David Byrne – “Hard Times” (Paramore Cover)

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David Byrne – “Hard Times” (Paramore Cover)

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The snake is eating its tail. On “Hard Times,” the opening track and lead single from their 2017 album After Laughter, Paramore adopted a plastic neon Afropop/new wave vibe seemingly influenced by Talking Heads. Recently, Hayley Williams and friends covered “Burning Down The House” for the forthcoming compilation Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute To Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense. Now, as an extension of the Stop Making Sense festivities, lead Talking Head David Byrne has returned Paramore’s favor by covering “Hard Times.” It sounds like a David Byrne song, but then, it always has.

On social media, Byrne writes, “The band told me that their song Hard Times was inspired by Talking Heads, so I learned it and recorded my version of their great song with a horn section. This was fun!”

Hayley Williams comments, “Crazy to hear the guy who inspired the cadence and tone of these verses, singing them the way only he could. Talking Heads and the Stop Making Sense film drip-fed inspiration into the best moments of After Laughter which, for now, remains my favorite child (I know we’re not supposed to say those kinds of things). Thanks @davidbyrneofficial!!! Love, Hayley.”

Byrne’s version of “Hard Times” and Paramore’s “Burning Down The House” have been combined into a 12″ on Saturday for Record Store Day, but you can hear them both below.

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