The Talking Animals Explained

The Talking Animals
Type:	studio
Artist:	T Bone Burnett
Cover:	TBBTalkingAnimals.jpg
Released:	1988
Studio:	Sunset Sound Sounset Sound Factory
Genre:	Rock and Roll
Length:	40:31
Label:	Columbia
Producer:	David Rhodes T Bone Burnett^[1]
Prev Title:	T-Bone Burnett
Prev Year:	1986
Next Title:	The Criminal Under My Own Hat
Next Year:	1992

The Talking Animals is an album by T Bone Burnett, released in 1988.^[2]

The guest musicians include Peter Case, Bono, and Tonio K, among others.^[3]

Reception

Brett Hartenbach of AllMusic thought that "even with a few less than stellar songs, The Talking Animals is a strong, inspired record." Trouser Press called the album "all in all, worth hearing, though one wishes this talented jerk weren’t so impressed with himself."^[4] Robert Christgau wrote: "I hate to let the cat out of the bag, but this guy is pretentious."

Track listing

All songs by T Bone Burnett unless otherwise noted.

Side one

1. "The Wild Truth" – 3:38
2. "Monkey Dance" – 4:43
3. "Image" – 4:02
4. "Dance, Dance, Dance" – 2:45
5. "The Killer Moon" (Burnett, M. Burnett, Peter Case) – 5:00

Side two

1. "Relentless" – 3:24
2. "Euromad" – 4:21
3. "Purple Heart" (Bono, Burnett) – 4:36
4. "You Could Look It Up" – 2:41
5. "The Strange Case of Frank Cash and the Morning Paper" (Burnett, Tonio K) – 5:25

Personnel

Musicians

T Bone Burnett – guitar David Rhodes – guitar Mickey Curry – drums Tony Levin – bass Jerry Scheff – bass Tom "T-Bone" Wolk – bass Mitchell Froom – harmonium, electric piano, clavinet Tom Canning – piano Sexteto Mayor

Singers: T Bone Burnett Cait O'Riordan Ruben Blades Ludmilla Peter Case Bono Tonio K David Rhodes

Production

• Produced by David Rhodes and T Bone Burnett
• Recorded by Tchad Blake at Sunset Sound and Sunset Sound Factory with Mike Kloster
• Mastered by Bob Ludwig

Notes and References

1. Web site: BURNETT'S LACK OF 'ANIMALS' MAGNETISM. Geoffrey. Himes. March 13, 1988. www.washingtonpost.com.
2. Web site: T-Bone Burnett | Biography & History. AllMusic.
3. Web site: Raised by Wolves: The Story of Christian Rock & Roll. John Joseph. Thompson. March 17, 2000. ECW Press. Google Books.
4. Web site: T-Bone Burnett . Trouser Press . 17 March 2021.