"Fingertips" by They Might Be Giants

Kirk picks apart not one, not two, but twenty one micro-songs by the great They Might Be Giants.

What's that blue thing doing here? Who's knocking on the wall? And for that matter, who's that standing out the window? It's time to answer those questions and many more, as Kirk delves into The Might Be Giants' singular collection of mini-songs, "Fingertips." It's a stylistic smorgasbord of sound, with everything from jazz to rock to lounge to... honestly, genre doesn't exist and "Fingertips" proves it. Each tiny song shines for its brief moment of life, and then lives on forever in your imagination. 

Written by: John Flansburgh and John Linnell

Album: Apollo 18 (1992)

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

• "Particle Man," "Birdhouse In Your Soul," and "Minimum Wage" by They Might Be Giants and "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" by Jimmy Kennedy and Nat Simon from Flood, 1990
• "Extra Savoir Faire" by TMBG from John Henry, 1994
• The 2002 documentary Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)
• “The Simpsons Main Title Theme” by Danny Elfman, 1989
• “Joy To The World” - lyrics by Isaac Watts as performed by Nat “King” Cole

OUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk Hamilton

Kirk is the host of Strong Songs. He lives in Portland, Oregon, where he likes to play the drums. He thinks he's getting good but he can handle criticism.

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