Todd Snider - Talking Reality Television Blues Lyrics






Come gather round and I'll sing you a song
About a crazy old world that was coming along
Til one day some fool made the decision
To turn on the television

Of course radio reported that we'd all ignore it
And the paper said we had no time for it
But before you knew it we knew Milton Berle
And we all had a new escape from the world

All tuned in and before too soon
We were watching a man walk on the moon
He made it look as easy as driving a car
Video killed the radio star
I got the talking blues

Talking blues are easy to do
All you gotta rhyme is a line or two
Rhyme a line or two and then
You don't ever have to rhyme again
I can say whatever I want to now
You know, within reason

Say sitcom catchphrase game show nation
Television soon defied explanation
As the situation took to such a degree
That eventually we'd hear about a cable TV

Of course free TV news swore we'd ignore it
And that your average family could never afford it
But again they were wrong and eventually
Everybody wanted their MTV

We were all tuned in but now the shock
Was watching a kid do a thing called the moonwalk
Sliding backwards really was eventually too far
Reality killed that video star
I got the talking blues

So simple at first it was hard to for see
The impending collision with reality
But it soon seemed TV turned on it self
When "the real world" came on like it was something else

Of course actors all acted like they weren't floored
Hoping eventually that we'd all get bored
But one after another we pretended not to act
As we hurtled ever forward toward alternative facts

Then a show called the apprentice came on and pretty soon
An old man with a comb over came along and sold us the moon
And we stayed tuned in now here we are
Reality killed by a reality star
I got the talking blues





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Todd Snider Talking Reality Television Blues Comments
  1. H.... S....

    I like Todd Snider but I hate this video

  2. D.... B....

    You're like a king to me man, you made be grow up to be a bum

  3. S.... G....

    Nice work...looking forward to seeing you and Jack in Eugene, Oregon in October. Have a great summer. Cheers

  4. I.... F....

    Talking blues still and granddaddy of rap music

  5. N.... B....

    These visuals supplement this tune so well. Awesome work Todd & Josh.

  6. S.... W....

    LOve IT!

  7. j.... ....

    cerys mathews radio 2 brought me here

  8. J.... H....

    Fuck yeah bud

  9. S.... S....

    Just bloody brilliant! First song I've listened to and I'm hooked!

  10. G.... W....

    This dude is just some hippie version of Elmo Buzz.

    G.... W....

    You're just some nobody version of someone else nobody GAF about.

  11. B.... B....

    Only just heard Todd. Love it.

  12. c.... ....

    Dude gets cool'r with every song..., \m/

  13. D.... W....

    Another Yep, from me.

  14. M.... W....

    Excellent, and spot on! I believe I'll be looking for the new record. https://toddsnider.net/cashcabin/

  15. h.... t....

    Love it!

  16. T.... S....

    From the new album, 'Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3.' https://toddsnider.net/cashcabin/

    T.... S....

    Awesome , see you in November in Santa Cruz/Sacramento, you Rock Todd... \m/...☆ 🍄

    T.... S....

    My family and I just saw you at the Coach House. Great show man! I was the guy that yelled out " good news blues" thanks for playing it. I love your new shit as well, too soon to tell, and in the beginning especially.

    T.... S....

    Great song and album. I'm bummed I missed you in LA. Hopefully, you'll be heading back soon enough.

  17. R.... K....

    What the Hell Todd ...Get a Fucking Band ,the Band you had ..You are best writing and singing Stories with full band ....!!!!Just Saying Man been litening since 95 and You always been a Hero in Music for Me So I have the Right to Say :Get that Fuycking band Dude..The Guitarist in early Days I loved Hes Solos And your Energi with the Whole band .This Fingerpcking I can Do to..!Belive Me or do what the Fuck You want but I been Picking your songs through al the Guitars Iv Had and sold and New ones .Been playing Martin,Gibson,Guild al of hose expencive Guitars .I have to admit I Loved the Gibson Jombo from the 80s had to sell .Now Im in Love with a Tanglewood..And My Tele of course ...Never to part with it ..3 Coulor sundburst .15 Yearsb Now ..Man those Guitars are buioldm like a Tankm...Fender of course..!Orry for spelling .....should be going 10 min ago...stay Safe

    R.... K....

    Let the cat do what he wants and get off his cloud, it's his script so he can play it any way he likes to. Personally I love when he does a solo comic talking blues, that's how I first heard of him all them eons ago. Wish he'd come down to Oz and play some time, love to see him live.

  18. q.... b....

    A modern day Woody Guthrie, Will Rogers and Mark Twain all in one. Todd Snider is a true genius.

  19. a.... ....

    Ahhh....... and the world just now feels that little bit better .... nice little smile that I wont be able to get rid of for a while .. (oooh I rhymed ... If I do another one .. I wont need to do anymore)

    a.... ....

    ausmusis would that be an illegal smile

  20. m.... ....

    I flat out love Woody Guthrie.

  21. P.... P....

    Love the animation. Big ups.

  22. A.... S....

    More squirrels playing harmonicas please.

    A.... S....

    You bet.

    A.... S....

    This video has one! lol https://youtu.be/6f1R3iVVJHo

    A.... S....

    Ace Schnacke my favorite part lol

  23. D.... L....

    Love it Todd!

  24. J.... T....

    Swimming pools
    Movie Stars

  25. M.... C....

    My Man!

  26. T.... S....

    My God Todd u are my favorite song writer of all time. And cartoon Todd is a trip!

  27. D.... B....

    Put some dam socks on, son
    and we hope to see
    Put some dam "rocks on", son
    on 'yer next opp-or-tune-it-tee


    Sail on, sale...er?

  28. g.... s....

    yes lord, I hear John Prine & Bob Dylan

    g.... s....

    gary seritt Rambling Jack Elliott meets Jerry Jeff Walker.

    g.... s....

    No woody?

  29. K.... S....

    FUCKING BRILLIANT MAN !!!

  30. S.... G....

    💙📺

  31. A.... ....

    glad to be back to what made me love todd.

    A.... ....

    Yeah, he had a few duds out, but this is great! Back on form.

  32. H.... N....

    Glad to see some new tunes. Really dig it

  33. A.... W....

    best carton video song i have seen in my life i think. tell it!!

  34. N.... S....

    I thought I clicked on an Eddie Van Halen video?

    N.... S....

    You mean Eddie Van Halen and the Eddie Van Halen Band :-)

  35. J.... J....

    Time to blow up the TV and move to the country. Thanks Todd God bless H.W.A.

    J.... J....

    Plant a little garden, eat a lot of peaches

    J.... J....

    @HaryBear
    I'm goin' up the country, baby don't you want to go?
    No homo😝

  36. C.... M....

    Loved this live in Bloomington!

  37. K.... N....

    Awesome!

  38. D.... L....

    Modern day Woody ... Todd is da man!!!

  39. W.... D....

    Freaking great.

  40. K.... K....

    Love, love, love this! In Todd we trust!!

  41. N.... R....

    Love all the creativness coming from the TS camp for this new album! "Just like overnight " was filmed in a cool way also.

  42. P.... S....

    Happy New Year 2.0!

  43. T.... C....

    Hey, it’s the first time I’ve been the first commenter on YouTube, and now I’m the second one too. I could keep going on and on and be a new media star!

  44. T.... C....

    Love it!