No! by They Might Be Giants

On Christmas Eve, we went to our little CD and other music stuff store to buy a CD for Uncle Chayee (that's Charlie to you). It turned out to be one of those shopping trips where we buy stuff we weren't planning to buy. This often happens to us with books and CDs. The CD I chose on a whim No! by They Might Be Giants, a CD for kids that is really great! I am not a big fan of most kids' music that I hear other people playing for their kids. Even though we have six kids, we don't actually own any of that music, so I could be wrong. No Disney soundtracks or Barney crap or whatever it is most parents buy for their kids. We are selfish parents when it comes to music. (This should be no surprise, since Jon is also known as The Musical Tyrant.)

This CD is the best gathering of kids' songs I have yet encountered. The kids love it and have been playing it constantly since they discovered it, and I'm not sick of it yet! It's funny and nonsensical and has lots of different styles of music. And it's intelligent and musically interesting. And there's a song about being a grocery bag. And about the Thomas Edison Museum ("the largest independently owned and operated mausoleum"--actual lyrics in the song). And about robots! And I still love it!

It's true that there is no song about dinosaurs, which would test me. But if there were, I think I'd probably love it anyway.

Posted by Erin Sat, 14 Jan 2006 06:54:00 GMT

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  1. Avatar
    camille sorensen about 1 year later:
    We stumbled upon this cd several years ago at the library. since then I have occasionally quoted " I am not your broom, I am not your broom I've had enough I'm throwing off the chains of servitude." I also never grow tired of the clever lyrics and complexity of the of the music. This CD is not merely to entertain children, but also to introduce them to classical music. Two thumbs up for in my opinion John and Jon's greatest accomplishment
  2. Avatar
    Erin about 1 year later:

    Yep, I still love this album. Sometimes I forget about it, and then someone puts it on, and I find myself chuckling anew at the lyrics.

  3. Avatar
    schnelbrau..... about 1 year later:
    i saw them live at 4th and B on this tour and they ruled. no means no... no no no.......... awesome.... cant wait for pyke to rock out to it.... scialpi (shelbo before ellis island)
  4. Avatar
    Erin about 1 year later:

    That's pretty amazing (and disturbing) that Scialpi could turn into Shelbo.

    It must have been pretty fun to see They Might Be Giants in concert. I've always loved their song "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)." It seemed important that someone should write a song about place names changing.

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    Chris Sorensen about 1 year later:
    Watch the film, "A Tale of Two Johns" about They Might Be Giants. It is entertaining in a way most "Rock Films" can never achieve. I am not a huge fan, but find them fun at times. I am found at times to announce to the world that "I am a grocery Bag." or comment on the phases of George Washington's head and I sincerley wish I were a super taster. "Clap your hands!!!"

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