The Music

While I never stopped liking TMBG, two full decades passed before I really got back into them. That re-discovery led to the voracious consumption of mass quantities of visual and aural TMBG material in an effort to bring myself up to speed. Not because I’m some crazy über-fan, but just because that’s my thing: I stuff my head with tons of (mostly) useless information about things through an insatiable need to read and listen to just about everything I can get my hands on, as well as the unfortunate habit of subconsciously assimilating even things I’m not interested in. (I’m available for trivia games...) Though I’m sure there’s still much I could learn, I can tell you with absolute certainty right now that John L and John F are men possessed of an obscene amount of talent.

Aside from the Johns, the one thing (at least in my opinion) that makes TMBG so great is John L’s deft employment of the accordion. How fortunate for me, because I really like accordions. Not all of TMBG’s songs contain accordion, but I’ve noticed the songs I enjoy most are heavy on it:  “Subliminal” “The Statue Got Me High” and “Your Racist Friend,” for example.  TMBG's liberal use of horns doesn't hurt, either.

There’s a lot of speculation regarding the meaning of TMBG's songs, especially on the TMBG wiki I like to visit (tmbw.net), but I try not to read too much into them. I’m more likely to take them literally, enjoying them for what they are:  great music that just happens to have words attached to it, sung by voices I can’t get enough of. Doesn’t matter to me if the songs have a deeper meaning, or even whether they make sense; the Johns could blather incoherently and I would still eat it up.

Below are my favourite TMBG songs and my thoughts on them. I’m still collecting albums, so this list will keep growing as I acquire them and explore more TMBG material. I apologise in advance that, despite my intense love of words and music, my musical vocabulary is simply not large enough to sufficiently describe these fine compositions.

They Might Be Giants (1986)

“Everything Right is Wrong Again”

What a neat song to start the album off with.  I like the whole song a lot, but that trippy part is super fantastic.  I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the movie this references, too.  (I watch a lot of old movies.)  It sounds like the vocals were recorded in a closet, but that's not a criticism; I think it sounds cool.

"Put Your Hand Inside The Puppet Head”

This song is totally fun. It has an utterly ridiculous bridge, which I’m sure has some deeper meaning that I either can’t or don’t want to grasp. The video features John F, with a darling John L in the background playing the accordion. They were just babies when this video was made! I can’t believe how young they look.

“Don’t Let’s Start”

My very first TMBG song, it will always have a special place in my heart. Great video, too:  lots of John L. Could use more John F. Love the headdresses and the old NY State Pavilion.

“(She Was A) Hotel Detective”

It took me a little while to warm up to this song. The video is half animated, half live, and completely great. I enjoyed listening to John F describe the making of this video in the commentary of Direct From Brooklyn.

“She’s An Angel”

A sweet song that in reality probably isn’t, but it has a very catchy chorus. I wish it was longer. Nice accordion.

Lincoln (1988)

Lincoln is my all-time favourite TMBG release. I don’t know if that’s because it was the first one I ever bought or because the content is truly superior to that of all their other releases. Either way, Lincoln will always be the love of my TMBG life. (My husband and our beagles are the loves of my regular life.)

“Ana Ng”

To me, this is quintessential TMBG and the song that prompted me to buy Lincoln. Hearing it immediately takes me back to the late '80s (and summer, for some reason; perhaps that's when it was released?).  It has a curious video to go along with it, but I love it. John F is hot in this video!  

This is probably my very favourite, #1 TMBG song of all time. 

“Lie Still, Little Bottle”

A great, jazzy little tune featuring John F. I love it when they do this sort of stuff!

“Purple Toupee”

The title alone is enough to elicit giggles. A lively tune with plenty of accordion.

“Where Your Eyes Don’t Go”

I can’t quite put my finger on why I like this song so much…could be because it sounds like John L is singing into a can or in a closet (just like on "Everything Right Is Wrong Again"), and yet it is that very effect that makes it kind of creepy. The keyboard on this one is great.

“The World’s Address”

I like rhythm of this one.

“I’ve Got A Match”

The music makes you think this is going to be a nice, sweet song and then the lyrics come along and completely obliterate your expectations. This song contains one of my all-time favourite TMBG lines, sung by John L: “I’m gonna die if you touch me one more time/Well I guess that I’m going to die no matter what...”

“Santa’s Beard”

Funny lyrics. Good song, too; has kind of a '60s sound.

“They’ll Need A Crane”

This was one of my favourite songs on Lincoln. Another upbeat tune with downer lyrics like: “Don’t call me at work again/No, no, the boss still hates me/I’m just tired and I don’t love you anymore.” I like the video for it, too: the location was very pretty and there's lots of John L (and his luscious hair), but it could use a little more of the dapper-looking John F.  The old guys are a great addition and fun to watch.

“Snowball In Hell”

Ah, more of my beloved accordion. The Johns’ ability to write the most clever, entertaining lyrics never ceases to amaze me: “If it wasn’t for disappointment/I wouldn’t have any appointments.”

“Kiss Me, Son of God”

A simple, beautiful tune with great harmony and some very ego-centric lyrics.

Flood (1990)

Even though Flood is TMBG's most popular and well-known release, it will never replace Lincoln as my favourite TMBG album.  Flood was my least favourite TMBG disc until I saw a Flood show at The Vic in Chicago; now I can appreciate it a little bit more.

“Birdhouse In Your Soul”

Great song, I can see why it was a huge hit.

I first heard this while watching the music video, so that always plays in my head when I hear the song. Nothing wrong with that, of course; visions of the Johns are always appreciated. I do have to wonder, though: what’s up with Flans’ pipe, which makes appearances in several videos, and why is he dressed like Ward Cleaver in this one? Not that it matters, because he’s absolutely adorable.

In Direct From Brooklyn, John L says he tells people the setting for the video is his house. Geez, he’s got a fantastic sense of humour, too?! Could he possibly be any more perfect?

"Lucky Ball And Chain"

One of the songs I learned to appreciate from the Flood show.  Hey, I'm "five feet tall" too!  But I don't think I could ever get sick of the Johns.

"Istanbul (Not Constantinople)"

A great cover of an old song, with ample accordion. The video is...interesting. I think John F directed it.

"Dead"

I absolutely love this stripped-down tune:  it's just John L (on all vocals) and a piano, which allows me to enjoy his marvellous elocution to the fullest extent.  The only way it could possibly be any better is if the piano was replaced by an accordion.

“Your Racist Friend”

One word: ACCORDION. Great song. John F seems to like the more socially-conscious material. Or songs about love.

“Particle Man”

What a fun, bouncy song. Lots of accordion! (Hm, I sense a pattern here...)

"Hearing Aid"

"I'm not as messed up as I want to be."  I never really paid attention to this song until the Flood show, but now it's one of my favourites.  John F's performance really sold me on this one.

Those are the only words in this short song, which at first sounds like the theme to a '60s Western TV show (Rawhide, I think) but then turns into hold muzak. 

"Letterbox"

Another one I never paid much attention to until the show, but it's on my playlist now.  It's certainly got a lot of words crammed into very little space!

"Hot Cha"

I'm still not sure if I like this one.  

"Sapphire Bullets Of Love"

I didn't like this song at first; I found it a little too '80s.  But...it's since grown on me and has made it onto my playlist.

"They Might Be Giants"

They might be fake, they might be lies, they might be big, big, fake, fake lies.

Miscellaneous T (1991)

I have this disc, but haven’t really had a chance to thoroughly listen to the whole thing. I plan on doing that one of these days.

"Hey, Mr. DJ, I Thought You Said We Had a Deal"

"I could never sleep my way to the top/'cause my alarm clock always wakes me right up." A humourous song about payola and a naïve musician that contains references to a couple of song titles on They Might Be Giants and Lincoln.

“Lady is a Tramp”

A high-energy, jazzy, one-word tune. I love it! Makes me wish I would have stuck with jazz band in high school, but then we didn't play cool stuff like this.

"It's Not My Birthday"

This song makes absolutely no sense, which is one of the reasons I like it.  I do like "MacArthur Park" (which is kind of referenced in this song) but not the original; I much prefer the Stan Kenton version.

“The Famous Polka”

Yay, polka! I always wish these types of songs were longer and this one's no exception. There's some amazing fingerwork by John L in this one.

"We're the Replacements"

This song always makes me think of the Ramones for some reason.  That's OK, I like them too.

Apollo 18 (1992)

Again, an album I possess but haven’t had the chance to thoroughly explore. I do know that I’m not terribly fond of the whole “Fingertips” thing, but I really need to spend some time listening to this disc before making any further judgments about its contents.

“I Palindrome I”

Holy catfish, someone actually knows what a palindrome is! Ah, men after my own English-obsessed heart. I chuckled when I heard John L sing “you son of a bitch" as cursing isn't de rigueur in TMBG's (recorded) songs and its infrequency makes it that much funnier.

"She's Actual Size"

Another jazzy Flansburgh tune, this time as swing.  I love those!

“Mammal”

I find this one haunting for some reason. It also feels like it’s not quite finished, like there could be more after “…and the caribou.”

“The Statue Got Me High”

Great song. I read somewhere that John L admitted he wasn’t aware of its resemblance to the “Il Commendatore” scene in Mozart’s Don Giovanni when he wrote it, but it’s remarkably similar. I wonder what Don Giovanni would sound like scored by TMBG... Anyway, I love the video. Lots of John L with long hair and an accordion. There's space stuff in it too, like rockets and skateboarding astronauts, which is always a bonus.  I like space.

“The Guitar”

This kick-ass song actually makes me want to get up and dance around, even though I’m OC (Overly Caucasian). Bravo, Flans! Laura Cantrell’s part is great. Definitely in my top 5 TMBG songs of all time. John L is really cute in this video. 

"Dinner Bell"

When I hear this amusing song, all I can think of is a dog staring intently at a bowl, tongue out and tail wagging, "waiting for the dinner bell to do the bell thing."  Probably because I see it every day here at home.

And John L may not be sure, but I'm quite certain I'd rather be having an order of bacon.  Mmmmm, bacon.

John Henry (1994)

It seems like people either love or hate John Henry; I happen to love it, partly because it features Tony Maimone but mostly because it's just a fantastic album overall. The more I listen to it, the better it gets.  In fact, John Henry is giving Lincoln a serious run for its money.

“Subliminal”

Yay, accordion! There is nothing hotter than watching John L perform this song. If there was an award category for "Most Kick-Ass Use of an Accordion Ever" this song would win, hands down.

“Snail Shell”

Funky! I like funk. Fantastic bass solo, Tony Maimone!

The video is kind of different, and seeing it led me to the conclusion that, even though he's hot no matter what, I don't care for John L in a beige turtleneck.  John F is lookin' good in this one, as always.

"Sleeping In The Flowers"

This is a great song with some super-delicious harmony.  I just can't get enough of that stuff!

"Unrelated Thing"

A bit twangy for my taste, this is about as close to country as I will ever get.  Still, I really like this song.  Who else could make a song about being dissed sound so pretty?

“I Should Be Allowed To Think”

Great tune, great lyrics: “I should be allowed to shoot my mouth off.”  Please, John L, do.  I'll be glued to every word.

"Extra Savoir-Faire"

There's no word in English for his style.  John F does a great job on this '50s-style tune.

"Why Must I Be Sad"

A song referencing several Alice Cooper song titles. It's really cool with a slightly darker sound.

"A Self Called Nowhere"

This song is so good, it gives me goosebumps when I hear it.  It's sung in what I assume is supposed to be an east coast accent; sounds a bit New Jersey-ish to me, but what do I know--I'm from Michigan.  Hailing from the east, that's what I expected the Johns to sound like when they spoke; however, they sound pretty much like me (without much, if any, accent) and nothing like my friend John from Boston.  Or, should I say, "Bah-stin." 

The end of this song reminds me of the end of Pink Floyd's "The Narrow Way, Part 3" from Ummagumma.  I think it's the drums that sound familiar to me.

"Meet James Ensor"

"Dig him up and shake his hand."  An expression of true admiration in TMBG's typically odd fashion.

“The End Of The Tour”

I think this song is sweet, and sung very sweetly. Not “sweeeet” sweet, just the “awww” sort of sweet. It’s probably not really sweet, since TMBG tend to write upbeat, catchy tunes with depressing lyrics, but I just melt when I hear it. I absolutely love the music to this song, with or without words. It’s so beautiful, I might actually shed a tear if I heard it at a show--and that’s saying a LOT, because I think crying is for sissies.

Factory Showroom (1996)

“S-E-X-X-Y”

A great, funky song.

“Till My Head Falls Off”

Another one of my top 5 TMBG songs. “I’m not done talking yet…”

“New York City”

Not a TMBG original, but a great song nonetheless. A very sweet tune sung by John F.

"XTC vs. Adam Ant"

XTC vs. Adam Ant:  there is no right or wrong.

"Spiralling Shape"

I could easily do without the words to this song; the music alone is enough to make it good. Has kind of a late '60s sound.

“Pet Name”

John F seems to like singing songs about love. Great keyboard on this one. TMBG is very good at writing and performing this style of music (blues-y), and I hope they do it some more.  

Severe Tire Damage (1998)

“Dr. Worm”

“I’m interested in things.” What a great song! It sounds like a show tune or something you would have heard on Johnny Carson. (Yes, I remember Johnny Carson.) Fantastic horns! The video is fun, too.  It was directed by John F, I think.

“Why Does The Sun Shine?”

Awesome! It doesn’t get much better than science and music that rocks, all rolled into one. I like this version better than the one on Here Comes Science. 

The Best of the Early Years (1999)

This is, as the title states, just a compilation of some earlier tunes. It's essential for any TMBG collection, however.

Working Undercover For The Man (2000)

Ten thousand copies of this mp3 album were pressed and given out to US customers who bought the mp3 release.  I recently got my copy from the TMBG store, and while it scared me near to death by arriving with several large and unsightly cracks in the disc, it still uploaded and sounds fine.

The majority of songs on this disc appear elsewhere on other TMBG releases, but it's still cool to have the disc and cover art for my collection.  (I NEED the physical discs and artwork.)

"Rest Awhile"

While it may sound typical of the '90s, the lyrics are distinctly TMBG.  A good, albeit short, song.

"Working Undercover For The Man"

Funny!  Classic TMBG, although I hear a little Sugar Ray in there too. (BTW, I can't stand Mark McGrath and his shiny teeth.)

"Robot Parade"

I like this version of the song.  The version of it on No! is creepy and I won't listen to it anymore.

Mink Car (2001)

I wasn't sure I would like Mink Car based on my first listening; it has since grown on me tremendously.  A treasure trove of aural goodies. 

“Cyclops Rock”

They managed to work Chuckie (the evil doll) into the lyrics. Good job, guys.

“Boss Of Me”

Fantastic theme song for FOX’s Malcom in the Middle, and a Grammy winner to boot. Great brass! Good video, too.

“Man, It’s So Loud In Here”

I think this is a hilarious poke at Nu Wave. Maybe they didn’t mean it that way, but it cracks me up every time I hear it. Great tune, very well done. Too bad it wasn’t produced until after A Night at the Roxbury because it would have been perfect in that movie.

“Mr. Xcitement”

Fab-u-lous! TMBG's stylistic dexterity and proficiency astound me. They do EVERY genre well, as though each was their specialty.  Mike Doughty (Soul Coughing) is great on vocals.

“Your Mom’s Alright”

"Your ass is grass, and I'm a lawn mower." I first heard this terrific song on Direct From Brooklyn. I picked up the UK version of Mink Car while we were in England, just so I could have this song (and a souvenir).  Mike Doughty again.

“Another First Kiss”

Just a really nice, sweet song. Very easy to listen to.  Excellent harmony.

“Hovering Sombrero”

Only TMBG could make a song about a floating hat work so well.

“Drink!”

A good song made even better by accordion. 

“Older”

To hell with that boring “Happy Birthday” crap; this is what I want to hear on my birthday. I wouldn't be the least bit offended if my husband played it for me (I am, after all, older than him); I'd be positively charmed, because he knows how much I love TMBG.  And it suits our senses of humour perfectly.

"Finished With Lies"

Another catchy song.

"Working Undercover For The Man"

A fun Flansburgh song.  I really like the keyboard on this one.

NO! (2002)

TMBG's first children’s album, and quite good if I do say so myself.

“Four of Two”

That girl must be completely mad to stand John L up.  Don't worry John, I'll save you!

“No!”

What’s one of the first words children learn? Exactly. My 4-year-old niece likes this song.

“Where Do They Make Balloons?”

In a factory, according to my niece. The song never does tell us where they make balloons, but we love this fun tune anyway.

"Sleepwalkers"

It's OK, but I much prefer the version on Here Come The ABCs. And not just because I get to watch John L sing it; it's a simpler version more pleasing to my ear.

They Got Lost (2002)

Another compilation album, featuring some songs from Long Tall Weekend. 

"On The Drag"

A rockin' Flansburgh tune.  I think "You're top-fueled and you're bad" refers to my favourite class of drag racing (TF FC).  Sweet!

"Empty Bottle Blues"

Originally "Empty Bottle Collector" on the Working Undercover For The Man EP.  A great, jazzy instrumental with some fantastic trumpet playing.  

"Reprehensible"

Another example of lyrics that do not match the music.  A rather Glenn Miller-ish tune with a lovely clarinet solo. 

Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants (2002)

Twenty years' worth of choice TMBG tracks stuffed into a great two-disc set.  Acquired in early 2009, this was my first TMBG purchase since the Lincoln cassette in 1988. 

The Spine (2004)

"Experimental Film"

Great piano on this one.  Odd video.

"Prevenge"

Pre-revenge?  There are a lot of different interpretations for this one on the wiki.

"Thunderbird"

John L's locution never fails to mesmerise me; this song holds me completely captive. 

"Bastard Wants To Hit Me"

The vocal effect on this one is interesting; I'm not sure how they did it, but I really like it.  It's a good song, and the video for it is great.

"Museum of Idiots"

I think this sounds like a combination of Oompa and waltz, but it's a lovely song nonetheless. 

“Damn Good Times”

I absolutely LOVE this song, which is sung by John F. It has a ton of energy and damned if it doesn't make me want to dance! (Don't worry, I won't.) Don't be surprised if it makes you want to dance, too. My husband (a huge VH fan) likes this one because it mentions David Lee Roth. 

The video is strange and doesn't match the song at all.

"Stalk of Wheat"

I can't put my finger on the genre for this song...but I like it anyway.

The Spine Surfs Alone (2004)

Released on the same day as The Spine.

"Fun Assassin"

A great song about someone who takes all the fun out of everything.  I think I might know a few people like that... 

Harmony sung by Robin Goldwasser, John F's wife.  She has a beautiful voice.

"I'm All You Can Think About"

A song about someone with quite an ego (and probably some lingering bitterness), sung by John L.  Video animated by John L as well.

Here Come The ABCs (2005)

If I'm enjoying Here Come The ABCs this much, I can only imagine how much the kids must love it.

"C Is For Conifers"

A nice, mellow tune.  Fantastic harmony.

"E Eats Everything"

Hey! "Flansy in a soda can"! It's trooky-trooky-trooky. I like the funky guitar in this one.  Sounds like they threw a little Cake (the band, not the food) in there, too.

"Flying V"

If not for John L's singing, I would think this song was from a Peanuts television special. 

"Pictures Of Pandas Painting"

Whoa! This song is waaay trippy. 

"Can You Find It?"

A fun "find it" letter game set to great music.

"Letter/Not A Letter"

"Is that a letter?"  "I don't know what that is."  Kids' voices are so cute.

"Alphabet Lost and Found"

A great, catchy song with a bit of a disco feel.

"I C U"

A very cute song using only individual letters to tell a story.  "I C U, N U R O K."

"Fake-Believe (Type B)"

Very entertaining.  I like the animation.

"Sleepwalkers"

I like this version much better than the on on No!, and not just because it has a video focused primarily on John L (that's just a very pleasant bonus).  It's nice to see someone playing a guitar left-handed, too.  Go Flans!

Venue Songs (CD/DVD Combo) (2005)

A CD/DVD collection of songs written specifically for the venues TMBG played on a 2004 tour.  Each was written in a single day as a surprise for the audience.

"Albany (The Egg)"

"No corners for you."  About an oddly shaped venue in Albany, a rounded concrete structure called "The Egg".  The Johns always look good in suits, but John F is particularly dashing in the video for this song.

"Anaheim (Anaheim House of Blues)"

"Put away that hash pipe, the pornography and the booze, 'cause tonight we're going to the Anaheim House of Blues!"  John and John are crazy, and I love them for it.  This song is hilarious, as is the video.  I like the Death Wish movies, by the way.  Charles Bronson rocks.

"Glasgow (The Garage)"

While the song and video are both quite amusing, it really is a fantastic song.  Absolutely my favourite venue song.

"Vancouver (Richard's on Richards)"

They were apparently channeling The Cars when they wrote this.  Very well done, I might add.

"Pittsburgh (Mr. Small's)"

Typically great TMBG material.  I can't believe they wrote all this stuff in a day!

The Else (2007)

I was prepared to be a little disappointed by The Else when I found out it didn’t have ANY accordion on it. I couldn’t imagine a TMBG album without my beloved accordion. What would happen to their signature sound? I needn’t have worried: The Else is, as always, music par excellence and second only to Lincoln in terms of the number of songs on the album that I like. It’s a bit more grown-up than their previous releases, but that’s perfectly fine by me. There are a couple of songs more reminiscent of earlier TMBG on it as well.

Steve does NOT like the cover art for The Else; he thinks it's creepy.  I think it's a bit strange (in a striking way), but spot on for the peculiar material one would expect from TMBG.

“I’m Impressed”

Wow. I am impressed! This wicked awesome song was my first taste of The Else (before I bought it) and it only made me hungry for more. The vocals are a little distorted and the whole song sounds a bit Trent Reznor-esque (albeit a calm Trent).

The music on this one rocks out loud. Although it wasn’t produced by them, you can hear the Dust Bros.' influence on this track. A departure from TMBG’s typical stuff, but I really like it. A lot. Even though there’s no accordion in it. It seems a bit serious, whereas most of TMBG's songs are humourous or just plain strange.

The video for this song is…disturbing, in a papier-mâché sort of way. I didn’t know violence could be so well-portrayed by paper dolls; it’s akin to watching Death Wish in claymation.

“Take Out The Trash”

Now there’s a sassy song if I ever heard one. Fantastic!

“Upside Down Frown”

The best part of this seemingly sweet, melodic song is the line, “You’d probably like to give me a smack/But there’s something about my face that always keeps you coming back.” That there is, John L. That there is.

“Climbing The Walls”

Another fantastic TMBG effort. I really like the keyboard on this song, and we all know I love to hear John L sing. Can’t go wrong with this one.

“Careful What You Pack”

A sweet little song. It didn’t end up in Coraline, and I’ve read conflicting reports as to why, but it showed up on The Else. I think it would have been great in Coraline. I don’t much care to hear the characters in an animated feature sing, but I like it when there’s music to accompany or narrate a scene.

“The Cap’m”

Great music, and more great TMBG lyrics. I had to laugh when I heard, “Look me over, I’m the Cap’m/Go ahead and mess with me, you’ll find out what will hap’m” as John L, while devastatingly handsome, isn’t exactly the most physically threatening person I can think of.

"With The Dark”

Because of the way we have our sound system set up, I thought this song was going to blow my speakers out the first time I listened to it. That…was….so….AWESOME! I read somewhere that John L said this was (at least at the time) his favourite song on The Else, and I concur. I like the way it switches gears, especially the last part (“rusted, incrusted, combusted and dusted...”). I really wish it was longer.

“The Shadow Government”

I love songs that make me laugh, and this is one of them. The music is good and I get to hear John F sing the great line, “Crawling out of the flophouse/I saw the mayor stealing my junk/I doth protest, citizen’s arrest/Now my body’s in his trunk.”

“Bee Of The Bird Of The Moth”

I didn’t care for this song at first, but after hearing it a couple of times and listening closely to the lyrics—“You can’t walk, you can’t ramble/'cause you’re gonna have to scramble”—I now find it humourous and good. This is more old-style TMBG, something I would expect to find on an earlier release.

“Withered Hope”

If “With The Dark” is my favourite, “Withered Hope” is a very close second. Actually, it’s tied with “I’m Impressed.” The drums, brass and harmonies really make this one. Damn, they're good with harmony.

“Contrecoup”

This song came about when John L was challenged to write a song containing the nearly obsolescent words contrecoup, craniosophic, and limerent. (He also threw in phrenology for good measure.) The result? Another excellent TMBG production with an early-days flavour.

“Feign Amnesia”

I like this song a lot, but I couldn’t tell you exactly why. I just know it’s very good.

“The Mesopotamians”

This song has a huge '60s sound, like something you would have expected to hear on the Monkees’ or Partridge Family’s show.

Here Come The 123s (2008)

Hooray for another Grammy!

I don't even have kids, and most of the songs from this disc have made their way on to my TMBG playlist.  Really, TMBG's children's music is nearly indistinguishable from their adult music except for subject matter. 

"Here Come The 123s"

I know it's just the introduction, but I like it.

"Zeroes"

My niece really likes this song.  I do, too.

"One Everything"

I like the guitar on this one.  And John L's singing, of course.

"Number Two"

I didn't like this song at first, but it's grown on me and has since made it to the playlist.

"Triops Has Three Eyes"

A very good, very catchy tune.  I didn't even know what a triops was before this song!

"Apartment Four"

What a sweet, adorable song!  As usual, I wish it was longer.  

"High Five"

A catchy, disco-ish tune sung by Marty Beller.

"Seven Days Of The Week (I Never Go To Work)"

I wish.  I love the beagle on the clock, behind the couch, and playing trumpet because he looks just like my Porthos!

"One Dozen Monkeys"

A catchy song sung by Hannah Levine and John Flansburgh about twelve monkeys, one of which is named Larry.

"Eight Hundred And Thirteen Mile Car Trip"

A fast, rockin' tune about a really long car trip (and some spilt orange juice). 

"I Can Add"

I'm a sucker for squirrels and chipmunks.  A squirrel with John F's voice?  Double cute.

"Even Numbers"

What a beautiful song.  Not the words, I mean the music and the vocals.  

TMBG Podcast 38A

“Employee of the Month”

A TMBG podcast, I found the video for it on their website. Once I heard it, I could NOT get enough. This song is funny, funky, and all-around awesome. 

Elliot Cowan did a great job on the animation, and I love Boxhead and Roundhead. They’re so cute! I would love to see more Elliot-TMBG collaboration.

Here Comes Science (2009)

Well, I pre-ordered it, but I didn't get it the day it was released thanks to Amazon running out of discs.  That's good and bad, I guess.  Anyhoo, here's what I think of TMBG's latest effort.

"Science Is Real"

"Science is re-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-eaaaaal!"  John F does a great job with the opening track.  

"Meet The Elements"

Chemistry was my favourite science class; I love the periodic table and chemical equations and the whole nine yards.  This song was AWESOME live.

"I Am A Paleontologist"

I have to admit that when I saw the title, I couldn't imagine how they'd work it into the song; "paleontologist" is kind of a mouthful.  However, just like "The Mesopotamians," it's a smashing success: this is by far the funnest, catchiest tune on the whole disc.  I love the video too, with their human heads on the cartoon characters.  Dan Miller never fails to make me laugh with his goofy (yet adorable) visage.

"The Bloodmobile"

First appeared on the Venue Songs CD.  There are parts of this song I like and parts I could do without. 

"Electric Car"

I like the whole song, but I especially like the way this one starts out.

"My Brother The Ape"

Until the family show at The Vic, I didn't pay much attention to this song.  But I like it more than I originally thought I did.

"What Is A Shooting Star?"

I liked this song, but after the puppet avatars performed it at the Detroit and Chicago shows I like it even more.

"Why Does The Sun Shine?"

I like the version on Severe Tire Damage better.

"Why Does The Sun Really Shine?"

I liked the live version a little better than the album version.  The video is great, especially when Flans is singing into the microscope.

"Roy G. Biv"

The more times I listen to this one, the more I like it.

"Put It To The Test"

A catchy little number about the scientific method sung by John L.  I love the video; it reminds me of the Donkey Kong arcade game.  Perhaps the image of them driving cars while wearing fezzes is an allusion to "She's An Angel" from The Pink Album?

"Photosynthesis"

Not a fan of this one.

"Speed And Velocity"

A snappy tune sung by the fabulous Marty Beller.  And it works--I can easily differentiate between speed (that's how fast I am moving) and velocity (that's my speed and direction) now!  Hey, cut me some slack; I've been out of school for nearly two decades.  When's the last time I had to calculate velocity?  Physics wasn't all for nothing, but I don't think I've used very much of what I learnt in that class since graduating.

"Computer Assisted Design"

"It takes an idea and makes 3D stuff."  Short but great.

"Solid Liquid Gas"

I like the music, but find the song a tad boring.

"Here Comes Science Bonus Track"

I don't know why, but I love these little bits.

"The Ballad Of Davy Crockett (In Outer Space)"

Daaavyyyyy, Daaavy Crockett, king of the wild front...hey, somebody changed the words on me!  A great adaptation of the TV show theme.

Cast Your Pod To The Wind (2007; 2009)

Originally included with the first pressing of The Else in 2007, it was re-released on iTunes in 2009--which is when I picked it up.  There are only four songs I really REALLY liked on this compilation, although perhaps over time I will grow to like a few more.

"I'm Your Boyfriend Now"

Ha! What a great song.  John L can call or write or show up outside my house anytime and tell me he's my boyfriend now.  Although I am married, so I'm not sure what the correct term for a male mistress would be; a quick Google search reveals there is technically no English equivalent in this context. 

"We Live In A Dump"

I was aware of this song, but I had no idea what a gem this little tune was! I LOVE it! Super-catchy, very '60s. "Makin' plans, the kind that go awry..."

"Metal Detector (Live at Coney Island)"

I know this song is on Factory Showroom, but I apparently hadn't cared for it when I first heard it.  I now know I MUCH prefer the live version.  I'm not sure why...maybe because it's less "complicated" and I can hear John L and the accordion much better.  The horns are great, too.

"Employee Of The Month"

I knew of this from the TMBG site and their link to Elliot Cowan's video for it.  This song is fabulously funky and I use it as my general ringtone. 

Side Projects:

John Linnell:

State Songs (1999)

I haven't really given this a good listen yet, so that's on my list of things to do. 

John Flansburgh: 

Mono Puff

Mono Puff is my musical soul mate.  One of my greatest regrets is that I waited so long to buy the discs because they're incredible!!  Dare I say I love Mono Puff even more than TMBG?

Unsupervised (1996)

"Guitar Was The Case"

Always makes me think of the theme song to Hawaii Five-O.

"Unsupervised"

"I hit my head, now I'm left-handed."  I find that statement both hilarious and disturbing.  Being left-handed isn't an ailment (or some sort of novelty shop freakishness); it's a sign of superiority. Take that, you righties (of which I am one, but only sometimes)!

"Don't Break The Heart"

A rather threatening love song. I can't get this one out of my head.

"Distant Antenna"

Mostly an instrumental, but there's a spoken word section done in a sexy female foreign accent.

"The Devil Went Down To Newport"

It's "totally rockin'!" Like "The Devil Went Down To Georgia," but with surfboards. I like this version better.  Is it just me or does John F sound like one of the Kennedys?  The video is funny and, once again, I find John F hot in this one.  Even in costume.

"What Bothers The Spaceman"

This one is very funky and sounds more like it belongs on It's Fun To Steal.  I love the space-y vocals.  My favourite song on Unsupervised.

"Hello Hello"

A Gary Glitter cover, but I haven't heard the original so I can't really compare them.  I like this one, though.  I usually like covers better than the originals (e.g., Metallica's "Turn The Page" and Foo Fighters' "Baker Street").

"Dr. Kildare"

Very ska.

"So Long, Mockingbird"

A slow song reminiscent of '50s country.  

"Careless Santa"

Good song, funny lyrics.

It's Fun To Steal (1998)

By far my favourite Mono Puff CD.  Unsupervised is great, but It's Fun To Steal is much funkier and I think a bit more indicative of John F's true stylistic leanings (much to my delight).  If one was to put Beastie Boys, The Crystal Method, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Portishead and '70s funk in a blender, Mono Puff would be the result.

This disc is a bit front-loaded, but I don't mind.

"Creepy"

There are a handful of songs that I could never get tired of hearing:  "Forty-Six and Two" by Tool; "Today" by Smashing Pumpkins; "Veneer" by The Verve Pipe; "Sermon Underground" by Papa Vegas; "Visceral" by Dovetail Joint.  However, if ever there was a perfect song, "Creepy" is it: funky, heavy on the bass, with techno and scratch thrown in and Flans singing...everything I love, all rolled into one.  I would have to call this my favourite song ever.

"It's Fun To Steal"

A moralistic tale with great harmony.

"Poison Flowers"

Who's going to build his death ray and grow poison flowers with him?  I could probably help with the mechanical stuff, but plants and I don't really get along.

"Mr. Hughes Says"

I like this song, but not enough to put it on my Mono Puff and TMBG playlists.

"Imaginary Friends"

Funky with slightly distorted vocals. 

"Taste The Bass"

A great tune a bit on the mellow side.  Kind of Pink Floyd-y, too, in a David Gilmour sort of way.

"Dedicated"

Funkalicious!  My second favourite song on It's Fun To Steal.

"Back-Stabbing Liar"

Good song.

"Hillbilly Drummer Girl"

Another that did not make it on the playlists.

"Dashiki Lover"

A celebrity laundry list of dashiki lovers.  Very '70s funky and pretty darn catchy, too.