" I wanted to write a song that presented a resigned , even joyful look at doom , " recalls David Byrne in the liner notes of '' Once in a Lifetime : The Best of Talking Heads '' . " At our deaths and at the apocalypse … ( always looming , folks ) . I think it succeeded . The front bit , the white gospel choir , is kind of tacked on , 'cause I did n't think the rest of the song was enough … I mean , it was only two chords . So , out of embarrassment , or shame , I wrote an intro section that had a couple more in it . " The video for the song was directed by Byrne and Stephen R. Johnson and features the band and various objects revolving , as if in their own " road to nowhere " . It was nominated for " Best Video of the Year " at the MTV Video Music Awards 1986 . Some parts were shot in the back yard and pool of actor Stephen Tobolowsky , who was co-writing Byrne 's film '' True Stories '' at the time . Director Johnson re-used some of the effects techniques in award-winning videos for Peter Gabriel the following year : " Sledgehammer " and " Big Time "
MTV Video Music Awards 1986
1986 MTV Video Music Awards
Road to Nowhere