Tag Archives: they might be giants

#701: They Might Be Giants – Kiss Me, Son of God

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When listening to They Might Be Giants’ second album Lincoln you wouldn’t think that, after starting with ‘Ana Ng’, the record would then go on to close with ‘Kiss Me, Son of God’. Musically uplifting, it’s led by a soundscape of rising violins, saxophones and a cello that provide the backdrop to Linnell’s lyrics which detail a dictator who has lost the respect of his closest friends and associates.

In typical TMBG fashion the song juxtaposes happy music and darker lyrical subject matter to create this undertone of tension and uneasiness. The listener however isn’t able to tell unless they really search out those lyrics just because of how upbeat and strident the melodies are. I’m thinking that, as the track is from the point of view of this awful, awful person, the music is meant to reflect the fact that the narrator truly doesn;t care about the hurt he’s causing these people and is in fact very happy about his situation.

Very descriptive in its language and vivid in its imagery, the lyrical highlight arguably occurs in the bridge:

I look like Jesus, so they say
But Mr. Jesus is very far away
Now you’re the only one here who can tell me if it’s true
That you love me and I love me

You see, ’cause as a listener you’re expecting Linnell to sing ‘I love you‘ in that final line but he turns it around and sings ‘me’ instead. You have to hear it to appreciate it.

Linnell and Flansburgh had originally recorded the track during the sessions for the group’s first album. It was released a B-Side on the ‘(She Was a) Hotel Detective’ single, and is very different from how it appears on Lincoln. With no backing music by The Ordinaires, it’s just the two Johns singing in harmony with an accordion at hand. Here is that version:

#678: They Might Be Giants – Judy Is Your Viet Nam

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They Might Be Giants’ 2011 album Join Us turns 10 next year and, to me, it was the group’s best record they released in the last decade. I like a lot more songs on there than on say, Nanobots or Glean. It was released during a time when I was quite happy with the way things were going in life. As much as things can go when you’re 16. Either way I can’t believe that time has gone by so quickly. It’s still one of my favourite albums by They, and this song is a great offering from it.

‘Judy Is Your Viet Nam’ is the 11th track on Join Us. Sung by John Flansburgh, ‘Judy’ originated as something of a Christmas song. Lyrics from that initial idea can be heard in the background during the “Who knew she could be so reckless?” verse. Somewhere along the line the song’s intentions changed, transforming into a rowdy rocker led by a Keith Moon-esque drum performance by Marty Beller.

It tells the story of ‘Judy’ who was something of a free spirit in the 90s before time eventually caught up with her and life changes had to be made as a result. It’s a weird one to describe because the narrative is in the second-person, so Flansburgh sings as if you knew Judy yourself. We probably do know a few Judy’s as depicted here, honestly.

I think this song’s great. Really enjoy it. Enough to satisfy in the 80 seconds it lasts for.

#652: They Might Be Giants – It’s Not My Birthday

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‘It’s Not My Birthday’ is a well-loved song among the most dedicated of TMBG fans. Originally released as a B-Side on the ‘They’ll Need a Crane’ single in 1989 – it was given wider circulation in 1991, placed as the seventh track on the band’s compilation Miscellaneous T.

I heard it for the first time….. think in early 2011 when I was studying for my GCSEs. I had been a major follower of They for years up until then, but it was around that time that I actually got to listening to their albums in full. Those were good times…. But anyway – got around to listening to Miscellaneous T and although these were all B-Sides they nevertheless had the same authentic quality of any track that made it onto their ‘official’ albums. Some would say this track in particular should have been on Lincoln. That’s just the way things go sometimes, I guess.

It’s less than two minutes in duration but is packed with so much that you at least feel satisfied when it’s over. There’s a briskness to it, led by a bouncy rhythm and general upbeat vibe in the music. However, it’s another one of the group’s that has an looming hint of sadness to it. Mainly in the lyrics. I’ve always had that feeling towards it though I’ve never known why. They’re quite hard to fully interpret. But I think it’s about a person who is just going through life without any real purpose and is just waiting for an end with each day. Though that’s just me.

#621: They Might Be Giants – In Fact

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To any They Might Be Giants fan who may be reading this, hello. There are dozens of us. It’s hard for TMBG fans to agree which album is the group’s best. I have my personal favourite (their debut), people may suggest Apollo 18, some Factory Showroom, really you can’t go wrong. I believe though that Join Us released in 2011, and their first ‘adult’ album in four years at the time, is one of their best and I can’t believe that it’s been almost ten years since it’s been out. I was sixteen, just finished my GCSEs, went on holiday to the USA and it was released during my time there. I think I had heard samples of all the songs somewhere before. And ‘Can’t Keep Johnny Down‘ had premiered a few months prior. It was a good time to be alive.

‘In Fact’ is the eighth track on Join Us. Sung by John Flansburgh, it’s another playful tune on the album that takes a lot of strange musical turns. A blaring trumpet – played by Curt Ramm – begins it all and wilts away before a train-like rhythm gets going and the lyrics come in. I’ve always appreciated the little details in this song. The little climbing guitar line that plays while Flansburgh sings, that *bink-bink* noise that you can hear in every other line, the way Marty Beller improvises his percussion at some parts. It’s a great song to enjoy listening to. There is a large presence of horns as well, if you like those.

Like many other TMBG songs it’s understandable to not be able to quite understand what either John Linnell or Flansburgh are specifically singing about in their songs, just because of the wordplay and surreal imagery they tend to use in their lyrics. It is no different here. What it comes down to, I think, is that the narrator is ‘a mess’ and ‘isn’t right’ (as is repeated throughout) and Flansburgh uses all of this imagery of chess pieces and mice to illustrate the absurdity of it all. I think that’s a good way to look at it. And just when you think the song is over it turns into this huge 6/8 groove with guitar feedback and a horn freak-out ending which comes out of nowhere. (It’s actually foreshadowed by the lone trumpet right at the beginning) All of this in two minutes and twenty seconds.

#606: They Might Be Giants – I’ve Got a Match

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Lincoln is the second album by They Might Be Giants, released in 1988 – two years following their debut. Comparing the two, I’ve always felt that Lincoln is a lot warmer in tone than its predecessor. The band’s first album contains a majority of tracks with massive drums slathered in reverb and, I guess some would say, dated production in general. It’s my personal favourite of theirs. But there’s none of that on Lincoln. Instrumentals are virtually stripped back allowing to really let the band’s lyricism and melodies shine through. There are also a lot of sincere songs concerning romantic relationships on Lincoln which tend to detail the downfalls and break-ups that can occur. ‘I’ve Got a Match’ is one of them.

Whenever They Might Be Giants write about relationships they tend to skip the melodrama that comes with a lot of standard love songs. No over-exaggerated lyrical clichés or musical elements. Sung by John Linnell, ‘I’ve Got a Match’ details a relationship that begs to wonder how it even started – one that totally lacks in sympathy, trust and commitment. Its verses consist of overbearing demands and backhanded insults before building into a chorus that denounces love as ‘smelly’ and states the futility of the couple’s romance.

Musically, the song is characterised by a quiet verse/loud chorus dynamic. The first verse its just Linnell’s lone vocal, John Flansburgh’s soft guitar chords on the right, a synth-harp (I’ll guess) on the left and the rhythm section. Then just as Linnell finishes the last line, the track suddenly bursts into a soaring chorus with the introduction of an accordion, vocal harmonies and a pulsating drum rhythm. Linnell also belts out the highest note of the whole track during this time too. It’s a very cathartic release that comes after the agitated vibe of the verses.

It’s a real gem. I almost feel like it could have a been a single in its day. The group have rarely ever played it live because the two Johns supposedly got too burned out on it. Perhaps they spent a lot of time trying to perfect it in the studio? It came out rather well if that’s the case.