Song of the Day - Day 716

Today's song is...


Valentine

This may be a Valentine's song but it sure sounds more like a Halloween song. It actually reminds me a bit of the Grinch song from How The Grinch Stole Christmas. There are some fun things going on electronically. Kind of makes me wonder if this is a song Flans cooked up himself just before sitting down to put together the podcast. It wouldn't surprise me. Anyway, Happy Halloween, everybody!

Song of the Day - Day 715

Today's song is...

I Find It Hard To Believe

Umm, what? Every now and then, I find it fun to think back on what it must have been like for people in the early 80s to call Dial-A-Song and hear something like this and just be totally flummoxed about what it was. It's no wonder Gloria said "this guy's a nut." But the very best kind of nut :-)

Song of the Day - Day 714

Today's song is...


I Enjoy Being A Boy

Man, I love this song. I love everything about this song. The only thing that prevents me from claiming this as one of my very favorite songs, is the fact that it is a cover. But all that crunchy bass and cheerful electronic pop, combined with the falsetto almost make me forget that fact. This is one of those tunes that makes me happy every time I hear it, just because it exists and is wonderful.

Song of the Day - Day 713

Today's song is...


Someone Keeps Moving My Chair

Perfect example of a fantastic song that I constantly forget about. Like if you asked me to name all the songs on Flood, this is one of the ones I would struggle to come up with on the spot. And yet it is so good. I love the syncopated way Linnell delivers the chorus. And I only just noticed, listening to it now, what a nice guitar part it has. Songs like this are excellent proof that you can write a good song about anything. You aren't limited to the standard themes of love song, breakup song, story song, dance song, etc. If you've got a good beat and a catchy melody and you stick a bunch of words together that sound nice, that really can be all you need.

Song of the Day - Day 712

Today's song is...


Wonder Twins

I seem to have hit a small concentrations of remaining PCP tracks. Sorry about that.

Song of the Day - Day 711

Today's song is...


Reminder

Ever wonder what happened to the guy to make him forget everything? Traumatic brain injury? Alien abduction? It's a mystery.

Song of the Day - Day 710

Today's song is...


Science Is Real

Perfect opener for Here Comes Science. It bursts right out there and announces what the album is all about. None of this angels, unicorns and elves nonsense. I find it hard to believe that science is so often in dispute and I really appreciate this upfront, matter of fact take on the subject. Plus, it is a really great song. Good tune, pretty guitar part and awesome drum part.

I can still vividly remember being at the tour kick-off show in Ithaca in 2009 and Flansburgh pulling out a chair to sit down and play his acoustic guitar on this song. I think he needed to concentrate so hard on getting it right, he couldn't also concentrate on standing up and holding the guitar. It was adorable. Though as an aside, in my personal opinion, the song never sounded as good live as it did on the recording.

Song of the Day - Day 709

Today's song is...


Sorry I Fucked Up The Show

Is it wrong that I have occasionally wished a show would get fucked up just so I could here this song? But alas, I have seen some pretty messed up things happen on stage and no sign of the song. I think its day has passed.

Song of the Days - Day 708

Today's song is...


Celebrities

I think Homestar has trouble with more than just his "r"s. Don't tell him I said that though ;-)

Song of the Day - Day 707

Today's song is...


The First Thanksgiving

Probably should have saved this one for Thanksgiving, but I know in my heart of hearts that I still wouldn't have gotten around to getting a CD copy of PCP by then either.

Song of the Day - Day 706

Today's song is...


Who's Knocking On The Wall

Well who is it making all that racket? Is it someone begging for help? A confused person who can't find the door? Someone hammering a nail? I want answers, people!

Song of the Day - Day 705

Today's song is...


All Night Blowout





One of my favorites of the Dunkin Donuts jingles. This is one of the cases where the visuals and the song put together are what really make it work for me. The expression on the girl's face as she holds up the left shoe. The turtle casually strolling around in several of the scenes. All while they appear to be singing a catchy Linnell pop tune. Forget the coffee, that's my kind of party clean-up.

Song of the Day - Day 704

Today's song is...


Canada Haunts Me

When I drove to Toronto last year to see the band, this song was on my mind a lot. I don't actually find Canada particularly haunting or creepy, but this song sure has a creepy tone to it.

Song of the Day - Day 703

Today's song is...


Planet of the Apes

Best lyrics of any of the Ape songs. By far. Love this one.

Song of the Day - Day 702

Today's song is...


Please Pass The Milk

*bomp* Please *bomp* pass the *bomp* milk please *bomp*

I probably shouldn't be so excited about the single bass strums in this 8 seconds song. Probably.

(No, I don't have a little thing for the bass player, I don't know what you're talking about, shut up ;-))

Song of the Day - Day 701

Today's song is...


Zeroes




Math definitions set to music! With a very pleasant acoustic guitar part! And a video with cute birds! No wonder all us the nerds like these guys so much! :-) Seriously though, great way to set an album of numbers on the right tracks. Catchy and tackles a difficult concept with style and a cute kid. And I will now have this stuck in my head the rest of the day.

Song of the Day - Day 700

Today's song is...


Agent Double-0-Soul

This song is FANTASTIC. Reasonably certain I had never listened to it before right now. Do you think Flans hurt his vocal chords doing that scream? The vamp portion cracked me up. And I would pretty much okay with a bass solo like the one Jeremy Chatzky throws out, being included in every song ever from this point on. This song for the WIN!

Song of the Day - Day 699

Today's song is...


Mono

Bongos! Such excellent use of bongos! Really it's the little things that make me happy :-)

I really enjoy these sorts of tracks where you can see the evolution of a later song coming into being. It's a cool glimpse into the songwriting process where one thing morphs into another thing entirely.

Song of the Day - Day 698

Today's song is...


The Secret Life of Six



Six and nine are the best kind of numbers because they are good at entertaining themselves without constant supervision and they've got a great party trick like identical twins who switch identities just to mess with people.

In other news, I really enjoy the drums on this song. That is all.

Song of the Day - Day 697

Today's song is...


Haunted Floating Eye

My favorite part of this song is the bridge with the weird sound effects. Part duck and part something more threatening. And the whole song has a great bass line, but it is particularly evident there. The lyrics always perplex me because I get hung up on how the character can have a spider for a mom. But then again, sometimes I take things too literally.

Song of the Day - Day 696

Today's song is...


Don't Cry

Wow, this song does a really good job of fooling me into believing that it is some forgotten ditty from the 1960s that I heard on the Oldies station as a child. Which I am sure is exactly the point.

Song of the Day - Day 695

Today's song is...


Spare The Rock

I believe this is the last of the Spare the Rock songs on my list. Which is appropriate since it is the song that ends the show. Perhaps I should make it my life goal to become famous at something so TMBG will write me a theme song. Oh....wait.... ;-) I must be thinking of some other band.

Song of the Day - Day 694

Today's song is...


Brain Problem Situation

The instrumentation and mix on this song are fantastic. It is so full and alive. And it contains so many of my favorite elements. Bongos! Handclaps! Horns! It is kind of unbelievable that a song this good never even made it onto a studio album. And the lyrics are so TMBG. And so easily referenced in so many situations. Because seriously, who doesn't feel like they have a brain problem situation on their hands every now and then.

Song of the Day - Day 693

Today's song is...


Goatee




My favorite part of this song is Linnell at the end, dropping the Avatar voice entirely to say "I think his name is Howie." The first time I heard it, I laughed out loud. I love those fuzzy little Avatar nutjobs. They are just bizarre and ridiculous and make no sense and they don't care. Because they have the power of goatee. Maaaaaahh.

Song of the Day - Day 692

Today's song is...


One Billion Degrees

Two DD songs in a row. What's up with that? Personally, Dunkin Donuts is the last place I think of when it is that hot out, but that is probably because I don't like iced coffee and I'd much rather have ice cream than a donut when it is that hot.

Song of the Day - Day 691

Today's song is...


Fritalian

This is an example of one of the songs I had heard in the DD ad before I was familiar with the band and was later shocked to realize was them. Not shocked in a bad way, just a bit of a mind-blown experience. Also, as someone who often finds themselves working in a cafe that serves these fancy drinks, I have some sympathy for the narrator.

Song of the Day - Day 690

Today's song is...


Faster Better Now

I am a big fan of the percussion on this track. So much so that I probably could have done without the lyric and just gone with the little bit of synth and the super echoey percussion. But it ain't my song.

Song of the Day - Day 689

Today's song is...


A To Z (Type B)

Because one video of your favorite band singing the alphabet is never enough. Gosh some of those kids are cute.

Happy Birthday, Dan!!

What time is it? It's Miller Time! Dan Miller time, that is ;-) If you would all please join me in the traditional chant in honor of Dan's birthday...

DAN! DAN! DAN! DAN! DAN! DAN! DAN! DAN! DAN! DAN! DAN! DAN! DAN!

I could wax lyrical about Dan for quite a while, but in reality there are no words big enough for the awe and admiration I hold for my favorite guitar player. He is epic in every sense of the word and one of the sweetest, nicest guys I have ever met.

This past February, I was at a show in North Carolina on Valentine's Day, and not in a particularly good mood. I had had a bad day, was bummed about being alone on the holiday and had a crappy seat at the venue despite ordering tickets early over the phone. I was sitting by myself, without anyone else even near me in the row, six or eight rows back from the stage. The crowd was unusually sedate and despite the best efforts from the band, I just wasn't having a good time. And it must have shown on my face, even way out in the dark theater, because part way through the show, Dan spotted me in the crowd and quirked his face at me as if to say "cheer up, it's not so bad." I have no idea how he could even see me, much less tell that I was bumming, but despite it only being a three second moment, I was extremely touched. And it really did cheer me up in a way nothing else had. And then Dan rocked our faces off with one of his towering Fingertips solos from an upper balcony which cheered me up even more. How could you not love someone so kind and awesome all in one massively talented package?

Happy Birthday, Dan! You truly are the best :-)

Song of the Day - Day 688

Today's song is...


No Country In Europe

Maybe it is just me, but I find this song depressing. Maybe it is just knowing that the lyrics are plucked from reality, but I am totally bummed out after listening.

Song of the Day - Day 687

Today's song is...


Greasy Kid Stuff

This is actually yesterday's SOTD, but I was away from my computer. I quite like this one. Actually, I think of all the radio theme songs I have heard this band produce, this is probably my favorite (I realize this is a pretty small pool of songs comparatively). The instrumentation is really cool. The bells are neat and it has a fantastic drum part. And once it really gets going it totally rocks. This would very much get me ready to listen to some kids music.

Song of the Day - Day 686

Today's song is...


My Evil Twin

Does your brain ever links songs together that do not particularly go together for any reason other than one your brain concocts? Cause mine does. And such is the case with this song and Your Own Worst Enemy. I think my brain draws the connection between songs about a character who is depicted as being an independent person but may or may not actually be the narrator himself. But I believe they are also linked in my mind because they were both songs not performed live at the Apollo 18 and Factory Showroom shows I saw at Mohegan Sun in '08. (I have since seen My Evil Twin at a later Apollo 18 show, though I have still never heard Your Own Worst Enemy.) They are also, incidentally, both songs I consistently forget about whenever I attempt to tackle that Sporcle quiz to name all the TMBG songs.