The new wave band Talking Heads released the song Psycho Killers in 1977, and it became their most famous song by far. The lyrics may seem mysterious, and if you’ve ever wondered what the Psycho Killer lyrics meaning was, we will dive into that in this article. Check the end of the article for the full Psycho Killer lyrics in case you don’t know them off by heart.
Psycho Killer Lyrics Meaning
Back in 1975, David Byrne began writing the lyrics for what would be the band’s most memorable release, according to Last.fm. So, what are the Psycho Killer lyrics meaning? His basic idea was to share the confused mental ramblings of a killer, but not just any kind of killer. The narrative of the song was given by someone with multiple personalities. The autobiography for the band revealed that the inspiration behind this particular song came from Alice Cooper, and how that singer represented evil in his work. Byrne was preparing to write his own take on that notion.
The song hit the airwaves at a fortuitous time, just months after the Son of Sam (David Berkowitz) was arrested (source). That notorious serial killer and his heinous crimes had everyone talking. Talking Heads released their song in 1977 to ride the wave of interest, says Time. The song charted across the world and gave a huge boost to the band’s first album titled Talking Heads: 77.
The opening lines of the song discuss how the killer feels confused at what he did and how he has trouble sleeping, likely due to his guilt. The speaker does not seem ready to handle the world around him and avoid others, and even the world he inhabits. Some lyrics come straight from the lived experience of Byrne himself and his struggles with Asperger Syndrome:
I can’t seem to face up to the facts
I’m tense and nervous, and I can’t relax
I can’t sleep ’cause my bed’s on fire
Don’t touch me, I’m a real live wire
His various personalities come into play as he starts speaking French through both the bridge and the chorus:
Psycho killer, qu’est-ce que c’est?
Fa-fa-fa-fa, fa-fa-fa-fa-fa, fa, better
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run away
Oh, oh
The words may seem nonsense and the product of a deranged psyche, but they could be a reference. There is speculation from some fans that Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho inspired the line “fa-fa-fa”, specifically the part of the film where Norman Bates has trouble pronouncing “falsity”. It could also come from the Otis Redding song Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa (Sad Song). It’s hard to say who is correct.
The next verse comes from the experience of Byrne too, with the way he interacts with people around him. His introverted nature means that he avoids lengthy discussions and despises the idea of small talk:
You start a conversation, you can’t even finish it
You’re talking a lot, but you’re not saying anything
When I have nothing to say, my lips are sealed
Say something once, why say it again?
During the bridge, we hear some French words, which translate into the killer’s ambitions after he likes the way his crimes make him feel. We have provided the original French lines as well as the English version for you:
Ce que j’ai fait, ce soir-là
Ce qu’elle a dit, ce soir-là
Réalisant mon espoir
Je me lance, vers la gloire, okay
And in English:
What I did that night
What I said that night
Achieving my wishes
I jump into the glory
The meaning behind the song is simply that the broken mind of a killer is expressing himself as best he knows how. He is confused and does not know how to interact with other people. He has killed already and will likely do it again. This is the representation of evil as given by the Talking Heads.
Read other popular song lyrics meaning on CriticalHit
Here are the Complete Lyrics to Psycho Killer
I can’t seem to face up to the facts
I’m tense and nervous, and I can’t relax
I can’t sleep ’cause my bed’s on fire
Don’t touch me, I’m a real live wire
Psycho killer, qu’est-ce que c’est?
Fa-fa-fa-fa, fa-fa-fa-fa-fa, fa, better
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run away
Oh, oh
Psycho killer, qu’est-ce que c’est?
Fa-fa-fa-fa, fa-fa-fa-fa-fa, fa, better
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run away
Oh, oh, oh, oh, aye-ya-ya-ya-ya
You start a conversation, you can’t even finish it
You’re talking a lot, but you’re not saying anything
When I have nothing to say, my lips are sealed
Say something once, why say it again?
Psycho killer, qu’est-ce que c’est?
Fa-fa-fa-fa, fa-fa-fa-fa-fa, fa, better
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run away
Oh, oh
Psycho killer, qu’est-ce que c’est?
Fa-fa-fa-fa, fa-fa-fa-fa-fa, fa, better
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run away
Oh, oh, oh, oh, aye-ya-ya-ya-ya
Ce que j’ai fait, ce soir-là
Ce qu’elle a dit, ce soir-là
Réalisant mon espoir
Je me lance, vers la gloire, okay
Aye-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-yeah
We are vain and we are blind
I hate people when they’re not polite
Psycho killer, qu’est-ce que c’est?
Fa-fa-fa-fa, fa-fa-fa-fa-fa, fa, better
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run away
Oh, oh
Psycho killer, qu’est-ce que c’est?
Fa-fa-fa-fa, fa-fa-fa-fa-fa, fa, better
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run away
Oh, oh, oh, oh, aye-ya-ya-ya-ya
Last Updated: June 1, 2023
