Reply To: TMBG
Why Does The Sun Shine? is actually my favorite TMGB song. I was very happy to hear them play it Sunday (though nowadays it’s become a much more distinct rock version than the original cover).
The issue may be that their most well known, addictive songs are not necessarily known for lyrical content (Istanbul, Not Constantinople and Particle Man being the obvious two), even though I do recommend them both for entertainment purposes. Particle Man in particular is actually very subversive in how clever it is (and a constant source of debate about what it means amongst casual fans).
If you’re looking for quality lyrical content to go with good music, some of the bigger hits I’d recommend are Ana Ng, Birdhouse In Your Soul, and Don’t Let’s Start (and as I look at It Might Be A Wiki, I’m not surprised to see them listed as the three most popular amongst fans). Doctor Worm is a concert jam favorite, and for a kid’s song, I like the structure of Alphabet Lost And Found (the only song featuring the drummer on vocals). Oh, and for recognition factor, there’s always Boss Of Me (the Malcolm in the Middle theme song).
Keep in mind that JoCo and TMBG are not the same kind of subversive. Jonathan takes geek topics and makes genuine statements about them. They Might Be Giants takes made up topics and makes geek statements about them. Compare The Presidents by JoCo to James K. Polk by TMBG and you’ll see what I mean. I’m not the huge fan of them as I once was, but being at the live show reminded me how enjoyable it is to crank them up and pogo in place for a while. 🙂