I have reached the 100th song. We should probably celebrate like 100 day in kindergarten where everyone brings in 100 of something. I volunteer to bring 100 pieces of confetti of assorted types and colors. If I had planned a little better this might have also been the 300th post on this blog, but as it is it's two posts shy. I wanted to choose a song for today (rather than going random) that was appropriately epic for a 100th song. Something that everyone would look at and go "oh yes, that's PERFECT" without feeling like it was too obvious. And I've hemmed and hawed over it a lot. I want something that really captures what I love about the band and something that I really love. Thinking about it, what I really love most, and the whole reason this blog came to be in the first place, is the live show experience. So I've selected a song that I believe embodies that experience and is honestly, one of my favorite parts of every show. And I do mean every show. Hopefully, no one is too disappointed with my selection. Ready? Here we go!
Today's song is...
Clap Your Hands
"Ladies and Gentlemen, please rise for They Might Be Giants national anthem! Introducing on the drums the next lieutenant governor of New York state and 2012's American Idol, Mr. Marty Beller. Clap you hands. Come on, clap your hands. People, clap your hands. AW, SHIT, CLAP YOUR HANDS!"
I have seen 66 shows and I've seen this performed 60 times. The only song I've seen more is Istanbul. This, to me, epitomizes the TMBG show. It does not feel like a proper show until I have clapped and stomped and jumped in the air like a fool. So often, this is the song that gets everyone on their feet and gets the show moving. This is the song that causes the stage rush in the seated venues. There is nothing about this I don't love. I love Flans' introductions to it and the crazy light show and Flans swearing in the middle of a song off a children's record (I'm still waiting for him to accidentally yell, "Aww shit" at a kids show). I love watching Linnell stomp and jump up and down. I am continually amused by Danny's half hearted participation as if he had done the stomping thing just a few too many times. I used to blow my throat out doing "Everybody scream" at the end before Flans replaced it with more clapping. Besides the fact that I just really enjoy the music of the song itself.
I have 2 favorite Clap Your Hands memories. The first was Flans yelling out "Barnes & Noble, clap your hands!" at the in-store in December of '09 which wouldn't have been funny if the show hadn't been at a Borders. The second was at Mohengan Sun in September, when I accidentally made eye contact with Danny while I was jumping up and down at the end of the song and he started laughing at me. Because really we must all look ridiculous from the stage.
One of the most comforting things about TMBG shows is the routine. No matter what changes in my life (and man there has been a LOT of change the last few weeks) I can go to a show and feel like I belong and I know what my role is: it's to clap my hands, stomp my feet, jump in the air like a loon with everyone else in the room and enjoy every single minute of it. And I'm damn good at it too :-)
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Congrats on 100 days of songs! I'm so happy this blog exists.
ReplyDeleteGreat choice, by the way. I too have fond live-show memories of this song, memories often blurred by confetti and excitement.
I used to hate this song (as you know, because you've heard me bitch about it at pretty much every show) but sometime around last September I started to love it. It took Lupo's -- which is the only show of the 25 I've been to where they didn't play it -- to prove how much I adore this song. Whenever I hear Marty start up the beat I get impossibly excited.
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite Clap Your Hands memory is the Port Washington rock show, when we were stuck in our seats and I was just waiting for them to kick into Clap Your Hands so we could rush the stage, and then they did and we did and it was FANTASTIC and I have never been more happy than I was at that moment. True story.
I agree with Erin! :)
ReplyDeleteAs I've only been to one show so far, I don't have all the memories of this that you do, but I did thoroughly enjoy jumping up and down with the audience at the Vogue. And I like the song. And the "uh-huh"s always make me smile. :)
"Ev-Ry-Bo-Dy, CLAP, YOUR, HANDS!!" Sublime.
ReplyDeleteMegan: Yes. I was going to say that. And that was such a good TMBG show memory.
ReplyDeleteAwww, great choice for Day 100. :-) I love Clap Your Hands, especially live. Super fun. Wish I didn't have to wait friggin' 7 months or more to experience it again. But I digress. I have little time to comment these days, but know that I'm still checking in here!
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