The agree about the hit or miss-ness of some their later output, but if you haven’t, check out Idlewild, a great compilation of the later years!
In other news, Gigantic is one of the great, great music documentaries. The bit with the bug still floors me.
I might have been at that Chance show! Probably have the ticket stub somewhere. How's the DAT sound? Dan
I remember the year I went to camp I heard about some lady named Selma and some blacks Somebody put their fingers in the President's ears It wasn't too much later they came out with Johnson's wax I remember the book depository where they crowned the king of Cuba Now that's all I can think of, but I'm sure there's something else Way down inside me I can feel it coming back Purple toupee will show the way when summer brings you down (Purple toupee when summer brings you down) Purple toupee and gold lame will turn your brain around (Purple toupee and gold lame) Chinese people were fighting in the park We tried to help them fight, no one appreciated that Martin X was mad when they outlawed bell bottoms Ten years later they were sharing the same cell I shouted out, "Free the Expo '67" Till they stepped on my hair, and they told me I was fat Now I'm very big, I'm a big important man And the only thing that's different is underneath my hat Purple toupee will show the way when summer brings you down (Purple toupee when summer brings you down) Purple toupee and gold lame will turn your brain around (Purple toupee and gold lame) Purple toupee is here to stay after the hair has gone away The purple brigade is marching from the grave We're on some kind of mission We have an obligation We have to wear toupees Songwriters: John Flansburgh / John Linnell / John C. Flansburgh / John S. Linnell Purple Toupee lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc
My first exposure to them was through Tiny Toon Adventures! I haven't really explored their discography but I adore everything I'v heard. Especially, Flood.
Have a listen to I Palindrome I from that show: They Might Be Giants - I Palindrome I [live 9-13-92] Here's the DAT cover I'd made: (tracks 39-48 are studio versions - an ersatz 'Best Of' in digital before the days of CDrs)
Yeah, that was my intro in '88 or so. I wish I still had that awesome little mini CD - my two favorite songs by them!
Cool! I picked up a CD reissue of the debut album packed with bonus tracks from that early era. I just spun "We're The Replacements" the other day and totally dug it still.
For a long time I thought that went, "I don't want the world. I just want to wear a hat." I have no idea why I thought that, but after hearing it correctly I liked the misheard version better. Anyway, I like a lot of their music. Another favorite lyric, "Standing in the yard where they tore down the garage to make room for the torn down garage."
I feel like 95% of the people who dug them early on jumped ship sometime around John Henry, but all their albums have at least 2-3 sublime tracks. My favorite release of theirs since their "heyday" is probably 2007's The Else. This song actually rocks.
I almost posted this song. Typical of so much of JL's stuff, I love the inherent insanity in the lyrics ... I wasn't the least surprised to learn his dad was a psychiatrist. With "And Your Bird Can Sing" harmonies and other Beatles 66 flourishes it is yet another of JL's ever growing number of fine guitar-based songs. (Is that Linda McCartney playing the keyboard solo?) I agree that The Else kinda stands out for me in terms of their post-80s catalog.
I haven't jumped ship, but I do enjoy their earlier albums more. Probably more to do with my own age at the time I'd first heard them. I still really enjoy their music quite a bit!
I remember first hearing that song ("A Self Called Nowhere") on Dial-A-Song in late '92 or so. Then when I saw them at Toad's Place in the Spring of '93 (a full 18 months before John Henry was released), I was so stoked to hear them actually play it live! They wound up doing a bunch of songs which hadn't yet been released at that show, including O Do Not Forsake Me (opening song!), Why Must I Be Sad, Lullabye To Nightmare, Ondine, Dirt Bike, Thermostat, Sleeping In The Flowers and Spy.
I can dig it. I think the actual line is a genius line (among many). Such dark humor. Like many here I discovered them early and jumped off after FLOOD (although why I have no idea). Cheers.
My favourite band of all time as anyone who sees me around here knowsmy favourite album is Lincoln, my favourite song is She's An Angel. While I love all their stuff, they're currently going through a purple patch with their current album, I Like Fun right up there amongst their best.
Nap Eyes are a less clever version of them. Thought it was TMBG on first listen but realised they took themselves seriously.
I've really been focused on the 'Band' albums lately - John Henry, Factory Showroom and Mink Car. What they lose in sheer eccentricity, they more than make up for in pop songcraft. The songs are more fleshed out and developed and Flansburg in particular shows tremendous growth as a song writer over the course of these three albums. This is a period that often gets overlooked between the early years and the Multimedia/kid record years, but it's well worth revisiting. Once these records burrow their way into your psyche, they are just as addictive as anything else TMBG have done.
