They Might Be Giants - The Guitar (BEST QUALITY Official Music Video)

[@StringedGuitar17]

WE MAKING IT OUT OF THE SILVER SPACESHIP WITH THIS ONE 🔥🔥🔥‼‼

[@floridaflamingogirl3119]

I love how They Might Be Giants consider it a perfectly normal move to place an instrumental breakdown in the middle of the song which features an auctioneer rattling off prices. Love them so much.

[@MicrowavedAlastair5390]

The base line lives in my head rent-free.

[@slapslicks7531]

So basically the lion family took its cubs to space. Lion needed to make a call back to the jungle but one of the cubs was playing their guitar too loud. Papa lion couldn't figure out which cub was playing because they all brought guitars. Bur it sounds like it might be Jim because he's one of the better of the cubs. When the song says turn it up I can't hear the guitar that's the actually the cubs point if view on why the guitar was so loud Eventually they get fed up and fly back down to the jungle and auction off Jim to another lion family. Thats the weird bit that sounds like an auctioneer. Thats why the last one says the lion waves goodbye. Hope this helps 🙏

[@tdpod6109]

Look at them young boys.

[@themistocles4683]

I bought this CD after serving in Desert Storm. I overplayed this CD back in the day over and over. Loved the colorful CD case it came with. Oh, and Laura Cantrell is pretty.

[@DoLetsStop]

thanks for giving us the chords 2:03 to 2:10 lol

[@ZanderMaddenn]

Literally! I was looking up the tabs for this and that showed up.

[@liamisafireplace]

Check out that bass sax! Way cool!

[@NxDoyle]

Linnell on Bass 2020.

[@lucaswilliams1120]

Musically I will always consider this one of the greatest songs ever written. Like the way some parts sound bad so other parts sound absolutely satisfying! But then...that means all of it is good...

[@floridaflamingogirl3119]

It’s an experimental rhapsody of the most lovable degree. Definitely an ideal of 90‘s alternative DIY music.

[@fd9447]

I've been wondering this for a couple decades now. Was it a coincidence that, in 1992, They Might Be Giants and R.E.M. both released songs that were covers of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"......but weren't really exact covers of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight?"

[@rftulie]

Thanks for pointing that out! I heard both songs a gazillion times but never made the connection (big fan of both groups). They weren’t covers so much as that they sampled “The Lion…” Hmmm…

[@ALivingFlame]

Interesting, I'm sure there's a connection, but it may not be an obvious one that either of them were aware of.

[@m.odessaasp9606]

I think it was just kind of memetic at the time. I remember singing it with my elementary school chorus, writing Star Trek Next Gen filk to it with my best friend, and it was probably around this time they were animating the Lion King, it made a cameo there, too.

[@confuseatronica]

icanalwaysleepstandingup? I didn't even make that connection even though i was a huge rem and tmbg fan at the same time.

[@confuseatronica]

want another weird music biz syncronicity? Both Oingo Boingo and The Sugarcubes have a song about sweat "Coldsweat" and "Sweat".. and both of them have an alternate COUNTRY version of the song called "Country Sweat", and both in 1988!

[@mobius273]

I remember thinking this song was weird as a kid but now i realize its an absolute bop

[@thohangst]

It is weird. That's the charm.

[@lexie.ward.]

1:30-1:38 is absolutely hilarious for some reason

[@thelump8519]

It reminds me of hl2 e1 when gman is interrupted by the vortigaunts

[@ChillbobRS]

This is great. Its like when George Lucas re-released Star Wars. Except he didn't ruin it this time.

[@forlornhope3290]

I remember watching this as an online video copy, of a VHS copy, of a cable broadcast. Sometime in the early 2000's. This copy is way better. 😊

[@scheddoc]

i love that hair

[@theymightbehalf-giants9688]

This video is like air guitar, but with guitars

[@manyregrets8650]

That's what I'm sayin'

[@meowzamusic]

I have a postcard from 1992 that's a photo collage of the boys (as a four piece band) that is shot in the same kitchen that Laura is sitting in

[@garrett6076]

ironically I listen to this song for the saxophone

[@RavenclawNimbus]

“Hey? Who’s that playing? Hey? The saxophone”

[@mikeciul8599]

First time I got my hands on a bari sax, my question was, "What They Might Be Giants song should I play?"

[@krekcabnow2910]

I like the part after the bridge when they are showing chords but it clearly not what he’s playing. That must have been really frustrating back in the day to kids tryna learn the song.

[@loins_of_doom]

i have been bamboozled, befuddled and betrayed

[@rattyeely]

NGL I almost fell for it when I was first learning guitar, I was only saved by my inability to play chord charts

[@SunshineClementine]

Oh my gosh, watching and listening to this made my blood flow again. Thanks guys. x

[@spamwisegamgee8796]

God damn it I love these guys

[@iamtooch]

Too many seventh chords. Jazz.

[@HaplessNerd]

All these classics in 1080!

[@MindFeather]

i appreciate so much all you do for us. thank you, Particle Men!

[@Brigand231]

We were all so young then. This is one album I specifically remember buying at Sam Goody at the mall. Time are so different now.

[@TheAskTrixieChannel]

I bought "I Like Fun" at a Sam Goody at a mall, so... XD

[@Brigand231]

Yeah, but I bought Lincoln and Flood on cassette, Apollo 13 was on CD.

[@thelump8519]

I did not exist then.

[@thelump8519]

I will admit though. 2003 flans has a special] lace in my heart.

[@LukeHennisch]

Oh I would love if they remade some of the Direct From Brooklyn Videos now. I mean of course these ones are classic It would just be so cool.

[@floridaflamingogirl3119]

This is why I want TMBG to collaborate with the Muppets. I want to see all their classic music videos remade, but with Muppets added this time around.

[@cillobillo1059]

Oh finally. They upload something from ‘Direct From Brooklyn’ in high quality.

[@0okamino]

They would have gotten around to it sooner, but the token back to Brooklyn fell between the grates...

[@Danielthedrummer]

HEY -TMBG, 1992

[@savannah6213]

"THE GUITAR?" -TMBG, 1992

[@Musicgirl82]

This put a much needed smile on my face!

[@ChristopherElli-cc1ly]

It's got such a Funk feeling too it.

[@MeAndMichaelOeuo]

You’re back omgggggg

[@grumpyparsnip]

A song about the guitar in which the guitar is not prominently featured. smh.

[@lapinpuff]

Classic tmbg sense of humour there!

[@justinrensel8518]

kind of but that rythym guitar part really holds the groove down. It's an essential part of the song.

[@rattyeely]

THAT'S THE JOKE SON! YOU MISSED IT! FLEW RIGHT BY YA!

[@GweanBeans]

I'll never get used to Linnel on bass.

[@DoitForTheLolz1]

Neither will he

[@pandanurse]

One thing I like about it is that for most of the song, like the guitar is an equally important part of thr arrangement but I really wouldn't say its one of the key players (the bass line, vocals, horn parts all feel like they get priority in the mix)

[@TiredCal]

Aaah! Love this!! So happy I got to see it premiere XD TMBG will always be one of my favorite bands of all time! Grew up listening to them lol

[@dukeabq6484]

Thank you, video, for teaching me how to play this song lol

[@Dabullizer]

Masterpiece!

[@archaeopteryxgallopade2199]

Wow this is great! I hope we get to see remastered versions of the other videos too!

[@keithdf2001]

This song make me so sad. I was in a band in college that covered this and my friend/singer/roommate passed away a few years ago. His name was Jim

[@samakafrisco1759]

Is it Jim? I don't know.

[@Persun_McPersonson]

@@samakafrisco1759 Not cool.

[@cillobillo1059]

Sorry to hear. Sounds like a great person. Hope you’re doing well.

[@WizardGlik]

3:19 The Blues is #1!!!!! #JSBX

[@rocketsalad]

The Blues is STILL #1! #JSBX

[@dimitraBlissDk]

i have a mustang bass form 1980!

[@lauraeagle9364]

Does anyone know if JL actually plays bass, like, at all? I like to think he can play any musical instrument you put in his hands.

[@finscontingencyplan7005]

He does play bass, but it's someone else playing bass on this track (contrary to the video)

[@thatcookiecat]

there’s a picture of him playing the guitar somewhere on the TMBG twitter. pretty surreal.

[@travcollier]

@@ensenada5757 Cool. When they say "guitar" in this song, they mean bass, right? I mean, the bass line is the cool part which keeps getting drowned out. ;)

[@IanDunbar1]

I know he can play guitar. He's done so on a few TMBG tracks, most notably Mr. Klaw. He also plays guitar on several songs from his solo album, State Songs. I would image he can play bass to a certain extent, that being the case.

[@hiimivan]

@@finscontingencyplan7005 Flans is actually playing bass on this song.

[@possumridgeentertainment4614]

I know these guys manage to hide some easy to miss political and social commentary behind naive sounding songs, but it can be uncovered with a little thought. I've listened to this song dozens of times, however, and I've read over the lyrics and I can't make a bit of sense out of this one in terms of face value or subtext.

[@CapitalQ]

It's tricky, but basically: the singer doesn't know if Jim is playing the guitar

[@Jellycakelap]

I always imagined it was like this - They were in an apartment in Brooklyn, prepping for one of their early party gigs, and someone's playing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight' on a '45 -- and the Johns got the question yelled at them from somewhere else in the building in their direction -- all the noises together were this song.

[@AndreGreeff]

don't try make sense of it, you never will... but that's just part of it's beauty. (:

[@michaelchallis4129]

TMBG said Silver Spaceship Lion rights.

[@einootspork]

Some of their songs have political and social commentary. Some of their songs are just nonsense. This is just nonsense. Hope this helped

[@thohangst]

Could be Jim, but it's not a certainty.

[@brianstucki4031]

Yeah new tmbg vid!

[@CyrusJeremy]

I love this video so much!

[@codystrainsnjazz]

Anyone else here because they saw a bass sax in the thumbnail?

[@caleb7974]

Man They Might Be Giants Made that Song Guitar and It Has Day-O and The Lion Sleeps Tonight! 😮

[@StringedGuitar17]

I hear The Lion Sleeps Tonight... Where's Day-O?

[@aarondavid5866]

why to make it goofy?

[@0okamino]

1080p? Well, just look at you fancy, modern fellows! Very nice. :)

[@thelump8519]

At 1:30 flans looks like the equivalent to gman in hl2 e1

[@thohangst]

Ah, backstory.

[@jonm3915]

I always assumed this was from one of the later released kids albums. I should probably get around to listening to Apollo 18.

[@TheAskTrixieChannel]

Are you serious?! YES, YOU NEED TO HEAR "APOLLO 18".

[@liz7457]

It's my favorite TMBG album!

[@kornobi_3165]

Holy cow man. It might be their best album. Honest. And such a turning point in their career

[@WilliamYoungWilliam]

For some reason, it usually takes me about a month to really get a new TMBG album to grow on me, with me thinking, "Oh well, they can't all be winners" on first listen. For some other reason, Apollo 18 grabbed me right off the bat.

[@davidbennett7374]

Just as good as Flood IMO.

[@apostrophe.t]

Yessss

[@jeannedouglas9912]

So light. Nothing harmful in any lyrics. Thanks!

[@TheGamingMackV]

2:45 Could someone translate whatever the hell they're saying at this part? I really feel like this part is crucial to be sung whenever this is jamming.

[@hypno9022]

5845 is all I can make out

[@helix2331]

i think it's like an auctioneer

[@Multi_Purpose_Weirdo]

Moo.

[@briansweet8904]

It was Dan, actually

[@StringedGuitar17]

Or maybe it was John...

[@briansweet8904]

@@StringedGuitar17 I don't know . . . .

[@johnholland9371]

Not when Apollo 18 released… 😁

[@briansweet8904]

😂@@johnholland9371

[@arkaig1]

I'm still confused. Somehow, this seems to be what The Durutti Column is always warning about, regarding Paris & Strasbourg 1968, and all that? Nice song, though.

[@brokentoaster6389]

My dog doesn't like this song. I think it's pretty good though

[@TheGamingMackV]

Your dog has bad taste smfh

[@andersonic]

In your dog's defense, this is youth culture.

[@fluxie31_old]

@@andersonic i love this reply

[@DoLetsStop]

@@andersonic the hip hop and the white funk just blew away my puppy's mind!

[@nerdbot37]

Your pooch is more into Bacharach and David?

[@pyredynasty]

Hey

[@benaaronmusic]

The Original Guitar Army.

[@kiernanthomas6006]

3:26 That's Glenn Mercer right?

[@AroundTheBlockAgain]

🚀🦁👋

[@davidmoore535]

It's me!! Lol!!

[@postmodernsteelydanlistene431]

didnt the johns do a song for a soundtrack to one of your movies? (if youre the same david moore)

[@anxiousabbyproductions8408]

My favorite band has made another hit

[@cashc4434]

I hope you're joking. This song came out in 1992

[@anxiousabbyproductions8408]

Cash C yes, I’m aware but also a teenager who sounds like she needs to catch up on TMBG discography

[@0okamino]

Apollo 18 rises again!

[@akuchling]

@@anxiousabbyproductions8408 oh, that's great! You definitely should give Apollo 18 a listen: it's a great album, with songs like "The Guitar" here, "Dinner Bell", and "The Statue Got Me High".

[@liz7457]

The hair didn't clue you in? Go listen to Apollo 18!

[@drawingablankesq]

What kind of guitar is flansberg using? It looks like a danelectro longhorn.

[@0okamino]

You are correct! That's a Danelectro Coral Longhorn. Speaking of Danelectro guitars, Flans posted this beauty back in 2017: instagram.com/p/BSvMPUKFC6v/ If I'm not mistaken, Flans is playing that same model in the _Birdhouse In Your Soul_ video (now also in high quality).

[@0okamino]

Yep, that's why his pick guards tend to be above the strings when he's playing. :D

[@KlooKloo]

Hey! It's Laura!

[@KlooKloo]

Listen to Laura Cantrell's music or else

[@0okamino]

~3:19 Hey! It's also Cristina Martinez, and her husband Jon Spencer.

[@flg947]

No dislikes. Impressive!

[@manyregrets8650]

there is one now

[@TheGamingMackV]

@@manyregrets8650 It better not have been you.

[@manyregrets8650]

@@TheGamingMackV somebody had to do it

[@FirstnameLastname-mb2ek]

Boog

[@ensenada5757]

@@FirstnameLastname-mb2ek nish

[@PragmaticCulture]

Bops keep dropping

[@CaucasainAsian]

Ok, who is the pretty girl that keeps staring at my soul?

[@WilliamYoungWilliam]

She does a great cover of the New Order song 'Love Vigilantes'.

[@IanDunbar1]

Country singer Laura Cantrell

[@thelump8519]

John Flansburgh

[@baaic]

@@IanDunbar1 I haven't followed her closely, but I love the EP that she did for Hello

[@RakoonCD]

Who's that playing?

[@0okamino]

Turn it up!

[@iamtooch]

I don't know.

[@0okamino]

Is it Jim?

[@jessmankrafftini450]

Bloodclot. These guys are too funny

[@LSD_93]

You have a bloodclot? Is that something to exclaim to everyone? Oedema!

[@jessss27]

@@LSD_93 it's a jamaican expression I think

[@noahh6186]

Do you mean bomboclat?@@jessss27

[@weezerlanches]

This is just eizouken ost??

[@BEREZINtester]

White Patricia Rodriguez Brian Jones Jason

[@christopheroneill77]

4th like 1st post!

[@nightshade1807]

Rare tmbg hmm

[@bonzodimduly]

i dont really like the song, came for linnell's hair

[@goblong]

Hair falls out, song forever.

[@Multi_Purpose_Weirdo]

Don"t underestimate the power of good coiffure, my friends

[@RockOnTheKitchenTable]

I like the song, the hair is a bonus

[@brittani6720]

valid

[@climberzimmerman4557]

​@@goblong wear a purple toupee

[@tobyhunt2127]

I love this song, but I will never understand the thinking behind that grating instrumental break.

[@finscontingencyplan7005]

If you check the title of the video, you might notice this song was written by They Might Be Giants. I hope this helps!

[@floridaflamingogirl3119]

This song is basically a caution-thrown-to-the-wind jam session from outer space, and I love that.

[@HJH413]

First time hearing They Might Be Giants I see...

[@tobyhunt2127]

@@HJH413 who are you talking to, because it certainly wasn't my first time.

[@rattyf6230]

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