Talk:Prevenge

At one point in this song it sounds like Steven Page for BNL is singing... is that still Flans in that middle part?

Yes. -64.22.87.244 14:18, 9 March 2007 (UTC)

I could almost see that! It's definitely a BNL-style dynamic change. -j2

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An appalling song, win a weak pun on revenge, this is the kind of songs that critics seize on when savaging the Giants. Sounding like a reject from a Mono Puff album, Linnell really should have plucked up the nerve to tell Flans that this was poor. Frustrating when one considers that the songs that were rejected for the Spine so this could waste space on the disk. I am stunned that they have chosen this to be the single! Surely the worst choice of single since "The Guitar". (Mr Tuck)

"Linnell really should have plucked up the nerve to tell Flans that this was poor". Huh. So, how long have you had this mind reading ability? -Bouncer15111

Wow, you're being pretty harsh towards Flans. I must say that in my opinion, although he's not exactly my favorite Giant when it comes down to songwriting, Flans' contributions on The Spine are pretty good. I didn't like Prevenge the first few times I heard it, but now it's the song that's stuck in my head the most. Linnell of course, as you pointed out, is outstanding and untop-able.

I should stress that it is only the song and not Flans I am criticising. Flans energy and enthusiasm are the engine of the Giants and I admire him and his music tremendously. I just dislike this song. (Mr Tuck)

The :30 that I've heard of the song really remind me of OK Go, who are one of Their former Opening Acts. I don't really mind it, but then, I've only heard the preview... - Rhinoceros Rex

7-14-04 What exactly did you say you don't like about this song? I bought the album yesterday on opening day, and first listened to the song yesterday, and I think it's a good song, and I don't really see any reason to dislike it. It's not my favorite, but did you dislike it only because the pun is too weak? --My Evil Twin's Twin

I found, at first, that "at the freak show/in the front row/mi amigo" and "fully moto/on the headfo/rock the info" were pretty annoying, and the "Calling Mr. Pupkin" part made me feel a bit like I was on the outside of some 1970s inside joke. Aside from that, I think the song is really awesome. -- Rhinoceros Rex

7-15-04

Is it possible this song is against the Iraq war? The war was meant as a preventative strike, to stop them from attacking us, and the lyrics kinda support that theme. "Tired of waiting, Tired of watching, Negotiating, Parading around." = The administration tired of negotiating with Iraq, and the parading and watching that goes with sanctions and the UN. "Now you know that the girls are just making it up, Now you know that the boys are just pushing their luck, Now you know that my ride doesn't really exist, And my name's not really on that list." = Now we all know they have no real weapons, and that they really were pressing their luck in trying that strike, his support or ride isn't there now, and he isn't as popular any more, his names not really on the list anymore. Linnell and Flans made those songs for MoveOn.org, so I wouldn't put an AntiWar message behind them, and I wouldn't expect it to be obvious. Though of course I could be more off base than a 3rd year English Major. - Brendan

That's actually a pretty cool interpretation of the song. I kinda doubt it, but I'm sure They like it when people listen to their songs and get their own personal message from them, especially that particular message. Although I think that this song is kind of like "Fight Test" by The Flaming Lips in that it's possible to take some sort of political meaning from it, even if it's more likely that they're written about more personal struggles. I'm always so interested to read others' interpretations of songs, because it's an interesting look into how the psyche will perceive certain words, sounds, and images...even if it has nothing to do with the author's intent. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure most of my interpretations have no basis in reality...And I don't pretend they do...they're just fun to read and write! - Stiddy

I don't really like this song that much. It sounds half-finished. The rhymes seem like they were just made up, just like it says in the lyrics. I like the Mr. Pupkin part, even though I don't know what the "apologies to Mr. Walker" is about in the liner notes. --An orangutan

Hey, is that Pupkin reference supposed to be about the really shitty comic [1] or is that an invented word or soemthing else entirely? --Ed

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This song is probably one of the weirdest things TMBG have written. Especially the middle. --Checkers Piece Face

I am fairly certain that the Pupkin reference is to Robert DeNiro's character in the Scorcese film "The King of Comedy" named Rupert Pupkin. He's a guy who takes his fascination and obsession with a popular late night host to very extreme measures. --hockalees

I have no way of knowing if the "Pupkin" in question is actually a reference to "King of Comedy," but it would be cool if it were (since it's one of my favorite films). That's what the song makes me think of every time I hear it; and that's probably why I like it so much! (But even if it turns out that Flansy *didn't* have Scorsese's film in mind when he wrote this song, I would still think it's just an insanely catchy piece of mid-tempo power-pop :D ...) -- GR

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Good song! =) Just wondering why on the liner notes (or whatever they're called) It says, "With apologies to Mr. Walker" (I'm pretty sure I'm correct on that one)... who is that/what's going on there? Thanks! --Lemita 13:58, 8 Jun 2006 (MDT)

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Great song. B Major is a rarity, but a welcomed one. I keep listening, and the harmony just sounds like Flans still. It doesn't sound like Linnell sang on this track at all, but it may be just me. - Overjoy

They key's probably why they don't play it often live. Good song though. :) --Lemita 01:01, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

Simpsons just now...

Don't know if this is a new episode or not, but in this story Milhouse uses a "get-back-inator" to seek revenge on people. He's zapping everyone he knows who at some point wronged him. Here's the bit of dialog basically:
Some new kid at school: What, don't get me! I'm new here! I haven't done anything to you.
Milhouse: But you will. This is prevenge.
A TMBG reference, or just Flans and the Simpsons having the same idea for preemptive revenge? (Wow I'm a dork) ~ magbatz 01:23, 29 January 2007 (UTC)

AH! I wasn't the only one who caught that! :) I think it's a worthy note... maybe one of the writers is a TMBG fan? Ah, who knows. --Lemita 01:25, 29 January 2007 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure more than one Simpsons writer is a TMBG fan, and while I'm not too sure if this was exactly meant to be an allusion, I'm fairly certain that it was directly inspired by the song. Prevenge was not a popular term prior to it becoming a TMBG song (not that it's much more popular now, but it gets some Googles). -CapitalQ ♫ talk ♪ 01:34, 29 January 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, I noticed that too. Guess i was slow on posting it. :-) --Josherz --- # --- 20:34, 28 January 2007 (EST)

I just saw that episode, and I was coming here to post it, but you guys are months in front of me. I'm assuming there are multiple Simpsons fans on the writing staff... they quoted PuppetHead once, and Conan O'Brien was a fan for years. I'm glad that others are "cool" enough to notice these things :D Jade june 18th 2007

Mr.Walker

Does anyone know what that "Apologies to Mr.Walker" means what did TMBG do and who is Mr.Walker? Goodtimes2

Mr. Pupkin too...

Walker is what the Dubya stands for in "George W. Bush" Maybe that English Major was right... --68.49.47.119 14:35, 27 March 2007 (UTC)

Bridge?

The main page describes the recorded part in the mid-section as a bridge - it's not, it's a middle-eight, surely? Anyhow the song rocks - all you haters be quiet!