David Byrne & St. Vincent - I Should Watch TV (Live on Letterman)

David Byrne and St. Vincent performing "I Should Watch TV" on Late Show with David Letterman, January 28, 2013.

[@nathanielfishburn7653]

...Yep, I want to be as cool as David Byrne when I grow up.

[@1kusian]

I always wanted to be like David Byrne - cool dude!

[@samrobinson174]

Who doesnt

[@jessica5497]

I wanna be cool like David bowie and David Byrne

[@nailbanger2]

Me too. But I'm 64, so ...

[@dhamblin1965]

That old man has more talent in his little toe than most all musicians/artists/entertainers.

[@brotherdave61396]

B Hamblin not old

[@Ralph_Smith0724]

You have to learn to categorize. He's not old here. He just has grey hair.

[@KristofferSkjrestad]

This live version is much better than the studio version! Probably seen this once every day for 3 weeks now.

[@Amins88]

A lot of times performances on these television shows don't really have the impact they deserve. Although I can say from working in live television, it's just the nature of the format, really. But they did a phenomenal job on the mixing with this one.

[@brockhartwell5317]

Amazing performance. But I’m currently hooked on the American Utopia Broadway version. There’s just something about it with the new different textures that was rearranged.

[@Dilley_G45]

99.9% of the time live versions suck vs Studio versions....I agree this is a rare exception

[@avedic]

I love Byrne's breathless vocals....like a televangelist who's caught up in his stage show. Especially from 1:30 to 1:42. Sounds SO good...as good as he ever was....

[@blew1t]

same as it ever was same as it ever was

[@OhNoCompassion]

I see what you mean, kinda like the scene with Puzzlin Evidence in his movie True Stories

[@disorganizedandfunky8422]

hi gio

[@walksalot_talksalot]

I am always just so impressed at how it's not just him performing a song: He IS the song. So so good

[@avedic]

@@walksalot_talksalot Perfectly put. He just is that song while that song is being. And that's true of literally every great artist/performer ever. That's kinda THE secret to everything.

[@PattyJeddyfun]

David Byrne is cool. But better yet, he's so silly and serious at the same time. Always has been to me. Love it.

[@andrewmillies7336]

That's exactly why my dad loves him

[@JC20XX]

Same as it ever was

[@lyneae3786]

Life is like that though.

[@psmith1843]

Y'know, this guy is such a good performer. He is constantly interacting with the music and seems to follow its trajectory. He starts slow and grows into a chorus that reminds me of heaven-bound worship, all in the name of TV. Byrne has always been a master of irony with his lyrics, this song proves that. I even like the lighting in this performance, it is so angelic, emanating from the horns and Byrne's dancing. He goes almost classical, almost chamber music, with the use of horns on the album. French Horns, Trombones. The meter of classical music compliments the robotic effect. Lastly, St Vincent may play second fiddle in this performance, but her voice sounds nice and she does her part admirably. "I'm glad the swelling went down"

[@chriscarson2547]

Revisiting this. I was watching when this aired and was blown away! Had never heard of St. Vincent, and became an instant fan. The brass is so crazy!

[@millennialanimal]

love the way the crowd dnt know what to do when it's over

[@Leib33]

It wasn't an audience of their fans, it was just random people who got tickets to The Late Show. They are so niche that most audiences aren't familiar with their works.

[@aaronwesterby6913]

The song ends abruptly. The audience thought maybe there was going to be more.

[@mikeshippee6364]

the horn background is awesome

[@jhansenhlebica6080]

If you think about the song structure, in a way the main horn bit is itself the chorus melody. Instrumental chorus, pretty cool.

[@doginspace5909]

I'm not sure what to feel after that. I know that it has changed my life I'm just not sure how yet... God, David Byrne is just a genius.

[@Venti470]

St.Vincent and David Byrne are awesome together.

[@williamsanders2348]

That was incredible.

[@StottMikel]

An absolutely bonkers and perfect record.

[@buckrogez87]

I literally had no idea what to expect....But i knew I'd be blown away. And Guess what I Was. I have no idea how David Byrne can continue to innovate the way he does....Always different, Always Brilliant!!!!

[@ancillaindigna1273]

I have only seen this type of silence at the end of a performance two other times: When Kyung Wha Chung performed Debussy's "Beau Soir" (on KZbin I saw it), and when my choir performed Durufle's "Requiem" (7 seconds of silence after Ad Paradisium). This performance by Byrne obviously had a profound impact on the audience. Wonderfully done, sir!

[@melahorine]

It's impossible for me to watch this less than 3x in a row, every time

[@GuadalupePicasso]

This is pure musical perfection. I was lucky to catch them on this tour, and it still easily ranks in my top 5 concerts of all time. Seriously, the setlist was perfect: most, if not all of the album that they wrote together; plus about 5 St. Vincent songs, 2 or 3 solo David Byrne, and as many as 5 Talking Heads tunes.

[@phira360]

So awkward when David Byrne said "that's the end" since no one knew to clap...

[@andrewmillies7336]

I think that was a joke

[@kkibela]

Lmaooooo.. he really was like fk my ego 😂😂😂

[@darrenwalshe8534]

David byrne and st Vincent eh cool or what!

[@gabrielsandovalmariscal1315]

man david is a real genius many respects and he seems relly down to earth

[@shinzontheta]

I was expecting to hate this, but was hooked by the end of verse 1.

[@mattjohnson1953]

This performance brings me life every time I watch it.

[@SheylayamGullath]

This is so delectable! I think it has some touches of Philip Glass! Great!

[@Hilde_von_Derp]

After flirting with the Heads back in the day, I watched American Utopia and fell in love with Byrne’s aesthetic again. He sounds like the future used to, what a fantastic collab with St Vincent.

[@ChrisR_68]

Awesome !!!! David's voice has never faltered !!!!! Love it 😀

[@rodsgod4x]

our national treasure

[@josepharnold3]

rod beauchamp no, that’s nick cage

[@LukeBaumstark]

When I watched this at the time I was not digging it. Now it is probably my most-listened song of the past year or so. This whole album is pretty neat. I love seeing how much fun David seems to be having in this video.

[@hotdoglover92]

Me too. My biggest regret was not seeing them for this tour

[@gouterelo]

Doing squats on a tuba... with these two giants in front ! What a way to sound :D !

[@ThePatank]

one of my favorites from American Utopia on hbomax, what an absolute pleasure to find this different yet altogether amazing version of the song. Loving the horns with that heavy underlying bass

[@jellycleaver5969]

it' going to take me a long time to digest how great this is

[@Ladygaga121fan]

They are so awesome together

[@johnpelosi4117]

Well, I wouldn't have seen this if it had not been on TV.

[@bernlin2000]

Dude is more than double my age and has twice as much energy. Damn, lol.

[@asylumchoir4586]

Undeniably brilliant. I remember watching this when it originally aired and being completely jaw dropping, utterly, blown away. This is a God given masterpiece. Thank you for sharing this art.

[@Dipsxi]

David Byrne did great! I can't say much about st Vincent because you couldn't really hear her. That's probably because of the horns and David being in your face. Two artists I have much respect for 👏

[@michellevey9608]

The guy is a gift.

[@Mio248]

Dang, this audience had no freaking like..... Anything in them. lol If it was here in my town, we would've been cheering like crazy even while the song was playing. smh. That was completely good!

[@Leib33]

It wasn't an audience of their fans, it was just random people who got tickets to The Late Show.

[@blew1t]

@@Leib33 yeah they were probably like "who's this random guy and woman and whats with this bizarre fucking performance art" because they didnt understand how prestigious both of these artists are.

[@isabelpalomares9861]

My favorite televangelist!

[@phillybhatesme]

I listen to this track daily. It's amazing.

[@micahnye7784]

Saw this live at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall... mind blowing

[@fatsjosh]

David Byrne is a legend, always been an amazing performer

[@monsterinwintercoat]

This. is. so. GOOD

[@nathanclarke2977]

wow do they ever have an incredible stage performance, truly amazing.

[@hendricklooysen4394]

this is giant a10 ++ i love your performing and the Greatness brass band to and on bass st Vincent

[@thejonegcle7759]

I used to think that I should watch KZbin. Love this song. Love this giant. This song turned me on to St. Vincent. THANKS.

[@dannyortega382]

david letterman always had good music man

[@davefkug5674]

Top notch performance.

[@OnTheNickle]

Great as he always was

[@kkibela]

I'm never ready for how good this is

[@jevonj77]

He had to let them KNOW it was the end! HA!

[@nothingreally6680]

A theory is that David Letterman wanted to draw attention away from Byrne's awkwardness by fumbling with the record and nearly dropping it. Lol

[@dominiqueb6275]

One of the finest from the best

[@chriswinslow6843]

A musical legend.

[@peenprincess]

one of my favorite live performances ever

[@BankaiDylan]

amazing power

[@PowerfulChicken]

David Byrne doing a QVC style angry preacher performance, weird oblong that he is.

[@THX-vp9fz]

lmao

[@bink6778]

This might be my favorite KZbin comment of all time.

[@thejonegcle7759]

perfectly performed. beyond cool.

[@bobbylee7765]

I don't care as long as he's back.

[@gasparifreak]

This is amazing

[@user-ve2iz2rw8y]

One of the best live performances I’ve seen, only topped by Lamar reprises of his own records. Weird to compare a rapper to an alternative icon, but instrumentally, they’re quite the same

[@markcooper5814]

Great partnership 😁

[@tasteinmusic3510]

Underrated Album!

[@chadopitz6883]

Pure genius

[@DCow000]

This is so cool.

[@dougquidam1258]

Brilliant

[@snottydyck]

Brilliant!!

[@glendeisler8130]

Genius

[@Echocat59]

Mind blowing

[@gtrrs71]

YES.

[@justinboseck9903]

Looking back at this now it makes me feel sad for David Letterman.

[@JamesHH]

Those are some pretty cool David's right there. David would agree that there's two more missing in Mr. Grohl and Spade.

[@miguelmireles4078]

WOW!

[@bowlerconspiracy3994]

way better than the studio cut

[@leightonlee4108]

Clever clever man

[@grubbymanz3928]

is it just me or did annie clark turn into david byrne after this tour, her hair, makeup, odd dance-gestures when she plays now, super funk horns (which I'm assuming were mostly byrne (if you listen to like Feelings or Rei momo or other solo stuff from decades ago it sounds just like the collab album). Seems kind of odd.

[@Kennutty]

Not really. Nothing wrong with influence.

[@ChickenTuesday]

or maybe they became one person o.O

[@BIZARBIES]

Listen to the horns on a live version of Marrow. Wonder how a St. Vincent/Prince collaboration would sound. She likes some funky horns.

[@williamsanders2348]

Heavily influenced, yes, but her music still sounds more like her than it does Byrne. The choreography was something she never did till touring with him, and she enjoyed it so much she incorporated it into her show. The one word she used to describe Byrne was fearless, when it came to creating music. That seems to be the attitude she tried to emulate when making the new album. My opinion is she was mostly fearless the whole time, and Byrne influenced her to run with it. That's what the great artists do.

[@falcychead8198]

William Sanders She's picked up his brush, but she's doing her own paintings. You're right, she's always been fearless -- because she's so into music, it's never occurred to her to worry about what people would think. I don't know if Byrne gave her permission, exactly, but he certainly energized that. She was clearly having the time of her life working with him. Then when the tour was done, she went for a walk around the block for fifteen minutes, and came back with a whole new album and hitting us with this whole Queen-of-Neptune schtick. By this time next year she'll probably completely change again and be the Clown Princess of Hip-Hop Zydeco, or something. So, while other people worry about what they think about her music, she's given me permission to just go ahead and love it.

[@KittyPieVibes]

Heh, "love this pizza" good one. Heheh

[@sarahshipley8438]

People don't know what's happening when there are horns in a rock song. Minds are closed.

[@THX-vp9fz]

Sarah Shipley U cant be real.

[@bowpet6574]

bright music

[@walksalot_talksalot]

I used to think that I should watch TV I used to think that it was good for me Wanted to know what folks were thinking To understand the land I live in And I would lose myself, and it would set me free This is the place where common people go A global franchise, one department store Yes, there were many awkward moments I had to do some self-atonement And I would lose myself and it would set me free I know, I like Behold and love this giant Big soul, big lips That's me and I am this Everybody gets a touched-up hairdo Everybody's in the passing lane Aberration makes you touch dark shadows The weird things that live in there I took a walk down to the park today I wrote a song called "Just Like You and Me" I heard the jokes from the sports reporter The rival teams when they faced each other The more I lost myself the more it set me free How am I not your brother? How are you not like me? Everybody's in the hotel lobby I'm living in here, yes I am I feel it moving in my arms and fingers Touch me and feel my pain It's good to lose and it's good to win sometimes It's good to die and it's good to be alive Maybe someday we can stand together Not afraid of what our eyes might see Maybe someday I'll understand them better, The weird things inside of me.

[@fcabezas]

The broadway's version in American Utopia is Awesome. Without Annie but still cool

[@roncocoyeah]

Kelly and Jon! Beirut party!

[@humanmike6537]

gold

[@michaeltondi8528]

Saw this concert about 5 or 6 years ago at Count Basie in Red Bank, NJ. Not as good as American Utopia but very close.

[@TheSunnickey]

Like It...

[@ThaishophandarbeitDeWandbehang]

David und Annie performen es perfekt. David in black and white, dass soll yin and yang bedeuten und Annie ist Mutter-Erde. Das Blasorchester deutet auf einen guten Freund und Helfer der beiden (David und Annie).

[@andrewmillies7336]

2:28 best part

[@cocteaud]

wow

[@ergotot45]

The girl on the French Horn has such great legs!

[@HC-yl5up]

LMFAO no one knew what to think

[@sheldoncooper8199]

The Horn section and David Byrne are so loud i cant hear St Vincents guitar :(

[@marcotewlow8533]

trust me, you could and you didn't realize it was a guitar

[@kuzey7809]

@@marcotewlow8533 yeah her guitar usually sounds nothing like a guitar but i adore it

[@AC-dz9yq]

“pls clap” - jeb!, also d byrne

[@jorgebada7619]

esto es muy bueno

[@thejonegcle7759]

excellent song & performance. tv ... america's wasteland ... opiate of the masses

[@guyfawkes9951]

People don't know what to do when confronted with art. And when did David Byrne start morphing into Vince McMahon?

[@AlbertGuilmont]

HYPERJAZZ.

[@bodgertime]

I thought he was gonna say land of lincoln to rhyme with thinkin'

[@1Cortexiphan]

does anyone know the name of the musician playing at the very left of the video? the one with glasses.

[@GlueyPorch]

edward snowden

[@g4lamos]

Ironically, this was on tv....

[@molloyxx1]

Drivel extraordinaire.

[@robpallot5058]

Steve Martin crossed with David Lynch = David Bryne

[@SergioAllIndie]

**That´s the end