• Writer: Al Green and Michael Hodges
• Producers: Brian Eno and Talking Heads
• Recorded: April 1978 at Compass Point Studios in New Providence, the Bahamas
• Released: Summer 1978
• Players:
  David Byrne — vocals, guitar
  Chris Frantz — drums
  Jerry Harrison — organ
  Tina Weymouth — bass
• Album: More Songs About Buildings And Food (Sire, 1978)
• Also On:
  The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads (Sire, 1982)
  Stop Making Sense (Sire, 1984)
  Popular Favorites 1984-1992: Sand In The Vaseline (Sire, 1992)
  Once In A Lifetime (Sire/Rhino, 2003)
  The Best Of Talking Heads (Sire/Warner Bros./Rhino, 2004)
• After Talking Heads established themselves on the vanguard of New Wave with their debut album, Talking Heads ’77, the group’s choice of an Al Green song to cover was a surprise.
• The band gave the song its own distinctive treatment, with a stiffer, more mechanical arrangement under David Byrne‘s passionate vocal delivery. They added echoey special effects afterwards.
• Byrne said that there were three other covers of “Take Me To The River” out at roughly the same time — by Foghat, Bryan Ferry, and ex-Band drummer Levon Helm. Byrne said, “More money for Mr. Green’s Full Gospel Tabernacle Church, I suppose.”
• Byrne described “Take Me To The River” as “A song that combines teenage lust with baptism. Not equates, you understand, but throws them in the same stew, at least. A potent blend. All praise the mighty spurtin’ Jesus!”
• “Take Me To The River” was Talking Heads’ first Top 30 hit, peaking at Number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• The album More Songs About Buildings And Food hit Number 29 on the Billboard 200 and Number 21 in the U.K.
• Talking Heads supported the album with their first world tour, hitting not only North America and Europe but also New Zealand, Australia, and Japan.

FAST FORWARD:

• Talking Heads stopped touring after their elaborate 1983 trek, though they continued to record until 1988.
• Byrne has maintained a solo career and also runs the Luaka Bop world music record label.
• Multi-instrumentalist Jerry Harrison has released solo albums and has produced the Verve Pipe, Live, the Crash Test Dummies, the Fine Young Cannibals, No Doubt, and others.
• The husband-and-wife team of drummer Chris Frantz and singer-bassist Tina Weymouth have continued their Talking Heads side project, the Tom Tom Club.
• In 1996, Harrison, Weymouth, and Frantz reunited as the Heads, though their album — recorded with numerous guest singers — was a commercial dud and was challenged by legal action from Byrne.
• Talking Heads reunited for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March of 2002.