They Might Be Giants: One More Parade

[kenmeyerjr]

Good for TMBG.

[nxg1499]

i cant believe that some people dont understand this song

[Gadfly25]

The audio works on 240p.

[116Bears]

WTF happened to the audio?

[BifMcAwesome]

Phil Ochs was a loser, but the day he and Marvin Gaye got married the trees all waved their giant arms. 

[116Bears]

Who stole the sound?

[Cheeseisgood7789]

War it stupid. The leaders get elected to govern the people to a prosperous life, instead they make the citizens into pawns in a large game of chess. The only difference is, sacrificing a few pieces means a few human beings get murdered.

[ohnoanotherputz]

The audio still plays in 240p...

[niko1499]

i hate how they removed the audio this was the best version

[mattarchie1494]

that's weird, i wonder why this video won't play in 360p only in 240p...

[monkeyfly30]

there is no audio

[Gadfly25]

Haunting.

[beanodonnell]

am i the only one who feels empowerd and get a good feeling from this song?

[mouse264]

@beanodonnell Nope.

[StevelaFrench]

It's hard to believe only 60,000 people have viewed this video. :(

[marimbadearco]

Great cover -- so wonderful to hear Phil's music being kept alive, it's all too relevant.

Here's to the day it won't be!!

[FunnyBunnyofDOOM]

it is a shame, they all look the same. It makes you feel better about shooting someone different than you when they look the same as the thousands of other asians shooting at you. sad sad thing war is.

[DomNNatious]

what album is this from?

[peanutfoot]

@DomNNatious It was for an Elektra anniversary thing... Can't remember the exact event/CD. TMBG chose this song because Phil Ochs published the original version under Elektra, and they was signed with Elektra at the time, so this cover killed two birds with one stone.

[brainsplatty]

"Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war." -Donald Rumsfeld

[LadyFullMoon71]

actually, there's a box set of ALL Phil Ochs songs, well worth owning.

[ConnDevi88]

This video is the first time I ever heard this song. I can't find the original. They Might Be Giants are one of my all time favorites as well.

[mudfries]

its a phil ochs song, the 1st track on his

1st album, "all the news thats fit to sing" but do yourself a favour and buy all his albums! he was something special phil ochs. all the best pal.

[Kaefer1956]

@ConnDevi88: A 25-second clipping of the original you can hear here:

mog(dot)com/music/Phil_Ochs/Th­ere_But_for_Fortune/One_More_P­arade

[GroovyChainsaw]

Its from "Rubicon", an anniversary compilation CD from Elektra records featuring artists from their (90's era) roster covering songs by their stable from decades past.

[Mchadalas]

We are a representative democracy. We elect the people that lead us. Yes, the Electoral College does vote for the president, but the Electoral College is us. Just not all of us. We are also a republic in which we elect our representative, and are not ruled by a monarch. The fact is that it doesn't matter what we call ourselves. A country is a country. A piece of land that govern. No country is greater or lesser then another, although some are more developed economical then others.

[fionabearclaw]

phil ochs. they might be giants. my life is basically complete.

[beatpunk9]

Hitler was a conman, like Manson, Koresh. They all had a lot in common. Went to jail, lived among other conmen, and thought up their own versions of the same thing- taking people whose lives were crap, making them easily led, and inventing a cult, with them as the leader. Hitler wrote Mein Kampf while in jail. Naziism was nothing more than a huge cult of easily led sheep. They had a ready made scapegoat (the same one as usual in history), a leader they thought of as a god, and away they went.

[luciusETRUR]

If it was because he went jail.. he was in jail for trying to forcefully take over German parliament. It wasn't so much a 'cult' but a Workers Party movement, that ended up becoming Fascism.

Hitler wasn't the worst of the Nazis, and to think they were 'easily led', you should watch the world today!

[redhook4]

Finely somebody who understands the word fascism on you tube! Anyways i agree with you .

[redhook4]

Generally he was a good leader. Besides the whole Ethnic Cleansing part. He lead Germanys terrible broken economy into a super power. And he promised that so technically he didn't "Con" anyone.

[epee102]

Ah...."The good men do is often buried with their bones." or something. Hitler's ecnomic reform,as positive as it is, will for centuries be soon forgoteen when we rember the the ireedemble acts of genocide he condoned. Great at public speaking though!

[redhook4]

Genocide tends to take away from economic reform :P

[Kaefer1956]

Hitler's so-called "economic reform" simply based on a gigantic rearmament programme, fed by debts and robbery. By 1939 Germany's economy was totally ruined and he needed the war to cover it up.

[epee102]

Okay.I really no nothing about Germany

pre-WW2, I just found it funny that people were trying to excuse Hitler be reffering to economic reform.

[Artemetra]

No need to neg this comment. Just needs a history lesson. Germany was so bad you literally needed a wheelbarrow to hold the cash to buy a loaf of bread. And they were sick of the rest of the world telling them what to do after WW1. So yeah a guy like Hitler could promise a lot and get popular.

[BongoWW]

@epee102

That would be "The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones." But I disagree. Hitler's good wasn't there to be interred in the first place.

[prshortpants]

that whole thing was a pump and dump. there was money in their pockets, and more coming in but I'd hardly call it sustainable. like using water to lubricate metal- it may go smoothly for a bit but wait till it rusts.

[mudfries]

youre entitled to your opinion pal, and i for one will stand up for your right to be wrong. better people than you or i gave their lives for the right to vote, if you dont want to use yours, fine, thats your democratic choice, but remember the people who fought for your freedom to choose and a big part of that was the right to vote, if you want to insult their memory by not even bothering to vote all i can say is shame on you, remember there are people in the world still fighting for a vote.

[TheHitman45]

That's a great thing about America. You have the right to vote and the right to not vote.

[10094926]

actualy, you should still go to vite. even if you jsut deface the slip, you've had you're say.

[luciusETRUR]

Actually, the people who fought for "our right to vote", believed in a voting system where the people were restricted. The Electoral College votes for presidents, and actually, if they wanted, could vote entirely different than their "pledge".

We are -not- a democracy in America, and never have been. We are a confederate republic, and the right to vote for your state legislature and district congressmen is good, but vote for the President or a Senator is really not a good idea.

[redhook4]

We where never a republic. Just because it says "Republic" in the pledge doesn't mean that. A republic it's generally a bloated democracy where people can vote for laws,military action,and any other action the government is going to take. Anyways we are a usually classified as:

Capitalist Democracy

or

Capitalist Utopia.

[luciusETRUR]

Actually we -are- a republic. A democratic republic, because if you look at our systems of balance, the people do not elect the president and originally did not elect the senate. The people only elected the representatives on the federal level.

We are not a "capatailist democracy" whatever that is. Capaitalism is just something we used to embrace, not something that is the name of our government.

The actual name is a Federal Republic, that is what we are.

[epee102]

Utopia's by definition are non-existant

Capitalist is an economic not governing system. Hate to burst your bubble but it appears you have the definitions backward (your current definition of a "republic " is actually a pure democracy).

[redhook4]

I'm not trying to define the word republic. I'm saying that we are a Democracy not a Republic. And capitalism is. With Capitalism the government does not hand out free health care and let citizens die and fail to their own extant. And Socialism is a Governing system to.

[epee102]

No, Captialism is the concept of competing sellers, although you are correct Socialism is a governing system (Not to be confused with Communism)

A modern democracy is Switzerland,

while we are a republic with democratic lenencies.

[redhook4]

No not rally we are a Democracy. Have you ever heard the the phrase "Democracy now! Democracy Forever!" during the revolutionary war? They weren't fighting for republic they where fighting for Democracy.

[epee102]

No, I have not heard that phrase during the revolution. Democracy means you vote directly for everything, this we do not .

[redhook4]

That's not Democracy. That's Direct Democracy. Democracy is when you vote for a Senator,Mayor,Representative,a­nd president (like we did)

[epee102]

very well. I commonly refer to that as republic, but I see no reason to argue over names, as long as the understood system works the same

[Mchadalas]

"i for one will stand up for your right to be wrong." Funny thing you actually aren't standing up for his right be wrong for pointing it out. You are just trying to sound good. The people dying and killing in wars is not for us. It's for them or their family. Bottom line it's for money. Let's face it it's a well paying job. Humans are animals and will go where the food is. The whole honor our troops is bullshit. Yes, their job is dangerous, but same with coal miners, and no one is honoring them.

[mudfries]

" it is good fortune for governments that people do not think" - ADOLF HITLER

to stop madmen gaining power you must think and question everything, the next time you hear "i dont vote, what difference does it make". from someone, tell them how dangerous that attitude is! I think phil ochs would have loved this cover of his song, its fantastic, he spent his life saying to people YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

myspaceThefighting69th dumfries band

[Curtis006]

You can make a difference, but not by voting, bro.

[whowantsabighug]

great vid. made me think, hitler was actually a great leader; only what he fought for was wat we might call 'bad'

[PhyscoZombieChickie]

lol uhm yeah id def say it was very "bad"

[CFFDan]

what we might call bad? i do agree he was quite a persuasive leader although he was fucking insane

[whowantsabighug]

not in his opinion he mustve thought we were insane since he was trying to 'cleanse' humanity

[edithhughes]

let's read Hitler's mind.

if only it had all stayed at the level of one mind.

[Bandaids4ever]

TMBG really did this song justice. It's almost as good as the original. The footage is horrible. Really makes you think. good job. : ]

[VHShit]

wow, this was great! Only the 2nd time I gave vid with dead kids 5 stars.

[MondaysTuesday]

This is a really good song. I really did not expect this from TMBG.

[cajohn54]

sounds like wall of doodoo

[TheFallenCanRise]

What in the hell does that incomplete sentence even mean?

[PoisonPeachPit]

Thanks, Phil. Thanks, John and John.

[dmahnke]

can anyone tell me when THEY released this one? good song but tough to look at

[subversivecynic]

TMBG are citizens too? They've got a bunch of songs from other eras like this, if you look through all the stuff they've released.

[HeroicBard]

xD They do have a bunch of songs from everywhere. I prefer their older stuff.

[elusiverobertdenby]

It came out around 1990 -- it was on an Elektra compilation. Then-Elektra artists (like TMBG) covered songs by former Elektra artists (like Phil Ochs).

[schoolybear1]

Referring to all the sh*t going on now?

[AToober]

It's toe tappingly tragic:)

[Amoeb4man]

It's tragidorable.

[hippiekyd416]

Make music not war.

[archaedemos]

seriously kick ass song, right at the end they should have done some sorta heavier breakdown like thing. But still awesome tune

[loerandloer]

What the fuck? If i wanted to watch some emo shit i would of. And i though TMBG was good.

[madamewoselle]

What were you looking for?

[C16H12FN3O3]

What exactly is your complaint?

[Avidity]

IT's not so much as an "emo" statement as a strangely true sentiment of militarism. What's more, it's actually a cover. The original was written in 1964 by Phil Ochs, when people could make rather dark claims without being dismissed as "emo" because it didn't fit with someone's sunshiny perspective.

So there you have it. It's a protest song which uses sardonic humor as its tool of realization.

Not everything is ponies and rainbows, you know. ;)

[xLightLordx]

TMBG IS good! Why are they "emo" for making a song about war? This is a very, very, very NOT "emo" song.

[arebeast]

@loerandloer they have a really wide variety of music, go listen to some other song, they most likely have what your looking for

[nxg1499]

@loerandloer i think it has a strong political message



[YoshiLives]

As if I haven't posted enough about the things I like about this, I like how in the beginning of the song, the pictures are all of happy, anticipating soldiers, but as it progresses, they get more and more downtrodden and depresssed.

[MondaysTuesday]

i feel that TMBG is one of the better band of the times that can be considered now, they are different and talented, and this is a fantastic song

[mbap23]

This is a great interpretation of the song, and no-one ever wrote an anti-war song like Phil Ochs did. I'm as surprised as I am impressed.

[NitwitDune]

This was the best thing on youtube in a long time. I'm beginning to adore TMBG now.

[TheArtistOfKuroo]

The last time I saw TMBG in concert they gave a little speech on them not liking Lou Dobbs. It involved Lou knocking on their bus asking to be let in and a response of "No, Lou; go away and take off the Walter Cronkite mask."

[JO34B]

Красота войны исчезает, стоит только взглянуть на нее поближе....

[insidious]

The added synthesized brass and higher tempo does make it more "march" like, which to me makes it feel more like a parade(or even a circus). I think TMBG's version emphasizes the irony by being more "upbeat". John sounds more like he buys into what he is saying, which I think is deliberate.

Its difficult to describe, but I feel like TMBG is taking the situation and saying, "Look how absurd this is."

Phil Ochs more stark version takes the situation and says, "Look how terrible this is."

[TheTatterdemalion2]

I think irony is a very powerful device in music, especially as a tool of political or social commentary.

The band DEVO does something similar, with the song "Beautiful World", which, if you don't listen carefully or see the video, could go right over your head.

I think the subtle use of irony helps it work on two levels, in that it not only carries an anti-war message, but it almost functions more powerfully as a criticism of pro-war music and anthems (as you said, "look how absurd it is)

[YoshiLives]

I agree. I find the exaggerated cynicism of the TMBG version is much more powerful than the straightforward depression of the Ochs version.

[Ysmikaze]

@theonly.

It's called being smart.

[theonly44552]

why r all these comments so formal and gramaticaly correct? like people should be saying "awesome vid" or "awesome song"! i mean, come on!

[slashingraven]

Intelligent discourse happening all by itself is rare on YouTube, theonly44552. Don't spoil it.

[YoshiLives]

Because illiterate and pointless comments annoy everyone, as do those that leave them. Plus, this is a very serious subject matter.

[Masokissed]

It is "a rather depressing view" because war is often also seen as a unifying force. Look at pro-war propaganda films- they love to show the benefits-> proving our countries strength, standing up for our rights, etc

There is a different view to everything.

[TheTatterdemalion2]

Oh, and if this is a "depressing" view of how war affects everyone...isn't that simply because war is, in reality, a very depressing thing?

[madamewoselle]

Yeah, pretty much, but I'm usually one who employs understatement in regular diction!

[TheTatterdemalion2]

You know I have to say, comparing this version of the song and the Phil Ochs version, there's something this one has that I really think adds to it. The tuba(?) in this one really gives a strong marching rhythm to it, which I think communicates the whole feeling of the song even better.

The Phil Ochs version sounds a bit to Ennio Morricone to me.

[padraiggillon]

It's from his first album, which I believe is available on CD - "All the News That's Fit to Sing"

[rightboom]

have they made any new albums

[HeroOfHyla]

Didn't The Else come out this year? Or was it last year?

[Kuriru]

The Else already came out, on May 2007 :)

[BastardJack]

Yah like all the time

[StephanieLives]

Most recently, Here Come The 123's.

[junkevil]

BEST. FAN. MADE. VIDEO. EVER.

srsly, good job.

[omfgzhax]

Just record your computer's sound while playing the song.

[NotEvenScience]

The copy I have is on an album called There But For Fortune.

[justinisboss]

good song

[NotEvenScience]

Does anyone know where I can get a copy of this? I have the Phil Ochs version, but I want the TMBG one, too.

[StephanieLives]

Find the old compilation "Rubaiyat: Elektra's 40th Anniversary." It's on several TMBG bootlegs too.

[Andrea1691]

This song is amazing, it really has truth to it.

[capnboffo]

Anybody here remember Phil Ochs, who wrote this song? about another war? So long ago? Phil hung himself in his sister's bathroom by the belt of his bathrobe. No more parades for Phil. See Aye Aee might have helped him get his feet in the air i think.

[manwithoutabody]

Iraq was on the verge of civil war before America went in; okay. They're a shitload closer now. Plus all the other countries are really angry.

Good video; I'd probably cut down on the appearances of Hitler, though. He's a bit obvious, and excessive references to him can corrode the argument.

[madamewoselle]

Thanks for the suggestion! I will definitely take it in mind when I work on the 2.0 version of this - if I ever get a chance!

[flyby7a]

War SUCKS IMPEACH THAT DUMB ASS BUSH and his croonies...

[Crassness]

Are you serious? We're lucky we intervened when we did. Iraq was on the verge of a civil war, US forces are keeping Iraq stable, and stopping Iran from doing anything. Should we not have invaded, Iran could have sent in its military and its influences throughout Mesopotamia/The Middle East, and establish itself as a lone, renegade hegemon, leading to the genocide of any that oppose them. That'd be millions. Get a fucking clue you liberal jackass.

[elusiverobertdenby]

Oh, so THAT'S why we invaded a country that posed no threat to us -- and not because of WMDs, democracy or nonexistent ties between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein. Thanks for clearing that up. If I could twist like a conservative, I'd be dancing on Broadway.

[madamewoselle]

War is war, whether it's civil or with us. Innocent people die over power control. Before this war, Iraq and Iran hated each other and that was sort of our safety net. Saudi Arabians attacked us and suddenly we were at war with Iraq, aggravating Iran, and making a mockery of our global "policing skills." We have nothing to be proud of regarding this war.

[capnboffo]

Ha-Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-jawhol Ve do eet guut! Keel Iraockees day soo lucky we dey fraand.

[mikercass]

I love TMBG and this song and video work beautifully together. If you want to see something similar, check out Devo's "Beautiful World". It cracked me up that Target used it for a commercial a few years ago when it's such a bitter song. Devo probably laughed all the way to the bank...

[LeopoldSampsonite]

i love devo.

[madamewoselle]

We're all Devo

[madamewoselle]

That video is amazing....but here's something interesting: Jerry Casale of Devo is one of the biggest names in advertising. If you notice, Devo songs are used in a lot of commercials. I suspect he's wisely cashing in on his own band wherever he can. It's exactly what the message of De-evolution intended. I consider the man a genius!!

[Pwernt]

nice.

I just recently found out he did the theme song fro Pee Wee's Playhouse and many other things in TV.

[Gabelsa]

Babushcas!!!

[sydneylocks]

how well Phil saw everything, and how fearlessly he told of it. He was gone before I even became aware, but I hear him and miss him all the same.

[brainsplatty]

that was great!

[dexbuddy]

someone should show this to a certain president I can think of. (Cough! Bush!)

[smillar98]

Dulce et decorum est, pro patria mori.

[NemesisNyx]

Well stated and agreed upon.. as long as the cause is a noble one to render honour, rather than shame, upon the very land one serves.. And this is sweeter still: Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori, sed dulcius pro patria vivere, et dulcissimum pro patria bibere. Ergo, bibamus pro salute patriae.

[checkerphil]

Great vid! Ochs would have loved it!. War is no joke!

[yeahibet]

TMBG covered Phil's "One More Parade" on the Rubaiyat compilation. The song wasn't on any TMBG album.

[UzumakiKiba]

Thank you. Jeez, I was looking for that. I figured it was on their first album, 'cause that was the only one I didn't have, but I finally found that one, and it wasn't there. I was distraught.

[anklepants]

This is such a great video and song.

TMBGs juxtoposition of "happy-go-lucky" sound VS depressing and topical lyrics. You captured it very well

[PongGod]

Well done!

[runzombies]

Sardonic, is what i would use to describe this, a dark video coupled with dark, sarcastic lyrics, gotta love tmbg

[gonff]

"war is supposed to be horrible, that's the point." what kind of bizarre logic is that? can we not find some sort of alternative solution than "WAR,WAR,WAR! KILL IT ALL!"?

[gnome81]

good video. well, not the content so much as the message behind it. you know what i mean...

[Recreant456]

They also posted a screed defending the Harvey Milk School on their website, if I'm not mistaken.

That being said, it's still one of my favorite bands.

I don't think you can necessarily compare the two versions.

Like I said, it's unique.

For a cover song it's not that bad.

[madamewoselle]

HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA­AH Alright, you are officially my friend.

[Recreant456]

TMBG has done political songs-although a bit more oblique-in the past.

In fact, in the liner notes to a compilation disc of their first two albums there's a photo of them performing at a concert benefiting the Sandinista dictatorship in Nicaragua back in 1982.

[madamewoselle]

HAHAHHAAHAAHHA bravo, Recreant! Well, I'm no Bush administration fan and I didn't vote for him, but I'm less of a war fan, no matter what era. I thought making a movie with graphic, vintage footage would show the timeless horror of what sacrifices people make and how we package this into something "positive". It was really difficult to make this little movie.

[Recreant456]

In any case, it's a unique spin.

They can't replicate the Phil Ochs original, but they do have a unique take on things.

And yes, TMBG is more than simply a "happy-go-lucky" band, so I'm not surprised they'd do a cover of this song.

[Recreant456]

War is supposed to be awful.

That's the point.

Besides, George W. Bush-whether you like it or not-is an elected president. Not a "despot." I'm pretty sure you don't even understand what that term implies, to be perfectly honest.

He'll leave office in two years, which I'm sure will send all of you moonbats who've spent the past four years demonizing him into a tailspin of sorrow and emo-inspired cutting.

[blessened]

The first time he was more installed than elected and what would you call a leader who reads mail without a warrent, suspends habeas corpus, encourages torture, uses lies to justify wars, etc?

[lordshell]

Umm . . . Lincoln?

[arbitropia]

love it! a great band covering a great song by a great songwriter. nice movie, too.

[adamwebb175]

Its not from any album its just a random song they have a bunch of those.

[madamewoselle]

The song itself is a Phil Ochs tune from 1964, but They Might Be Giants are a modern band. I'm not sure what album this is from, though...

[jenlovely]

What year is this song from? I've never heard it before and am wondering how I missed it. It sounds old but I'm assuming it's recent?

[Zoeler]

the vid should've included some footage of Bush speaking as he should be included in the despotic commanders of murderous rapture, but it's awesome as it is.

[madamewoselle]

I thought I'd stick to WW2, but you just gave me an idea for a scathing sequel...!

[blessened]

really good video really great song tmbg version works for me very well

[zenspinner]

Wow...Phil would have loved this video. Anybody know how to insert it on the Army recruiting site? :)

[madamewoselle]

Ooh. That would be much more of a statement than "Army of One..."

[Weebop]

"It is wrong to expect a reward for your struggles. The reward is the act of struggle itself, not what you win. Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's life." - Phil Ochs

[UncarvedBlock]

As much as I love TMBG and as much as I love Phil Ochs and think both are geniuses it's hard for me to take TMBG as serious rather than happy go lucky. The visuals are awesome but I think I prefer Phil Ochs version.

[madamewoselle]

Is it the voices? Because TMBG has some pretty dark and angry lyrics - John Henry is pretty sad. I almost see that as doubly tragic, actually. I like the Phil Ochs version too, but I picked this one because it was a good juxtaposition. This song, with the accordions especially, reminds me a lot of Jacques Brel's style...have you ever heard his work? Thanks for the comment!

[Rez123]

I agree with you, that TMBG usually use a "happy-go-lucky" sound, but alot of their work actually has very depressing undertones, if you analyze the words.

As Madamewoselle said first, of course.

[MrSirMrSirMr]

I'd never heard this before, but the song really suits the TMBG sound.

[FoxyGrandma]

I think it's awesome! Keep up the good editing.

[KennBurch]

Er....say WHAT?

[jrosenberry]

very graphic, but displays the power of Phil's music.

[madamewoselle]

I thought a song like this needed to be graphic to make a point...it was really hard to edit this, it made me really sad.

[jrosenberry]

oh, don't get me wrong -- it's great! but great in a way that makes a person feel horribly sad too. so sad that Phil's words AREN'T obsolete by now. We could hope for improvement, couldn't we? Oh well. So yes, thank you for doing this.

[madamewoselle]

Thanks! I really appreciate the nice comments...I hope it can help teach a lesson about how awful war can be - it is a shame that Ochs's lyrics haven't lost relevance.

[Omnibeast]

Very good.