MeFi Music Collaboration: A Tribute to Flood! October 11, 2014 4:35 PM Subscribe
Just a brief heads-up to get more attention: Over at MeFi Music I've launched a project to cover They Might Be Giants' Flood in its entirety to celebrate the album's upcoming 25th anniversary. Three tracks are already spoken for, so hop on over if you want to get in on this! (Thanks to taz for approving this MetaTalk thread.)
I'm looking forward to what comes out of this. I'm only slightly embarrassed by the fact that, on a college theater trip, with a friend, we sang along to the entire album. We had a blast, though I feel some sympathy for the other people in the car that had to sit through it. It was a long road trip.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:50 PM on October 11, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by Ghidorah at 6:50 PM on October 11, 2014 [4 favorites]
Why is the world in love again? Why are we marching hand in hand?
posted by tomboko at 7:04 PM on October 11, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by tomboko at 7:04 PM on October 11, 2014 [5 favorites]
And then I clicked the link and saw that's exactly what it was titled. Doh. It just started playing in my head at the very mention of Flood.
posted by tomboko at 7:13 PM on October 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by tomboko at 7:13 PM on October 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
Next we should reinterpret the 5-20 second songs on fingertips from Apollo 18. I have to admit I was a little bummed when I looked up the track listing of flood, and it wasn't on there.
posted by umbú at 7:35 PM on October 11, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by umbú at 7:35 PM on October 11, 2014 [4 favorites]
Sorry, umbú. Wrong album.
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:53 PM on October 11, 2014
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:53 PM on October 11, 2014
Alas, Kiss Me, Son of God is from Lincoln.
That one gets belted out regularly 'round these parts. Often drunkenly.
posted by louche mustachio at 7:58 PM on October 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
That one gets belted out regularly 'round these parts. Often drunkenly.
posted by louche mustachio at 7:58 PM on October 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
I saw the title and thought something had happened to Flood! Happy to hear that is not the case. I'll see if anything would sound good on amateur ukulele.
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 8:55 PM on October 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 8:55 PM on October 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
The line is "glass of bourbon" and not "last Suburban"? That makes a lot more sense, but damn, how many times have I listened to that album and gotten that wrong?
I so wish I could participate in this, but I have zero musical talent.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:33 AM on October 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
I so wish I could participate in this, but I have zero musical talent.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:33 AM on October 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
Yes, umbú! I couldn't handle an entire song, but I'd sign up to cover one segment of Fingertips. maybe next month?
posted by moonmilk at 6:51 AM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by moonmilk at 6:51 AM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
This is one of those albums I could get carried away on. Exciting.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:38 AM on October 12, 2014 [7 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:38 AM on October 12, 2014 [7 favorites]
That one gets belted out regularly 'round these parts. Often drunkenly.
As soon as I saw this post I started trying to come up with a MF version of it. I'm not sure if it should start out "mat built a little website" or more personal, something like "I built a front page post".
posted by curious nu at 10:51 AM on October 12, 2014
As soon as I saw this post I started trying to come up with a MF version of it. I'm not sure if it should start out "mat built a little website" or more personal, something like "I built a front page post".
posted by curious nu at 10:51 AM on October 12, 2014
Excellent. I always wanted to have a TMBG cover band so I could name it Jason And His Screaming Argonauts.
posted by mbrubeck at 11:39 AM on October 12, 2014 [7 favorites]
posted by mbrubeck at 11:39 AM on October 12, 2014 [7 favorites]
This is the greatest idea in the history of mankind. Godspeed.
posted by ColdChef at 1:49 PM on October 12, 2014 [9 favorites]
posted by ColdChef at 1:49 PM on October 12, 2014 [9 favorites]
I love this album even more bc the designer lifted the logo of my union, IATSE.
posted by nevercalm at 3:15 PM on October 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by nevercalm at 3:15 PM on October 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
Is this something where we'll be able to buy the finished product? Because I'll buy the shit outta this.
posted by triggerfinger at 4:04 PM on October 12, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by triggerfinger at 4:04 PM on October 12, 2014 [3 favorites]
I'd expected it would be a free download, unless we wanted to try to raise money for charity or something like that.
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:55 PM on October 12, 2014
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:55 PM on October 12, 2014
If any money is raised, I hope it goes to pay the contributing artists. They should at least earn ♫ MINUMUM WAGE! (heeeya!) ♫
posted by Panjandrum at 6:38 AM on October 13, 2014 [15 favorites]
posted by Panjandrum at 6:38 AM on October 13, 2014 [15 favorites]
Like you always have a soft spot for your first love, I suspect I will always have a soft spot for Flood. Really looking forward to this.
posted by Rock Steady at 6:58 AM on October 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Rock Steady at 6:58 AM on October 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Look out for roaming, drunken Triangle Men with chips on their sloping shoulders.
posted by JHarris at 7:30 AM on October 13, 2014
posted by JHarris at 7:30 AM on October 13, 2014
I'm looking forward to what comes out of this. I'm only slightly embarrassed by the fact that, on a college theater trip, with a friend, we sang along to the entire album. We had a blast, though I feel some sympathy for the other people in the car that had to sit through it. It was a long road trip.
I won't assume this was a common shared experience (either as the singer or the captive audience) for everyone close to my age, but you are certainly not alone.
This summer I pulled "Flood" up for a trapped-in-traffic moment after not hearing it for probably 15 years and realized I still know all the words. Like all of them confidently without question as if they were being projected onto the dashboard in front of me. It was fascinating though it shouldn't have been that surprising.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:59 PM on October 13, 2014 [5 favorites]
I won't assume this was a common shared experience (either as the singer or the captive audience) for everyone close to my age, but you are certainly not alone.
This summer I pulled "Flood" up for a trapped-in-traffic moment after not hearing it for probably 15 years and realized I still know all the words. Like all of them confidently without question as if they were being projected onto the dashboard in front of me. It was fascinating though it shouldn't have been that surprising.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:59 PM on October 13, 2014 [5 favorites]
This is a great idea. But now I've got "Where Your Eyes Don't Go" stuck in my head and that's not even on Flood.
posted by Bookhouse at 4:03 PM on October 13, 2014
posted by Bookhouse at 4:03 PM on October 13, 2014
Hey, if anybody wants to cover TMBG songs that aren't on Flood, I'm all for it.
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:11 PM on October 13, 2014
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:11 PM on October 13, 2014
I am going to listen to these with all of my ears!!
posted by aubilenon at 4:42 PM on October 13, 2014
posted by aubilenon at 4:42 PM on October 13, 2014
Why *were* the ocean levels rising up?
posted by unknowncommand at 7:58 PM on October 13, 2014
posted by unknowncommand at 7:58 PM on October 13, 2014
Cleaner, but with a unique smell.
posted by fleacircus at 2:23 AM on October 14, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by fleacircus at 2:23 AM on October 14, 2014 [2 favorites]
fleacircus is not prepared to have a good time. fleacircus stands alone. Away from the crowd. fleacircus is your kind of kitten.
posted by SpiffyRob at 5:12 AM on October 14, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by SpiffyRob at 5:12 AM on October 14, 2014 [3 favorites]
I saw TMBG last year for the first time in a very long time (this is Melbourne) and their set list was playing Flood in reverse. It was great! And then they played a few other songs for the encore.
posted by wilful at 5:18 PM on October 14, 2014
posted by wilful at 5:18 PM on October 14, 2014
On the topic of TMBG, I just want to point out: if you have young kids, do yourself a favor and pick them up Here Come The ABCs, Here Come The 123s, and No!. It's the least grating kids music you'll ever have to listen to because your five-year-old has been playing it on loop in the car for days.
posted by Itaxpica at 6:21 AM on October 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by Itaxpica at 6:21 AM on October 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
My daughter is now well past kids' music age, but there are still a bunch of songs from No! that I keep in my regular playlists.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:43 AM on October 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Rock Steady at 7:43 AM on October 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Hey, just got a promotional email from the band, they're bringing Dial-A-Song back as a website.
posted by JHarris at 12:18 PM on October 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by JHarris at 12:18 PM on October 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
Actually, yeah, I take back what I said: if you have ears, pick up Here Come The ABCs, Here Come The 123s, and No! because they're all excellent. Especially No!
posted by Itaxpica at 9:34 PM on October 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Itaxpica at 9:34 PM on October 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
It's interesting to me that Your Racist Friend is slow to be claimed.
When the album has come up in conversations in the past, I've generally found people to be quick to point to that song as a highlight of the album. But I always found the song mean-spirited, and out-of-step with the rest of the album.
It's long-been a skippable track, since the days when we listened to it on tape: "Quick, get me to Particle Man before I lose the contact-high of Dead."
posted by paleyellowwithorange at 8:49 AM on October 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
When the album has come up in conversations in the past, I've generally found people to be quick to point to that song as a highlight of the album. But I always found the song mean-spirited, and out-of-step with the rest of the album.
It's long-been a skippable track, since the days when we listened to it on tape: "Quick, get me to Particle Man before I lose the contact-high of Dead."
posted by paleyellowwithorange at 8:49 AM on October 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
Out of curiosity, how does it come across as mean-spirited? I've always read it as a declaration that life's too short to deal with bigots.
posted by SpiffyRob at 12:56 PM on October 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by SpiffyRob at 12:56 PM on October 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
Maybe it's just that I don't like confrontation? The lyric seems like an unnecessarily-heavy-handed way of addressing a problem - as if the singer is going out of his way to make the situation even more uncomfortable. I don't know; that may a valid way of handling a bigot for some people, but it turns me off, and it also seems out-of-character within the context of the rest of the album.
posted by paleyellowwithorange at 3:07 PM on October 16, 2014
posted by paleyellowwithorange at 3:07 PM on October 16, 2014
So since the "kids" albums were mentioned: "No!" and "Here Come the ABC's" in particular were huge with my kids back in the day.
Last summer on one particularly hot and humid night up at my parents place on the lake (where all the cousins are crammed into bunkbeds in a tiny little unventilated room), way too late for them to still be awake, I heard the beginning sounds of singing and grabbed the portable mic rig and stuck it through the door in time to hear my kids trying to reconstruct the TMBG songs of their youth.
posted by chococat at 11:22 PM on October 20, 2014 [3 favorites]
Last summer on one particularly hot and humid night up at my parents place on the lake (where all the cousins are crammed into bunkbeds in a tiny little unventilated room), way too late for them to still be awake, I heard the beginning sounds of singing and grabbed the portable mic rig and stuck it through the door in time to hear my kids trying to reconstruct the TMBG songs of their youth.
posted by chococat at 11:22 PM on October 20, 2014 [3 favorites]
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