (Album Version) (1982) 

 

1982: Night Shift OST: 2

1982: The Party's Over: 1, 9

1984: First Born OST: 4

1986: The Colour Of Spring: 5, 7

1988: Spirit Of Eden: 3, 8

2008: Live At Montreux 1986: 6 

 

Take My Freedom When The Riot Comes (44:41) (Box) (Mega)

You can also find Side 1 of the Inheritance mixtape here