Spiraling Shape

From This Might Be A Wiki

song name Spiraling Shape
artist They Might Be Giants
releases Factory Showroom, John Henry + Factory Showroom, Kids In The Hall - Brain Candy OST
year 1996
first played February 3, 1996 (105 known performances)
run time 4:24
sung by John Linnell, John Flansburgh provides backup


Trivia/Info

TMBG wishes to make the case that not all of our songs have a single strict interpretation, but "Spiraling Shape" is generally about the fervent embrace and then abandonment of a cultural "bubble." It might be "smart" drugs, it might be virtual whatever, or it could simply be spin art. Steve Light adds his snazzy vibraphone to this swirling cut.
  • Instead of the line "Your terrified screams are inaudible, drowned in the spiral ahead and consumed in the shape", the line "And even while screaming and writhing, you reach for the spiraling one that would let you be free" is featured in the English lyrics section of the booklet for Japanese releases of Factory Showroom. The American release of the album features no accompanying lyrics booklet.
  • The chorus of this song was cannibalized from a previously unreleased TMBG song, "Rocket Ship."
  • Not only was this song on the Kids In The Hall - Brain Candy OST, but it was also featured in the actual movie for about seven seconds.
  • Appears in the Malcolm In The Middle episode "Smunday."
  • During live shows, Danny Weinkauf performs a bass solo in place of the vibraphone solo.
  • The introduction to the song was featured in the radio series Blue Jam. It appears as a loop at the end of episode six, series two.

Song Themes

Addiction, Compulsion, Body Parts, Falling, Insanity, Lies And Deception, Mind Control, Hypnotism, No, Questions, The Senses, Shapes, Swing Feel, Windows

Videos

Current Rating

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Spiraling Shape is currently ranked #16 out of 1005. (293 wikians have given it an average rating of 9.22)