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Talk Talk is one of those great lost 60’s hit songs from the garage band era. You don’t hear it on oldies stations–well, I’ve never heard it on an oldies station–I doubt there’s a muzak version, but it’s a song that was well ahead of it’s time.

There’s not too much to the meaning of the song. The singer has done something that has damaged his reputation, and doesn’t want to resolve things through apology. If you’ve ever screwed up you can likely identify.

There’s a pretty cool interview with band member Sean Bonniwell at Ready, Steady Go. From that interview:

RSG: The first introduction to the Music Machine is usually through the hit single ‘Talk Talk’. Can you remember when and how that song was written and what it was like to record it?

SB: “”Talk Talk” was written in 1965. I was waiting for my girlfriend to finish primping for our date. The song was composed in about 15 minutes, and we recorded it at RCA (studio C) in L.A., in two takes! There’s quite a story behind our 1st hit; the details (profound and humorous), can be found in Beyond The garage (the book)”.

RSG: Many people cite ‘talk talk’ and other similar tracks from 60s Garage bands as a prelude to 70’s punk. What do you make of it all?

SB: “In the context of what 60s music contributed to what is heard today, my guess would be that 70s punk imitated us. But just adding glitter and snot doesn’t pay tribute to bands of the 60s that were progenitors, musical units that invented a sound and style that continues to resonate in contemporary rock. Each generation discards the fad symbols of the previous generation — and their rebellion is to the manor born, but when the original is a copy of a copy, it degenerates into mindless noise”.

Here’s a link to a TV performance

And of course, the lyrics:

I got me a complication
And it’s an only child
Concernin’ my reputation
As something more than wild
I know it serves me right
But I can’t sleep at night
Have to hide my face
Or go some other play-ay-ay-ay-ay-ace

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