Cover art for A Clean Break (Let’s Work) by Talking Heads

A Clean Break (Let’s Work)

Talking Heads
Track 18 on Once in a Lifetime 

Producer

Talking Heads
Mar. 24, 19821 viewer

A Clean Break (Let’s Work) Lyrics

[Intro]
One, two, three

[Verse 1]
Just beginning to take that love away
Just beginning to take that love away
In a minute I'll wash that love away

[Verse 2]
Even now we remember what we used to say
Takes a minute to wash that love away
Take a clean break, wash that love away (Ooh)

[Verse 3]
Even now we remember what we used to say
Even now we remember what we used to say
We'd be together if we cut that love away (Woo)

[Chorus]
It's a matter of degrees and
That's true, that's true
And it's taken to extremes and
That's why we work so hard to
Take that love away
Take that love away
Take that love away
Take that love away
[Post-Chorus]
Oh ho, na na na na na na
Oh ho, babababababababababababababababa
Oh ho, na na na na na na
Oh ho

[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 1]
Just beginning to take that love away
Just beginning to take that love away
In a minute I'll wash that love away

[Verse 3]
Even now we remember what we used to say
Even now we remember what we used to say
We'd be together if we cut that love away (Ooh)

[Chorus]
It's a matter of degrees and
That's true, that's true
Loses its perspective when it's taken to extremes and
That's why we work so hard to
Take that love away
Take that love away
Take that love away
Take that love away
[Post-Chorus]
Oh, oh, na na na na na na
Oh ho, babababababababababababababababa
Oh ho, na na na na na na
Oh ho

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Genius Annotation

“We’ll be together if we wash that love away” as long as you keep washing away the slate then you can let the love grow again and again. Just make sure to work hard and harvest that crop ( and say sweet things that they used to say)

It’s about moving on an starting over on understandings and communication. “Taking love away” doesn’t mean abandoning but just moving it.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Who produced “A Clean Break (Let’s Work)” by Talking Heads?
When did Talking Heads release “A Clean Break (Let’s Work)”?
Who wrote “A Clean Break (Let’s Work)” by Talking Heads?
Once in a Lifetime (2003)
  1. 1.
    Sugar on My Tongue
  2. 2.
    Love → Building on Fire
  3. 3.
    I Wish You Wouldn’t Say That
  4. 4.
    Don’t Worry About the Government
  5. 5.
    Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town (Alternate Version)
  6. 6.
    New Feeling (Alternate Version)
  7. 7.
    Pulled Up
  8. 8.
    Psycho Killer
  9. 9.
    Warning Sign
  10. 10.
    Artists Only
  11. 11.
    Tentative Decisions
  12. 12.
    No Compassion
  13. 13.
    Stay Hungry
  14. 14.
    I’m Not in Love
  15. 15.
    The Book I Read
  16. 16.
    Thank You for Sending Me an Angel
  17. 17.
    Found a Job
  18. 18.
    A Clean Break (Let’s Work)
  19. 19.
    Take Me to the River
  20. 20.
    The Big Country
  21. 21.
    Heaven
  22. 22.
    I Zimbra
  23. 23.
    Cities (Alternate Version)
  24. 24.
    Life During Wartime
  25. 25.
    Air
  26. 26.
    Memories Can’t Wait
  27. 27.
    Drugs (Alternate Version)
  28. 28.
    Once in a Lifetime
  29. 29.
    Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)
  30. 30.
    Listening Wind
  31. 31.
    Houses in Motion
  32. 32.
    Crosseyed and Painless
  33. 33.
    Burning Down the House
  34. 34.
    Making Flippy Floppy
  35. 35.
    Girlfriend Is Better
  36. 36.
    Slippery People
  37. 37.
    Swamp
  38. 38.
    This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
  39. 39.
    And She Was
  40. 40.
    Stay Up Late
  41. 41.
    Creatures of Love
  42. 42.
    The Lady Don’t Mind
  43. 43.
    Road to Nowhere
  44. 44.
    Wild Wild Life
  45. 45.
    Love for Sale
  46. 46.
    People Like Us
  47. 47.
    Puzzlin’ Evidence
  48. 48.
    City of Dreams
  49. 49.
    Blind
  50. 50.
    Mr. Jones
  51. 51.
    The Democratic Circus
  52. 52.
    (Nothing But) Flowers
  53. 53.
    In Asking Land
  54. 54.
    Sax and Violins
  55. 55.
    Lifetime Piling Up
Credits
Producer
Writer
Recorded At
Northern Studios, Maynard, Minnesota
Released on
March 24, 1982
A Clean Break (Let’s Work) Live Performances
Tags
RockFunk RockArt RockNew Wave (Rock)Post-Punk
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