Today's song is....
Hidden Track
The hidden track on Mono Puff's It's Fun to Steal to be more specific (though I guess technically, it is the only one actually called Hidden Track). This is rather appropriate since my boyfriend was just playing this for me in the car the other morning on the way to work. I can't remember if I had ever heard it before that. I don't think so. It is very odd and amusing. Flans sure does come up with some silly stuff when he's playing around with his computer. :-)
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
They Might Be Giants? Never Heard Of Them
It happens all the time. I'll be talking to some one and mention something about this band I follow. "Oh, what band?" they say. I answer, "They Might Be Giants." And nine times out of ten the person has never heard of them. Then I am faced with my inevitable dilemma. What TMBG song do I mention that this person might have heard but doesn't know is TMBG?
This is part one of Audience Participation. What do you use as your reference song for people who haven't heard of the band? Do you always use the same one? Do you tailor it to the person?
For my part, I usually start with Boss of Me. I figure even if somebody has never consciously heard TMBG, there is a pretty good chance they watched Malcolm in the Middle. Actually, and this had honestly never occurred to me until just now, I guess Boss of Me was almost (excepting Istanbul) the first TMBG song I heard, as I was certainly watching Malcolm in the Middle in college, several years before I met my boyfriend and began being introduced to the band.
If that doesn't ring any bells, I usually try Istanbul next. I guess I steer towards the songs I "knew" before I knew the band figuring if I knew them, then other people must too. If that still doesn't work, I'll typically try the Dunkin Donuts ads, or if I know the person has kids in the family, even Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Occasionally, I'll throw Birdhouse in their too, but I guess I generally figure if they don't know Istanbul, they wont know Birdhouse either. And if I haven't gotten them by that point, I tend to give up and accept that they have just not heard the band.
Now, part two of this Audience Participation. A friend expresses interest in hearing some of the band's music. They are either only familiar with one or two songs or have never heard them at all. What album (or collection) do you play them first?
I am often tempted to play a collection first, either homemade or the User's Guide or Dial A Song. But that, at least in my mind, always seems to reduce the band to their greatest hits which, especially in the case of TMBG, are not terribly representative of their entire body of work. There is just too much variety in the catalog. So instead, I always go with Flood. That may seem like the "easy" choice, but I have legitimate reasons for choosing it. First, if the listener has heard anything by the band before, it was probably Istanbul or Birdhouse and their presence on the album can help develop a pre-existing comfort level with the album. Second, it is TMBG's most popular album for a reason. It is really, really good. Over one million album purchasers agree. Third, it is a great showing of the range of They Might Be Giants songs. There is a little bit of everything on that album. Some great songs. Some weird songs. Fast songs. Slow songs. Songs with whips. There is really something for everybody. And lastly, whether the person likes the album is a great gage for whether they should delve further into the band. Because, while it is entirely possible to enjoy Flood, and then not enjoy much of the rest of the band's music, it is pretty unlikely that someone who dislikes Flood is suddenly going to like an entire different album. A song maybe, but probably not the whole album.
Agree? Disagree? What's your approach? And have you successfully developed any TMBG converts? I have one: my friend Marie. Though I suspect she enjoys the kids music better than the grown-up stuff which is handy since she is about to have a baby and I shall be converting him into a tiny TMBG rock fan at the first available opportunity.
P.S. Doesn't it feel good when you tell someone that your favorite band is They Might Be Giants and the person has actually heard of them? It happens so rarely for me, but is so very appreciated.
This is part one of Audience Participation. What do you use as your reference song for people who haven't heard of the band? Do you always use the same one? Do you tailor it to the person?
For my part, I usually start with Boss of Me. I figure even if somebody has never consciously heard TMBG, there is a pretty good chance they watched Malcolm in the Middle. Actually, and this had honestly never occurred to me until just now, I guess Boss of Me was almost (excepting Istanbul) the first TMBG song I heard, as I was certainly watching Malcolm in the Middle in college, several years before I met my boyfriend and began being introduced to the band.
If that doesn't ring any bells, I usually try Istanbul next. I guess I steer towards the songs I "knew" before I knew the band figuring if I knew them, then other people must too. If that still doesn't work, I'll typically try the Dunkin Donuts ads, or if I know the person has kids in the family, even Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Occasionally, I'll throw Birdhouse in their too, but I guess I generally figure if they don't know Istanbul, they wont know Birdhouse either. And if I haven't gotten them by that point, I tend to give up and accept that they have just not heard the band.
Now, part two of this Audience Participation. A friend expresses interest in hearing some of the band's music. They are either only familiar with one or two songs or have never heard them at all. What album (or collection) do you play them first?
I am often tempted to play a collection first, either homemade or the User's Guide or Dial A Song. But that, at least in my mind, always seems to reduce the band to their greatest hits which, especially in the case of TMBG, are not terribly representative of their entire body of work. There is just too much variety in the catalog. So instead, I always go with Flood. That may seem like the "easy" choice, but I have legitimate reasons for choosing it. First, if the listener has heard anything by the band before, it was probably Istanbul or Birdhouse and their presence on the album can help develop a pre-existing comfort level with the album. Second, it is TMBG's most popular album for a reason. It is really, really good. Over one million album purchasers agree. Third, it is a great showing of the range of They Might Be Giants songs. There is a little bit of everything on that album. Some great songs. Some weird songs. Fast songs. Slow songs. Songs with whips. There is really something for everybody. And lastly, whether the person likes the album is a great gage for whether they should delve further into the band. Because, while it is entirely possible to enjoy Flood, and then not enjoy much of the rest of the band's music, it is pretty unlikely that someone who dislikes Flood is suddenly going to like an entire different album. A song maybe, but probably not the whole album.
Agree? Disagree? What's your approach? And have you successfully developed any TMBG converts? I have one: my friend Marie. Though I suspect she enjoys the kids music better than the grown-up stuff which is handy since she is about to have a baby and I shall be converting him into a tiny TMBG rock fan at the first available opportunity.
P.S. Doesn't it feel good when you tell someone that your favorite band is They Might Be Giants and the person has actually heard of them? It happens so rarely for me, but is so very appreciated.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Song of the Day - Day 14
Today's song is....
Garden of Eden
Despite having listened to McSweeney's multiple times, I have no actual memory of this song. And the McSweeney's disc is pretty much the only one I haven't loaded into my computer so I can't go back and listen to it at the moment. Oh well. Has anyone actually tried listening to the disc while reading the MccSweeney's book to see how they correspond? I am curious. I've only ever listened to the music.
Garden of Eden
Despite having listened to McSweeney's multiple times, I have no actual memory of this song. And the McSweeney's disc is pretty much the only one I haven't loaded into my computer so I can't go back and listen to it at the moment. Oh well. Has anyone actually tried listening to the disc while reading the MccSweeney's book to see how they correspond? I am curious. I've only ever listened to the music.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Song of the Day - Day 13
Today's song is...
S-E-X-X-Y
I am never quite sure how I feel about this song. It is a perfect example of a song that was almost ruined for me by reading other people's interpretations. My instinct, as it usually is, is to take the lyrics quite literally (which I realize is probably pretty naïve on this song in particular). But I read several interpretations of it and suddenly that was all I could think about when I listened. I think it particularly bothers me on this song because I can't decide if I agree with any of the interpretations or not. Basically, the song kind of baffles me, I guess. But I like the music.
S-E-X-X-Y
I am never quite sure how I feel about this song. It is a perfect example of a song that was almost ruined for me by reading other people's interpretations. My instinct, as it usually is, is to take the lyrics quite literally (which I realize is probably pretty naïve on this song in particular). But I read several interpretations of it and suddenly that was all I could think about when I listened. I think it particularly bothers me on this song because I can't decide if I agree with any of the interpretations or not. Basically, the song kind of baffles me, I guess. But I like the music.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Song of the Day - Day 12
Today's song is....
The Drinky Crow Show Theme
Here's one of the first (if not the first) song, I heard brand new when it was "released". I must have just started following the band regularly. And then I never heard it again until today when I hunted it down to listen to before posting this because I couldn't remember what it sounded like. I never even watched the show. I guess the tune did not make that big an impression on me.
The Drinky Crow Show Theme
Here's one of the first (if not the first) song, I heard brand new when it was "released". I must have just started following the band regularly. And then I never heard it again until today when I hunted it down to listen to before posting this because I couldn't remember what it sounded like. I never even watched the show. I guess the tune did not make that big an impression on me.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Song of the Day - Day 11
And today's song is....
Hot Cha
Most of my associations with this song have been with it live at Flood shows. I used to not like it that much but it's grown on me a little over time. Mostly, you say Hot Cha and I can immediately hear the buzzer coming out of Linnell's keyboard.
Hot Cha
Most of my associations with this song have been with it live at Flood shows. I used to not like it that much but it's grown on me a little over time. Mostly, you say Hot Cha and I can immediately hear the buzzer coming out of Linnell's keyboard.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Song of the Day - Day 10
Happy Thanksgiving all!
I suspect the random page button secretly wants me to advertise for Dunkin Donuts, as we've got another DD ditty today.
A Ton of Stuff
This is what car trips with my parents were always like as a kid which is particularly sad, since I am an only child and there was only ever stuff for three people in the car. But never the less, the car was always packed to the gills. I used to joke that I never saw anything on the left side of the car on vacations because I could never see out that window. I vividly remember one vacation in particular, where my parents had purchased a large wooden boat model as a souvenir and it was kept sliding down from it's spot in the back of the car and hitting me in the back of the head. I like to think that I am a bit better about packing for road trips but I suspect Megan might disagree as she's usually the one in the back with all of the stuff ;-)
I suspect the random page button secretly wants me to advertise for Dunkin Donuts, as we've got another DD ditty today.
A Ton of Stuff
This is what car trips with my parents were always like as a kid which is particularly sad, since I am an only child and there was only ever stuff for three people in the car. But never the less, the car was always packed to the gills. I used to joke that I never saw anything on the left side of the car on vacations because I could never see out that window. I vividly remember one vacation in particular, where my parents had purchased a large wooden boat model as a souvenir and it was kept sliding down from it's spot in the back of the car and hitting me in the back of the head. I like to think that I am a bit better about packing for road trips but I suspect Megan might disagree as she's usually the one in the back with all of the stuff ;-)
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