They Might Be Giants - They'll Need a Crane (Letterman - HQ 60fps)

February 1, 1989. Network TV debut. Encoded in HD to retain frame rate, also FIRST GEN HIFI RECORDING BABYYYYYYY

[@rattyeely]

A real good live performance from the Lincoln era. Flansburgh is jumping around like crazy, very punk.

[@SuperJNG18]

The common thread of TMBG late-night appearances, at home or abroad, is how much the resident band of each show enjoys playing with them.

[@BlueEmulsion]

THE LOVE OF LAD 🗣🔥 THE LOVE OF LAD 🗣🔥

[@cillobillo1059]

What an amazing preformance from the ever rocking probable giants. It’s very strange seeing them with a live band this early on!

[@Synthysynthsynth]

I believe those are members of the in-house band backing them.

[@grendlsma]

@@Synthysynthsynth It's the World's Most Dangerous Band.....also known as Paul Schaefer and the CBS Orchestra.

[@jr4915]

So thankful that Letterman and Conan brought them on year after year after year.

[@TheMightyMcClaw]

The most underrated aspect of TMBG is how unbelievably, hauntingly attractive young John Linnell was.

[@stanley-allen]

So flabbergastingly incredible. Gee, our old LaSalle ran great.

[@ssabykoops]

Bass lines in TMBG music are so awesome

[@onett64]

they always have so much fun with the house band it’s amazing

[@chiptovar]

I remember watching this live. I went out the next day and bought their first album and Lincoln on cassette. Thanks for posting - great memory!

[@michaeleverett2597]

They always had so much fun jamming with Paul's band. It looks like John Linell was so excited about being on Letterman,he forgot to get a haircut!

[@BlueEmulsion]

This is such an underated song

[@notanotherjamesmurphy5574]

the word “underrated” gets used so much on youtube videos but I couldn’t agree more in this case

[@Law-of-EnTropy]

Love sees love's happiness But happiness can't see that love is sad That love is sad Sadness is hanging there To show love somewhere something needs a change They need a change They'll need a crane, they'll need a crane To take the house he built for her apart To make it break it's gonna take a metal ball hung from a chain They'll need a crane, they'll need a crane To pick the broken ruins up again To mend her heart, to help him start to see a world apart from pain Lad's gal is all he has Gal's gladness hangs upon the love of lad The love of lad Some things gal says to lad aren't meant as bad But cause a little pain They cause him pain They'll need a crane, they'll need a crane To take the house he built for her apart To make it break it's gonna take a metal ball hung from a chain They'll need a crane, they'll need a crane To pick the broken ruins up again To mend her heart, to help him start to see a world apart from pain Don't call me at work again no no the boss still hates me I'm just tired and I don't love you anymore And there's a restaurant we should check out where The other nightmare people like to go I mean nice people, baby wait, I didn't mean to say nightmare Lad looks at other gals Gal thinks Jim Beam is handsomer than lad He isn't bad Call off the wedding band Nobody wants to hear that one again Play that again They'll need a crane, they'll need a crane To take the house he built for her apart To make it break it's gonna take a metal ball hung from a chain They'll need a crane, they'll need a crane To pick the broken ruins up again To mend her heart, to help him start to see a world apart from pain They'll need a crane, they'll need a crane They'll need a crane, they'll need a crane They'll need a crane, they'll need a crane They'll need a crane, they'll need a crane They'll need a crane

[@BaconTomatoCheese]

Great lyrics - right?

[@owenembury5499]

The Lincoln

[@BOCIMPORTS]

The Join Us

[@averyrizzolo9082]

1990: “The Flood”

[@SmaerdRevlis]

The John Henry

[@kobcritic624]

The The Spine

[@benjaminspecland8947]

The The Else

[@audiojihad]

"I can't really recall playing it on Letterman that well, although I do remember Will Lee and me talking about how annoying it was that guitars didn't stay in tune. I'm sure Will Lee has played in tune for his entire life, but as a guitar player, I can tell you it's always been a painful struggle for me. I remember him saying, "The G string, man... it's impossible. It just doesn't work." There's the old joke that guitar players spend half their lives tuning and half their lives playing out of tune. So yeah, I think the guitars might be out of tune on that recording." -JF

[@notanotherjamesmurphy5574]

one of the saddest songs actually

[@BaconTomatoCheese]

I still have a fond place in my heart for Lincoln… They were so young, and thin back then… Just watched “rhinoceros” on Jimmy Kimmel. Still unmistakably TMBG… But this was a real treat. Missed it back in the day… One of my all-time favorite songs to cover by them is Ana NG

[@peters-other-stuff]

they just get better as time goes on

[@Jivolt]

Paul and the band having a ball.

[@RealMagdalenaStardust]

"I mean nice people... baby wait... I didn't mean to say nightmare"... So beautiful and brutal at the same time. Is that Gal saying that to Lad or Lad to Gal? It could be either way!

[@NuisanceMan]

Gal to Lad

[@michaelduncan839]

I would either try to stay up late or set the VCR when I was in high school to watch all of these. The first album came out when I was in ninth grade...my life has never been the same.

[@GlenLipka]

Never noticed how much John looks like Andy Bernard from the Office. #cantUnsee

[@izzywizzyletsgetbusy4463]

love then

[@arunca190]

I hope it’s never forgotten how these times were. The world was less dense then. TMBG were some wierdos from crazzzy New York. Completely amazing and genius and so cool and alien like. Nothing like this was on the radio. Lyrics were so mysterious. Accordion tele drum machine. MTV and Nickolodeon was cool and not as creepy as it is now. Money was important but not as grotesque as it is now. Bigger bigger bigger brighter brighter was not a thing. It was a universe that fit Peewee Herman, DEVO, David Lynch, the Fishhead song, the Fat Boys, magical cassette tapes, junky tchotchkes that expressed your soul… and cigarette filled living room looking coffee shops.

[@Synthysynthsynth]

fantastic footage. Thanks for uploading!

[@nullnullson7200]

When I was a kid I had loved Bobcat Goldthwaite and was like "where did he go after Police Academy?!" Then when I realized he had left comedy to drum for TMBG full time once they blew up, it all made sense.

[@bugpiss]

everything about this is amazing. letterman calling Lincoln “The Lincoln”, it being They’s first tv appearance, flans totally rocking out, linnell’s fluffy hair and plaid shirt, the backing band, linnell’s singing, flans dancing like a madman, linnell swaying so effortlessly, the way linnell says “nightmare”, how polite They look towards the end, They getting spazzy towards the end of the song

[@dougyuck]

missed oppurtunity to have the old men backing band here

[@adieu9194]

true

[@IamLurker666]

Thank you, this is great!!!!

[@sonicsophie]

Thank you so much for uploading, this is truly fantastic

[@BrutalistJr]

fucking amazing

[@sethprops4404]

Amazing.

[@MiguelPaulettePerez-bj8ml]

They didn't have any drums he could compliment until the mid-90's... not much to say to the John's