The story behind the STD Theme
yer_pa...@my-dejanews.com
Former TMBG and sometimes current Mono Puff bassist Hal Cragin's Sister,
Sally, writes bi-weekly column in a local newspaper. I've been a regular
reader of hers but didn't know she was related to Hal's until she started
making reference to Hal and Mono Puff in her column about a year ago. At the
recent Mono Puff concert in Cambridge Massachusetts I had an opportunity to
ask Hal to confirm that he was related to Sally. He said "Sure, she's my
sister. In fact, here she is!" We had a very pleasant conversation with
her, and then saw an excellent Mono Puff set. After the final song,
Flansburgh announced, among other things, that we could buy "Button magazine
with some TMBG stuff in it" or something like that. I went to where he had
pointed to find Sally Cragin selling copies of this tiny little magazine (I
mean, like 3"x 5") called "Button" for $2 a piece. What the heck, I bought
one. It's cover declared it as "New England's Tiniest Magazine of Poetry
Fiction and Gracious Living." In quickly leafing through it I saw that it
included (tiny) sheet music for the STD theme. Alice went over to have John
F. sign it (which he did). Then it hid in the car for two months.
Fast forward to New Years Eve. In the long drive down to NYC to see TMBG I
had a chance to look over the tiny magazine in a little more detail and found
the following write-up:
Hum Along With They Might Be Giants
The following pages contain sheet music by the captivating They Might Be
Giants. :Sever Tire Damage" is the first track on their eponymous new record
(Restless). This energetic, insinuating melody is redolent of the soundtrack
to "Caper" TV shows of the '60s. But this is no accident, songwriter John
Linnell explains. "We originally recorded that for a fake TV show that was
called something like The King Variety Show." This entertainment would have
been "a skull puppet in a hot rod that would do things like spin around and
pop wheelies. Smoke would come out of its head and eyes." The proposal and
music for the King Show stirred up some interest, but so far, sic transit
gloria showbiz. Thus "Severe Tire Damage" became the title track of the
giants' "happy we-love-touring" album. Get out the piccolos kids, and play
nice, now.
The issuing sheet music contains 12 bars of 4/4 music arranged for piccolo,
trumpets, tenor sax and baritone sax. At the top of the second page is what
looks like the header information from a fax page with the phone number
whited out. But you can still read (in very teeny tiny print) at the top of
the page: "Mr. Linnell...6/14/98...06:12PM...PAGE.2/2." In the back of the
mag, they include this little blurb: "Legendary pop phenom They Might Be
Giants grew up mostly in Mass. Their intensely theatrical and spirited shows
usually include an impromptu conga line, a cannonade of confetti, oversized
puppets, and wry good humor."
Just a little trivia that I though it might be of interest.
Yer Pal Paul
Not back on that old Time is Money kick, still on it.
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ALeigh992
>Yer Pal Paul
:-) thanks for taking the time to post it! You don't have a scanner by any
chance? <g>
Aleigh
Check it out! Check it totally out!! --> http://i.am/not_your_broom
"She's got a thimble, full of all I know..." ~ Mono Puff
KdsInThHal
>(Restless).
"eponymous"... sorry, that was the pink album. <g> and the first track is dr.
worm... did i miss something, or is this little write up incorrect?
sarah
linne...@tmbg.org ~ icq:26873712
http://members.aol.com/kdsinthhal/
"...and monsters too!" -- the shirtless moron, late night
yer_pa...@my-dejanews.com
> > :Sever Tire Damage" is the first track on their eponymous new record
> >(Restless).
>
> "eponymous"... sorry, that was the pink album. <g> and the first track is dr.
> worm... did i miss something, or is this little write up incorrect?
This was taken from the article verbatim, and I take no responsibility for
minor errors therein. The bit about Severe Tire Damage being the first track
on the album is absolutle incorrect. Although it's entirely possible that
the mag went to print before the CD was released, and it's not too far
fetched to assume that the title track might be the first track on an album
(like Flood). But, whatever. Also kind of interesting that while
"eponymous" usually means an album with the same name as the band (ala TMBG's
first album, aka Pinkie), the word more generally means giving one's name to
something. Could the writer have been suggesting that the song gave the name
to the album, or vice versa? If so, she should have written " Severe Tire
Damage is the second track on *its* eponymous new record."
Either that, or she fucked up.
Still, I liked the bit about the skull puppet popping wheelies in a toy hot
rod.
Christopher M. Stangl
> The Story behind the Severe Tire Damage Theme Song.
Paul is a saint, I say. The Catholic church says you have to have
performed miracles during your lifetime, to be a canonized saint. This
more than qualifies.
> Hal Cragin's Sister, Sally, writes bi-weekly column in a local newspaper
Is it possible for a mortal person, somewhere decidedly not in the
range of the "local" paper, to read this column somewheres?
> "New England's Tiniest Magazine of Poetry Fiction and Gracious Living."
Is it possible for a mortal person, who is geographically unable
to attend Mono Puff shows, to obtain a copy of "Button"? This is, in my
opinion, of keystone-level importance, and cannot be allowed to slip past
as mere "amusing ephemera". It must be preserved and well-distributed.
> recorded that for a fake TV show that was called something like The King
> Variety Show"
The Residents did this, for their song "Theme for an American T.V.
Show," which appears (as a bonus track) on CD pressings of their
"Commercial Album" album.
> "a skull puppet in a hot rod that would do things like spin around and
> pop wheelies. Smoke would come out of its head and eyes."
HOLY SHIT, do I feel vindicated! And y'all thought I was just
blowin' smoke out my... uh... head and eyes! TMBG is the music of the
UNDEAD! No spoiler, no windscoop, baby, "STD" was born in a graveyard, and
on the drag! A fake TV show theme-song for the rev-up and a set of fake
movie theme-songs for the cool-down!
> the giants' "happy we-love-touring" album
A-ha ha ha! (that's how I type Flans' laugh from "Hotel
Detective")... that's what they WANT you to think!
> Just a little trivia that I though it might be of interest.
"Just," he says... "little" indeed!... "might be"!
A saint, I tell you.
-Rev. Chris Stangl
Oilcan1045
>> Variety Show"
>
> The Residents did this, for their song "Theme for an American T.V.
>Show," which appears (as a bonus track) on CD pressings of their
>"Commercial Album" album.
Are you sure it isn't on "special editions" of The Commericial Album? I've
checked my version for a Factory Showroom-style secret track and a Beck-style
on-the-tail-end-of-the-final-track secret track, and didn't come up with
anything.
-save THS from the ball & chain
Adam Tyner
tracks found on previous versions; the track listings are the same as
the original issues. It's a definite trade-off -- you don't get the
bonus tracks, but the quality of what you do hear is *so* much
better...
-Adam
yer_pa...@my-dejanews.com
"Christopher M. Stangl" <cst...@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu> wrote:
> On Mon, 25 Jan 1999 yer_pa...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
>
> > The Story behind the Severe Tire Damage Theme Song.
>
> Paul is a saint, I say. The Catholic church says you have to have
> performed miracles during your lifetime, to be a canonized saint. This
> more than qualifies.
The Catholic Church and I have been back and forth on this issue for some
time, Chris. They seem to think that one Saint Paul is plenty. I sez: What
if TMBG had been satisfied with one John?
> > Hal Cragin's Sister, Sally, writes a bi-weekly column in a local newspaper
>
> Is it possible for a mortal person, somewhere decidedly not in the
> range of the "local" paper, to read this column somewheres?
Yes indeedy, Nefertiti! Check out:
http://www.worcesterphoenix.com/archive/tritown/current_tritown.html which is
the link to Sally's most recent "Tales from Tritown" column, updated every
two weeks. There is also an archive in there somewhere. Check out her 1998
column "Urban Outfit" for an obscure Mono Puff reference.
> > "New England's Tiniest Magazine of Poetry Fiction and Gracious Living."
>
> Is it possible for a mortal person, who is geographically unable
> to attend Mono Puff shows, to obtain a copy of "Button"? This is, in my
> opinion, of keystone-level importance, and cannot be allowed to slip past
> as mere "amusing ephemera". It must be preserved and well-distributed.
We aim to please. You aim too, please! (sign over urinal) Button is a
semi-annual publication. $5 gets you a 2 year (4 issue) subscription, $25
sets you up for life! Add $5 for overseas subscriptions. Send check or m.o.
to S. Cragin/Button, Box 26, Lunenberg, MA 01462. Ask nice and maybe Sally
throw in the 5th Anniversary (Summer '98) issue that contains the TMBG sheet
music.
> > Just a little trivia that I though might be of interest.
>
> "Just," he says... "little" indeed!... "might be"!
> A saint, I tell you.
> -Rev. Chris Stangl
Heh. Take it up with the Pope. But until then, I remain:
Christopher M. Stangl
> >"Theme for an American T.V. Show"... appears CD pressings of "The
> Commercial Album"
>
> you sure it isn't on "special editions" of The Commericial Album?
Yes. Standard issue CD. "Theme" was, according to the liner
notes, written for an American sitcom which shall remain nameless, but the
producers found the song "too weird" (and it IS too weird for an American
sitcom, though I can't fathom why sitcom producers would ever contact and
contract the Residents in the first place), and rejected it. A British
audio cassette magazine (back in the day when audio magazines were kind of
cool) called "Touch" released the song in an issue titled "Magnetic
North" (or "Rituals," depending on which edition one purchased).
> checked... for a Factory Showroom-style secret track and a Beck-style
> on-the-tail-end-of-the-final-track secret track, and didn't come up with
> anything
That's 'cause they're bonus tracks, not hidden tracks. The last
ten songs on the CD pressings are listed as "Bonus Babies".
Funny you should mention special-editions, though... the "special"
versions of "Commercial Album"- that is, the new Japanese remastered Bomba
Records releases- DON'T include any bonus tracks! Check you CD, and see if
it's the Bomba release (which will have 40 tracks- Bomba seeks to
duplicate the original albums exactly), or the ESD Classic Series (50
tracks, including the Bonus Babies). You'll probably know if you bought
the Japanese remaster, anyway, as they're significantly costlier than the
ESD discs.
Anyhow, assuming you don't have the Bonus Babies on the Classic
Series "Commercial Album" CD:
41- "Shut Up, Shut Up"- recorded for "Commercial," cut, but included on
"The Commercial Single" ep.
42- "And I Was Alone"- same deal. Rez sez they sounded too "trendy".
43- "Theme for an American TV Show"
44- "We're a Happy Family"- A Ramones cover (Rez-style, with severely
truncated lyrics) recorded for an LP sampler titled "Miniatures".
45- "The Sleeper"- Recorded '79, previously included only on "Residue" the
best-of-unreleased-Rez collection from '83.
46- "Boy in Love"- Same deal.
47- "Diskomo"- A short-ass remix of the original remix/ parody of the
original "Eskimo" album.
48- "Jailhouse Rock"- rec. '82... Oddly not from "The King and Eye".
49- "This is a Man's Man's Man's World"- cut from "George & James"... but
released as a (successful!) single three times, with different
flip-sides, the third titled "Reissue," & b/w with "Jailhouse"
50- "Hit the Road Jack"- previously released as a single (in 3 versions,
with various alterations in backing material). From '87, a good
deal later than the rest of the Bonus Baby material.
In short, all this material is available elsewhere... provided one
has the money to track it down. Lord knows I don't.
-Rev. Chris Stangl
All this info probably available in more accurate
detail at http://www.residents.com... but I don't feel like double
checking any of it.