Comedic lyrics will keep fans singing while chuckling

Through quirky lyrics, this group made a name strictly their own. They Might Be Giants, a once-upon-a-time duo from Brooklyn, will bring their comedic tales to the stage of Copper Dragon at 9p.m. Wednesday.

John Linell and John Flansburgh, the two original members, met at their high school newspaper. The two have since added Brian Doherty on drums and Tony Maimone on bass.

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These musicians played all the instruments themselves at the beginning of their career. Instruments range from the keyboard and accordion to guitar and woodwinds. What used to be backed by synthesizers and tapes has since taken a great turn and a new sound.

“It was only our idealism and our really vague ambitions that allowed us to endure,” said Flansburgh, according to their website.

They record in a way that they leave the music a little underdeveloped, which allows a little space to add another production layer on top of it, Flansburgh said on their website.

Some of the greatest hits include “Istanbul (Not Constantinople),” “The Statue Got Me High,” “She Was a Hotel Detective” and “Birdhouse in Your soul.”

They produced the theme song “Boss of Me” for the Fox sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle.” The song was an unfinished tune they kicked around for about a year before the group recorded it as a demo for a radio station contest. It was soon after that that the song was discovered by a “Malcolm” producer and used as the theme song to demonstrate the unfair life of Malcolm. They Might Be Giants has since made a new-age group part of the audience with the release of a children’s album.

Today, however, these pioneers of doing things their own way throughout the music industry are currently taking time for the college-kid fans.

Reporter Jackie Keane can be reached at [email protected]

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