They Might Be Giants on DeBaser: short songs, long laughs

The Profile

They Might Be Giants are an American alternative rock duo formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell in Brooklyn, New York. Known for witty, eclectic songs that fuse pop hooks with absurdist humor, they broke through with Flood (1990) and signature tracks like Birdhouse in Your Soul and Istanbul (Not Constantinople). They also composed the TV theme Boss of Me and have continued releasing albums for adults and children.

Members: John Flansburgh (guitar) and John Linnell (accordion, keyboards, saxophone); formed in 1982 in Brooklyn, New York; American. Signature songs include “Birdhouse in Your Soul,” “Istanbul (Not Constantinople),” “Don’t Let’s Start,” “Particle Man,” and “Boss of Me.” Notable albums: They Might Be Giants (1986), Lincoln (1988), Flood (1990), Apollo 18 (1992), John Henry (1994), Factory Showroom (1996).

Four reviews chart They Might Be Giants’ eccentric pop: sharp satire, short songs, and encyclopedic genre-hopping. Flood and the self-titled debut get strong praise; A User’s Guide is treated as an effective primer. One newer album (I Like Fun) draws mixed reactions for inspiration levels. Throughout, the duo’s humor, intelligence, and Brooklyn-bred weird-pop identity are foregrounded.

Notable Quotes

❝ Intelligence disguised as idiocy is perhaps the best quality of the Giants, unrecognized giants of pop music as well as its negation, jesters of an all-encompassing musical cauldron, devoured by decades of record production and media serializations.

❝ Heirs of Zappa’s parody style, at least in their early works, and the pastiches of the Residents, but as much as they were devoted to avant-garde, TMBG are children of the most commercial and consumable Pop.

❝ A Sonic Abstraction that fascinates despite its (apparent) simplicity and an experience to savor after consulting the lyrics so as not to miss the “Elegant Sarcasm” of the two.