The Overload (track) by Talking Heads

The Overload by Talking Heads
Year: 1980
From the album Remain In Light (track #8)
Average Rating: 
81/100 (from 426 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution   Average rating historyAverage rating history
Remain In Light (8 tracks) « Previous track (#7) This track (#8) Next track »
Listening WindThe Overload-

The Overload appears on the following album(s) by Talking Heads:


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Remain in Light [180g Vinyl] by Talking Heads [VINYL]
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Remain in Light by Talking Heads [Compact Disc]
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Remain in Light by Talking Heads [Compact Disc]
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The Overload ratings

Average Rating: 
81/100 (from 426 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
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RatingDate updatedMemberTrack ratingsAvg. track rating
 
85/100
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07/12/2025 14:36 ExTeaSea  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 7,49087/100
 
90/100
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07/08/2025 19:18 matterhornrider  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 21,95086/100
 
95/100
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07/06/2025 07:29 Igtonumama  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 27,38581/100
 
50/100
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06/19/2025 02:41 alexmyst  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 2864/100
 
80/100
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06/14/2025 17:14 ShenBapiro  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 4,20680/100

Rating metrics: Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some tracks can have several thousand ratings)

This track is rated in the top 5% of all tracks on BestEverAlbums.com. This track has a Bayesian average rating of 80.6/100, a mean average of 79.8/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 80.7/100. The standard deviation for this track is 13.9.

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The Overload favourites

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The Overload comments

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Rating:  
70/100
From 12/13/2020 11:05
Maybe it's no surprise that this is my favorite track of the album, considering the obvious similarities to Joy Division.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
From 04/19/2020 18:43
You may find yourself
Listening to Remain in Light
And you may ask yourself, well
How did I get here?
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 07/11/2019 10:28
Brilliant. A very threatening song full of irresistible effects, musical layers and again a beautiful vocal performance by Byrne. Very special lyrics that are more poetry than conventional lyrics. The slow pace fits particularly well with the fatalism that the track expresses. The atmosphere that is created is related to Joy Division. Very nice ending of an exceptionally good album and - as appears from the comments here - a somewhat undervalued one.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 09/27/2018 03:24
I really love this song to close the album. I think the second half of 'Remain In Light' perfectly slows down little by little until we have this gloomy song so reminiscent of Joy Division. I think it flows well with the album, but I get why it's the lowest rated track of the record. I still find it amazing musically and lyrically.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 08/31/2017 02:24
it seems tired, especially after the super energetic first half
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -2 votes (0 helpful | 2 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 01/07/2016 20:04
It sounds a lot like Joy Division's more gloomy stuff ("I Remember Nothing", "The Eternal"), especially Byrne's singing.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 04/13/2014 10:49
decent song, though IMO i think its a disappointing closing track for such a high-energy classic record
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -2 votes (2 helpful | 4 unhelpful)

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