Little Creatures

{{about|the Talking Heads album|the Australian brewery|Little Creatures Brewery}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Little Creatures

| type = Studio album

| artist = Talking Heads

| cover = thlittlecreates.jpg

| alt =

| released = June 10, 1985

| recorded = October 1984{{nbsp}}– March 1985

| venue =

| studio = Sigma Sound, New York City

| genre = * New wave

pop rock
roots rock{{cite web |title=Top 10 David Byrne Talking Heads Lyrics |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/david-byrne-talking-heads-lyrics/ |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |access-date=March 15, 2025 |date=May 14, 2013}}

| length = 38:38

| label = Sire

| producer = Talking Heads

| prev_title = Stop Making Sense

| prev_year = 1984

| next_title = True Stories

| next_year = 1986

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Little Creatures

| type = studio

| single1 = The Lady Don't Mind

| single1date = May 1985

| single2 = Road to Nowhere

| single2date = June 1985

| single3 = And She Was

| single3date = August 1985{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/808/|title=The Great Rock Discography|year=1995|page=809 |isbn=9780862415419 |last1=Strong |first1=Martin Charles |publisher=Canongate Press }}

| single4 = Stay Up Late

| single4date = 1985 (US)

}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/little-creatures-mw0000191997 |title=Little Creatures – Talking Heads |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=February 4, 2016 |last=Ruhlmann |first=William}}

| rev2 = Chicago Tribune

| rev2score = {{Rating|2.5|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1990/05/06/talking-heads-on-the-record/ |title=Talking Heads On The Record |work=Chicago Tribune |date=May 6, 1990 |access-date=November 8, 2015 |last=Kot |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kot}}

| rev3 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music

| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music |last=Larkin |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Larkin (writer) |publisher=Omnibus Press |edition=5th concise |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-85712-595-8}}

| rev4 = Hot Press

| rev4score = 11/12{{cite journal |url=http://www.hotpress.com/archive/549789.html |title=Little Creatures |journal=Hot Press |date=July 5, 1985 |access-date=February 4, 2016 |last=Stokes |first=Dermot |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020221141508/http://www.hotpress.com/archive/549789.html |archive-date=February 21, 2002 |url-status=dead}}

| rev5 = Pitchfork

| rev5score = 8.0/10{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/talking-heads-little-creatures/ |title=Talking Heads: Little Creatures |work=Pitchfork |date=April 23, 2020 |access-date=April 23, 2020 |last=Bloom |first=Madison}}

| rev6 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev6score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Talking Heads |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/802 802–03]}}

| rev7 = Spin Alternative Record Guide

| rev7score = 8/10{{cite book |chapter=Talking Heads |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |publisher=Vintage Books |year=1995 |isbn=0-679-75574-8 |page=394}}

| rev8 = Tom Hull – on the Web

| rev8Score = A{{cite web|url=https://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=talking+heads|title=Grade List: Talking Heads|website=Tom Hull – on the Web|first=Tom|last=Hull|date=November 27, 2023|access-date=November 27, 2023}}

| rev9 = Uncut

| rev9Score = 9/10{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/Uncut_August_2015_UK/page/n39/mode/2up|title=Uncut - August 2015 UK|website=Uncut|date=August 1, 2015|access-date=November 27, 2023}}

| rev10 = The Village Voice

| rev10score = A{{cite news |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv7-85.php |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide |work=The Village Voice |date=July 30, 1985 |access-date=February 4, 2016 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}

}}

Little Creatures is the sixth studio album by American rock band Talking Heads, released June 10, 1985, by Sire Records. The album examines themes of Americana and incorporates elements of country music, with many songs featuring steel guitar. It was voted album of the year in The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics poll, and is the band's best-selling studio album, with more than two million copies sold in the United States. The cover art was created by outsider artist Howard Finster, and was selected as album cover of the year by Rolling Stone.

Track listing

{{track listing

| headline = Side one

| all_writing = David Byrne, except where noted

| title1 = And She Was

| length1 = 3:36

| title2 = Give Me Back My Name

| writer2 = Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth

| length2 = 3:20

| title3 = Creatures of Love

| length3 = 4:12

| title4 = The Lady Don't Mind

| writer4 = Byrne, Frantz, Harrison, Weymouth

| length4 = 4:03

| title5 = Perfect World

| writer5 = Byrne, Frantz

| length5 = 4:26

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Side two

| title6 = Stay Up Late

| length6 = 3:51

| title7 = Walk It Down

| length7 = 4:42

| title8 = Television Man

| length8 = 6:10

| title9 = Road to Nowhere

| length9 = 4:19

}}

{{track listing

| headline = 1985 UK CD Bonus Track

| title10 = The Lady Don't Mind

| note10 = Extended Mix

| length10 = 6:51

}}

{{track listing

| headline = 2005 reissue bonus tracks

| title10 = Road to Nowhere

| note10 = Early version

| length10 = 4:37

| title11 = And She Was

| note11= Early version

| length11 = 3:36

| title12 = Television Man

| note12 = Extended mix

| length12 = 7:52

}}

Personnel

=Talking Heads=

David Byrne – guitar, vocals
Chris Frantz – drums
Jerry Harrison – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals
Tina Weymouth – bass guitar, backing vocals

=Additional musicians=

Ellen Bernfeld – backing vocals on "Perfect World" and "Walk It Down"
Andrew Cader – washboard on "Road to Nowhere"
Erin Dickens – backing vocals on "Television Man" and "Road to Nowhere"
Diva Gray – backing vocals on "Road to Nowhere"
Gordon Grody – backing vocals
Lani Groves – backing vocals
Jimmy Macdonell – accordion on "Road to Nowhere"
Lenny Pickett – saxophones
Steve Scales – percussion
Naná Vasconcelos – percussion on "Perfect World"
Eric Weissberg – steel guitar on "Creatures of Love" and "Walk It Down"
Kurt Yahjian – backing vocals

=Recording=

Jack Skinner – mastering
Eric Thorngren – engineer, mixing
Melanie West – second engineer

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="row"\| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{sfn\|Kent\|1993\|p=304}} \| 2
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" \|+ Weekly chart performance for Little Creatures ! scope="col"\| Chart (1985) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
{{album chart\|Austria\|4\|artist=Talking Heads\|album=Little Creatures\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 15, 2017}}
{{album chart\|Canada\|18\|chartid=0564\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 15, 2017}}
{{album chart\|Netherlands\|4\|artist=Talking Heads\|album=Little Creatures\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 1, 2022}}
scope="row"\| European Albums (Music & Media){{cite magazine \|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/80s/85/M&M-1985-07-29-OCR-Page-0006.pdf \|title=European Top 100 Albums \|magazine=Eurotipsheet \|volume=2 \|issue=29/30 \|date=July 29, 1985 \|page=14 \|oclc=29800226 \|via=World Radio History}} \| 14
scope="row"\| Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book \|last=Pennanen \|first=Timo \|title=Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 \|language=fi \|edition=1st \|location=Helsinki \|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava \|year=2006 \|isbn=978-951-1-21053-5}} \| 37
{{album chart\|Germany4\|9\|id=273\|artist=Talking Heads\|album=Little Creatures\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 15, 2017}}
scope="row"\| Italian Albums (Musica e dischi){{cite web \|url=http://www.musicaedischi.it/classifiche_archivio.php \|title=Classifiche \|work=Musica e dischi \|language=it \|access-date=May 29, 2022}} Select "Album" in the "Tipo" field, type "Talking Heads" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca". \| 22
{{album chart\|New Zealand\|1\|artist=Talking Heads\|album=Little Creatures\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 15, 2017}}
{{album chart\|Norway\|16\|artist=Talking Heads\|album=Little Creatures\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 15, 2017}}
{{album chart\|Sweden\|10\|artist=Talking Heads\|album=Little Creatures\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 15, 2017}}
{{album chart\|Switzerland\|12\|artist=Talking Heads\|album=Little Creatures\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 1, 2022}}
{{album chart\|UK2\|10\|date=19850623\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 15, 2017}}
{{album chart\|Billboard200\|20\|artist=Talking Heads\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 1, 2022}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" \|+ Weekly chart performance for Little Creatures ! scope="col"\| Chart (2023) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
scope="row"\| Croatian International Albums (HDU){{cite web\|url=https://www.top-lista.hr/www/lista-prodaje-strano-43-tjedan-2023/\|title=Lista prodaje 43. tjedan 2023\|date=October 16, 2023\|publisher=Top of the Shops\|language=hr\|access-date=November 1, 2023\|archive-date=November 1, 2023\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101062354/https://www.top-lista.hr/www/lista-prodaje-strano-43-tjedan-2023/\|url-status=live}} \| 3
scope="row"\| Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ){{cite web \|title=Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2023. 41. hét \|url=https://slagerlistak.hu/album-top-40-slagerlista-fizikai-hanghordozok/2023/41 \|publisher=MAHASZ \|access-date=October 18, 2023}} \| 12

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Weekly chart performance for Little Creatures

! scope="col"| Chart (2023)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"| Croatian International Albums (HDU){{cite web|url=https://www.top-lista.hr/www/lista-prodaje-strano-43-tjedan-2023/|title=Lista prodaje 43. tjedan 2023|date=October 16, 2023|publisher=Top of the Shops|language=hr|access-date=November 1, 2023|archive-date=November 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101062354/https://www.top-lista.hr/www/lista-prodaje-strano-43-tjedan-2023/|url-status=live}}

| 3

scope="row"| Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ){{cite web |title=Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2023. 41. hét |url=https://slagerlistak.hu/album-top-40-slagerlista-fizikai-hanghordozok/2023/41 |publisher=MAHASZ |access-date=October 18, 2023}}

| 12

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" \|+ 1985 year-end chart performance for Little Creatures ! scope="col"\| Chart (1985) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{sfn\|Kent\|1993\|p=437}} \| 7
scope="row"\| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM){{cite magazine \|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.0618&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.0618.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.0618 \|title=RPM's Top 100 Albums of 1985 \|magazine=RPM \|volume=43 \|issue=16 \|date=December 28, 1985 \|page=14 \|issn=0033-7064 \|via=Library and Archives Canada}} \| 57
scope="row"\| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100){{cite web \|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1985&cat=a \|title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 1985 \|language=nl \|publisher=Dutch Charts \|access-date=February 1, 2022}} \| 39
scope="row"\| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100){{cite web \|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1985 \|title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1985 \|language=de \|publisher=Offizielle Deutsche Charts \|access-date=February 1, 2022}} \| 47
scope="row"\| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web \|title=Top Selling Albums of 1985 \|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1985-12-31 \|publisher=Recorded Music NZ \|access-date=April 15, 2017}} \| 5
scope="row"\| UK Albums (Gallup){{cite magazine \|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/1986/Music-Week-1986-01-18-IDX-11.pdf \|title=Top 100 Albums (January 5–December 28, 1985) \|magazine=Music Week \|date=January 18, 1986 \|page=11 \|issn=0265-1548 \|via=World Radio History}} \| 77

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ 1985 year-end chart performance for Little Creatures

! scope="col"| Chart (1985)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{sfn|Kent|1993|p=437}}

| 7

scope="row"| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM){{cite magazine |url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.0618&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.0618.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.0618 |title=RPM's Top 100 Albums of 1985 |magazine=RPM |volume=43 |issue=16 |date=December 28, 1985 |page=14 |issn=0033-7064 |via=Library and Archives Canada}}

| 57

scope="row"| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100){{cite web |url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1985&cat=a |title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 1985 |language=nl |publisher=Dutch Charts |access-date=February 1, 2022}}

| 39

scope="row"| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100){{cite web |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1985 |title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1985 |language=de |publisher=Offizielle Deutsche Charts |access-date=February 1, 2022}}

| 47

scope="row"| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web |title=Top Selling Albums of 1985 |url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1985-12-31 |publisher=Recorded Music NZ |access-date=April 15, 2017}}

| 5

scope="row"| UK Albums (Gallup){{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/1986/Music-Week-1986-01-18-IDX-11.pdf |title=Top 100 Albums (January 5–December 28, 1985) |magazine=Music Week |date=January 18, 1986 |page=11 |issn=0265-1548 |via=World Radio History}}

| 77

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" \|+ 1986 year-end chart performance for Little Creatures ! scope="col"\| Chart (1986) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{sfn\|Kent\|1993\|p=438}} \| 17
scope="row"\| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web \|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1986-12-31 \|title=Top Selling Albums of 1986 \|publisher=Recorded Music NZ \|access-date=February 1, 2022}} \| 12
scope="row"\| UK Albums (Gallup){{cite magazine \|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/1987/Music-Week-1987-01-24-IDX-27.pdf \|title=Top 100 Albums (January to December 1986) \|magazine=Music Week \|date=January 24, 1987 \|page=25 \|issn=0265-1548 \|via=World Radio History}} \| 59

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ 1986 year-end chart performance for Little Creatures

! scope="col"| Chart (1986)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{sfn|Kent|1993|p=438}}

| 17

scope="row"| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web |url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1986-12-31 |title=Top Selling Albums of 1986 |publisher=Recorded Music NZ |access-date=February 1, 2022}}

| 12

scope="row"| UK Albums (Gallup){{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/1987/Music-Week-1987-01-24-IDX-27.pdf |title=Top 100 Albums (January to December 1986) |magazine=Music Week |date=January 24, 1987 |page=25 |issn=0265-1548 |via=World Radio History}}

| 59

=Decade-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" \|+ Decade-end chart performance for Little Creatures ! scope="col"\| Chart (1980–1989) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{sfn\|Kent\|1993}} \|align="center"\|21

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Decade-end chart performance for Little Creatures

! scope="col"| Chart (1980–1989)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{sfn|Kent|1993}}

|align="center"|21

Certifications and sales

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for Little Creatures}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|nocert=true|salesamount=150,000|salesref={{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hiQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT54|title=Majors|magazine=Billboard|volume=97|issue=45|page=A-26|first=Glenn A.|last=Barker|date=November 9, 1985|issn=0006-2510|via=Google Books}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Little Creatures|type=album|artist=Talking Heads|relyear=1985|region=Germany|award=Gold|certyear=1992}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Little Creatures|type=album|artist=Talking Heads|relyear=1985|id=1986-12-19|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|region=New Zealand|award=Platinum}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Little Creatures|type=album|artist=Talking Heads|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|relyear=1985|certyear=1985|id=3877-2108-2|date=November 26, 1985|access-date=February 3, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Little Creatures|type=album|artist=Talking Heads|relyear=1985|certyear=1994|region=United States|award=Platinum|number=2}}

References

=Bibliography=

{{cite book |last=Kent |first=David |author-link=David Kent (historian) |title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 |edition=illustrated |location=St Ives, N.S.W. |publisher=Australian Chart Book |year=1993 |isbn=0-646-11917-6}}

External links

{{Discogs master|type=album|39301}}

Category:1985 albums

Category:Albums produced by David Byrne

Category:Albums produced by Chris Frantz

Category:Albums produced by Jerry Harrison

Category:Albums produced by Tina Weymouth

Category:Sire Records albums

Category:Talking Heads albums

Category:Roots rock albums