HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: twpierce@unix.amherst.edu (Tim Pierce)
Subject: Re: Who Sings Which Songs?
Organization: Elitist Usenet Administrators, Turkey Division
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 01:30:33 GMT

In article <Bz9rqx.7s4@ra.nrl.navy.mil> mcintyre@ccf3.nrl.navy.mil writes:

>I would disagree on "Thirty-Two Footsteps".  I assume you're talking only
>about their first album?  (I missed the beginning of this thread.)  How
>about Flansburg on "Youth Culture Killed My Dog",

No.

>"Biggest One",

Not on THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS.

>and
>"Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head"?

No.

>I'm certain of this last one,
>'cuz Flans sings it in the video.

Wouldn't be the first time that one band member had lip-synched to the
voice of another in a video.

>And "Rabid Child"?  And "Toddler
>Highway"?  Definitely Flansburgh.

No.

>I know for a fact that Flansburgh wrote "Alienation's For The Rich", so
>you've got to be right on that one.

Not particularly, unless you also know for a fact that they sing the
songs they write.

(I agree with you, BTW -- just wanted to point out that there's
nothing factual about that conclusion.)

-- 
____ Tim Pierce                / 
\  / twpierce@unix.amherst.edu /               Rocks say goodbye.
 \/ (BITnet: TWPIERCE@AMHERST) / 
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
From: frisinv@alleg.edu
Subject: Which John Is Which???
Organization: Allegheny College
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 23:28:12 GMT

This may sound stupid, but in all the years I have listened to TMBG, I  
have never figured out which one is which. Could someone email or post a  
physical description and set my mind at ease?

--
Vincent Frisina
Email: frisinv@alleg.edu
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
From: praxis@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Laura L Perkinson)
Subject: Re: Top 5
Organization: HAC - Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 01:50:09 GMT

	How can one resist this kind of thing? :> My main pentet (?):

	5)She's An Angel
	4)The Guitar
	3)Birdhouse in your Soul
	2)Don't Let's Start
	1)Ana Ng (which seems to be the only perpetually appearing
tune on these lists)

	If we could include live show covers, "Frankenstein" would have
to be on there.
	Happy holidays, folks, and as they say on the Even Further Outer
Planets Mix of The Guitar: "Peace and Tranquility."

		Praxis
Organization: Senior, Physics, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 08:33:15 -0500 
From: Matthew Raymond Flatt <mflatt+@CMU.EDU>
Subject: Particle Man

Excerpts from netnews.alt.music.tmbg: 13-Dec-92 alt.music.tmbg
Frequently A.. by Micah Anderson@stein.u.w 
> 22) What is "Particle Man" about?
>  
> I don't know.  A reader suggested it's just a kids' song.  However,
> you might have noticed that the theme is similar to the "Spider Man"
> theme.

Well, I've always held the following theory, which seemed like a
terribly obvious interpretation to me; however, no one else has ever
come up with this before or thought it was obvious after I explained it:

"Particle Man" is a brief summary of Western religious philosophy. The
active player is "triangle man", i.e. God (from the trinity). In Western
religion, God is always in conflict with science and nature ("particle
man") and lowly humans ("person man").

That's the part that seems obvious. Except, I'm not sure what to do with
"universe man". Universe man is independent of triangle man and doesn't
fight him. Universe man just *is*; he's a kind of Taoist figure in the
middle of an otherwise straight-forward God-smashes-man-and-nature song.

Of course, it could just be a wrestling song, as depcited in the Tiny
Toons segment I saw last Saturday morning.

Reactions?

Matthew
From: sstover@sumax.seattleu.edu (   Wilde Dame   )
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
Subject: Creativity for hire??? (was Re: King of Liars...?)
Date: 11 Dec 92 22:01:51 GMT
Organization: Seattle University

In article <00964A2D.18F08CC0@vms.csd.mu.edu> 2609cowend@vms.csd.mu.edu writes:
>     What _I_ want to know is how many disgruntled TMBG fans are there?  I
>jumped on the boat as soon as my midwest alternative store could special
>order me a copy of the debut album (which came in a big, black fonky
>Ultradisc box at the time...), and I was their biggest fan.  Now, with Flood
>and Apollo 18, even though there are some excellent tracks, does anyone else
>sense _pretention_ in their work?  The stuff isn't spooky/funny (32 footsteps,
>Rabid Child, etc.), now it seems like a "who can come up with the wittiest
>meaningless wordplay" competition.  Anyone else agree?

Not a bit of it, David.  Geez, TMBG aren't politicians, they're musicians.
They're artists.  They are not only capable of growing, but are expected
to if they're any sort of artists at all.  Personally, I find it exciting
that over 6 years or so TMBG have moved from witty writers with some
musical talent to wittier writers with considerable musical talent.  I've
listened to them since the first album came out, and I don't think _32
Footsteps_ or _Rabid Child_ are any more or less meaningful than _I
Palindrome I_ or _Dinner Bell_.  All of them are wordplay, and some of
them seem meaningless, but it strikes me as really pretentious to say
they've been snobbish by learning from all this time working as musicians.
I suspect, especially from the nature of their music and lyrics, that John
and John didn't go into the business just to please you or I or any of
their other fans.  They had something they wanted to do, and much moreso
than you asking if it's fair for them to grow and change, you ought to ask
yourself who you are to judge them on the basis of that change.  If you
don't like it, hell, don't like it, but "disgruntled fans"?  You can't
lobby for regression.
-- 
       Sheryl Stover  %  If you ask me what I have come to do in the world,
  & Hemingway & Clio  %  I who am an artist, I will reply: "I am here to
sstover@seattleu.edu  %  live aloud."                    -Emile Zola
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
From: cskaplan@napier.uwaterloo.ca (Craig S. Kaplan)
Subject: A Good Day
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1992 21:38:41 GMT


Hey folks...

I must simply say that it was a good day when I found out that the otherwise
vast wasteland of Internet was brightened somewhat by a newsgroup devoted to
those bastions of good vibes, They Might Be Giants.  No sarcasm. Really.

Unfortunately, I've not been a fan for very long, so my love affair with TMBG 
starts effectively with Flood.  Looks like Ana Ng is pretty popular.  what album 
is it on, so that I may buy it?

Open questions - this newsgroup is pretty specific.  any idea if TMBG know of it? 
do they have internet accounts? ( Hmm... not too sure about that one. )  Anyone
ever met them? Can anyone provide concert and album updates?

I suppose I'll be back soon.  Before I go, here's my pix...
( Not ranked - I couldn't do that... )_

a. Dinner Bell
b. Particle Man
c. Which Describes How You're Feeling
d. Whistling In The Dark
e. Istanbul

Just some good ones.

Catch y'all later.

Craig.
cskaplan@descartes.uwaterloo.ca. 
'An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.' 
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
From: derek@csd.uwo.ca (Derek Krezeski)
Subject: Re: alt.music.tmbg Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Western Ontario, London
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1992 16:09:01 GMT

In article <CHRISLEY.92Dec20151608@black.oxford.ac.uk> chrisley@oxford.ac.uk (Ronald L Chrisley) writes:
>In article <1992Dec13.205052.29908@u.washington.edu> micah@stein.u.washington.edu (Micah Anderson) writes:
>
>   -------
>   24) What is the sample at the beginning of "Boat of Car"?
>
>   Johnny Cash, singing "Daddy sang bass" (not the fish).  If you know
>   what song this is from, send in now.
>
>   -------
>
>
>OK, last time this was posted, I posted a response (and sent it to
>relph) but got no response.
>
>When I was a child, we used to listen to/sing this song.  It went
>something like:
>
>Daddy sang bass
>Momma sang tenor
>And [little ol'?] ? would join on in there
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Me and little brother would ...

I believe

.../Derek (derek@csd.uwo.ca)
From: mcirvin@husc8.harvard.edu (Matt McIrvin)
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
Subject: Re: top 5
Date: 19 Dec 92 00:37:31 GMT

Uh... I don't know... I don't know... maybe... uh...

5. Whistling In The Dark
4. See The Constellation
3. Nothing's Going To Change My Clothes
2. Cowtown
1. I Hope That I Get Old Before I Die

Or maybe not.  (It's *hard* to do this.)
-- 
Matt McIrvin
From: jwilson@ncratl.AtlantaGA.NCR.COM (Jeff Wilson)
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
Subject: Re: Who Sings Which Songs?
Date: 15 Dec 92 18:11:20 GMT
Organization: NCR Engineering and Manufacturing Atlanta -- Atlanta, GA

<1992Dec12.160621.4929@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> <Bz9rqx.7s4@ra.nrl.navy.mil>
<BzA1Ix.1Ay@unix.amherst.edu>

In <BzA1Ix.1Ay@unix.amherst.edu> twpierce@unix.amherst.edu (Tim Pierce)
writes:

>In article <Bz9rqx.7s4@ra.nrl.navy.mil> mcintyre@ccf3.nrl.navy.mil writes:

>>I would disagree on "Thirty-Two Footsteps".  I assume you're talking only
>>about their first album?  (I missed the beginning of this thread.)  How
>>about Flansburg on "Youth Culture Killed My Dog",

>No.

>>"Biggest One",

>Not on THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS.

>>and
>>"Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head"?

>No.

Flans definetly sings this one.

>>I'm certain of this last one,
>>'cuz Flans sings it in the video.

>Wouldn't be the first time that one band member had lip-synched to the
>voice of another in a video.

>>And "Rabid Child"?  And "Toddler
>>Highway"?  Definitely Flansburgh.

>No.

"Rabid Child" - Flans, fer sure. "Toddler Hiway" - Flans, fer sure. 
>>I know for a fact that Flansburgh wrote "Alienation's For The Rich", so
>>you've got to be right on that one.

>Not particularly, unless you also know for a fact that they sing the
>songs they write.

>(I agree with you, BTW -- just wanted to point out that there's
>nothing factual about that conclusion.)

>-- 
>____ Tim Pierce                / 
>\  / twpierce@unix.amherst.edu /               Rocks say goodbye.
> \/ (BITnet: TWPIERCE@AMHERST) / 
-- 
jwilson@ncratl.atlantaga.ncr.com (Jeff Wilson)
"Good morning! It's a GREAT day to go belly-up!" - Dan Connor
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
From: emp1@crux2.cit.cornell.edu (Ernest M. Paik)
Subject: Re: Which John Is Which???
Organization: Cornell Information Technologies
Date: 16 Dec 92 02:17:27 GMT

frisinv@alleg.edu writes:

>This may sound stupid, but in all the years I have listened to TMBG, I  
>have never figured out which one is which. Could someone email or post a  
>physical description and set my mind at ease?

No problem.

John Flansburgh has dark brown hair, glasses, and plays the guitar.
John Linnell has brown hair, no glasses, and plays the accordion.

"Hey!"   - TMBG, "The Guitar"
From: devernay@sophia.inria.fr (Frederic Devernay,Thesard,C012,657830)
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
Subject: Re: backwards messages
Date: 15 Dec 92 13:03:51 GMT
Reply-To: devernay@sophia.inria.fr
Organization: INRIA Sophia Antipolis

in fact, the only way i know to play backward messages is to play the
tape backward. for this, use an old tape, and an old tape player(because
the other side of the tape is not so smooth, and some say it might damage
the head. pfff), dismantle the tape, and reverse it. instead of:
 __      __
/  \    /  \
|  |    |  |
\__/    \__/
 \________/
you should have:
 __      __
/  \    /  \
|  |    |  |
\__/    \__/
  /______\
then play it!


---
                                                             _
                                                            / \
 ___________________________________________________________\_/
/ \                                                           |
\_/    Frederic Devernay                                      |
| |    Projet ROBOTVIS -- INRIA Sophia Antipolis -- FRANCE    |
| |    Frederic.Devernay@sophia.inria.fr                      |
| |___________________________________________________________/
\_/
From: c92andst@odalix.ida.liu.se (Andreas Stenmark)
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
Subject: Discography please
Date: 13 Dec 92 13:21:50 GMT
Organization: CIS Dept, Univ of Linkoping, Sweden

Would someone please post an up to date list of tmbg albums?

The problem is, you see, that here in Sweden, tmbg aren't that
well-known. At least that applies to stupid record shop owners.
Currently I have only Flood and Apollo18, but I need more. Imagine
my desperation when I can't find tmbg CD's anywhere!

If I had an album list, I could (probably) resign to mail order.
Thanks in advance...

	/Andreas

---
Computer Science at LiTH, Sweden
Email to c92andst@und.ida.liu.se or stenmark@lysator.liu.se
--

------///-------------------------------------------------------------------
     /// Andreas Stenmark - Computer Science, LiTH | "...and everybody wants
    ///  Internet: c92andst@und.ida.liu.se         | prosthetic foreheads on
\\ ///   Fidonet: 2:204/418.5                      | their real heads."/TMBG
 \X//    Smail: Vasavdgen 25A, S-582 20 Linkvping, SWEDEN
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
From: catbutt@nmt.edu (Matthew Goolsby)
Subject: Re: Top 5
Keywords: Eat More Beets!!
Organization: New Mexico Tech
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 18:15:47 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.192225.18487@husc3.harvard.edu> mduhan@husc10.harvard.edu (Matthew Duhan) writes:
>
>   Well, all that I've seen in this newsgroup so far is people wanting 
>definitions of song meanings.  So to get the ball rolling, I'm asking
>people what their top five tmbg songs are.
>
>   So lets hear some feedback.  What are your top five?
>
>Matt
>
>**************************************************************************
>* Harvard Man/Harvard Man/Going to school in Cambridgeland/              *
>* Always wins against Yale Man/Harvard Man/                              *
>* Is he a doc/Or is he a jock/Does he just work or does he like to rock/ *
>* No one compares to Harvard Man/Intelligent man/Harvard Man             *
>*    -They Might Be Giants (sort of)                                     *
>**************************************************************************

In a quest the find my top five songs, I didn't know where to start.  In a
bolt of blue I dicided to list the top five tMBg songs I kept finding 
myself singing (over and over and over).  So here THEY are in order of
least to most annoying to my neighbors:

5) "Cage and Aquarium" off of _Lincoln_

4) "Letterbox" off of _Flood_

3) "It's Not My Birthday" off of _They'll Need a Crane_ CD single and
	_The Miscellaneous T_

2) "Welcome to the Jungle" a poignant Guns and Roses cover (NOT!) off of
	_The Guitar_ CD single

And (drumroll please, Paul) the 1) tMBg fave o' myself is. . .
	"James K. Polk" off of _Istanbul (not Constantinople)_ CD single.

There they be.  I Hope to see others' lists!

					Sincerely enjoying good cheese,

					Catbutt

P. S. About the sig line:  Don't Don't Don't Let's Blaspheme.  ;^)
From: mduhan@husc10.harvard.edu (Matthew Duhan)
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
Subject: Top 5
Date: 15 Dec 92 00:22:23 GMT
Organization: Harvard University Science Center


   Well, all that I've seen in this newsgroup so far is people wanting 
definitions of song meanings.  So to get the ball rolling, I'm asking
people what their top five tmbg songs are.  I know it's real tough to pick
only 5, but I'll try and start it off.

5) Dead - I like the tune, and the sentiment.  I especially like the middle
(So I won't [sit] sit at home [and] anymore [and] etc)

4) Istanbul - this is the first tmbg song I heard, so I like it for the
associations I make with it.

3) See the Constellation - This one has a good beat, and I like the background.

2) Don't Let's Start - It's just a cool song.

And #1) Ana Ng - Great song. Great beat. Great sentiment.  Great video.
What else can I say?

   Of course, there are many others, such as Particle Man, Birdhouse, Statue
got me high, Mammal, etc.  But these are my top five for right now.

BTW, my favorite Fingertips cut is "Something grabbed a hold of my hand.  I 
didn't know what had my hand.  But that's when all my troubles began."

   So lets hear some feedback.  What are your top five?

Matt

**************************************************************************
* Harvard Man/Harvard Man/Going to school in Cambridgeland/              *
* Always wins against Yale Man/Harvard Man/                              *
* Is he a doc/Or is he a jock/Does he just work or does he like to rock/ *
* No one compares to Harvard Man/Intelligent man/Harvard Man             *
*    -They Might Be Giants (sort of)                                     *
**************************************************************************
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
From: mcbride@owlnet.rice.edu (Douglas Foster McBride)
Subject: Re: Constellation (sp?)
Organization: Rice University
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 03:08:27 GMT

In article <1992Dec08.213045.23663@rchland.ibm.com> wills@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (William Schmidt) writes:
>In article <1992Dec8.185806.2721@qualcomm.com>, medwards@qualcom.qualcomm.com (Matt Edwards) writes:
>|> 
>|> What are the background voices saying?  The ones that are kinda 
>|> shouting in the background?  It seems to change all through the
>|> song.  Its not a sample IMHO because from time to time one of
>|> the 'shouties' is off the beat a bit.  
>
> I've always thought this was sampled from the beginning of the song.
> They kick it off with Flansburgh shouting, "One two three four" in the
> time-honored tradition.  The offbeat shouts thereafter are mostly, I
> believe, a sample of the "one" cut a little bit short at each end.
> They did the same thing with the other numbers, but they don't show up
> until the end; there they start mixing them around, missing the beat,
> etc.  Most of the time I think this is a lot of fun, although at other
> times I think it detracts from the song, which would have been just
> fine without it.

I believe this was done to give more of a feel for what a
constellation is.  It's not a continuous picture but is made up of
little dots; thus the little detached snippets.  If it is in fact the
counting from the beginning of the song (I need to relisten to it), it
could even be interpreted as a "connect the dots" thing.

Just thought it was interesting,
-- 
Doug McBride                                   mcbride@owlnet.rice.edu
	       He wants a shoehorn, the kind with teeth
   'Cause he knows there's no such thing.  -- They Might Be Giants
From: praxis@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Laura L Perkinson)
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
Subject: Re: Discography please
Date: 17 Dec 92 02:07:03 GMT
Organization: HAC - Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore


	OK....
	The alblums:
	They Might Be Giants
	Lincoln
	Flood
	Apollo 18
	Misc. T. Rex

	The CD singles (contain lotsa remixes + a few new tunes)
	Istanbul (Not Constaniople)
	I Palindrom I
	The Guitar
	and i think there are some for Birdhouse in Your Soul and
Don't Let's Start. I'm not sure and there may be other CD singles,
but the above 5 are the LP's.
	So, who else would pay big bucks for a live alblum comprised
solely of the "Stump the Band" songs? (TMBG does "Godzilla"!)
		Praxis
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
From: catbutt@nmt.edu (Matthew Goolsby)
Subject: Re: Which John Is Which???
Keywords: Golden Bear Park in Honolulu Wyoming
Organization: New Mexico Tech
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 16:43:16 GMT

In article <15DEC199220350610@zeus.tamu.edu> jgh2457@zeus.tamu.edu (HUBBLE, JEREMY GROBERG) writes:
>In article <1992Dec15.232812.2688@pellns.alleg.edu>, frisinv@alleg.edu writes...
>>This may sound stupid, but in all the years I have listened to TMBG, I  
>>have never figured out which one is which. Could someone email or post a  
>>physical description and set my mind at ease?
>> 
>>--
>>Vincent Frisina
>>Email: frisinv@alleg.edu
>
>Linell is the quiet skinny one with the eyes that always seem to be starting
>at you.
>
>Flansburgh is bigger and more gregarious.
>
>John L.'s voice is more 'nasal'y than John F.'s.
>
>John L. primarily plays accordian, while John F. switches to guitar and other
>instruments.
>
>Anyone have any better descriptions?
>
>
>
>Jeremy

Certainly!  Flansburg doesn't know what Golden Gate Park is and Linnel does.
I hope this clears up some of the mystery.

					Catbutt
From: fishbone@astro.ocis.temple.edu (Greg Fishbone)
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
Subject: Re: Top 5
Date: 18 Dec 92 09:52:36 GMT
Organization: Temple University
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]

There are at least 12 songs that I would put on my top 5 list if I
could...  I can't think of a way to eliminate any of them.  :D

James K. Polk
It's Not My Birthday
Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head
Rhythm Section Want Ad
The Guitar
Which Describes How You're Feeling (both versions)
Birdhouse in Your Soul
Dead
We Want a Rock
Hey, Mr. DJ, I Thought You Said We Had A Deal
Ana Ng
She's An Angel
--
fishbone@astro.ocis.temple.edu  | "I've got a tall pointy hat!  STATUS, boy!
Greg Fishbone                   |  You can argue with me, but you can't
                                |  argue with status!" --Elrod the Albin
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
From: christian@Turing.ORG (A Lleftist in Llove...)
Subject: Re: Top 5
Organization: Holy Church of the Llama
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 15:58:41 GMT

In article <BzA6Ht.K9u@rice.edu> adam@owlnet.rice.edu (Adam Justin Thornton) writes:
>5: Turn Around
>4: Ana Ng
>3: Birdhouse In Your Soul
>2: Kiss Me, Son of God
>1: I Palindrome I

Not bad.  I like:

	5:  Kiss me, Son of God
	4:  Put Your Hand Inside the Puppethead
	3:  Dig My Grave
	2:  Ana Ng
	1:  The best song in the entire universe, _COWTOWN._


Anyone who disagrees is a weenie, and wrong.

			Christian
-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|A new, improved, four-line .signature, conceived in an act of bandwidth       |
|conservation.  Christian@unh.edu, christian@turing.org  Flames expected.      |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
Subject: newsgroups
From: bcimmet@eagle.wesleyan.edu
Date: 19 Dec 92 01:28:38 EST
Organization: Wesleyan University

How can any top 5 list not include "Istanbul"? I understand personal
preferences... I just think it's one of the best songs of theirs. I know that
they didn't write it, but it's still incredible. Just expressing my opinion. Of
course, Flood is one of my favorite albums. Okay, I admit it. I think another
spectacular number is "Minimum Wage", also on Flood. Ha ha ha.

- Medford


Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
From: jsarna@vax.clarku.edu
Subject: idiots
Organization: Clark University
Date: 17 DEC 92 21:55:50 GMT

Does anyone from the NYC area have a tape of TMBG's radio
appearance on "Idiot's Delight" w/Vin Scelsa (92.3 FM)???

                -jeremy
From: prochnpd@cnsvax.uwec.edu
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg
Subject: Top 5
Date: 15 Dec 92 12:06:57 -0600
Organization: University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

I wish I had a top 5...  I only have apollo 18 and Flood... of those I can't
pick any favorites...  Can anyone point me in the right direction for more
CD's???  Please...  I'll be your friend....(not racist though... sorry...)

:)
Prochnpd@cnsvax.uwec.edu
Newsgroups: alt.music.tmbg