Hard agree. Last time I saw TMBG live, Linnell talked between songs about his lifelong quest to write the perfect pop song, and I think the reason he's so damn good is because he doesn't realize he's already done it about thirty times.
These two guy went to the same high school I did, in Massachusetts. Two years younger than I am. I remember seeing Linnel's cartoons in the school newspaper, well-drawn, ironic, one-panel stuff. They seem to be having fun.
I can only remember one of them. It was a single panel cartoon. It showed a man, shot from below, hands on his hips, a bunch of warplanes in formation in the sky above him. What I remember most was his drawing style. It was more sophisticated-looking than art by other teen contributors to the high school newspaper. Influenced by R. Crumb or someone like that. He had obviously studied other cartoonist's work. His single panel image seemed to have a lot of irony and snarky humor. Sort of making fun of a dictator or something like that. @@daisychannel2002
John Linnell seems so extra comfortable performing here omg. His big smiles and leaning over the keys just b4 the "gas cap is unscrewed"...it's just pure sweetness. And Flans and Marty look like they were having so much fun!! This is such a gem of a video.
@@recordcollector0665 linnel’s voice has always inspired me. It’s as nasally as day one but so deep too. The 80’s stuff was independent and self produced so the quality makes it seem he was extra nasally but in truth linnel always had this gift. Farnsworth has the better range but he can’t make the sound like linnel. What a perfect pairing though!
I love how much fun they have with each piece. Especially Linnell, since he seems like a generally shy guy, but he's totally cool doing all that weird and fun stuff.
Fingertips was, at the time, a really innovative song, in that each part was encoded on the CD as a separate track. At the time, CD players, with shuffle, were new. The idea here was to listen to the CD on shuffle and occasionally get these tiny songs. At least that is my understanding of the story behind the song : )
I just realized earlier today that the reason I'm such a strange human being is that these guys provided the soundtrack to my childhood. I listened to "Fingertips" more times than I can describe. And any six year old partying around the living room to "Cowtown" isn't going to turn out 100% normal.
@@dreary_giraffe That's wonderful. I was already an adult when their first kids' album (No!) came out, but I was thinking 'man, how great would it be to grow up with their kids' music and then discover as a teenager / young adult that they have 30+ years back catalogue of amazing songs you've yet to discover'. You're lucky!!
I know it's been 3 years since you made this comment, but that was my FIRST THOUGHT! bwyeeeeoooooOOOOOOOOWEEEEEE! bwyeeeeoooooOOOOOOOOWEEEEEE! bahn-banana bahn-banana bwyeeeeoooooOOOOOOOOWEEEEEE! bwyeeeeoooooOOOOOOOOWEEEEEE!
I used to not like them much, but seeing them perform in such a humble environment really helps me connect with them more. It's also nice to put a voice to a face. Love his voice, it sounds way to big to fit such a small guy lol
Of all the songs they chose to play, I was so happy they played the string of songs from Apollo 18. I want to ask why they would do it, but at the same time, I love this recording of those songs too much to question.
The best pop star hand I ever shook was John Linnell's. What a treat. Took my little ones to their kids' shows two years in a row in Chicago. These guys are magic. Go when you can.
God damn linell has some serious pipes. Mysterious whisper was always my favorite finger tips song, just because he can belt out a note with comparable power to freddie mercury. It's nuts, but very amazing. His voice has so many dynamics. Truly an underrated vocalist
I think a lot of people get put off by his nasal tone (fair enough, I guess it's an acquired taste, I personally love his voice) and for that reason they don't realise how incredible his range, pitch and projection are.
Rumor has it they were born in Ancient Egypt have been behind ALL awesome music since that time, using magic and various shapeshifting abilities. That would put them up in the late 2000s or early 3000s. They look good for that age
I saw them in Vancouver in 2018, If you have a chance to see these guys in concert, don't miss it. Their stage is filled with much energy, master musicians, great comedy, fantastic light show and visuals, all around quality experience.
I'm astonished to hear "Fingertips" perfectly sequenced as in Apollo 18. I bought the cassette so for me it was a always a lengthy track with all those random verses & chorus.
Wait, whaaaaaaaat. How have I not seen this already? I watch tons of TMBG stuff, and tons of tiny desk concerts. Hey UA-cam, you really dropped the ball here.
Couldn't agree more. Just saw them in San Diego the other day, and now this finally arrives for me. The amount of Tiny Desks I've watched, I honestly have no idea how I didn't know this happened! Now we just get to appreciate it from now until the end of time.
I gotcha though, thanks for the heads up. You're right, those are initialisms, not acronyms. You wouldn't say "tum-bug" or "enn-purr". Like we say the individual letters in FBI, and not "eff-bye".
I have not heard a band vocalize and harmonize since the bands of the 60's like CSN, Carpenters, Mamas & Papas, The Association etc. TMBG got me through some very down times. I love you guys! (In a manly way, of course!)
my brother, john, suffers from mental issues and sometimes i like to play the first song (Can't Keep Johnny Down) loudly in my house as a reminder to him that no matter what anyone says to him, they can't keep him down.
Man I can't believe I've been a TMBG fan since before Nanobots (youngin) and I'm just now finding this!! They sound absolutely fabulous, especially surprising with such a sparse group. Of course this performance is very much for the fans!
So great that im obsessed w them now, and they were already so deep in their career when this video came out. This video came out when my now 13 year old brother was born
Hearing this opener. Watching F lean into the mic on Cloisonné and L do proper pointing when he has the hand free during Fingertips...I don't need anything else.
These guys are incredible. Their music is so eclectic, and unique. There’s no middle ground with They Might Be Giants for me. I either love their songs, or don’t like the song at all (it won’t even grow on me over time). Their greats are truly great. And the rest, well….just aren’t quite for me.
In my humble opinion, John Linnell is one of the greatest lyricists in the history of popular music. And his pipes seem to be getting better with age.
Hard agree. Last time I saw TMBG live, Linnell talked between songs about his lifelong quest to write the perfect pop song, and I think the reason he's so damn good is because he doesn't realize he's already done it about thirty times.
Vocalist or lyricicist?
@@playasadonejoe Yes
@@playasadonejoe He's the vocalilist and the lyricicist
It's funny because I really shared your opinion, before I discovered Mono Puff. :)
John did an amazing job, but John was truly mindblowing!
Marty crushed it
John has been carrying John for years and everybody knows it.
@@bd9299292Controversial opinion. I feel like John is way better! He’s unstoppable.
@@ssemo*whitney
These two guy went to the same high school I did, in Massachusetts. Two years younger than I am. I remember seeing Linnel's cartoons in the school newspaper, well-drawn, ironic, one-panel stuff. They seem to be having fun.
WAIT THATS SO COOL do you have any stand out memories of the comics? Like what any of them were about? No pressure :)
I can only remember one of them. It was a single panel cartoon. It showed a man, shot from below, hands on his hips, a bunch of warplanes in formation in the sky above him. What I remember most was his drawing style. It was more sophisticated-looking than art by other teen contributors to the high school newspaper. Influenced by R. Crumb or someone like that. He had obviously studied other cartoonist's work. His single panel image seemed to have a lot of irony and snarky humor. Sort of making fun of a dictator or something like that. @@daisychannel2002
John Linnell seems so extra comfortable performing here omg. His big smiles and leaning over the keys just b4 the "gas cap is unscrewed"...it's just pure sweetness. And Flans and Marty look like they were having so much fun!! This is such a gem of a video.
It's incredible how Linnel's voice hasnt changed in 30 years
Oh it’s changed alright. Notice how his voice isn’t as nasally as it was back in the 80s-90s
He perfected it
His vocal improved massively, his "sound" stays the same they both do
He took great care of his voice while maximizing it’s benefit
@@recordcollector0665 linnel’s voice has always inspired me. It’s as nasally as day one but so deep too. The 80’s stuff was independent and self produced so the quality makes it seem he was extra nasally but in truth linnel always had this gift. Farnsworth has the better range but he can’t make the sound like linnel. What a perfect pairing though!
I love how much fun they have with each piece. Especially Linnell, since he seems like a generally shy guy, but he's totally cool doing all that weird and fun stuff.
I love that Flansburgh is still wearing his visitor pass.
I also love that Linnell stuck his to the front of his keyboard. 😍
Fingertips was, at the time, a really innovative song, in that each part was encoded on the CD as a separate track. At the time, CD players, with shuffle, were new. The idea here was to listen to the CD on shuffle and occasionally get these tiny songs. At least that is my understanding of the story behind the song : )
Though many of us ended up reciting it as a whole track :)
@@suggestedlistening4018ME! ME! ME!
Huh, never thought about doing that. It's all kinda one long song in my mind. I can't hear one without my ears demanding the next one.
I have that copy of Apollo18. I think I heard that later copes removed the separate tracking. And yes, I did play it on shuffle more than once.
I saw them do that song live...
Marty Beller must be one of the most intense musicians ever. It's called "Tiny Desk Concert", but the guy is still giving it 110%
Rob Mckennie he is such a pro. I don't think he has ever mailed in a performance.
Isn't that Dr Worm?
@@eastportland I think it's Whitney Houston actually
I didn't expect Can't Keep Johnny Down to sound as good as it does with the acoustic guitar.
I just realized earlier today that the reason I'm such a strange human being is that these guys provided the soundtrack to my childhood. I listened to "Fingertips" more times than I can describe. And any six year old partying around the living room to "Cowtown" isn't going to turn out 100% normal.
i grew up with their children's albums..
maybe that's why i'm such a science nerd now...
@@dreary_giraffe That's wonderful. I was already an adult when their first kids' album (No!) came out, but I was thinking 'man, how great would it be to grow up with their kids' music and then discover as a teenager / young adult that they have 30+ years back catalogue of amazing songs you've yet to discover'. You're lucky!!
I kept fellow scouts and leaders awake in an overnight cave stay in the early 90s until 3 am or so with my renditions of Particle Man.
Coolest dorks in the world. I've been a fan since Flood. I love that they played "Fingertips"! Fantastic!
Kyle Laurent I freaked out over that. Was shocked.
That's awesome. It seems odd to not hear _Space Suit_ after _Fingertips_, though.
I know it's been 3 years since you made this comment, but that was my FIRST THOUGHT!
bwyeeeeoooooOOOOOOOOWEEEEEE!
bwyeeeeoooooOOOOOOOOWEEEEEE!
bahn-banana
bahn-banana
bwyeeeeoooooOOOOOOOOWEEEEEE!
bwyeeeeoooooOOOOOOOOWEEEEEE!
It's true! It's part of fingertips to me also. I start humming it every time....
0:00 - Can't Keep Johnny Down
2:38 - Cloisonné
4:40 - Fingertips
I used to not like them much, but seeing them perform in such a humble environment really helps me connect with them more. It's also nice to put a voice to a face. Love his voice, it sounds way to big to fit such a small guy lol
See them live dude. Its a party!
Of all the songs they chose to play, I was so happy they played the string of songs from Apollo 18.
I want to ask why they would do it, but at the same time, I love this recording of those songs too much to question.
The best pop star hand I ever shook was John Linnell's. What a treat. Took my little ones to their kids' shows two years in a row in Chicago. These guys are magic. Go when you can.
It says something for how well played my copy of Apollo 18 was that I knew every last bit of Fingertips and could sing along.
Me too. Great in concert.
Seems to be the case with a lot of TMBG fans. You don't often hear of folks thinking they're just "ok". Mostly, their fans are HUGE fans.
there's nerds, and there's supernerds, and there's They Might Be Giants.
I was thinking almost exactly the same thing.
And also there's Weezer
TMBG are all three
@@osodemird4729 while I love Weezer’s blue album.. well one album doesn’t equal a career like TMBGs
yes they do were glasses and say things
Linnell's glasses are so adorable xD They make him look like he has big bug eyes! =D
God damn linell has some serious pipes. Mysterious whisper was always my favorite finger tips song, just because he can belt out a note with comparable power to freddie mercury. It's nuts, but very amazing. His voice has so many dynamics. Truly an underrated vocalist
I think a lot of people get put off by his nasal tone (fair enough, I guess it's an acquired taste, I personally love his voice) and for that reason they don't realise how incredible his range, pitch and projection are.
I didn’t know John played bass clarinet 😩💕 they’re so talented smh
Bass clarinet!!!
Rumor has it they were born in Ancient Egypt have been behind ALL awesome music since that time, using magic and various shapeshifting abilities. That would put them up in the late 2000s or early 3000s. They look good for that age
I love how Linnel keeps on his visitor's pass, as if he isn't a recognizable musician. Really on-brand for him.
"Linnel"?
That’s flans lol
That one's Flansburgh. Womp womp.
They both have them. Linnell's is on the front of his keyboard.
They Might Be Giants was the first concert I ever went to when I was in high school and the energy that night was insane. I had a total blast.
They admonished the crowd for forming a mosh pit and convinced us to square dance instead.
I saw them in Vancouver in 2018, If you have a chance to see these guys in concert, don't miss it. Their stage is filled with much energy, master musicians, great comedy, fantastic light show and visuals, all around quality experience.
I'm astonished to hear "Fingertips" perfectly sequenced as in Apollo 18. I bought the cassette so for me it was a always a lengthy track with all those random verses & chorus.
This is a perfect introduction to the band for someone who hasn't heard of them before. Pulling no punches, right in your face, TMBG.
I liked the video but what's that blue thing doing there?
+CabbageTalks something grabbed ahold of my hand while I was watching this video, but I didnt know it had my hand
All alone, all alone all by myself
Don’t let’s start...
That's just John
I don't know, but it came on and wrecked my car
The keyboard part of Can't Keep Johnny Down is SO beautiful
Thanks for showing "The Love Garden"--and by extension the awesome city of Lawrence, KS--some love, TMBG!
Did it happen to be in the background at NPR or did TMBG bring it in?
Wait, whaaaaaaaat. How have I not seen this already? I watch tons of TMBG stuff, and tons of tiny desk concerts. Hey UA-cam, you really dropped the ball here.
Couldn't agree more. Just saw them in San Diego the other day, and now this finally arrives for me. The amount of Tiny Desks I've watched, I honestly have no idea how I didn't know this happened! Now we just get to appreciate it from now until the end of time.
UA-cam was great with recommendations until Algorithm started hanging out with the wrong crowd and became “Alcorithm”. Don’t do it, kids!
These guys are genius. Especially that John fella.
And Marty is a fun drummer to watch. He's hilarious.....
I am from Ukraine, and you're my favourite band!
Nobody writes so brilliantly simple and funny!
All the best to you in Ukraine!! So awesome that you like TMBG! You must be very interesting 😀
Greetings from December 2023. I hope you, your family, and your friends are safe.
Thanks Jill, thank god we're all okay and safe@@JillKnapp Merry Christmas!
TMBG and NPR. Two acronyms that I like.
Daniel Cropp initialism not acronym
+x2f01mick we get it, you majored in English.
I gotcha though, thanks for the heads up. You're right, those are initialisms, not acronyms. You wouldn't say "tum-bug" or "enn-purr". Like we say the individual letters in FBI, and not "eff-bye".
Daniel Cropp I
@@danielcropp8553 "finale of seem"
I have not heard a band vocalize and harmonize since the bands of the 60's like CSN, Carpenters, Mamas & Papas, The Association etc. TMBG got me through some very down times. I love you guys! (In a manly way, of course!)
I love the commentary Flans adds to I'm Having a Heart Attack
Jesus, i saw them 25 years ago the 2. LP "Flood" was comming out. Nice to see them alive!
They've been a favourite of mine since high school.
I love the visitors pass on Professor Flans, awesome!
Here come the ABCs!
I like Cloisonne more every time I hear it. Such a neat song.
No, they are giants.
Maybe.
They just _might_ be.
It's certainly a possibility. We can't rule it out. But at the same time, we can't quite prove it.
okrajoe If we determine if they are or are not, in fact, giants, then the waveform would collapse. I don't think anybody wants that.
okrajoe In the words of A Deranged Millionaire "They really Are Might BE Giants
i think ive listened to this version of fingertips more than the original at this point. it makes my brain happy.
Flansburgh's "girl you know it's true" takes it to the next level
Best rendition of Fingertips I've ever seen.
8:55 They should have traded their guest pass and see if anyone would've noticed
my brother, john, suffers from mental issues and sometimes i like to play the first song (Can't Keep Johnny Down) loudly in my house as a reminder to him that no matter what anyone says to him, they can't keep him down.
John Smith your parents called you both John? I’m not sure if that’s genius laziness or just desperately limited imagination.
They were tmbg fans
They're so fucking great, I love their unique sound.
Man I can't believe I've been a TMBG fan since before Nanobots (youngin) and I'm just now finding this!! They sound absolutely fabulous, especially surprising with such a sparse group. Of course this performance is very much for the fans!
Marty's really feelin' those darkened corridors
I can’t love this enough. Acoustic TMBG is something amazing!! ❤️
I saw them last week in 1989.
5:29 underneath my piLEOW and the utter chaos by flansy soon afterward i love them sm
love how flans starts to smile as soon as he hears “dicks”
seeing these guys this November! im so excited
Just noticed they have the book written by David Barnes, the brother of Kevin from of Montreal on the back shelf. Niiice.
Did Flans have a Tobias Funke moment @4:28?!?
So great that im obsessed w them now, and they were already so deep in their career when this video came out. This video came out when my now 13 year old brother was born
Omg the drummers face during darkened corridors!
i saw that too! hilarious!
Cracking me up!!
thats marty. thats what he does. he's the man.
That's really Whitney Houston, you know..
8:25 for the lazy. 😂😂
What beautiful voices they have! Expecially the begging, can't stop repeating it
When you write a song for every caller, you get pretty good at writing songs.
Can't Keep Johnny Down belong's in the 80's so much it hurt's. I love how much keyboard-John/any-instrument-John loves playing it.
@@MozzStk Lol keyboard john.
How come Flans is the only one wearing a visitor's pass. I mean ever, in any tiny desk concert?
You can see Linnell's on his keyboard.
@@seanfennel4845 they like to cover the Roland branding with stickers anyway. Its distracting
It's simple. John and John are the most humble musical geniuses ever.
still crazy after all these years.
Join Us has been one of their best modern albums
I love watching Marty's funny expressions.
"Sleestak: a race of reptilian bipedal humanoids." (.."creatures that evolved from the peaceful Altrusions.") Thanks, guys! :D
That fingertips performance was so IMPRESSIVE! LOVE JOHNS
My favorite performance of Fingertips!
Hearing this opener. Watching F lean into the mic on Cloisonné and L do proper pointing when he has the hand free during Fingertips...I don't need anything else.
I never miss a show when they come around. Caught em in the bookstore once
Borders Providence? I was there!
Never did I think I'd see anything from Love Garden in the same room as They Might Be Giants. LFK!
Great. Now I'm going to have to listen to Apollo 18 on shuffle... again. :-)
@tubeboob San Francisco? The only time I've seen them, in January 2001, was at the SF Fillmore. Some band named OKGO opened.
i listen to a lot of music, these guys are forever my favorite.
0:14 look at flans burgh's face lol
He's cracking up at John swearing on NPR
JOHN LINNELL SO PRETTY PRETTY MAN PRETTY GUY AAAAA LOVE HIM HE S SO SWEET IM LOVE
Idk what overcame me when I wrote that. I let the beast free
@@daisychannel2002are you okay
@@thegreatkompass no.
@@daisychannel2002 figures
totally lost my shit at Linnell's funny faces at MYSTEEEEEEEEEEEERIOUS WHISPERR
Wow. Such a great sound from just three guys! Love em.
Before there was Weezer there was TMBGs, hipster pioneers who went forth bravely in a 1980s America dominated by tribes of big haired glam rock bands.
Reppin' Lawrence, KS in the background, hell yeah! I have the best home town. LFK
Marty's stank-face at 8:58 is pure magic.
Linell’s right hand looks like a dancing spider
Something about TMBG always makes me feel simultaneously not cool enough and too cool to understand what's happening.
Marty just chillin' in the back there
They might be regular size, It's the desk that s tiny.
They're actual size, but they seem much bigger to me.
@@CurtisdenOtter Joke much appreciated
i *love* *love* the faces marty makes
i love that they were in that tv show Home Movies
@nfields03 actually its a bass clarinet, but your comment still hold true
I too walk alone down darkened corridors every day of my life.
nothing to add here. just noticed that i could be comment 420. can’t keep johnny down is a sleeper all time tmbg track
These guys are incredible. Their music is so eclectic, and unique.
There’s no middle ground with They Might Be Giants for me. I either love their songs, or don’t like the song at all (it won’t even grow on me over time).
Their greats are truly great. And the rest, well….just aren’t quite for me.
Just discovered this. Feel better now :-)
Didn't know that TMBG were on Tiny Desk. This is soo awesome!
I like the Love Garden representation in the back! Lawrence is awesome.
The thumbnail made it look like he was holding the Love Garden slipmat. I wonder how it ended up at NPR tiny desk!
They are definitely giants! :) Love it!
If any band was made for a tiny desk concert ....
I wish I had a voice like them
so do i...
Exhilarating. Love their songs so much.
This must be the record for most individual songs in a single tiny desk concert… by about ten times!
At least if you count each part of Fingertips separately lol.
I love this song 😍❤️🙏👋🎶😘👌🏼
I love finding lovely unexpected nuggets of goodness for the soul 😊