Music for "The Knee Plays"

"Knee Plays" redirects here. For the term's presence in the work of Philip Glass, see Einstein on the Beach.

Music for "The Knee Plays" (1985) is an album by David Byrne composed for Robert Wilson's opera the CIVIL warS.^[1][2] The album was released on vinyl; a remastered and expanded CD version was released in November 2007 under the title The Knee Plays and it includes eight previously unreleased bonus tracks and a DVD of the music set to a slideshow of 400 black and white photographs.

Music for "The Knee Plays"
Soundtrack album by David Byrne
Released	May 1985
Recorded	1984 at One on One Studio and Studio Sound Recorders, North Hollywood
Length	56:53
Label	ECM (Original US release) EMI/Regal Zonophone (Original international release) Nonesuch (2007 reissue)
Producer	David Byrne
David Byrne chronology
The Catherine Wheel (1981) Music for "The Knee Plays" (1985) Sounds from True Stories (1986)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Robert Christgau	A−^[3]

The Knee Plays
Soundtrack album by David Byrne
Released	6 November 2007
Recorded	1983 at JAK Recording Studio, Tokyo; 1984 at One on One Studio and Studio Sound Recorders, North Hollywood
Length	79:42
Label	Nonesuch Records
Producer	David Byrne
David Byrne chronology
Live from Austin, Texas (2004) The Knee Plays (2007) Everything That Happens Will Happen Today (2008)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[4]
The Guardian	^[5]
Pitchfork Media	7.5/10^[6]

Track listing

All tracks written by David Byrne except where noted.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Tree (Today Is An Important Occasion)"	4:02
2.	"In the Upper Room" (Traditional, arranged by the Baptist Methodist Choir Church of God, Byrne & David Blumberg)	3:35
3.	"The Sound of Business"	6:15
4.	"Social Studies"	4:52
5.	"(The Gift of Sound) Where the Sun Never Goes Down" (Trad., arr. Clara Hudman "The Georgia Peach", Byrne & Blumberg)	2:34
6.	"Theadora is Dozing" (Trad,^[7] arr. Ensemble of the Bulgarian Republic, Byrne, Blumberg)	2:59
7.	"Admiral Perry"	5:32
8.	"I Bid You Goodnight" (Trad., arr the Pindar Family, Byrne & Blumberg)	2:51
9.	"I've Tried" (Trad., arr Swan's Silvertone Singers, Byrne, Blumberg)	3:24
10.	"Winter"	6:11
11.	"Jungle Book"	3:38
12.	"In the Future"	6:35

2007 re-release bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
13.	"Tree (Reprise)"	2:36
14.	"(I've Tried) Things to Do"	3:28
15.	"Tic Toc 2 (In the Future)"	5:36
16.	"Whisper"	3:17
17.	"Misterias"	2:42
18.	"Faust Dance"	2:18
19.	"Ghost"	3:24
20.	"Super Natural"	2:56

DVD track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Tree (Today Is An Important Occasion)"	4:07
2.	"In the Upper Room"	3:40
3.	"The Sound of Business"	6:20
4.	"Social Studies"	4:59
5.	"(The Gift of Sound) Where the Sun Never Goes Down"	2:37
6.	"Theadora is Dozing"	3:04
7.	"Admiral Perry"	5:32
8.	"I Bid You Goodnight"	2:55
9.	"Things to Do (I've Tried)"	3:27
10.	"Winter"	6:26
11.	"Jungle Book"	3:43
12.	"In the Future"	6:35
13.	"Tree (Reprise)"	2:36

Personnel

• Garnett Brown - trombone
• Ray Brown - trumpet on tracks 1–5, 10–12
• David Byrne - vocals
• Pete Christlieb - saxophone on tracks 1–5, 10–12
• Rich Cooper - trumpet on tracks 1–5, 10–12
• Ernie Fields Jr. - baritone saxophone
• Chuck Findley - trumpet on tracks 1–4, 11
• Bill Green - baritone saxophone
• Bobbye Hall - percussion
• Dana Hughes - trombone
• Paul Humphrey - drums
• Jackie Kelso - saxophone on tracks 5–10, 12
• Harry Kim - trumpet on tracks 5–10, 12
• Don Myrick - saxophone on tracks 1–4, 11
• Nolan Smith - trumpet on tracks 1–5, 10–12
• David Stout - trombone
• Phil Teil - trombone
• Ernie Watts - saxophone on tracks 1–4, 11
• Fred Wesley - trombone

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalog
Worldwide	1985	Regal Zonophone	LP	2403811
		ECM		25022
	2007	Nonesuch	CD	303228

References

1. News, Jonathan Taylor Los Angeles Daily. "DAVID BYRNE'S 'KNEE PLAYS' MAY NOT MAKE SENSE, BUT IT'S NOT NONSENSE". chicagotribune.com. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
2. "David Byrne". Trouser Press. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
3. "Album: David Byrne: Music for The Knee Plays". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
4. Ted Mills. "The Knee Plays - David Byrne | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
5. "David Byrne, The Knee Plays | David Byrne". The Guardian. 9 November 2007. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
6. Eric Harvey (6 December 2007). "David Byrne: The Knee Plays Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
7. Bulgarian title with the same theme: полегнала е тодора (Polegnala e Todora)

External links

• Homepage for the re-release