The singer-songwriter and Talking Heads frontman presents some of his favorite holiday music — including songs by The Pogues, James Brown, LCD Soundsystem and Paul Simon. The playlist on Apple MusicThe playlist on Spotify Also, David Bianculli shares highlights from TV this year. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
On the TEd Radio hour, linguist Ann Curzan says she gets a lot of complaints about people using the pronoun they to refer to one person.
I sometimes get into arguments with people where they will say to me, but.
It can't be singular.
And I will say, but it is the history behind words causing a lot of debate.
That's on the Ted radio hour from NPR.
This is FRESH AIR.
I'm Terry Gross.
When I interviewed David Byrne in November, I enjoyed it so much that when the interview was over, if he'd consider returning before Christmas to play some of his favorite Christmas recordings, I am very grateful that he said yes.
He's brought his list of songs and he's here to play and talk about them.
He included a holiday song he wrote and recorded, and I can't wait to play that for you.
I consider David Byrne's return to our show a great Christmas gift for all of us who are about to hear him and the music he's about to play.
Byrne is, of course, a founder and frontman of Talking Heads, which was a seminal new wave band in the seventies and eighties.
Although calling the band new wave or punk doesnt describe how unique they were or how they expanded out from the stripped down music they began playing.
Byrne also founded the music label Luaca Bop, which releases music of different genres from the US and around the world.
The restored version of the Talking Heads 1983 concert film Stop Making Sense was released earlier this year.
Its widely considered to be one of the best concert films ever made.
Byrne has also created the Broadway show's American Utopia and here lies Love, David Byrne.
Welcome back to Fresh air.
Happy holidays.
So happy, happy holidays.