They Might Be Giants

[Sprocket]

Free! 2008-08-09 Aug. 9, 2008
(Saturday) Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun [1]
Time: 8:00pm

Free! 2008-08-10 Aug. 10, 2008
(Sunday) Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun [2]
Time: 7:00pm

[ArchAngel1024]

Buy The Spine. I love that album.

[Goatboy]

Free! 2008-08-09 Aug. 9, 2008
(Saturday) Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun [1]
Time: 8:00pm

Free! 2008-08-10 Aug. 10, 2008
(Sunday) Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun [2]
Time: 7:00pm

Wow, TMBG are celebrating my birthday by having free shows. That's fantastic, but I won't be able to attend, sadly.

[Lazar]

Bumping because TMBG rock everybody's socks. Watch this video!

[BlissfulRhythm]

I have nothing to contribute to this thread, but I'd like to take a moment, just sitting right here, to say that Birdhouse in Your Soul is the best song ever.

I second that statement. I actually have a blue canary nightlight... they're very hard to find.

[pi(e)lover]

I'm bumping this yet again because I have an almost hopeless question that's more likely to be answered here than in the song ID thread:

So: They Might Be Giants. They rock. After years of idly enjoying them (and cheering a bit on the rare occasions they come on the radio) I finally got round to buying Dial-A-Song and it is now rocking my car on a regular basis. But...

Years ago I remember hearing a TMBG song on Radio 2's Tracks Of My Years (for you US-ians, it's a UK radio program where famous people are interviewed and pick a whole load of songs that are significant to them). It was Harry Shearer's appearance and all I can remember is that the song was a) awesome, and b) had very very fast lyrics (it was pretty word-dense, I think). I was hoping I might find it on a big compilation album but alas, I'm not sure I've discovered it yet. I feel instinctively like I'd recognise it if I heard it, but the only one I think it could possibly be is The Sun Is A Mass... and I'm not at all convinced that's it.

So. I know I'm basically pissing in the wind with such a ridiculously vague description, but...any ideas?

[Microscopic cog]

Random guess: Istanbul, not Constantinopel

I emailed the guy from the show but I doubt I'll get an answer. There aren't any archives online ( only for 2007-2011 and Shearer wasn't in there. )

Either way, at least I learned that Harry Shearer has directed a comedy play with Kelsey Grammar.

[pi(e)lover]

It wasn't Istanbul, I'm fairly sure, thanks for the guess though. Have searched all over for programme archives and can't find anything! Boo BBC.

[cephalopod9]

It would help narrow things down a lot if you could say about how many "years ago" it was.

3? 15? Was it a nostalgic choice?

[pi(e)lover]

It was no earlier than 2006 I'd say (I was driving so can narow it down to "as long as I've had a license), but earlier than 2008 I'd guess. It won't have been a current song as the people on the program all tend to pick nostalgic choices.

It's pretty much a lost cause, I know. But can never hurt to try!

[cephalopod9]

Have you ruled out everything on Dial a Song? I don't know anything about the radio show, so I was hoping you might have some idea as to when the song came out. Can you remember if it was cheerful, or angrier, any of the lyrics or themes?
Based on Nostalgic, word dense/fast lyrics
I would have guessed one of their earlier songs like Don't Let's Stop or Purple Toupee, but both of those are on Dial a Song.

Google connects Radio 2' Tracks of My Years to the song A Self Called Nowhere, but that doesn't fit your description.

Harry Shearer also has his own radio show... which between 05 and 08 featured Au Contraire, It's Not My Birthday*, The Mesopotamians, Climbing the Walls, and Experimental Film.
*I was close to guessing this one, but it's not that fast

[Microscopic cog]

Well guys, I got the answer. Look what I got in my mailbox:

Dear Gertjan,

Many thanks for your email. When Harry Shearer was on Tracks Of My Years he chose the song 'Dinner Bell' by They Might Be Giants. It's featured on their CD 'Apollo 18' which is released on Elektra records catalogue number 7559612572.

Kind regards,
Simon

[pi(e)lover]

Well guys, I got the answer. Look what I got in my mailbox:

Dear Gertjan,

Many thanks for your email. When Harry Shearer was on Tracks Of My Years he chose the song 'Dinner Bell' by They Might Be Giants. It's featured on their CD 'Apollo 18' which is released on Elektra records catalogue number 7559612572.

Kind regards,
Simon

Oh my word...i officially love you! Just youtubed and I don't think I would have recognised it; it's not at all how my memory had filed it away. But it's still very cool - and all about food, which is possibly why it struck a chord (or a bell?) with me.

Several internets to you, Sir!

[Microscopic cog]

Glad I could help.