Hell You Talmbout - David Byrne's American Utopia

Say his name. Say her name. Say their names and don’t stop.

[irissagar]

The fact that Janelle's original was 4 minutes long and the new version she released last year is nearly 18 minutes long... chilling

[feliperamirez]

I saw this show twice a year apart and so many names were added. It just hurts

[cherseattle]

Breonna Taylor! SAY HER NAME!
(thank you for this David and crew)

[MrYourekiddingme]

I got to see David Byrne on Broadway in November. It was a MIND BLOWING experience! Everything he said...and everything he and his fellow performers did felt like it was custom made for me. Right down to his silly barefoot dancing in a suit. The whole show was heavily based on controlling the amygdala (fight or flight area of the brain....the one that screws all kinds of stuff up if you don't learn how to control it...especially if you have PTSD). Here's the deal, though. I had just the morning of the show had a long conversation with a good friend of happens to be a therapist and he was explaining how it works and that there is new therapy (that does not require you to sit on a couch and yap about your "issues") to help with it. I had, and still have somewhat, issues with being comfortable with where I am....I never feel at home....even though that is my greatest desire....to have a place to call my own. Anybody that has listened to David's songs knows he suffers from some of those same issues ("Everybody's coming to my This is not my beautiful house...")for example, ANYway...I had absolutely NO idea what this show was going to be like...at all. It was a beautiful theater .."The Hudson" It's extremely intimate and positively glows with craftsmanship and an intense glamor I will never be able to put into words. It was One of the first built on Broadway. I want to say the 10th.
I warned myself that this show just might affect me and tried to steel myself.
The show STARTED with David Byrne...sitting at a table...holding a frikkin model BRAIN! I knew instantly I was a goner. Of COURSE he talked about the amygdala and how a child's brain is slowly washed away by various and sundry traumas. We don't allow ourselves to use our child brains and wind up being polarized inside ourselves AND outside. War. That we allow. War that we create. And we don't have to! That theme was there throughout the entire show. In the music, and the monologs (that didn't bore even me....ME who NEVER attends any kind of event that involves sitting still for more than 5 minutes lol....no joke. The last movie I saw in the theater was "Meet the that? Total Recall....the original.)
Lost one's lips, cheeks? Useless.
(David) looked directly in my eyes several times ( He was only 20 feet away or so most of the time) and I know he saw the awestruck tears of deeply felt connection on my face. I HATE crying in public. But this was absolutely impossible to control. When he/they did "Say his name" we were an entire theater full of peaceful, powerful protesters saying of their names...from Emmit Till to Trayvon Martin and, of course, George Floyd. It was not somber in any way but ¹I swear, he covered just about every issue that was giving me some severe grief. It felt good to be solidly his corner.
Remember....this was November 1999. Right before the dreaded plague shut that city DOWN.
I am not so sure I would have handled this mess as well if I had not payed attention to these powerful performers. Not one single note was piped in either. Every bit of the music was created right there in front of us. Stunning.
He has said he will perform this show again and I say it is worth every penny. Go if you can. It is EPIC!
Remember.
That IS your house. Make the best of it. Use your brain. Wipe the stains away. Something hard to do for a whole lot of people....but not impossible. Don't be an ass and don't follow those who are.

[molloyxx]

Brilliant at every level. Byrne is among the best we have, under-estimated for decades, but now, without question, the most prescient of them all.

[ellenbowen]

Brings tears to me eyes! saw them perform this powerful protest song on tour, and again on Broadway. NOW more than ever...this list of names need to stop with #GeorgeFloyd #sayhisname #BlackLivesMatter

[むム-vb]

Today I watched the film at the theatre in Japan!
Especially the movie rendering of this song by Spike Lee was really amazing and it brought me to tears.
I really love it.

[lisagulick]

The sad part is that every year, more names have to be added. Never has a song been so simple yet so profound. #SayTheirNames

[evannegregory]

Awesome I want to drive down the street with my windows open playing this as loud as I can

[hazisimone]

There are so so many names. This is beautiful.

[chrisl]

Such a wonderful interpretation of Jane Mone's masterpiece.

[baoduyle]

Just came back from the American Utopia "movie" and Spike Lee really makes this song much more Powerful

[cmspecial]

Saw this live in 2018 in Belgium. Just as hard hitting two and a half years ago

[saianjuma]

My nephew in Lexington, KY is named after a man named Emmett. My uncle and aunt have a back-up: Emmett Smith, from the Dallas Cowboys, but I know what they mean. Braveness. I don't have enough. They do.

[Atticus_cosplay_edit_channel]

I’ve seen the American utopia twice because it’s amazing!!!

[HaciendoAmigos]

Ah, the dangers of the rituals. I understand the meaning, but the eternal useless ritual, the nice show hidding the real thing... . But David Bryne and his amazing crew are amazing people, of course. :)

[brendaholiday]

DAUNTE WRIGHT! Say his name! DAUNTE WRIGHT! Say his name! DAUNTE WRIGHT! Say his name! DAUNTE WRIGHT! Won't you say his name???

[ma-tanica]

What's the context? I don't get it..

[danjones]

More and more artist should cover this,

[doomicle]

Ahahaha, so this isn't a comedy skit, it's a protest?! Had me going there lol...