Quotation from the TMBG FAQ, maintained by John Relph <relph@engr.sgi.com>.

14.b) What is the backwards message in "Which Describes How You're Feeling"?

Andrew Weiskopf <ST891425@pip.cc.brandeis.edu> writes:

In the song "Which Describes How You're Feeling," there is a passage which has been cleverly recorded backwards. Our research staff has decoded the secret message in the song: and now, you will be the first to know these all-too-powerful words of wisdom....

It is as follows:

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS WANTED TO INCLUDE A VERSE ABOUT THE SUFFERING PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, BUT WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHERE TO PUT IT INTO THE SONG.

Note: This message only appears on the DEMO version of "Which Describes How You're Feeling".

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Quoth Mr. Hall <cowgods@teleport.com>:

Well, maybe I'm just dumb, or I get caught up in the music, but the song Which Describes How you're Feeling at the Time, always seems to thoroughly confuse me.

Then I thought, 'Hey, maybe that's the point!'

My best friend Ben is always talking. He likes to talk about himself; he's always analyzing himself, what he does that's odd, how he's different, same, etc., what he wishes he could do. He goes on and on so much, that by the time he's done, I've gained no further knowledge about Ben, and he's managed to say barely anything coherent.

Which leads me to the song. It goes on a continuous stream of thought, until the conclusion it reaches has nothing to do with where he started, yet he wraps it up with 'Which describes how you're feeling at the time.' He seems to know what he's talking about, but no one else does.

Or, maybe it's a mock of psychiatrists/therapists (I don't know the difference). Trying to analytically describe what's going on in your head.. and you have no idea what they're up to. But maybe not.

Quoth John Relph <relph@mando.engr.sgi.com>:

It seems to me that however this person is feeling all the time is an emotion that rhymes with "overseas".

She says she's feeling fine, but it really doesn't rhyme with "overseas". Maybe displeased?

Quoth Charles Wheeler <cwheeler@po.pacific.net.sg>:

I'm sorry, but despite the number of times I listenened to this album, I never even noticed this song existed. I only noticed when looked over the lyrics. I think perhaps that is part of the point of this song. This might be intended to be a subtle song that avoids notice.

Giantisms:

• The parts which don't rhyme are the ones with the phrase "it didn't rhyme."