TMBG Remakes

These are songs that were covered, parodied or adapted by They Might Be Giants or any other projects involving either John Flansburgh or John Linnell.

Covers featured on physical releases

These are covers that were featured on any physical media released under They Might Be Giants. This includes CDs, vinyl, DVDs and more.

Title	Original artist(s)	Physical release	Year	Notes
The Ballad Of Davy Crockett (In Outer Space)	They Might Be Giants	Here Comes Science	2009	A parody of 'The Ballad of Davy Crockett' by George Bruns and Thomas W. Blackburn
Bills, Bills, Bills	Destiny's Child	Phone Power	2016	Recorded for the AV Club's "Undercover" series in 2015
Buckle Down, Winsocki	Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane	Lazy (Single)	2024	From the musical Best Foot Forward; first released digitally on The Pamphlet EP in 2021
Caroline, No	Brian Wilson and Tony Asher	Indestructible Object	2003	The original was later released on The Beach Boys' 1966 album Pet Sounds; recorded with the TMBG Mini-Brass section for Studio 360
Concrete And Clay	Unit 4 + 2	Four Covers From TMBG	2012	Originally recorded circa. 1989 during the Flood sessions; first aired on Dial-A-Song in 1990
The Guitar	They Might Be Giants	Apollo 18	1992	The song interpolates "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens
I Enjoy Being A Boy	The Banana Splits	Podcast Highlights	2006	Recorded for the first They Might Be Giants podcast in 2005
I Hear A New World	Joe Meek and the Blue Men	Cast Your Pod To The Wind	2007	Recorded for John Flansburgh's NPR show "Now Hear This" in 2004
I Love To Sing	Bob Lind	Four Covers From TMBG	2012	Performed by the Deeply Felt Puppet Theater; Recorded in 2002 for tmbg.com's Free Tunes page
I Never Go To Work	(old British music hall ditty)	Here Come The ABCs DVD/CD combo	2005	Was later released on Here Come The 123s in 2008
I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar	Jonathan Richman	More Murdered Remains (My Murdered Remains bonus disc)	2018	Recorded in 2013 for the Instant Fan Club and completed for the 2015 Dial-A-Song project
I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You	Tommy Dorsey	Then: The Earlier Years	1997	An adaptation of the song first recorded for Dial-A-Song in 1983
In The Middle, In The Middle, In The Middle	Vic Mizzy	No!	2002
Istanbul (Not Constantinople)	The Four Lads	Flood	1990
It Was A Very Good Year	They Might Be Giants	Four Covers From TMBG	2012	A parody of "It Was a Very Good Year" by Frank Sinatra; with lyrics for the original written by Ervin Drake
Jessica	The Allman Brothers Band	Why Does The Sun Shine? (EP)	1993
Lady Is A Tramp	Frank Sinatra	Miscellaneous T	1991	Originally recorded for the cancelled Purple Toupee EP in 1989
Lazy	The Brox Sisters; lyrics by Irving Berlin	Lazy (Single)	2024	Recorded for WNYC's 2024 Public Song Project
Maybe I Know	Lesley Gore; lyrics by Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry	Long Tall Weekend	1999	One of They Might Be Giants' earliest covers, it was previously considered for release for Flood and Factory Showroom before it was officially released
Mosh Momken Abadon	Baligh Hamdi	They Might Be Giants Vs. McSweeney's	2001	This cover was mistakenly credited to composer Riad Al Sunbati
New York City	cub	Factory Showroom	1996	Originally recorded for Mono Puff's 1996 album Unsupervised; featured Hal Cragin on bass and Steve Calhoon on drums
O Tannenbaum	(traditional)	O Tannenbaum (EP)	1993	Recorded during soundcheck at a Fairfax High School show on November 20, 1992
Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)	The Raspberries	TMBG's Upcoming 24th Album	2026
Santa Claus	The Sonics	They Might Be Giants In Holidayland	2001	Recorded in 2000 for release as an eMusic Freebie
Tubthumping	Chumbawamba	Album Raises New And Troubling Questions	2011	Recorded for the AV Club's "Undercover" series in 2011
Up The Junction	Squeeze	Four Covers From TMBG	2012	First performed on Jonathan Ross' BBC Radio 2 show in 2010
Walking My Cat Named Dog	Norma Tanega	Why?	2015
We've Got A World That Swings	Lil Mattis and Lois Yule Brown	S-E-X-X-Y (EP)	1996	From the 1963 film The Nutty Professor
What Is A Shooting Star?	Tom Glazer; lyrics by Hy Zaret And Lou Singer	Here Comes Science	2009	Originally recorded for No! in 2000
Whirlpool	Meat Puppets	Why Does The Sun Shine? (EP)	1993
Why Does The Sun Shine?	Tom Glazer; lyrics by Hy Zaret And Lou Singer	Why Does The Sun Shine? (EP)	1993	One of They Might Be Giants' earliest covers and a consistent live show staple throughout the late-1980s before its release; a rock arrangement would also be recorded and released on Here Comes Science in 2009
Yeh Yeh	Georgie Fame	Mink Car	2001

John Flansburgh & Mono Puff covers

These are covers that were featured on any physical media releases under John Flansburgh and his project Mono Puff.

Title	Original artist(s)	Performed by	Studio release	Year	Notes
Breaking Glass	David Bowie	John Flansburgh	Forest/Trees	2023	Released exclusively through the Instant Fan Club, Flansburgh first created the backing for a live performance of the cover at the 2016 JoCo Cruise
The Devil Went Down To Newport	The Clamdiggers	Mono Puff	Unsupervised	1996	The original was never officially released and was only available on one of the Clamdigger's demo tapes
Don't Break The Heart	Amy Rigby	Mono Puff	Unsupervised	1996	The original was also covered by Laura Cantrell, who appeared on "The Guitar" as a guest vocalist
Hillbilly Drummer Girl	Young Fresh Fellows	Mono Puff	The Steve Calhoon Years	1996	The Young Fresh Fellows were one of the bands namechecked by TMBG in the song "Twisting"
Oddball	Frank Black	Mono Puff	The Devil Went Down To Newport (EP)	1996	This cover was performed together by They Might Be Giants and Frank Black at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, CA on September 19, 1996
Pretty Fly	Lyrics by Davis Grubb; music by Walter Schumann	Mono Puff	The Devil Went Down To Newport (EP)	1996	From The Night of the Hunter
Theme From Dr. Kildare	Jeremy Goldsmith	Mono Puff	Unsupervised	1996	The cover takes inspiration from the 1965 cover of the Dr. Kildare theme by The Skatalites

John Linnell covers

These are covers that were featured on any physical media released throughout John Linnell's solo projects.

Title	Original artist(s)	Studio release	Year	Notes
TECVM CIRCVMAMBVLARE NOLO (I Don't Want To Walk Around With You)	The Ramones	Roman Songs	2021	Lyrically translated to latin by John Linnell
Will You Love Me In December As You Do In May?	Lyrics by James J. Walker; music by Ernest Ball	House Of Mayors	1996

Covers featured on compilations and soundtracks

These are covers that were recorded specifically by They Might Be Giants for compilations, tribute albums or soundtracks for movies.

Title	Original artist(s)	Compilation/soundtrack	Year	Notes
25 O'Clock	The Dukes Of Stratosphear	A Testimonial Dinner: The Songs Of XTC	1995	The Dukes Of Stratosphear were a spin-off band of XTC, modelled after 1960s psychedelic pop bands
Agent Double-0-Soul	Edwin Starr	From Losers With Love: James Bond John Barry Tribute CD	2004	Performed for a series of James Bond tribute shows organized by the Loser's Lounge
Baroque Hoedown	Perrey & Kingsley	Disneymania 2	2004	"Baroque Hoedown" is the main theme to Disney's Main Street Electrical Parade, later referenced by TMBG in the song "ECNALUBMA"
Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)	The Zombies	Simply Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad About The Loser's Lounge	1999	Recorded live in July 23, 1999 at a "Best Of" show organized by the Loser's Lounge
Havalina	Pixies	Dig For Fire: A Tribute To Pixies	2007	Features guest vocals from John Linnell's son Henry
The Long Grift	Stephen Trask	Wig In A Box - Songs From And Inspired By Hedwig And The Angry Inch	2003	The Deeply Felt Puppet Theater perform this cover in the music video under the name They Might Be Puppets
One More Parade	Phil Ochs	Rubáiyát (Elektra's 40th Anniversary)	1990	Phil Ochs was previously namechecked by TMBG in "The Day"
Ram On	Paul McCartney	Listen To What The Man Said: Popular Artists Pay Tribute To The Music Of Paul McCartney	2001	An instrumental collaboration with The Elegant Too, the TMBG Unlimited description mentioned the band "chickened out when it came to singing the words".
Savoy Truffle	The Beatles	Songs From The Material World - A Tribute To George Harrison	2003
Starry Eyes	The Records	Even More Super Hits of the Seventies	2015	The compilation this cover was recorded for was a fundraiser for New Jersey radio station WFMU
There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow	The Sherman Brothers	Meet The Robinsons Soundtrack	2007	The original was written by the Sherman Brothers for the Carousel of Progress attraction for the 1964 New York World's Fair
Through Being Cool	Devo	Sky High Soundtrack	2005	Played during the montage scene of the film
Tippecanoe And Tyler Too	Alexander Coffman Ross	Future Soundtrack For America	2004	The original was a campaign song for William Henry Harrison and John Tyler in the 1840 U.S. Presidential election
You Are Old, Father William	Lewis Carroll	Almost Alice	2010	A musical rendition of Carroll's poem, featured in his novel "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"

Covers released exclusively on internet services

These are covers that have not been officially released by They Might Be Giants physically, and were instead featured on their digital sites and services.

Title	Original artist(s)	Online release	Year	Notes
Announcement A	They Might Be Giants	TMBG Clock Radio	2003	Flansburgh reads out the lyrics of Donovan's "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" under the pseudonym of Dr. Octopus
Dog On Fire	Bob Mould	Instant Fan Club	2019	Also known as "The Daily Show Theme", Bob Mould wrote the original composition
Free To Be You And Me	The New Seekers	TMBG Podcast	2006	Released only on Episode 6A of the TMBG Podcast
I'm A Little Airplane	Jonathan Richman	TMBG Podcast	2006	First released on Episode 6A of the TMBG Podcast
Lines Upon A Tranquil Brow	Walt Kelly	TMBG Unlimited - December	2001	One of They Might Be Giants' earliest covers, dating back to 1983
Next Plane To London	The Rose Garden; lyrics by Kenny O'Dell	Instant Fan Club	2024	Recorded in 1984 for the Dial-A-Song service, the IFC release originates from a 1985 cassette gifted by the Johns to James McIntyre
Spoiled Milk From A Pampered Cow	They Might Be Giants	YouTube	2008	Performed by the Puppet Johns as a joke song that utilizes the melody of The Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends"; released on YouTube as part of a video titled "May Day"
What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?	The Monkees; lyrics by Michael Martin Murphey and Boomer Castleman	tmbg.com	2001	Officially released only as a QuickCam video in 2001, this cover is one of the band's earliest, dating back to a performance on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade in 1983
Whence That Wince	Walt Kelly	YouTube	2007	This cover was a YouTube exclusive release with a video animated by John Linnell

Covers exclusively performed live

These are covers that They Might Be Giants have only performed live, and have not recorded in studio.

Title	Original artist(s)	Earliest known performance	Notes
1999	Prince	1985-??-??	More of an adaptation with unrecognizable lyrics; a live recording from a mid-1980s live show was released as part of TMBG Unlimited - July
Auld Lang Syne	traditional Scottish song	1987-12-31
Back In Black	AC/DC	1996-??-??	An instrumental riff of the song, only known to have been performed once
Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered	Rodgers and Hart	1988-09-28	Part of They Might Be Giants' "Pal Joey Revival" segment in late-1980s shows; only known to have been performed once
Brand New Key	Melanie	1987-01-20	Brought out to fill time for the required setlist length of the venue; only known to have been performed once
Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You	Frankie Valli	1984-03-10	Only known to have been performed once
Crazy Train	Ozzy Osbourne	2002-12-27	Mainly performed in instrumental snippets
Duke Of Earl	Gene Chandler	1994-12-20	Only known to have been performed once alongside Frank Black, whose cover of the same song was a part of his setlists throughout 1994
Frankenstein	Edgar Winter Group	1992-06-20	Performed several times by the band between 1992 to 1995; a 1994 live recording was released as part of TMBG Unlimited - July
Free Ride	Edgar Winter Group	2002-10-19
Gas Mask	Gas Mask	1997-09-13	The band Gas Mask was a group who performed on Japanese television, with their title song only consisting of two notes
Gonna Fly Now	Bob Conti	1999-05-15	Instrumental cover
Georgy Girl	The Seekers	1997-10-12	Mostly performed in the late-1990s
Everyone's Gone to the Moon	Jonathan King	1999-01-24	Only known to have been performed once on UK radio
Hocus Pocus	Focus	2005-07-09	Only performed in 2005, the cover was often performed with assistance from Corn Mo
A Horse With No Name	America	1992-07-17	When performed at the Irving Plaza in New York, NY on 1994-10-31, audience members were asked to bring acoustic guitars to join the band onstage in performing the cover
I Could Write A Book	Rodgers and Hart	1987-12-31	Part of They Might Be Giants' "Pal Joey Revival" segment in late-1980s shows; only known to have been performed once
I Wanna Be Sedated	The Ramones	1992-06-24
The Joker	Steve Miller Band	1994-06-18	Performed several times in 1994, a recording of one of these performances was released as part of TMBG Unlimited - July
Juke Box, Help Me Find My Baby	Rhythm Rockers	1989-02-28	First performed as an improvised cover by the band while they were facing technical difficulties with the show's backing tapes
The Kids Are Alright	The Who	2001-10-24
Kumbaya	(African-American spiritual song)	1997-10-24
Maryland, My Maryland	James Ryder Randall	1995-10-07	Although mainly a John Linnell cover, this song was known to have been covered by They Might Be Giants at least twice in late-1990s shows
Mirage	Tommy James and the Shondells	N/A	Not much is known about this cover apart from it being one of the band's earliest alongside songs like "Maybe I Know" and "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)"
Mr. Tambourine Man	Bob Dylan	1986-03-29	The earliest known performance was a "Victory Show" at the Pyramid Club where audience members were asked to bring acoustic guitars to join the band onstage in performing the cover. When the band began performing it again in 1998, they instead covered the Byrds' rendition of the song
My Funny Valentine	Rodgers and Hart	1987-10-09	Part of They Might Be Giants' "Pal Joey Revival" segment in late-1980s shows
Nice 'N' Easy	Frank Sinatra	1988-02-06	Only known to have been performed once
Stayin' Alive	The Bee Gees	1996-08-17
Taking Care Of Business	Bachman–Turner Overdrive	1996-06-07
Theme From The Blob	Burt Bacharach and Mark David	N/A (rehearsed in 2023)	Was a part of a live rehearsal in 2023 with Flansburgh on guitar and Linnell on saxophone as a duo; has not yet been performed at a live show
Theme From Dallas	Jerrold Immel	2004-08-17	Performed when introducing Corn Mo into the show to perform Particle Mo
Theme From The Monkees	The Monkees	2003-04-06
There's A Small Hotel	Pal Joey	N/A	Part of They Might Be Giants' "Pal Joey Revival" segment in late-1980s shows; no known performances
To All The Girls I've Loved Before	Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias	1994-05-04
Unsupervised, I Hit My Head	Mono Puff	1996-06-26	Starting in 2008, They Might Be Giants adopted this song from Flansburgh's Mono Puff repertoire and began performing it live
We Are The World	USA for Africa	1992-07-11	The original song raised over $50 million for famine relief; the band has also referenced the song in "Mainstream U.S.A."
With A Little Help From My Friends	The Beatles, Matt Chapman	2004-09-25	A parody of The Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends" with parody lyrics performed by Homestar Runner, played by Matt Chapman of the Brothers Chaps; the cover is based on Joe Cocker's rendition of the song
Zilch	The Monkees	2003-07-18	Mainly performed at family shows

Stump The Band covers

These are covers that They Might Be Giants have only performed live as part of "Stump The Band", a live show exclusive segment where TMBG would attempt to perform songs called out by the audience.

See List Of Stump The Band Songs

Snippet covers

These are covers that They Might Be Giants have briefly performed live, usually as part of an already existing original song in their catalogue.

Title	Original artist(s)	Performed as part of	Earliest known performance	Notes
The Boys Are Back In Town	Thin Lizzy	Doctor Worm	1998-09-28
Chandelier	Sia	Particle Man	2016-03-31
Clap For The Wolfman	The Guess Who	Particle Man	2009-02-28
Don't Cry Out Loud	Melissa Manchester	Particle Man	2001-03-25
Elusive Butterfly	Bob Lind	Particle Man	1999-09-24
Here You Come Again	Dolly Parton	Particle Man	1999-09-27
People Get Ready	The Impressions	Particle Man	2016-04-01
Rocket Number Nine Take Off For The Planet Venus	Sun Ra Arkestra	Particle Man	2020-02-06
The Sign	Ace Of Base	Particle Man	1997-10-19
Total Eclipse of the Heart	Bonnie Tyler	Particle Man	1998-09-28

John Flansburgh & Mono Puff covers

These are covers that were only performed live by John Flansburgh, or at live shows performed by his project Mono Puff.

Title	Original artist(s)	Performed by	Earliest known performance	Notes
Bad Liquor	American Music Club	Mono Puff	1996-06-27
Born To Run And Fail	John Flansburgh	John Flansburgh	2015-04-??	Parody of the Bruce Springsteen song "Born To Run"; only known to have been performed once for NPR's "Ask Me Another" trivia show
Everything Happens To Me	Tom Adair and Matt Dennis	Mono Puff	1996-06-27
Girls Can't Do What The Guys Do	Betty Wright	Mono Puff	1997-09-19
Make It Easy On Yourself	Burt Bacharach	John Flansburgh and Dan Miller	2006-02-11	Performed for a Burt Bacharach tribute show, Flansburgh was accompanied by Dan Miller on guitar when covering this song
New York City	cub	Mono Puff	1996-06-25	Before the song was adopted as a TMBG cover, Mono Puff briefly performed it at a set of shows in 1996
The Big One	Alan Stanley Tew	Mono Puff	1997-09-20	The original is the theme song to the television show The People's Court

John Linnell covers

These are covers that were only performed live as part of John Linnell's live shows, sometimes with his backing band The Statesmen.

Title	Original artist(s)	Earliest known performance	Notes
California Über Alles	Dead Kennedys	1999-12-06
Nebraska	Bruce Springsteen	1999-11-14	Adapted by John Linnell to have more of a rock arrangement
Maryland, My Maryland	James Ryder Randall	1995-10-07	The original was the former state song to Maryland from 1939 to 2021
North To Alaska	Johnny Horton	1999-11-14	A live recording of this cover was released as part of TMBG Unlimited - June
Ohio	Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young	1999-11-14

Covers recorded for other projects

These are covers that were not recorded for anything related to They Might Be Giants, Mono Puff, or John Linnell's solo projects, instead being recorded for other projects or small, brief collaborations.

Title	Original artist(s)	Project/collaboration	Release	Year	Notes
Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow)	Yoko Ono	John Flansburgh and John Linnell	N/A	Late-1970s
Hello Hello	Gary Glitter	Hello The Band	Hello The Band (EP)	1993
Indiana Wants Me	R. Dean Taylor	The Turtlenecks	The Turtlenecks (EP)	2015
I Want You Back	The Jackson 5	John Flansburgh and Bill Krauss	N/A	1981/82
Tele-Tele-Telephone	Wazmo Nariz	John Linnell and Michael Hearst	80 From The 80s	2024
That Wasn't No Girl	Soupy Sales	John Flansburgh and John Linnell	N/A	Late-1970s
Under My Thumb	The Rolling Stones	John Flansburgh and John Linnell	N/A	Late-1970s
White Sport Coat	Marty Robbins	Meat Puppets	Backwater	1994

See also

• Covers
• Four Covers From TMBG
• References To Other Songs Or Musicians
• Spin The Dial
• Stump The Band
• Stumpbox - A bootleg of covers performed by TMBG

External links

• TMBG at The Covers Project