Email This
Follow TED
Be the first to know about new TEDTalks, TED news and other announcements.
Click on any phrase to play the video from that point.
(Bass guitar) (Bass guitar and accordion)
♫ You're older than you've ever been ♫
♫ and now you're even older. ♫
♫ You're older than you've even been ♫
♫ and now you're older still. ♫
♫ This day will soon be at an end ♫
♫ This day will soon be at an end ♫
♫ and now it's sooner still. ♫
♫ You're older than you've ever been ♫
♫ and now you're even older. ♫
♫ You're older than you've ever been ♫
♫ and now you're older still. ♫
Thank you very much. Good morning everybody. We are They Might Be Giants.
I am wearing the Al Gore in-ear monitors he wore on the Larry King show and I'm hearing that transmission and not mine. But I guess that's in keeping, so now we'll just move to the PowerPoint presentation, ladies and gentlemen.
This is a brand new song. In the spirit of TED, we're bringing you something that has not been released. John, do you want to introduce the song? This is a song about a creature called a hummingbird moth which imitates another creature which imitates yet another creature. It's completely fucked up and can only be explained in song.
♫ Everyone is crying at the dread hypnotic flying ♫
♫ of the bee of the bird of the moth. ♫
♫ You can't walk, you can't ramble ♫
♫ 'cause you're gonna have to scramble ♫
♫ from the bee of the bird of the moth. ♫
♫ but he's got bugness in his veins. ♫
♫ Manhouse lives within himself ♫
♫ with thoughtful human brains. ♫
♫ to the challenge of the freak we'll call ♫
♫ the bee of the bird of the moth. ♫
♫ defeats the mouse and man. ♫
♫ It's messing with the plan. ♫
♫ 'cause it's just a hummingbird moth ♫
♫ who's acting like the bird ♫
♫ it's addressed to the bottom of the sea. ♫
♫ with a sticker that says STP. ♫
♫ Windshield wiper washer fluid ♫
♫ headlights under head lice ♫
♫ under hats lie everywhere. ♫
♫ of the bee of the bird of the moth. ♫
♫ Now the moth defeats the mouse and man. ♫
♫ It's messing with the plan. ♫
♫ 'cause it's just a hummingbird moth ♫
♫ Is it us or is this messed up? ♫
♫ in the presence of the swarming ♫
♫ of the bee of the bird of the moth. ♫
♫ Protozoa, snakes and horses ♫
♫ have enlisted in the forces ♫
♫ of the bee of bird of the moth. ♫
♫ but he's got bugness in his veins. ♫
♫ Manhouse lives within himself ♫
♫ with thoughtful human brains. ♫
♫ to the challenge of the freak we'll call ♫
♫ the bee of the bird of the moth. ♫
Thanks a lot. Thank you very much.
So we are past our 1,000th show. Probably somewhere around 1,500. It's hard to know. We've only done two shows in 2007 so far, but our first show was actually the coldest performance we've ever had. It was 19 degrees in St. Louis about a month ago and I'm happy to report that this performance you are seeing today is the earliest we have ever performed. So thank you. We are cultural test pilots, ladies and gentlemen. How early can a rock performance begin? Not all the facts are in about performing at 8.30 in the morning. I can tell you the 19 degree thing was fantastic. All right.
So we don't know that much about the history of violinists but we do know that when we entered the state of New Jersey there is an uptick in violence. This song is called "Asbury Park." It's based on a real life experience.
♫ backstage at the Stone Pony ♫
♫ that the guy who took his beer wasn't me. ♫
♫ backstage at the Stone Pony ♫
♫ that the guy who took his beer ♫
♫ was a guy dressed like me. ♫
Thank you. Marty Beller on the drums over there.
We want to get in as many songs as possible during our brief time here so this is the one to play. This song is called "Fingertips."
♫ Everything is catching on fire ♫
♫ Yes, everything is catching on fire ♫
♫ Yes, everything is catching on fire. ♫
♫ I'm the one who loves you so. ♫
♫ Aren't you the guy who hit me in the eye? ♫
♫ Aren't you the guy who hit me in the eye? ♫
♫ Please pass the milk, please. ♫
♫ Please pass the milk, please. ♫
♫ Please pass the milk, please. ♫
♫ Leave me alone, leave me alone. ♫
♫ Who's knocking on the wall? ♫
♫ What's that blue thing doing here? ♫
♫ Something grabbed ahold of my hand ♫
♫ I didn't know what had my hand ♫
♫ but that's when all my troubles began. ♫
♫ I don't understand the things you say ♫
♫ I can't understand a single word ♫
♫ I just don't understand you ♫
♫ Turn around and see the thing ♫
♫ The day that love came to play. ♫
♫ I walk along darkened corridors ♫
♫ And I walk along darkened corridors ♫
Thank you very much -- "Fingertips."
♫ We're taking calls -- from the dead. ♫
♫ We're taking calls -- from the dead. ♫
♫ We're taking phone calls from the dead. ♫
♫ They're calling from beyond the grave. ♫
♫ From underneath the cold, cold ground. ♫
We're soliciting phone calls from dead people as a special TED presentation. We're taking calls live on stage here at TED in Monterey. And I think we have a caller coming in here. Hello there. You're live. Hello. Who's there, please? Am I on the air? Hi there. You're on with They Might Be Giants. This is Eleanor Roosevelt. Hello, Eleanor, please ... I want to talk to ... Please turn off your radio, Eleanor. I wanna talk to Randi. I've got a question for Randi. What's your question, please? I want to talk to the Amazing Randi. Do you have a laminated badge, Eleanor? I want my million dollars. Eleanor, I'm sorry, do you have a laminated badge? No, I don't have a badge. Well, I think we're going to stop that part of the show.
Here's a song we like to think of as the future anthem of TED. It's actually a children's song but like so many projects for children it's really just a Trojan horse for adult work. This song is called "The Alphabet ... Of Nations!"
♫ Algeria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Dominica, ♫
♫ Hungary, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, ♫
♫ West Xylophone, Yemen, Zimbabwe. ♫
♫ Algeria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Dominica, ♫
♫ Egypt, France, The Gambia, ♫
♫ Hungary, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, ♫
♫ West Xylophone, Yemen, Zimbabwe. ♫
♫ Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Canada, ♫
♫ Afghanistan, Brunei, China, Denmark, ♫
♫ Algeria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Dominica, ♫
♫ Egypt, France, The Gambia, ♫
♫ Hungary, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, ♫
♫ West Xylophone, Yemen, Zimbabwe. ♫
Thank you so much. You've been a wonderful 8:30 audience. Have a great session. Thank you all.
TED Conversations
Got an idea, question, or debate inspired by this talk? Start a TED Conversation.
In a very, very early-morning set, They Might Be Giants rock the final day of TED2007.
John Linnell and John Flansburgh are They Might Be Giants: multi-instrumental, tech-savvy and implacably prolific, they are the musicians of choice of geeks, tinkerers and curious kids of all ages. Full bio »
What to Watch Next
-
-
John Hodgman: Aliens, love -- where are they?
16:40 Posted: Oct 2008
Views 645,640 | Comments 82
-
-
Stew says "Black Men Ski"
04:37 Posted: May 2007
Views 215,477 | Comments 63
-
-
Nellie McKay sings "Clonie"
02:20 Posted: Jun 2008
Views 223,149 | Comments 39
Stay updated
Related Themes And Tags
Related themes
Related tags
We want you to share our Talks!
Just follow the guidelines outlined under our Creative Commons license.
This comment will be attributed to . Not ? Sign out.