Errors-To: owner-tmbg-digest@tmbg.org Reply-To: tmbg-digest@tmbg.org Sender: owner-tmbg-digest@tmbg.org Precedence: bulk From: owner-tmbg-digest@tmbg.org To: tmbg-digest@tmbg.org Subject: tmbg-list Digest #3-9 tmbg-list Digest, Volume 3, Number 9 Friday, 10 January 1997 Today's Topics: Re: TMBG: We're tiny, We're toony. TMBG: Chords! Chords! Chords! TMBG: -No Subject- Re: TMBG: Chords! Chords! Chords! TMBG: Hotel Detective TMBG: Hello '96 Re: TMBG: -No Subject- Re: TMBG: -No Subject- TMBG: review, toons, hotel detective, Counting Crows Re: TMBG: -No Subject- Re: TMBG: -No Subject- TMBG: "Then" CDs TMBG: Ypsilanti show Re: TMBG: -No Subject- TMBG: Who sings like a grrl? TMBG: sped up TMBG: She Was A Hotel Detective. TMBG: mtv; swahd/(swa)hd TMBG: One More Polk Re: TMBG: One More Polk Re: TMBG: -No Subject- RE: TMBG: One More Polk Re: TMBG: One More Polk TMBG: Polk again! Re: TMBG: Polk again! TMBG: 41 Pres. Re: TMBG: Polk again! Re: TMBG: Polk again! Re: TMBG: One More Polk Administrivia: If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing send mail to tmbg-digest-request@tmbg.org for instructions on how to be automatically removed. --------------------------------------------------------------------- The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 8 Jan 1997 23:29:16 -0800 (PST) From: "'Honey Bunny' N Olson" Subject: Re: TMBG: We're tiny, We're toony. Message-ID: On Thu, 9 Jan 1997 GuavaBoy9@aol.com wrote: > Also, what is the difference between She Was a Hotel Detective and (She Was > a) Hotel Detective. The songs are totally different, and there are the > parenthesis, but why? Can anyone explain this? Now she's better connected and doesn't need the parenthesis. She found an easier way. Yeah, that's it. I prefer the nonparenthetical version m'self. -Lani O:) lanio@u.washington.edu _______________________________________________________________ Satan sucks But you're the best Holy smokes You pass the test When I'm with you I feel blessed My chinchilla -cub --------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 09:01:36 -0500 Message-Id: <9701091401.AA29159@notesgw1.cc.bellcore.com> From: "Erik J. Chuss" Subject: TMBG: Chords! Chords! Chords! I checked out the test chords layout. The new one isn't too bad. I'm not sure of a solution to this problem. Maybe finding out what format OLGA uses (ASCII, I believe) and use that until something better comes along. I absolutely agree that the chords should be included in the second/third/etc. verse and chorus. For the few minutes it takes to do this it saves a great deal of frustration when sitting down to play it. Lawrence Solomon stated that lyrics should not be included. Huh? I TOTALLY disagree with this! I'm not sure how you would indicate timing by not including lyrics unless you use TAB and even then it doesn't make sense. Again, it makes it less frustrating when sitting down to first play the song. Well, that's my 32 cents added to the pot. What does that put it up to, $12.32? Erik Chuss "Fogging the view cupping face to the window in darkness you make out a spiralling shape." ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 09:09:40 -0500 Message-Id: <9701091409.AA29618@notesgw1.cc.bellcore.com> From: "Erik J. Chuss" Subject: TMBG: -No Subject- >From: GuavaBoy9@aol.com >Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 02:01:39 -0500 (EST) >Message-ID: <970108232611_1991274317@emout10.mail.aol.com> >Subject: TMBG: We're tiny, We're toony. > >Also, what is the difference between She Was a Hotel Detective and (She Was >a) Hotel Detective. The songs are totally different, and there are the >parenthesis, but why? Can anyone explain this? >Guava Boy9 Yes, the first ("(She Was A) Hotel Detective - the one with the "harsh" chords) is off the "They Might Be Giants" CD. I've always intepreted it as being about an over zealous rent-a-cop that worked at a hotel THEY were staying at. The second ("She Was A Hotel Detective - the one with JL "singing" falsetto) is off the Back To Skull EP. I believe the John's have confirmed that it is a follow-up to the first one. This song was sung by JF at a few concerts (I saw him sing it at last years new years eve show in Philly - it was great!) and supposedly people asked him how he could sing "like a girl" when performing this song. This spawned the song "How Can I Sing Like Girl" which is found on Factory Showroom. I hope this helps. Erik Chuss "...and not be stigmatized by the rest of the world" ------------------------------ Message-ID: Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 10:01:24 -0500 (EST) From: Lawrence P Solomon Subject: Re: TMBG: Chords! Chords! Chords! Excerpts from internet.music.tmbg: 9-Jan-97 TMBG: Chords! Chords! Chords! by "Erik J. Chuss"@notes.cc > when sitting down to play it. Lawrence Solomon stated that lyrics should not b > e > included. Huh? I TOTALLY disagree with this! I'm not sure how you would > indicate timing by not including lyrics unless you use TAB and even then it > doesn't make sense. Again, it makes it less frustrating when sitting down to > first play the song. Well, include the lyrics of the first verse and refrain for alignment purposes, but there is no reason to include the rest of the lyrics - we *do* know the words, don't we? I wouldn't expect anyone who isn't a huge fan to be interested in playing their songs, and anyone who is a huge fan is likely to know the words, right? I just recently modified some of the chord files I have and removed the words so they take up less space on a printed page - yes, I was trying to consolidate. And, for the most part, it works, because I've heard the songs so many times that it makes sense a certain way - not to mention that some chords sound better with certain notes in the vocal part... ------------------------------ From: mjames@envy.loyola.edu (Matthew James) Message-Id: <9701091541.AA04050@envy.loyola.edu> Subject: TMBG: Hotel Detective Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 10:41:57 -0500 (EST) > Also, what is the difference between She Was a Hotel Detective and (She Was > a) Hotel Detective. The songs are totally different, and there are the > parenthesis, but why? Can anyone explain this? She Was a Hotel Detective is a continuation of (She Was a) Hotel Detective as the line goes: She was a hotel detective, but now she's gotten promoted. She's moving up in the world, baby! Maybe the original, (She Was a) Hotel Detective is alluding to the new She was a Discodetectve. The parentheses could be a hint to the fact that she might not be a hotel detective for long, but we're not really sure. Discodetective makes it clear she is one no longer. Any other thoughts? Matt -- Member of the ARM since '96 (let's give 'em hell) * ------------------------------------------------------------------- Matt James polk@tmbg.org Matt.James.K.Polk@tmbg.org mjames@envy.loyola.edu Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America "Cracking toast, Gromit!" New, Official Bruce Campbell Gazette page: http://www.bcgazette.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 12:48:07 -0600 (CST) From: Mike Schaefer Subject: TMBG: Hello '96 Message-ID: This info came into my Mono Puff box on AOL, thought y'all might be interested. --------------------- Forwarded message: Subj: Re: What happened to 1996? Date: 97-01-09 00:39:36 EST From: Hello Club To: Mono Puff Hello! Sory for the delay :-( CDs 6 and 7 are going out this week and next and the rest (as well as the MONO PUFF Libretto) will follow into early 1997. As of now, we have not come to a decision about when the 1997 set will appear. Thank you for your interest and understanding! -----Operator Bob ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.32.19970109153054.006ef4c8@popmail.voicenet.com> Date: Thu, 09 Jan 1997 15:30:58 -0500 From: Jeff Morrow Subject: Re: TMBG: -No Subject- >The second ("She Was A Hotel Detective - the one with JL "singing" falsetto) is Actually, it's John Flansburgh, and amazingly he's not falsettoing, but they actually sped up his voice. =================================-----Jeff-Morrow-----====================== ============ jmorow@voicenet.com They Might Be Bootlegs @ http://www.voicenet.com/~jmorrow/tmbg/boot.html ============================================================================ ============ ------------------------------ From: Matthew Coon Message-Id: <199701092157.QAA00358@omni.cc.purdue.edu> Subject: Re: TMBG: -No Subject- Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 16:57:08 -0500 (EST) Jeff Morrow writes: > > >The second ("She Was A Hotel Detective - the one with JL "singing" > falsetto) is > > Actually, it's John Flansburgh, and amazingly he's not falsettoing, but > they actually sped up his voice. > > Hmm... can you cite any sources to back this up?? m@t ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 09 Jan 1997 17:18:10 -0500 From: Mismirilda Message-ID: <32D56EA2.44FE@erols.com> Organization: EROL'S Subject: TMBG: review, toons, hotel detective, Counting Crows Det. Dave wrote: > This review of FS is from Focus Magazine, a local music scene mag here in Tampa, Florida: > Linnel wonders aloud on track 3 "Why can't I sing like a girl/and not >be stigmatized by the rest of the world?" Ah, They Might Be Giants, so I know it's annoying when people complain about reviews, but I just have to say this. If you're going to write a review, get your facts straight!! Imagine, screwing up the lyrics (totally screwing the entire meaning) and the John all in the same sentence.... and did he actually misspell 'LinneLL' too?!! Okay, I'm calm again. About the Snail Shell single version Hotel Detective, that high part is Flans? I was told it was Linnell speeded up. I love the part in the Tiny Toons video when they Plucky and Hampton imitate the Johns! Wouldn't the real Linnell look interesting with green feathers for hair ;) The Counting Crows video Linnellgirl mentioned... was it Long December? Just wondering, as I havn't seent it myself. -Mismirilda ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.32.19970109174033.006f11dc@popmail.voicenet.com> Date: Thu, 09 Jan 1997 17:41:02 -0500 From: Jeff Morrow Subject: Re: TMBG: -No Subject- >Hmm... can you cite any sources to back this up?? From Elektra's page: 3. How Can I Sing Like A Girl? This song is as much about freedom of expression as it is about how to sing high. It's title was inspired by part of TMBG's live show where Flansburgh had to sing in a falsetto to reproduce the sound of a sped-up vocal from a recording called "She Was A Hotel Detective.." And so the idea of having "the right to sing like a girl on demand" was born. Also from the 3/28/96 Mercury Lounge Show Flans sings it and Linnell comments, "Hey, it takes a brave man to sing like a girl." Also, listen to the voice. It is definitely Flans. =================================-----Jeff-Morrow-----====================== ============ jmorow@voicenet.com They Might Be Bootlegs @ http://www.voicenet.com/~jmorrow/tmbg/boot.html ============================================================================ ============ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 09 Jan 1997 17:02:10 -0600 (CST) From: Juliet Subject: Re: TMBG: -No Subject- Message-id: > > >The second ("She Was A Hotel Detective - the one with JL "singing" > > falsetto) is > > > > Actually, it's John Flansburgh, and amazingly he's not falsettoing, but > > they actually sped up his voice. I have a newsletter that says that On "Hotel Detective" it's John Linnell singing with his voice sped up. John Flansburgh sings it in concert, though, and he does sing it in falsetto. =) Just had to add. =) Everyone's Favorite Supreme High Empress, Helen =) * ----------------------------------------------------- Miss Helen Joan Chipman "Love me, love me- say that you love me. uhjchipman@latte.memphis.edu Need me, need me- just say that you need me. I don't care about anything but you." Sigma Kappa, Beta Xi chapter Alan Rutter's Girlfriend -From the soundtrack of "Romeo and Juliet" ************************************* http://www.people.memphis.edu/~uhjchipman ------------------------------ Message-Id: <199701092317.SAA28646@ussodyssey.ufp.org> Date: Thu, 9 Jan 97 18:19:29 EDT From: "Pooh Head Bucket?" Subject: TMBG: "Then" CDs I just read an interview/sneak peek of THEN in ICE magazine (it's a collector's CD mag type deal, kinda even a newsletter...) and Flans mentioned doing a slight remix on Lincoln and pink, to soften them up a little. Does this scare the bejeezus outta anyone else? The reason I love those 2 so much is because of that crunchy, guitar/accordian/drum machine timbre... I think they tower over the "band" albums for fun and quirkiness. Oh well... I'll spend the $25 just to hear "Mainstream USA" outside the DAS tape... they look out for number two, tom. Tom Soriano * sorianot@alpha.montclair.edu * ------------------------------------------ "It's a typical day on the road to Utopia" (info club #2424, in case anyone cares :-) ------------------------------ Message-ID: <32D57CD9.2149@wwnet.com> Date: Thu, 09 Jan 1997 18:18:49 -0500 From: dstange Subject: TMBG: Ypsilanti show [Unknown MIME type or encoding, contents not processed] ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.32.19970109182444.006f30f4@popmail.voicenet.com> Date: Thu, 09 Jan 1997 18:24:49 -0500 From: Jeff Morrow Subject: Re: TMBG: -No Subject- >I have a newsletter that says that On "Hotel Detective" it's John Linnell >singing with his voice sped up. John Flansburgh sings it in concert, >though, and he does sing it in falsetto. =) Really? Oh, well. We all make mistakes. D'oh! =================================-----Jeff-Morrow-----====================== ============ jmorow@voicenet.com They Might Be Bootlegs @ http://www.voicenet.com/~jmorrow/tmbg/boot.html ============================================================================ ============ ------------------------------ Message-Id: <32d5871d1fa6002@gold.tc.umn.edu> Subject: TMBG: Who sings like a grrl? Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 18:02:37 -0600 (CST) From: Chris Bongaarts I've consistently maintained that one John sings one falsetto chorus, and the other sings the other. I don't remember the order offhand, but I've posted it before. Confusion on the part of interviewers and newsletter writers could thus be expected. %% Chris Bongaarts %% Chris.Bongaarts-1@umn.edu %% http://umn.edu/~cab %% U of Minnesota %% CBongo on EFnet IRC (#umn) %% Stop Plate Tectonics! ------------------------------ From: mjames@greed.loyola.edu (Matthew James) Message-Id: <9701100104.AA18254@greed.loyola.edu> Subject: TMBG: sped up Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 20:04:42 -0500 (EST) Well, I don't know if the song She Was a Discodetective was sped up or not in the studio but Flansburgh sings it in concert. I saw this once or twice and he did the nice falsetto thing, it was great! Matt -- Member of the ARM since '96 (let's give 'em hell) * ------------------------------------------------------------------- Matt James polk@tmbg.org Matt.James.K.Polk@tmbg.org mjames@envy.loyola.edu Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America "Cracking toast, Gromit!" New, Official Bruce Campbell Gazette page: http://www.bcgazette.com ------------------------------ Message-Id: <3.0.32.19970109202527.006969e4@popd.ix.netcom.com> Date: Thu, 09 Jan 1997 20:25:31 -0500 From: Evan Chakroff Subject: TMBG: She Was A Hotel Detective. John sings the high part. John sings the other part. It's not hard to figure out... Duh! (To stop myself from sounding like a bad 80s movie I'll say that I heard that JF sings the falsetto (which was sped up) and JL sings the rest. Oh yeah, that's 'bad' as in 'bad', not 'bad' as in 'good') -- Evan Chakroff The Internet Mystery Spot http://spot.home.ml.org This Statement Is False ------------------------------ From: KdsInThHal@aol.com Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 21:00:25 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <970109210025_1890770573@emout20.mail.aol.com> Subject: TMBG: mtv; swahd/(swa)hd > MTV on mute?????? > What's the point???? Listening to the radio. >Also, what is the difference between She Was a Hotel >Detective and (She Was a) Hotel Detective. The songs are >totally different, and there are the parenthesis, but why? >Can anyone explain this? They're TMBG, and They can do this. :) sarah linnellgirl@tmbg.org http://members.aol.com/kdsinthhal ------------------------------ Message-Id: <199701100248.VAA20053@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 21:36:05 -0500 From: gonk@valley.net (Robert Grabill) Subject: TMBG: One More Polk From suddenly susan: "How many presidents have there been?" "41" "good, and of all the first wives, who would you like to James J. Polk the most, if you know what I mean?" Conclusion: NBC has tie-in with JKP. Not TMBG. But third rock does have tmbg fans. Now my tree is gone, and only this remains. But I got a new quote! Rob Grabill X X gonk@valley.net ^ http://www.geocities.com/Paris/1941/ |||||||||| "Yo! Rumpsfield, what are you doing with the gun dude?" "Shut up and paint your goddam house!" ------------------------------ Message-Id: <199701100257.VAA21998@nfs1.jvnc.net> From: "Harlan Landes" Subject: Re: TMBG: One More Polk Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 21:57:33 -0500 > >From suddenly susan: > > "How many presidents have there been?" > "41" > "good, and of all the first wives, who would you like to James J. Polk the > most, if you know what I mean?" > > Conclusion: NBC has tie-in with JKP. Not TMBG. But third rock does have > tmbg fans. Hey, I was watching that. Weird, this whole real-time mail stuff... You think it'll catch on? Actually you can relate the show to TMBG thusly: Susan had a large nose, someone said something about a "toucan" ---> Precious and few are the moments that we "toucan" share ---> Precious and few are the moments that you and your own worst enemy share. So there you go. Another pointless message brought to you by ... umm... hm. ------------------------------ Message-ID: Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 22:31:53 -0500 (EST) From: Lawrence P Solomon Subject: Re: TMBG: -No Subject- Excerpts from internet.music.tmbg: 9-Jan-97 Re: TMBG: -No Subject- by Matthew Coon@omni.cc.pur > Hmm... can you cite any sources to back this up?? I doubt he can, since it's not entirely true. It's Linnell's voice sped up. I read that in some interview a while back... I forget which one. Check the web pages for it. I'm pretty sure that's where I saw it. ------------------------------ Message-ID: From: "Maria, Nick" Subject: RE: TMBG: One More Polk Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 14:16:50 +1100 Six Degrees of TMBGiantism. How wonderfully obscure!! >---------- >From: Harlan Landes[SMTP:spike@udel.edu] >Sent: Friday, 10 January, 1997 10:57 AM >To: tmbg-list@tmbg.com >Subject: Re: TMBG: One More Polk > >> >From suddenly susan: >> >> "How many presidents have there been?" >> "41" >> "good, and of all the first wives, who would you like to James J. Polk >the >> most, if you know what I mean?" >> >> Conclusion: NBC has tie-in with JKP. Not TMBG. But third rock does have >> tmbg fans. > >Hey, I was watching that. Weird, this whole real-time mail stuff... You >think it'll catch on? > >Actually you can relate the show to TMBG thusly: > >Susan had a large nose, someone said something about a "toucan" > >---> > >Precious and few are the moments that we "toucan" share > >---> > >Precious and few are the moments that you and your own worst enemy share. > >So there you go. > >Another pointless message brought to you by ... umm... hm. > ------------------------------ From: mattm@mixcom.com Message-ID: <32D5C10A.544B@mixcom.com> Date: Thu, 09 Jan 1997 22:09:46 -0600 Subject: Re: TMBG: One More Polk Robert Grabill wrote: > > >From suddenly susan: > > "How many presidents have there been?" > > "41" > > "good, and of all the first wives, who would you like to James J. Polk the > most, if you know what I mean?" > > Conclusion: NBC has tie-in with JKP. Not TMBG. But third rock does have > tmbg fans. you caught that but tou missed when she said "so your saying I don;t have a snowball's chance in hell?" coincidence? maybe or maybe someone over at SSusan is reading this list (shifty eye movements) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 23:32:25 -0500 (EST) From: Dan Lee Subject: TMBG: Polk again! Message-ID: Well, I was sitting in my room, and out in our common room, I hear James K. Polk's name come from the TV. So I rushed outside and saw that it was some show called Suddenly Susan. I apologize if someone already noted this, and even more so if this was a repeat. So it's pretty much concluded that NBC has some connection with Polk (though prob not with They). Has anyone noticed whether all these NBC references say "James K. Polk" as opposed to "James Polk"? Is there some reason why they always use his initial? It's somewhat unusual. * ------------------------------------ Dan Lee dalee@fas.harvard.edu a018205t@bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us 3-3724 Pennypacker 36 "No one in the world ever gets what they want and that is beautiful. Everybody dies frustrated and sad and that is beautiful." --TMBG ------------------------------ From: "Tim Clark" Subject: Re: TMBG: Polk again! Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 23:48:49 -0500 Message-Id: <199701100456.4230000@rma.edu> I wonder if the producers of Suddenly Susan messed up on the number of presidents on purpose??? ------------------------------ From: "Tim Clark" Subject: TMBG: 41 Pres. Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 00:00:33 -0500 Message-Id: <199701100459.4230300@rma.edu> I have decided that Suddenly Susan producers are RIGHT!!! There have only been 41 presidents because Cleveland (?) was elected TWICE but NOT consecutively and so even though Clinton is called the 42nd president he is only the 41st person to hold in...hmm...I think thats weird... --Tim Clark Come visit The Graveyard:http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5724 ------------------------------ Message-ID: Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 00:15:54 -0500 (EST) From: Lawrence P Solomon Subject: Re: TMBG: Polk again! Excerpts from internet.music.tmbg: 9-Jan-97 TMBG: Polk again! by Dan Lee@husc.harvard.edu > Has anyone noticed whether all these NBC references say "James K. Polk" as > opposed to "James Polk"? Is there some reason why they always use his > initial? It's somewhat unusual. James Polk just doesn't sound right... especially after hearing the TMBG song. :) For some reason I was discussing bad and ineffective presidents with my parents today, and they brought up Polk... of course, I was able to cite all the stuff he did that made him not a bad or ineffective president... I almost ran to get my accordion and play the song for them, but I decided that would have been a Bad Idea. ------------------------------ Message-Id: <199701100536.AAA23386@nfs1.jvnc.net> From: "Harlan Landes" Subject: Re: TMBG: Polk again! Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 00:36:35 -0500 > James Polk just doesn't sound right... especially after hearing the TMBG > song. :) For some reason I was discussing bad and ineffective > presidents with my parents today, and they brought up Polk... of course, > I was able to cite all the stuff he did that made him not a bad or > ineffective president... I almost ran to get my accordion and play the > song for them, but I decided that would have been a Bad Idea. At least you have an accordion... I don't even have my own keyboard. Well, I don't have a decent keyboard anyway. I wonder if someday, some band will write a song commemorating Ronald Reagan... hmmm..... ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 00:44:42 -0500 (EST) From: That rascal Eric Webber Subject: Re: TMBG: One More Polk Message-ID: On Thu, 9 Jan 1997 mattm@mixcom.com wrote: > > Conclusion: NBC has tie-in with JKP. Not TMBG. But third rock does have > > tmbg fans. > > you caught that but tou missed when she said "so your saying I don;t > have a snowball's chance in hell?" > coincidence? YES!!! Yes, it's a coincidence. That's what coincidence means! I'll tell you what the tie-in is between these two 'coincidences'. One is a former President of the United States and one is a commonly used saying. The writers of these shows didn't get them from TMBG they got them from the same place TMBG got them. I'm sure if you look at shows, movies, whatever from before TMBG existed you'll find plenty of references to these things. I love TMBG as much as the next die-hard fan but I don't think They are the inspiration for everyone writing stupid shows at NBC. It would be cool if They were, but They're not. Take it easy, Wubba - who is feeling grumpy cause school started again four days ago here at Pitt and I've already got a project due next Tuesday!8-[ * ------------------------------------------------------------------ |Eric Webber- | "We intend to offend and alarm | |erwst9+@pitt.edu | and annoy" -The Penis Wolves | |wubba@tmbg.org | "Maturity is a high price to pay| |http://www.pitt.edu/~erwst9 | for growing up" -Tom Stoppard| * ------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ End of tmbg-list Digest #3-9 ****************************