Heartbeat (Wire song) explained

Heartbeat
Artist:Wire
Album:Chairs Missing
Released:August 1978
Recorded:1978
Genre:Post-punk
Length:3:16
Label:Harvest
Producer:Mike Thorne

"Heartbeat" is a song written by Colin Newman and originally recorded and released in 1978 by the English rock band Wire on their second album Chairs Missing. Guest Kate Lukas played flute on the track.[1]

The song was not uncommon as either an opener or a closer of Wire's live sets at the time. Producer Mike Thorne has called it the band's "first overt love song".

Big Black version

Heartbeat
Type:single
Artist:Big Black
Released:1987
Genre:Noise punk, post-hardcore
Label:Touch and Go
Prev Title:Il Duce
Prev Year:1985
Next Title:He's a Whore/The Model
Next Year:1987

"Heartbeat" was covered and released as a single in 1987 by Chicago post-hardcore band Big Black. Apart from the Wire cover, the other two tracks on the record are originals. This 7" record was sold together with the Headache EP or used for promotional give-aways. The three tracks were eventually reissued on The Rich Man's Eight Track Tape compilation.

Track listing

  1. "Heartbeat" - 3:48
  2. "Things to Do Today" - 1:44
  3. "I Can't Believe" - 1:04

Notes and References

  1. http://www.stereosociety.com/chairsmissing.html The Making of Wire's Chairs Missing - Mike Thorne, June 2000, revised November 2008