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Cover of In My Tribe by 10,000 Maniacs — Cover: In My Tribe

Song · 10,000 Maniacs

“Don't Talk” by 10,000 Maniacs

From the album In My Tribe (1986)

“Don't Talk” by 10,000 Maniacs appears on 17 radio countdowns from 3 stations between 1988 and 2014. It was first released in 1986 on the album In My Tribe. Its best result is #57 on the 91X Top 91 Songs of 1988. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #195 alternative song of 1988 and #899 alternative song of all time.

17countdowns

3stations

#57best position

0#1 finishes

0top 10 finishes

1988–2014years charted

Watch

Don't Talk (Live Unplugged)

Video from YouTube (10000 Maniacs - Topic). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"Don't Talk" comes from 10,000 Maniacs' album In My Tribe, and it's a slow burn of a song, cool on the surface and simmering underneath. Natalie Merchant wrote it with keyboard player Dennis Drew and sings it with a hushed, steely patience. Robert Buck colors the edges with guitar, mandolin and pedal steel, Steven Gustafson and Jerome Augustyniak keep the pulse soft and steady, and Peter Asher's production leaves every instrument room to breathe. George Massenburg recorded it and mixed it with Frank Wolf.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year	#	Station	Countdown	of
1988	57	91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana	91X Top 91 Songs of 1988	91

All-time and decade countdowns

Year	#	Station	Countdown	of
1999	257	CD101	CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)	2000
2000	257	CD101	CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)	2001
2001	257	CD101	CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)	2002
2002	257	CD101	CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)	2003
2002	1408	Fred (XM 44)	Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)	2002
2003	257	CD101	CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)	2004
2003	1679	Fred (XM 44)	Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)	2044
2004	257	CD101	CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)	2005
2005	259	CD101	CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)	1994
2007	926	CD101	CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)	2008
2008	868	CD101	CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)	2009
2009	884	CD101	CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)	2010
2010	913	CD101	CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)	2011
2011	942	CD101	CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)	2011
2013	989	CD101	CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)	2012
2014	1044	CD101	CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)	2013

Charting alongside it in 1988

Best songs of 1988 →

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