Talking Heads released their 8th and final studio album, Naked, on March 15, 1988. The second single to be released from the album was the Afrobeat influenced song, "(Nothing But) Flowers." In addition to original members David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, and Chris Frantz, the track featured guest artists Kirsty MacColl on vocals and former Smiths guitarist, Johnny Marr.
Following the album's release, the band officially went on hiatus, with its members focusing on various side-projects over the course of the next few years. In 1991, David Byrne announced that the band had officially broken up.
The song's music video featured innovative uses of typography by graphic designers Tibor Kalman and Emily Oberman. The band performs in the video with an expanded lineup featuring Marr, MacColl, and African musicians Brice Wassy, Yves N'Djock and Abdou M'Boup, all of whom performed on the studio recording of the song. The video was directed by Sandy McLeod and David Byrne.
