The Statue Got Me High - They Might Be Giants

[MountainDuHast]

somethin' else got me high

[StarCraftWhore]

Wow. This band really isn't bad at all. I like this song!

[MacDragard]

lol, the singer sort of looks like Rick Astley.

[westmount800]

LOOKS LIKE YOUR FACE!!11! (Im joking)

[joe101c]

LOL

[slashingraven]

Linnell's never gonna give you up.

[pauleypauleypauley]

so is the idea here that humans create statues to make benchmarks for their future generations, and we will spread out through the cosmos not in human form, but the form of giant sentient statues that can hypnotize the material around them to create further life forms?

[sciencemile]

? Maybe...they're sort of singing a song about 2001: A Space Odyssey

[Hissymau]

LIVE FROM MOON <3

[deengew]

i love TMBG

[AmazinglyHotWomen]

i agree. i think it's all about religion..

and even if it's not their intent (mocking religion), it is still totally applicable to the entire song.

[camtra1]

I think it's about space pirates.

[CFFDan]

god this is so fucking cool

[BongoWW]

XD! My friend and I were playing Wii music in park square, and we have TMBG characters, so for the album cover, we have Linnell's head on a statue, and all of the others are up in the air , with only legs visible. The statue got them "high".

[regurgitatedlie]

TMBG is better than any drug :)

[BongoWW]

Are you kidding? TMBG is better than everything. I'm going to their NYC family concert.

[Indya02]

someone want to chat

i cant watch this video pK

[jaxonAKAswampliserd]

TMBG rules. Does this song mean high as in glue and markers and drugs or as in way up there?

[buddy2000529]

it means way up high and drugs

[mr1357989]

i like the flying empire state building(i think thats what that is)at 0:52

[funxnotdead]

i love it

men in space suits play the tenor and bari sax

it is so awesome

plus this song is one of my all time favorites

[kaizokuxraven]

Hahaha. I just realized, the entire song is a riff on "2001 A Space Oddesy."

xDD

[Sviolinist]

I bet you and I are the only ones who get it. Feels good, huh? "The Stone Has Shown To Me" - so obvious!! you are elite for getting that!! haw

[kaizokuxraven]

Whoo-hoo!! Epic win of dorkiness!!!!

[lizardizzle]

holy crap, i really never notised that! huh...

[brithans]

0:45 - 0:47 made me watch the video another three times.

[PoisonPeachPit]

:55 is the most joyously confused "I think this rocket just lifted off with me in it" face I've ever seen.

Actually, it's the only one I've seen. Hmm...

[regurgitatedlie]

Might the teacup orbiting the earth be a reference to Russell's Teapot? Hey, it seems that there's always someone trying to push a religious meaning onto TMBG's songs, I can push my atheist one ;)

Also, has anyone noticed that space seems to be a common theme? This video, She's an Angel, Why Does the Sun Shine, etc... not to mention the "bullet through the globe" metaphor in Ana Ng. Maybe this is kind of a stretch.

[AfromanJon]

Well goodness, you'd think this was a free forum where you can express your opinions or something. lol in the words of Digital Underground, Dowatchalike.

[regurgitatedlie]

:)

I was actually referring to the fansites (This Might Be A Wiki, etc), usually YouTube doesn't get too serious.

[AfromanJon]

That is the best guitar I've ever seen. I want to know where they find their instruments the mutes on the trumpets in "Birdhouse in Your Soul" (that might not be the right title) are awesome too.

[antiphonebill]

This song has grown on me. Now I love it.

[Wayn0rX]

is it just me, or do a lot of TMBG videos look a lot like "the adventures of pete and pete"?!

[theoriginal72]

I thought they did the theme song.

[Wayn0rX]

theoriginal72: nope. that was "polaris", although i wouldn't be surprised if one of their songs appeared in the series as background music. what i really meant, though, was that the videos LOOK like the show looked. nothing to do with the music.

[theoriginal72]

Well then I have to agree with you because I had always for some reason assumed they did the music for that. They do definitely have the same feel.

[JrtheRat]

My FAV TMBG song.

Linnell's hair is so cute X3

I love his accordion, it looks a lot like mine.

He should use big ones in live shows again!

[ZombiePirateEddie]

I think I finally figured out this song\video. Is this supposed to be some kind of rag on the MTV Music Awards? If so, that's pretty cool.

[NyeTunes]

Nope... it's actually based on a story (whose name escapes me) about a statue that sets a guy on fire.

Any help here, someone??

[regurgitatedlie]

The story of Don Giovanni, I think.

[AModernMajorGeneral]

Linell actually didn't know that when he was writing it. He just thought it was about a guy's head blowing up. I guess it was a subconscious thing.

[regurgitatedlie]

I still think it's about religion.

[sariphax]

good question

[Misuerdomino]

anyone know what type of guitar flans is using in this vid?

[tmgore64]

I think it's some type of Bo Diddley reproduction -- pretty cool, huh?

[drillbitdave]

agreed. tmbg is one of the most cerebral duo's who ever played a note. the shit is like art. you cant explain it to anyone else, but you know ya like it.

[leechdom]

damn right.

[schoolybear1]

TMBG..still a damn cool band... simple stuff, sure, but lots of these songs are WAY better than most of the music today

[leechdom]

we have a new girl working here at dominos.. i mentioned tmbgs.. and she fliped.. its so hard to find REAL fans these days.

[antiphonebill]

TMBG's music is INFINITELY better than that crap they call "music" these days. Tunes are creative, words are out of this world creative, philosophical implications that go beyond "shake yo' booty".

[NvPGulstab]

Skateboarding astronauts.... definitely They Might Be Giants.

[SoupIsFun]

Y'know, for some reason, this song always reminded me of Greek myths (i.e.: Medusa, who can turn a man to stone).

[Mirage24062]

well.. I'm not a huge TMBG guru.. I dont even know thier names. but I like this song. It makes me think of the days several years ago when my buddies and I were hooked on speed..

a 2oz rock can have a lot of power over you. lolz

[NicChiBellaZack]

They're names are John Linnel and John Flansburgh. Flans is the one with glasses, and Linnel is the one with the kick-awesome hair. J2lyk.

[NvPGulstab]

Which is not to say that Flans' hair is bad or anything. Also, I do believe it's spelled 'Linnell'.

[Shuda7]

they really made Flansburgh not look like himself

[hippiekyd416]

And now, I see the things the stone had shown to me.

[jarzhinio]

I would give anything to sit in a meeting where they came up with ideas for this.

"Well for "the statue got me high" it seems obvious we go for a tea cup and perhaps lots of references to the solar system and astronoughts"

[PoisonPeachPit]

Jazz-tronauts!

[BongoWW]

Wait what?

[Angelspawn3000]

are these guys still alive?O__O just want to know

[666wrathofheaven666]

Yeah lol

[Angelspawn3000]

ok thanks^__^

[teamjoe3]

yes! duh! what are you retarted? this was like 1988

[antiphonebill]

1992

[teamjoe3]

wow.

thats all i have to say.

[Angelspawn3000]

well actually i am retarded (long pause)

sorry (long pause) bai^__^

[teamjoe3]

lol

[imtheslime2]

I actually pictured everything exactly like this video - No, not really. I pictured a 100 ft Hercules. Where is the statue they're singing about? I didn't see a statue in the video.

[dietspritezero]

they try to avoid lieral symbolism in their videos. if they're singing a song about a giant statue, there's not going to be a giant statue in the video.

but i do think a giant statue of william allen white would be cool.

[c0linaf]

before i saw this video i always pictured the "statue" kinda looking like the statue from led zepplin IV, ya know the one holing the lantern

[c0linaf]

its so weird seeing jon linnel with long hair cuz obviously that was filmed a long time ago

[teamjoe3]

80s

[Jecipe]

The name of this track should be "The statue made me white."

[imtheslime2]

I loved Apollo 18. I loved all their albums though, but Apollo 18 was definately one of the special ones. I wonder why they don't do a lot of stuff off this album at concerts (other than fingertips which they've done at every show I've ever been at).

[FleaMaster69]

I absolutely love TMBG... its 2am and i'm watching it... haha, i have school tomorrow, but i had to watch it...

now i'm happy...

i can go to sleep...

[antiphonebill]

Flansburgh looks flat-out demented

[suchducks]

The Johns...are two fine, floating heads

[iwannarockurworld]

watching that just made me dumber. may god have mercy on your soul.

[whettoeck]

Shut up, you couldn't understand the deep metaphorical meeting which is TMBG.

[SuperMatlyn]

thank you, I was wondering how one would word that

[teamjoe3]

fuck off you ass whore. your a real ass hole so go kill your self.

[SuperMatlyn]

Ok if you want to go tell people to go kill them selfs think of others feelings first becouse you don't know if another person looking at comments BEST FRIEND just hung herself two months ago. so think before you type

[teamjoe3]

What the fuck are you talking about?

[chives2]

WTF! who are you addressing?

[SunTzu176]

I luagh at your best friend. Im glad she is dead.

[LeftSock06]

Possibilities: teacup = reference to Bertrand Rusell's "Celestial Teapot" orbiting the sun.

beam = sci-fi author Philip K. Dick's visions of laser beams from space.

Possibly.

[justinisboss]

Since everyone else is doing it,ill mention how I got into TMBG.My brother used to put on music when we were going to sleep,and one day he borrowed TMBG greatist hits and stuck it on.I used to wake up to Meet James Ensor,which someone made me dream about a mario game,which ended in meeting James himself.Good times.

[grapefruitm00n]

Did you dig James up and shake his hand? Sorry, that was bad...

[suchducks]

skateboarding astronauts ftw.

[tjswans77]

This was the second song of TMBG I ever heard, after Birdhouse in your soul" I then immediatly went out and bought every album of theirs i could get my hands on. TMBG forever!

I've always wondered if the movie 2001 inspired this song.

"They pale before the monilith that towers over me."

[Garsplodez]

Mine was "Fingertips"

[xiptocreek]

"Istanbul", then "Particle Man"

[AModernMajorGeneral]

Same here. My cousin showed me their Tiny Toon videois...I didn;t get into the craze much later though. The same cousin gave my sister A User's Guide to TMBG, which she hated, and I swiped. Molto bene.

[skelefriend]

where would i get a guitar like flans's

[admittingsword]

I think it was custom made /= Unfortunate because I want one as well xD

[JasonDTube]

Your turn to hear the stone and then your turn to burn....

[truthcanbeadjusted]

I have no idea why, but the lyrics to this song have always made me kind of sad! I love it though.

[veraslove]

This song was so cool, before they started doing songs about Pee Wee hockey for Dunkin Doughnuts

[Lanfear27]

TMBG is the greatest group ever. It's that simple.

[eyethesuicide]

I love this song, I can never get enough of its excellent tunes and abstract lyrics... God I love the astronauts playing the saxophones! Well made classic

[justinisboss]

Of course they're giants.Such awesome music,this is one of my favorite TMBG songs,especially the sax.

[RoneyBalogna]

Could they really be GIANTS ? ? ?

of course!

Peace!

[JasonDTube]

I always laugh when I see William Allen White's face in the astronaut suits.

[EspadaDaVerdade]

No really, it DID get me high! Dang I love these guys!

[oldestmanonmars]

What guitar does Flans have? It kinda looks like a Bo Diddley but I've never seen one of those with horns on it.

[Jaguar21787]

These guys belong in the rock hall of fame

[sowhatsupwithcancer]

JL's hair is the greatest thing in the world in this video.

[DavePerry2012]

Somehow, after watching this, I feel I must own the collection of They Might Be giants videos, "Direct From Brooklyn"

[suchducks]

Would it be wrong of me to say something like 'OMG LINNELL'S HAIR'?

OMG JOHN'S HAIR. <3

[rhythmsetionwantad]

I want his hair so bad. ;-;

[slackerboy02]

I love the skater-nauts! Did anyone else think of Greased Lightning when the two 50's cars took off down the flood channel at 1:48? Was this filmed in the LA river? looks like it...

[rampartgeneral]

The least annoying John is playing an accordion. I had one of those.

[Wasabi4334]

Flansy isn't annoying D:

[Sidewaysbox]

You must be talking about linnell.

[burnman96]

they rock in playing club style also. Saw them in ft laud a while back. they rocked there, and in a club there's little room for slacking. they're tight!!!!!!

[AssassinsGrave]

Flansburgs sunglassess rock!

[jafou]

Has any band ever had as much fun making music as these two dorks? I love them.

[RealityRunsRampant]

omg! this is one of my favorite songs, yet i had never seen the video... never knew it existed...

[Simplybarbaric]

I liked the part with Ray Charles standing there in the shadows

[TheFreakBand]

That was flans

[Triforcep]

TMBG FOR EVER!!!

[mostamazingppl]

I LOVE this song...TMBG rules!

[PissoPuyo]

I've said it once and I'll say it again: BOTH of their hairstyles ROCK in this video.

[PoisonPeachPit]

Yeah, I think this is the high point for them hairstyle-wise.

[sigilvii]

I'm getting the impression it's related to 2001: A Space Odyssey, but I could very easily be wrong. Don Giovanni, huh?

[kumatsuotaku]

I totally want the guitar that Linnell used for this video.

[jesushlincoln]

I think you mean Flansburgh; Linnell is the long-haired fellow with the accordion.

[kumatsuotaku]

... I always forget which is which...

[jesushlincoln]

At any rate, it is an awesome guitar. I also like the one from the She Was A Hotel Detective video.

[gstryker18]

do you know what kind it is?

[jesushlincoln]

No, unfortunately; it's either completely custom-built, or a pre-made guitar that has been customized.

[bleepim]

heh always knew the song. first time seeing the video. i was suprised

[Milkdudds92]

great song.

[JinEfreet]

Ahh, perfect example of lyrical dissonance.

[Triforcep]

ROFL

i like this 8D

[PRob82]

AAAAHH!! I forgot how much I love this song I'm gonna run out and get a copy of apollo 18!!!

[itamaechan]

MY GOD the guitar John is cute.

[fairfair]

linnell says this song is about don giovanni.

[Kino483]

well i need to burn it through thier thick skull!!

[henrymcpoo]

Coming from you, that's practicaly a professional opinion...

[Kino483]

um comin from you is sutpidity and stfu you dont know shit ur not even smart enough to go to a post secondary like me!!!

[imperfecttt]

you know, you have your opinion, others have,there's

[roweben]

Friday night is no longer lonely with YouTube and TMBG vids.

[paper0bowser]

God I love this band! TMBG ROCKS!!!!! lol Johnm14's right! John F does look like Doc. Ock in this video!

[Kino483]

TMBG sucks ass they are the most retarded band ever one guy looks like he is always like having a secure. and its a watered down version of the backstreet boys!!!! and you are too dumb to know that!!

[Chwoka]

Watered Down version of the Backstreet Boys? These guys aren't like that. Besides, they were around for a decade or two before the Backstreet Boys.

[brought2ubyliz]

a) I'm going to be a stupid girl and say that I love John L's hair.

b) These guys are fracking brilliant, everything they do is fantastic.

[imperfecttt]

heh, fracking.

[jeffreywolfe2007]

watch the optical illusion at 2:54, these guys are always thinking up something! =)

[Welivewiththefuture]

I'm glad this song was fictional, or the world's best american band would be in a rubber room. :(

[RWS24]

world's best american band? that's an oxymoron... tmbg would be very disappointed in you

[Kino483]

yotrtrh

[imperfecttt]

ooh,gibberish, ddfuhfofaairhf

[johnm14]

Flans reminds me of doctor Octopus in this video lol

[Kino483]

no ur momas ugly

[Babbabooie]

Skateboarding Astronauts FTW

[Triforcep]

xDD nicee >:D

[justinisboss]

god,i love it at the little parts where the guys in spacesuits do the quick horn beat

[THEENDHIMSELF]

very good song and will be a classic for me

[timkemp1961]

very underrated group - their best tune I think.

[justinisboss]

god dam i love this song and tmbg

[PoisonPeachPit]

Har har, live from moon.

[tmbbiff]

my coat contained a furnace where there used to be a guy.

[MonkeyDestroyer1]

Great song, my fav band!

[Applepieman1990]

One of my favorite music videos :D

[NivekBackwards]

Definitely one of the best videos of theirs

its an awesome song too

[quartzy]

Easily the best early TMBG music video.

[quartzy]

Videos don't capture the magic in the songs anymore...

[richardhigonsby]

1st Comment, 1st view. Back at the worlds fair? While watching your videos, I try to imagine the temperature of where it was the shoot was. Here, I'm thinking 60 degrees, but really I don't know whaere this was even filmed. (NY?)