David Byrne’s latest single, “T Shirt,” is a statement piece, and we’re not just talking closets. The singer-songwriter has teamed up with long-time friend, Brian Eno, to produce a track that sits somewhere between a groove and a think-piece, striking the perfect balance between catchy and clever.
The track's opening melody almost mirrors that familiar bassline from Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” but played with a deep, distorted synth over a snappy rhythm. A low hum of ambient tone mimics the quiet “ooohs” of a vocal ensemble.
Much like the name of this song, Byrne’s voice is direct and straightforward, singing “My beliefs are on this T Shirt / My religion’s in my hands / My condition on this iPhone / Everyone does what they want.”
Lyrically, it’s the satire that Byrne is known for. In his bold and reaching voice, he sings about how we can announce who we are and what we stand for with just the message on our t-shirt. The song’s music video paints the perfect visual picture of this, simply displaying a t-shirt cycling through the various phrases we may find on the garment, including: “Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History,” “Best Dad Ever,” “Sorry, Not Sorry,” or “Tell your cat I said pspspsps.”
It’s as if Byrne is asking, what happened to wearing your heart on your sleeve? In “T Shirt’s” chorus, he calls out “Sing my t-shirt! Take it off.” In other words, you can present yourself however you want, but who you really are shows up in your actions. Byrne doesn’t need a t-shirt. His message is in his music. This single feels like a tongue-and-cheek way to ask audiences today, in what ways are you showing up and is it authentic to you?
“I can step outside my comfort zone with the knowledge that I kind of know who I am by now and sort of know what I'm doing,” Byrne has said about the spirit behind his album Who is the Sky? The eclectic 12-track electropop offering brought together some noted musicians, including Ghost Train Orchestra, Kid Harpoon, Paramore’s Hayley Williams, St. Vincent, and The Smile drummer Tom Skinner. The collection of songs was also well-received by critics who praised Byrne’s thoughtful songwriting and colorful instrumentation.
“Every new set of songs,” Byrne says, “Every song even, is a new adventure.”
Along with releasing “T Shirt,” David Byrne’s adventure continues. The showman kicked off his Who is the Sky? tour Tuesday, November 18, at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. To see more tour dates, check out whoisthesky.davidbyrne.com
