Road to Nowhere

"I wanted to write a song that presented a resigned, even joyful look at doom," recalls David Byrne in the liner notes of Once in a Lifetime: The Best of Talking Heads. "At our deaths and at the apocalypse... (always looming, folks). I think it succeeded. The front bit, the white gospel choir, is kind of tacked on, 'cause I didn't think the rest of the song was enough... I mean, it was only two chords. So, out of embarrassment, or shame, I wrote an intro section that had a couple more in it."

Cash Box said that "this marching single which features David Byrne's soothing lead vocal is a curious and circus-ride look at life."{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|magazine=Cash Box|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1985/CB-1985-06-15.pdf|date=June 15, 1985|accessdate=July 29, 2022|page=10}} Billboard said that within the song "a cappella gospel leads into Louisiana hootenanny."{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|date=June 15, 1985|accessdate=July 29, 2022|page=71|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1985/BB-1985-06-15.pdf|title=Reviews}}

The video for the song was directed by Byrne and Stephen R. Johnson and features the band and various objects revolving, including boxes revolving around David Byrne's head. Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz portray a couple growing older, and masked businessmen pummel each other with briefcases and a runaway shopping cart, as if in their own "road to nowhere".

Some parts were shot in the back yard and pool of actor Stephen Tobolowsky, who was co-writing Byrne's film True Stories at the time.{{cite web|url=http://www.slashfilm.com/tobolowsky-files-ep-44-the-voice-from-another-room/ |title=The Tobolowsky Files Episode 44: The Voice from Another Room |date=February 18, 2011 |publisher=slashfilm.com |access-date=February 19, 2011}} Scenes were also shot at Calvary Baptist Church in Hi Vista, California. Director Johnson re-used some of the effects techniques in award-winning videos for Peter Gabriel the following year: "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time".

It was nominated for Best Video of the Year at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards, losing out to "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits.

Talking Heads

• David Byrne – lead vocals and backing vocals, electric guitar
• Jerry Harrison – organ and backing vocals
• Tina Weymouth – bass and backing vocals
• Chris Frantz – drums

Additional musicians

• Andrew Cader – washboard
• Erin Dickens – backing vocals
• Diva Gray – backing vocals
• Gordon Grody – backing vocals
• Lani Groves – backing vocals
• Jimmy Macdonell – accordion
• Lenny Pickett – saxophone
• Steve Scales – tambourine
• Kurt Yaghjian – backing vocals

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Talking Heads|title=Road to Nowhere|award=Platinum|relyear=1985|certyear=2023|source=radioscope|access-date=March 19, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Talking Heads|title=Road to Nowhere|award=Silver|relyear=2005|certyear=2021|id=16992-2108-1|access-date=March 19, 2025}}

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{{Wikinews|Musician David Byrne sues Florida governor over campaign song}}

• Charlie Crist, in his unsuccessful 2010 run for the U.S. Senate in Florida, used the song in a campaign video without obtaining permission. David Byrne sued for copyright infringement and, in a legal settlement, Crist issued a video apology for his improper use.

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Category:1984 songs

Category:1985 singles

Category:Sire Records singles

Category:Songs about death

Category:Song recordings produced by David Byrne

Category:Song recordings produced by Jerry Harrison

Category:Songs written by Chris Frantz

Category:Songs written by David Byrne

Category:Songs written by Jerry Harrison

Category:Songs written by Tina Weymouth

Category:Talking Heads songs

Category:Music videos directed by Stephen R. Johnson