Marlene wasn’t the first jabber-jaw whose inane rambling caused me anxiety, and she certainly wasn’t the last. You work with these people, too, and even if you don’t you hear them prattling endlessly on fake news and talk radio.
In fact, a constant stream of babble seems to be de rigueur in the era of cell phones, social media, and blogs. Good thing I’m not one of those guys.
So for those of you who no doubt wish you could tell someone don’t speak*, here’s a playlist of talking songs:
“Elephant Talk,” King Crimson. This is the one you need. You can go home now.
“Talk to Me,” Mink. Great indie band from a few years ago that may have gone dormant. I need to hunt these guys down for a chat. They were too good for a one album and done career.
“Talking at the Same Time,” Tom Waits. I’m going to go Casey Kasem on you and call this my long distance dedication to Violet, who needs more Tom Waits on her playlist.
“You Talk Too Much,” John Lee Hooker and Canned Heat. Maybe my favorite track on this list. The studio chatter at the end is worth the price of admission.
“Chitter Chatter Baby,” The Applejacks. A cut so deep you need a shovel to find it.
“Let Me Talk,” Earth, Wind, and Fire. Funky enough to get the job done. Look at the size of that crowd!
“Talkin’ Loud and Saying Nothin’, James Brown. Did I say that last cut was funky enough? I must’ve been talking just to hear myself talk.
“Keep Talking,” Pink Floyd. Shut your pie hole and watch out for those lasers!
Well, it’s my life and I say that’s enough talk talk for one day.** Do you want to talk about some talking songs? I’m listening.
*See what I did there?
** See what I did again?
Why It Matters 
I was born with the gift of gab. I get it from mother’s side of the family. I will continue your list…
“A Talk With George” by Jonathan Coulton
“Don’t Talk to Strangers” by Dio
“Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love” by Van Halen
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Excellent choices. “Don’t Talk To Strangers” makes my list of unintentionally funny songs.
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Ahem, no doubt, this is a very nice talk talk talk talk list. (Although Pink Floyd – denied!) Everyone needs more Tom Waits in their playlist! And me, I forgot how much I like King Crimson.
I am not a talker by nature. It isn’t that I am unfriendly. I just like a companionable silence.
I will add – Voices Carry by Til Tuesday, Talk to You Later by The Tubes, and just for fun I will throw in National Talk Like a Pirate Day by Lambchop.
PS- For the “look at the size of that crowd” comment before the Earth Wind and Fire video…did you mean on or off the stage?
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Yes! EWF and their huge crowds on stage! Well played, Laura B.
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Ahhh I just got taken back twenty-two-ish years where one night I was a very lucky guy and got to see Tom Waits at the Wiltern Theatre in Mid-town LA – seated below balcony, right in the goddamn damned middle. Swordfishtrombones were the main cuts. Now I am feeling some headphone time is needed over telephone time……no talking.
Although I’d like to add Tracy Chapman “Talking ‘Bout a Revolution” to the list.
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I remember when both of those albums came out. They each had their own unique impact.
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