When songwriters take on TV, they tend to cast it in negative and neurotic roles. But I won’t hold it against these musicians; few people understand the downside of TV more intimately than a TV critic. I love songs that take to task both TV and the people who surrender too easily to it. We need to be kept on track. Some of the lyrics to these songs are among my slogans, including these by Frank Zappa: “I am the slime from the video / Oozin’ along on your living room floor.” Here are a few of my favorite songs about TV.
By Matthew Gilbert, Globe Staff

Pictured: David Byrne of Talking Heads at CBGB’s in New York City in 1975, from the documentary video series ‘’Nightclubbing.’’