They Might Be Giants - Let Me Tell You About My Operation (official video)

From TMBG's album Glean. Support TMBG's work and get it directly from the band: bit.ly/tmbgGlean. Or, get the album on Apple Music (geni.us/iGlean) or Amazon (geni.us/aGlean)
This song was the week 6 post from TMBG's Dial-A-Song project. See the full archive at found.ee/dialAsong.
Are you a radio DJ or want to be part of DialASong? Get more info here: found.ee/RadioNetwork
Video directed by Jeremy Galante & David Cowles, character design by David Plunkert. Animation team: Brad Pattullo, Mike Genz.
Lyrics:
Smile wide scrub side feet on the dash. I’ll sleep the whole damn day
Slow Lane. Propane. Empties for cash. Rearview mirror thrown away
Oh, let me tell you about my operation. Doctors removed your memory (Tres bon!)
Ground floor. Screen door. Yelling inside. I think you know the scene
Front lawn. Break of dawn. Clothes on the ground. How could you be so mean?
Oh, let me tell you about my operation.
Doctors removed your memory
Oh, it’s good news. It’s just a quick procedure
Find happiness through surgery
Oh, let me tell you about my operation
Doctors declared I’m better now
Our liaison--oh it was poison baby!
Our liaison--it was a drag
Let me tell you about my operation
Doctors removed your memory
Oh, it’s good news. It’s just a quick procedure
Find happiness through surgery
Tres bon! Tres bon! Tres bon!
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[@cosbytroopergd1152]

I love how this song sounds like it's both from the 20s and the 20s at the same time

[@nishbrown]

Why is that so hilarious?!?!?!?!

[@MisterAppleEsq]

WORDPLAY

[@danacoleman4007]

@@MisterAppleEsq numberplay?

[@JSchierts]

Yes. It's roaring!

[@basedbattledroid3507]

It's so weird being in the 20s again

[@Mattwood646]

Its a pretty awesome feeling to be able to say that my instructors worked on this animation.

[@johnnymoon]

fucking same bro

[@Waynimations]

whoa are you an edinboro student too?

[@placeholder4038]

@@Waynimations We may never know the answer

[@nillabean6041]

Whoa me too!

[@CapitalQ]

The sheer amount of creativity that must have went into this song and video is unreasonable. Très bon.

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

Trèès oh no

[@souvenir2990]

Kinda realizing this is my favorite song now. If someone asked me, I'd say no. But I'm here at least five times a day, so...

[@MLGSkittleNinja]

I love this animation style! Especially the close up parts when he has the microphone - the animator is really good at making fluid looking speech

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

Yep funny guy like caspar babypants my flee has dogs animation he! The non-like ducks and caspar!

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

(Oh lettt MI teill u myy a para too much)

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

Especially, closeup part when fluid look speech -- the guy was the Micory.

[@mikeyunderstars]

a bunch of my animation professors worked on this and one showed it in class the other day (he worked on the close ups)

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

N

[@dickweed5104]

I sense addiction in this song,it's just so damn catchy. I'm not going to be able to sleep until I memorize every single lyric.

[@peregrinelint8484]

this song is basically the plot of eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

[@madnessstarvinghysterical6403]

MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY

[@heatherferreira4225]

As a woman, gotta admit I'm a bit surprised men "need an operation" to remove a woman from their memory. Most of us estrogen based lifeforms have substantial evidence male degaussing is permanent and instantaneous

[@banjo304]

Heather Ferreira it’s almost as if you didn’t understand the themes of the movie

[@stevie2.040]

or human centapede

[@mrnobody-unowen]

I agree! It's good.

[@HarleyRowan]

Tre bons! Tre magnifique! How do these gentlemen do it!? And every week. I feel like the luckiest fan of TMBG!

[@gervaisjohnpaul]

Literally the funniest thing I've read. The "s" is on the "très" not the "bon". XD

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

Sounds like "true bomb"

[@KelsaRavenlock]

I remember when dial a song started as an actual call in, I spent a night in holding at Van Nuys jail switching between dialing up TMBG songs and playing the trivia games LA was using to get people to use the new city services number.

[@MagicTurtle643]

Goddamn guys. Seriously SO good. This Dial a Song stuff is some of the best music you've ever put out. I LOVE IT!!! So glad I subscribed to this project.

[@jackmerlotdoesntliveherean9652]

Dial-a-Song ratcheted up my already considerable respect so now I walk miles of interstate highways looking for orphaned old token ring gear to feed the meter.

[@MattOsborn98]

They played this song at the Slowdown last night. I LOVE the piano riff!

[@dukewinward]

Credit to the artist, David Plunkert, well known illustrator.

[@andycast_com]

MAN ! I didn't know! You are awesome for pointing this out. He is quite the talented artist!

[@ZandoFox]

I wish I could "like" this video every time I viewed it. The song and animation are that good.

[@cannibalisticginger7256]

Any other trans peeps vibing to this?

[@omlette]

YYEAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH

[@andycast_com]

The animation and animated story is so MuthrFin FUN and truly well done! You might have to study it to get it, but what a crazy-good video! (Not to mention the song is full-on-robot Awesome!) TMBG still great after all these years. DIAL A SONG 2022 !!!!

[@morganbrown3953]

Not what I was expecting when I saw the horns or lyrics xD Could anyone expect this? I mean, I like it, but its INSANE.

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

🐩🐩🐴🐩🐩

[@williambrousseau4458]

John's brain is a slice of cheese?

[@phlog_dog7336]

Which John?

[@phoenixrider2774]

Marty’s brain was a dead fish

[@Persun_McPersonson]

@@phlog_dog7336 John.

[@weedlefan]

Not John. John.

[@danielrichards6200]

Just got back from the hospital, and this song is a great painkiller.

[@liamroberts422]

Just how smooth can animation be

[@MinoTheShow]

Can't stop playing this, it's amazing, especially with the deeper meaning

[@lupinthird]

I'm so glad I joined the IFC, having access to all of these songs in MP3 format keeps my ears and daily commutes happy.

[@gupdoo3]

What Instant Fan Club? You must be thinking of some other band.

[@lupinthird]

Oh, I didn't say Instant Fan Club -- I said IFC (Internet Film Crew), I have no idea WHAT you're talking about!

[@ProtoGhostal1701]

Christopher Griffin I thought you meant Independent Film Channel.

[@gupdoo3]

The Volcano Worshpers Club Even though we can't explain it, we already know how great it is.

[@rogerwilco1777]

So which John's brain is made of Cheese??

[@PogieJoe]

Wow. You fellas are on a spectacular run. And these videos are just superb!

[@jackmerlotdoesntliveherean9652]

I can dig these hep cats with their pretty ladies showing off some ankle under the hemlines of yon flapper dresses & their propensity towards the roaring back of leopard print pillbox hats.

[@HeatherRawVeganHenry]

This is exactly the song I need playing in my head as I walk down the street!

[@byronholt2031]

Oh, let me tell you about my operation! Smile wide, scrub side, feet on the dash I'll sleep the whole damn day Slow lane, propane, empties for cash Rear-view mirror thrown away Oh, let me tell you about my operation! Doctors removed your memory Très bon Ground floor, screen door, yelling inside I think you know the scene Front lawn, break of dawn, clothes on the ground How could you be so mean? Oh, let me tell you about my operation! Doctors removed your memory Oh, it's good news It's just a quick procedure! Find happiness through surgery Oh, let me tell you about my operation! Doctors declared I'm better now Our liaison Oh, it was poison, baby! Our liaison It was a drag Oh, let me tell you about my operation! Doctors removed your memory Oh, it's good news It's just a quick procedure! Find happiness through surgery Très bon Très bon Très bon

[@maggir.8016]

Most macabre yet! (Keep trying, gentlemen!) I am earwormed already.

[@helix2331]

i thought that dead would take that title for sure!

[@CraigBiehle]

I dig it. I know people who tell me about their operation.

[@AquaDaCatMeow]

God damn this song is the best thing ever holy shit i love it so much i cant stop dancing i love it REEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[@Willow76ny]

Tres bon.

[@jesdavies44]

So much love for this song, gives me dancing feet

[@Hungry_Hunter]

Brilliant song and the animation is sublime.

[@debb8321]

Robot punching itself in head...yeah. That it's TMBG ... Great! (or 'tres bon'! :)

[@debb8321]

Still can't stop watching these... :D

[@saucepart2electricboogaloo461]

bro i think its supposed to be frankenstine

[@somehominid]

favorite so far so good

[@johnosler5255]

Maybe I'm misreading it, but it seems like this song is basically just the plot of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"

[@mkemp979]

I love ALL of there songs!!

[@ferrisparelli633]

Finally, a song in my key

[@NoorElahi1776]

So good, every time I hear it

[@donofdeaths]

Very good.

[@swedishchefhands9037]

TMBG at their best here

[@NuisanceMan]

I love the tools-on-legs characters!

[@mattjindrak]

Boy am I relating to this fucking tune

[@TMBG1337]

Yes, this pleases me.

[@fishy658]

Yesss

[@ColinZimmerman]

Is it April yet? Can't wait to see you guys in Pittsburgh.

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

2:04 hyper characters excess the knifey

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

2:08 eeh

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

2:22 it looks like piano keyboard

[@heatherferreira4225]

Say, is that Ana Ng there at 1:09? ;)

[@heatherferreira4225]

And second question: are these the same guys who claymationed "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" for you fellas? Character design and many visual choices are too close for them not to be!

[@johnnymoon]

my animation professor worked on this lol

[@Waynimations]

hello fellow edinboro student

[@DeadRoyaleClown]

Today's the day, huh? Well what if I told you I'm not an agent of fate, I'm fate itself! hahahah! The fact you believed me was even funnier than the joke! ~The Clown

[@Jincman]

This song as taken on different meaning now that I’ve seen Severence! LOL

[@feffolcrowman5740]

Must live in Florida

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

Not ways here in Ducks Band, the only album, 125 but... The human with a horse face.

[@anthonyschultz1979]

trey-bon

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

Swile witr zcruuub ziiite bleeding da gass

[@stevie2.040]

tre bon = very good

[@briansweet8904]

If only.

[@phishy333]

Fish brain

[@indihugh2654]

Disco Elysium : )

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

The guy that's funny is here 0:23

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

1:11 looks like funny

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

2:03 are the new guys ughhh

[@daworldhavenumberblockstvv2401]

0:09 is the song

[@scribblekitteh43]

trans rights

[@CircusLover1967]

Is the Song about Trans?

[@senderreciever7798]

Tell me about your operation! I wonder why they say, "tre bon." I know why they have the woman in the guy's head pushing buttons, twisting knobs, pulling leavers, and pressing buttons.... The wannabe-good-at -stuff's do it because they aren't. Like how they attempt to and steal some of your ideas. They like to find your "triggers" for one reason: they can't meet the bar. And, if they can't meet the bar, they try to lower it for themselves and their ilk versus doing the work and using their own elbow grease, thinking and the like. What happens when you've ruined all of the sources of the things you need and want? Then what?

[@starf4181]

Very good.