The song addresses the public paranoia that followed the Watergate Scandal. Byrne studied the straight speech of John Dean’s Watergate testimony and tried to apply it to his songwriting.
On record it sounds a bit of its era, but live you can hear continuity in the music between, say, “Poor Boy” and...
[Verse 1]
Take a look at these hands
Take a look at these hands
The hand speaks
The hand of a government man
Well, I'm a tumbler
Born under punches
I'm so thin
[Chorus 1]
All I want is to breathe (I'm too thin)
Won't you breathe with me?
Find a little space so we move in-between (In-between it)
And keep one step ahead of yourself
[Verse 2]
Don't you miss it? Don't you miss it?
Some 'a you people just about missed it
Last time to make plans, well, I'm a tumbler
I'm a government man
[Chorus 2]
Never seen anything like that before
Falling bodies tumble 'cross the floor (But I'm a tumbler)
When you get to where you wanna be (Thank you, thank you)
When you get to where you wanna be (Yeah, don't even mention it)
[Verse 3]
Take a look at these hands, they're passing in-between us
Take a look at these hands!
Take a look at these hands, you don't have to mention it
No thanks, I'm a government man
[Synth Solo]
[Outro]
And the heat goes on, and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on, and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on, where the hand has been
And the heat goes on, and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on (Got time?), and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on, and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on, where the hand has been
And the heat goes on, and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on (I'm not a drowning man)
And the heat goes on
And the heat goes on (And I'm not a burning building)
And the heat goes on (I'm a tumbler)
And the heat goes on (Drowning cannot hurt a man)
Where the hand has been
And the heat goes on (Fire cannot hurt a man)
And the heat goes on (Not the government man)
And the heat goes on (All)
And the heat goes on (I want)
And the heat goes on (Is to breathe)
And the heat goes on (Thank you, thank you)
And the heat goes on (Won't)
And the heat goes on (You breathe)
And the heat goes on (With me?)
And the heat goes on
And the heat goes on (Find)
And the heat goes on (A little space)
And the heat goes on (So we)
And the heat goes on (Move in-between) (I'm so thin)
And the heat goes on (And keep)
And the heat goes on (One step ahead)
And the heat goes on (Of yourself)
And the heat goes on (I'm catching up with myself!)
And the heat goes on (All)
And the heat goes on (I want)
And the heat goes on (Is to breathe)
And the heat goes on
And the heat goes on (Won't)
And the heat goes on (You breathe)
And the heat goes on (With me?)
And the heat goes on (Hands of a government man)
And the heat goes on (Find)
And the heat goes on (A little space)
And the heat goes on (So we)
And the heat goes on (Move in-between)
And the heat goes on (And keep)
And the heat goes on (One step ahead)
And the heat goes on (Of yourself)
And the heat goes on (Don't you miss it, don't you miss it)
And the heat goes on (All)
And the heat goes on (I want)
And the heat goes on (Is to breathe)
And the heat goes on
And the heat goes on (Won't)
And the heat goes on (You breathe)
And the heat goes on (With me?)
And the heat goes on
And the heat goes on (Find)
And the heat goes on (A little space)
And the heat goes on (So we)
And the heat goes on (Move in-between)
And the heat goes on (And keep)
And the heat goes on (One step ahead)
And the heat goes on (Of yourself)
Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) was written by Chris Frantz & Tina Weymouth & David Byrne & Jerry Harrison & Brian Eno.
Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) was produced by Brian Eno.
Talking Heads released Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) on Wed Oct 08 1980.