"American Utopia: Detroit" is a new mini-documentary chronicling David Byrne’s collaboration with students at the Detroit School of Arts in Midtown. Byrne, you might recall, is a founder of the new wave group Talking Heads (1975-91).
The kids recorded a version of "Everybody’s Coming to My House," the lead single from the former Talking Heads singer’s 11th solo album "American Utopia", reports Chris DeVille of Stereogum. They were backed only by a piano at the home of choir director Cheryl Valentine.
Students from the school’s radio and TV department filmed members of the Vocal Jazz Ensemble singing the tune. Byrne isn't in the six and a half-minute video, which he released Tuesday.
"When I saw what the DSA students did with my song, it completely changed the way I thought of it. In fact, it changed the meaning of the song," he says in a statement. "I realized it was about inclusion, welcoming and not being alone. It's a more generous interpretation of the song than what I do with my voice.
"We are all in the same house—if we want to be. Just goes to show how a song can change (radically!) depending on who is singing it."
