This is a list of all the songs I've heard TMBG play live or use as show intros. I've removed improv bits and other things they played during band intros and such. (Yes, I was at the infamous Philly 'Gas Mask' show, but no, Gas Mask does not appear in my list. It's not a song.)
Instructions[edit]
To generate it, I did the following (for unix geeks only):
% curl http://tmbw.net/wiki/Special:ShowsByUser?queryUserid=Zaph 2> /dev/null | grep wiki/Shows | sed 's/<\/td>/\
^M/g' | sed 's/^.*href=\"\(\/wiki\/Shows\/[^\"]*\)\".*/http:\/\/tmbw.net\1/' | grep wiki/Shows/ | uniq | xargs -n1 curl 2> /dev/null | grep "<li>" | sed 's/^.*<a.*>\(.*\)<\/a>/\1/' > songs.raw.text
% cat songs.raw.txt | sort > songs.sorted.txt
% cat songs.sorted.txt | uniq -c > songs.counted.txt
(and remember, the newline in the first sed is a literal newline, and the ^M is actually a control-M, not literally ^M.)
That will get you most of the way there. There'll be a tiny bit of nonsense, like ticket information, and maybe some odd titles depending on who entered the setlist. So you'll have to massage the data a little, but it'll also help to highlight errors in the wiki - the biggest example I found was End Of The Tour vs The End Of The Tour, only one of which shows up in setlist searches. The raw version will be in chronological order, so you can reconcile it against the wiki if anything seems off.
You'll have to do some other manipulation to get it into wiki table format, but still, the script above gets you 98% of the way there. (To make the table sort by album and track number, you have to put:
<span style="display:none">[track number]</span>
after the album name in that column - it won't be visible, but the sort will find it.
I've seen TMBG play a total of 236 distinct songs, give or take variations like Wicked Little Birdhouse. The total of 1839 plays is accurate, though, which means the average is somewhere around 8 per song. I guess Istanbul (Not Constantinople) and Doctor Worm make up for Kiss Me, Son Of God and The Bells Are Ringing, which I'd much rather have heard closer to 8 times than the once each.
| Song
|
Album
|
Count
|
| 2082
|
Join Us16
|
1
|
| 32 Footsteps
|
They Might Be Giants06
|
1
|
| A Self Called Nowhere
|
John Henry14
|
1
|
| Absolutely Bill's Mood
|
They Might Be Giants14
|
1
|
| All Time What
|
I Like Fun03
|
1
|
| Alphabet Lost And Found
|
Here Come The ABCs17
|
1
|
| Alphabet Of Nations
|
Here Come The ABCs02
|
7
|
| Ana Ng
|
Lincoln01
|
40
|
| Anaheim
|
Venue Songs10
|
1
|
| Another First Kiss
|
Mink Car05
|
6
|
| Answer
|
Glean05
|
1
|
| Ant
|
Istanbul (Not Constantinople) EP
|
1
|
| Asbury Park
|
Venue Songs07
|
1
|
| Au Contraire
|
SpineThe Spine12
|
15
|
| Auld Lang Syne
|
|
2
|
| Authenticity Trip
|
Album Raises New And Troubling Questions02
|
2
|
| Ballad Of Timothy McSweeneyThe Ballad Of Timothy McSweeney
|
|
1
|
| Bangs
|
Mink Car01
|
7
|
| Battle For The Planet Of The Apes
|
Severe Tire Damage22
|
9
|
| Battle For The Planet Of They Might Be Giants
|
|
2
|
| Battle O' 'Im
|
|
1
|
| Bed Bed Bed
|
No!16
|
16
|
| Bee Of The Bird Of The Moth
|
ElseThe Else09
|
1
|
| Bells Are RingingThe Bells Are Ringing
|
Factory Showroom13
|
1
|
| Bills, Bills, Bills
|
|
2
|
| Birdhouse In Your Soul (Wicked Little Version)
|
|
3
|
| Birdhouse In Your Soul
|
Flood02
|
69
|
| Boat Of Car
|
They Might Be Giants13
|
2
|
| Born In A Graveyard
|
|
2
|
| Boss Of Me
|
Mink Car (European Version)
|
22
|
| Brontosaurus
|
BOOK04
|
3
|
| Cage & Aquarium
|
Lincoln05
|
1
|
| Call You Mom
|
Nanobots06
|
1
|
| Can't Keep Johnny Down
|
Join Us01
|
5
|
| Cap'mThe Cap'm
|
ElseThe Else06
|
1
|
| Careful What You Pack
|
ElseThe Else05
|
2
|
| Caroline, No
|
Indestructible Object
|
1
|
| Celebration
|
Join Us07
|
1
|
| Circular Karate Chop
|
Nanobots05
|
1
|
| Clap Your Hands
|
No!11
|
20
|
| Cloisonné
|
Join Us05
|
2
|
| Contrecoup
|
ElseThe Else11
|
1
|
| Countdown Intro
|
(intro)1994
|
1
|
| Counterfeit Faker
|
Long Tall Weekend11
|
6
|
| Cowtown
|
Lincoln02
|
9
|
| Critic Intro
|
(intro)1997
|
2
|
| Cyclops Rock
|
Mink Car02
|
33
|
| Darlings of LumberlandThe Darlings Of Lumberland
|
Nanobots20
|
3
|
| Damn Good Times
|
SpineThe Spine13
|
12
|
| Dead
|
Flood05
|
15
|
| Destination Moon
|
John Henry13
|
5
|
| Dig My Grave
|
Apollo 1801
|
26
|
| Dinner Bell
|
Apollo 1809
|
3
|
| Dirt Bike
|
John Henry12
|
3
|
| Doctor Worm
|
Severe Tire Damage01
|
64
|
| Don't Let's Start
|
They Might Be Giants04
|
22
|
| Dr. Evil
|
|
4
|
| Drink!
|
Mink Car10
|
28
|
| Drinkin'
|
Long Tall Weekend01
|
3
|
| End of the TourThe End Of The Tour
|
John Henry20
|
6
|
| Erase
|
Glean01
|
1
|
| Escape From The Planet Of The Apes
|
Severe Tire Damage21
|
1
|
| Everything Right Is Wrong Again
|
They Might Be Giants01
|
1
|
| Experimental Film
|
SpineThe Spine01
|
5
|
| Exquisite Dead Guy
|
Factory Showroom04
|
14
|
| Extra Savoir-Faire
|
John Henry07
|
1
|
| Famous PolkaThe Famous Polka
|
Miscellaneous T15
|
23
|
| Fingertips
|
Apollo 1817
|
32
|
| Finished With Lies
|
Mink Car15
|
7
|
| First Kiss
|
Severe Tire Damage10
|
3
|
| Flying V
|
Here Come The ABCs04
|
1
|
| Four Of Two
|
No!02
|
4
|
| Frankenstein
|
|
2
|
| Fun Assassin
|
Spine Surfs AloneThe Spine Surfs Alone04
|
1
|
| Georgy Girl
|
|
1
|
| Gigantor Intro
|
(intro)1999
|
1
|
| Good To Be Alive
|
Glean02
|
1
|
| GuitarThe Guitar
|
Apollo 1808
|
54
|
| Hall Of Heads
|
Apollo 1811
|
1
|
| He's Loco
|
|
1
|
| Hearing Aid
|
Flood11
|
4
|
| Hey, Mr. DJ, I Thought You Said We Had A Deal
|
Miscellaneous T01
|
2
|
| Hide Away Folk Family
|
They Might Be Giants05
|
2
|
| I Hope That I Get Old Before I Die
|
They Might Be Giants16
|
1
|
| Hopeless Bleak Despair
|
Mink Car09
|
1
|
| Hot Cha
|
Flood15
|
3
|
| Hovering Sombrero
|
Mink Car07
|
2
|
| How Can I Sing Like A Girl?
|
Factory Showroom03
|
14
|
| Hypnotist Of Ladies
|
Apollo 1816
|
6
|
| I Am Not Your Broom
|
No!12
|
13
|
| I Can't Hide From My Mind
|
SpineThe Spine16
|
1
|
| I Left My Body
|
I Like Fun02
|
1
|
| I Like Fun
|
I Like Fun07
|
1
|
| I Palindrome I
|
Apollo 1802
|
10
|
| I'm Impressed
|
ElseThe Else01
|
1
|
| I've Got A Fang
|
Mink Car06
|
9
|
| Idlewild
|
Bed, Bed, Bed03
|
3
|
| If I Wasn't Shy
|
Apollo 1814
|
1
|
| Impossible
|
Bed, Bed, Bed01
|
1
|
| In The Middle, In The Middle, In The Middle
|
No!06
|
9
|
| Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
|
Flood04
|
63
|
| It Could Be Worse
|
|
1
|
| It's Kickin' In
|
SpineThe Spine10
|
2
|
| It's Not My Birthday
|
Miscellaneous T07
|
3
|
| James K. Polk
|
Factory Showroom10
|
48
|
| John Lee Supertaster
|
No!08
|
13
|
| JokerThe Joker
|
|
1
|
| Kiss Me, Son Of God
|
Lincoln18
|
1
|
| Last Wave
|
I Like Fun15
|
2
|
| Lady Is A Tramp (intro)
|
Miscellaneous T02
|
1
|
| Let Me Tell You About My Operation
|
Glean14
|
4
|
| Let's Get This Over With
|
I Like Fun01
|
1
|
| Letterbox
|
Flood13
|
13
|
| Lie Still, Little Bottle
|
Lincoln03
|
22
|
| Lines Upon A Tranquil Brow
|
|
1
|
| Los Angeles
|
Venue Songs21
|
1
|
| Lost My Mind
|
Nanobots04
|
1
|
| Lucky Ball & Chain
|
Flood03
|
3
|
| Madam, I Challenge You To A Duel
|
Glean07
|
1
|
| Mammal
|
Apollo 1805
|
11
|
| Man, It's So Loud In Here
|
Mink Car03
|
22
|
| Marty Beller Mask
|
Album Raises New And Troubling Questions04
|
1
|
| Masshole
|
|
1
|
| Maybe I Know
|
Long Tall Weekend03
|
16
|
| Meet James Ensor
|
John Henry15
|
19
|
| Meet The Elements
|
Here Comes Science02
|
1
|
| Memo To Human Resources
|
SpineThe Spine03
|
7
|
| MesopotamiansThe Mesopotamians
|
ElseThe Else13
|
7
|
| Metal Detector
|
Factory Showroom05
|
2
|
| Minimum Wage
|
Flood12
|
5
|
| Mink Car
|
Mink Car13
|
9
|
| Moonbeam Rays
|
BOOK02
|
3
|
| Mr. Klaw
|
Miscellaneous T09
|
2
|
| Mr. Me
|
Lincoln08
|
5
|
| Mr. Tambourine Man
|
|
4
|
| Mrs. Bluebeard
|
I Like Fun06
|
1
|
| Museum Of Idiots
|
SpineThe Spine09
|
4
|
| Music Jail, Pt. 1 & 2
|
Glean04
|
1
|
| My Brother The Ape
|
Here Comes Science06
|
1
|
| My Evil Twin
|
Apollo 1804
|
1
|
| Nanobots
|
Nanobots02
|
1
|
| Narrow Your Eyes
|
Apollo 1810
|
3
|
| New York City
|
Factory Showroom06
|
57
|
| No One Knows My Plan
|
John Henry11
|
21
|
| No Plan B
|
|
1
|
| No!
|
No!04
|
10
|
| Nothing's Gonna Change My Clothes
|
They Might Be Giants09
|
6
|
| Number Three
|
They Might Be Giants03
|
7
|
| NyQuil Driver
|
John Henry05
|
5
|
| O Tannenbaum
|
O Tannenbaum
|
1
|
| Old Pine Box
|
Join Us03
|
1
|
| Older
|
Long Tall Weekend06
|
58
|
| On The Drag
|
Working Undercover For The Man05
|
4
|
| Orff Intro
|
(intro)2003
|
2
|
| Out Of Jail
|
John Henry18
|
1
|
| Particle Man
|
Flood07
|
57
|
| Pencil Rain
|
Lincoln09
|
1
|
| Pet Name
|
Factory Showroom11
|
15
|
| Piece Of Dirt
|
Lincoln07
|
3
|
| Planet Of The Apes
|
|
1
|
| Purple Toupee
|
Lincoln04
|
4
|
| Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head
|
They Might Be Giants02
|
1
|
| Radio They Might Be Giants
|
Working Undercover For The Man06
|
2
|
| Rabid Child
|
They Might Be Giants08</span
|
1
|
| Rest Awhile
|
Working Undercover For The Man01
|
3
|
| Rhythm Section Want Ad
|
They Might Be Giants19
|
3
|
| Road Movie To Berlin
|
Flood19
|
3
|
| Robot Parade (Adult Version)
|
Working Undercover For The Man09
|
8
|
| Robot Parade
|
No!03
|
21
|
| S-E-X-X-Y
|
Factory Showroom01
|
28
|
| Sammy Intro
|
(intro)2013
|
2
|
| Santa Claus
|
|
6
|
| Santa's Beard
|
Lincoln12
|
2
|
| Sapphire Bullets Of Pure Love
|
Flood17
|
4
|
| Science Is Real
|
Here Comes Science01
|
3
|
| See The Constellation
|
Apollo 1813
|
1
|
| Sensurround
|
S-E-X-X-Y
|
2
|
| Seven
|
Here Come The 123s
|
1
|
| Severe Tire Damage Theme
|
Severe Tire Damage02
|
2
|
| Shadow GovernmentThe Shadow Government
|
ElseThe Else08
|
1
|
| She Thinks She's Edith Head
|
Mink Car16
|
9
|
| She's Actual Size
|
Apollo 1803
|
38
|
| She's An Angel
|
They Might Be Giants11
|
28
|
| Shoehorn With Teeth (CD Skip Version)
|
|
3
|
| Shoehorn With Teeth
|
Lincoln15
|
37
|
| Sleeping In The Flowers
|
John Henry03
|
7
|
| Sleepwalkers
|
No!17
|
8
|
| Snail Shell
|
John Henry02
|
10
|
| Snowball In Hell
|
Lincoln17
|
1
|
| Someone Keeps Moving My Chair
|
Flood10
|
3
|
| Space Krickets
|
(intro)2001
|
10
|
| Space Suit
|
Apollo 1838
|
1
|
| Spider
|
Apollo 1807
|
30
|
| Spin The Dial
|
|
18
|
| Spine
|
SpineThe Spine02
|
2
|
| Spiraling Shape
|
Factory Showroom09
|
8
|
| Spy
|
John Henry09
|
35
|
| Stalk Of Wheat
|
SpineThe Spine15
|
8
|
| Stand On Your Own Head
|
Lincoln16
|
1
|
| Statue Got Me HighThe Statue Got Me High
|
Apollo 1806
|
7
|
| stelluB
|
|
3
|
| Stomp Box
|
John Henry19
|
1
|
| Subliminal
|
John Henry01
|
12
|
| Synopsis For Latecomers
|
BOOK01
|
3
|
| Take Out The Trash
|
ElseThe Else02
|
2
|
| Taking Care Of Business
|
|
1
|
| Tesla
|
Nanobots07
|
1
|
| Theme From Flood
|
Flood01
|
3
|
| Theme From The Monkees
|
|
1
|
| They Got Lost
|
Long Tall Weekend12
|
16
|
| They Might Be Giants
|
Flood18
|
6
|
| They'll Need A Crane
|
Lincoln14
|
2
|
| This Damn Band
|
|
1
|
| This Microphone
|
I Like Fun09
|
1
|
| Thunderbird
|
SpineThe Spine06
|
3
|
| Till My Head Falls Off
|
Factory Showroom02
|
20
|
| Tippecanoe And Tyler Too
|
|
1
|
| To All The Girls I've Loved Before
|
|
2
|
| Towson
|
Venue Songs27
|
1
|
| Triboro
|
|
6
|
| Trucker's Coffee
|
|
1
|
| Turn Around
|
Apollo 1815
|
12
|
| Twisting
|
Flood08
|
47
|
| Underwater Woman
|
Glean03
|
1
|
| Unrelated Thing
|
John Henry04
|
1
|
| Unsupervised, I Hit My Head
|
Unsupervised
|
1
|
| Upside Down Frown
|
ElseThe Else03
|
1
|
| Victorious Intro
|
(intro)2002
|
2
|
| Violin
|
No!07
|
9
|
| Wake Up Call (intro)
|
No!13
|
2
|
| We Live In A Dump
|
|
1
|
| We Want A Rock
|
Flood09
|
4
|
| We're The Replacements
|
Miscellaneous T17
|
4
|
| Wearing A Raincoat
|
SpineThe Spine04
|
3
|
| West Virginia
|
State Songs
|
1
|
| What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?
|
|
2
|
| What Is A Shooting Star?
|
Here Comes Science07
|
1
|
| What Nut Intro
|
(intro)
|
1
|
| When Will You Die
|
Join Us09
|
6
|
| Where Your Eyes Don't Go
|
Lincoln06
|
5
|
| Which Describes How You're Feeling
|
Apollo 1812
|
2
|
| Whistling In The Dark
|
Flood14
|
11
|
| Why Did You Grow A Beard?
|
|
1
|
| Why Does The Sun Really Shine?
|
Here Comes Science10
|
2
|
| Why Does The Sun Shine?
|
Why Does The Sun Shine?01
|
53
|
| Wicked Little Critta
|
Mink Car14
|
11
|
| With The Dark
|
ElseThe Else07
|
1
|
| Withered Hope
|
ElseThe Else10
|
4
|
| Women & Men
|
Flood16
|
7
|
| Working Undercover For The Man
|
Mink Car17
|
11
|
| XTC Vs. Adam Ant
|
Factory Showroom08
|
7
|
| Yeh Yeh
|
Mink Car08
|
4
|
| You Probably Get That A Lot
|
Join Us02
|
1
|
| You're On Fire
|
Nanobots01
|
2
|
| Your Mom's Alright
|
Mink Car (European Version)
|
3
|
| Your Own Worst Enemy
|
Factory Showroom07
|
5
|
| Your Racist Friend
|
Flood06
|
12
|
There are 64 Album or EP Songs they have performed at least once live at rock shows not in the middle of the afternoon that I have not heard. Most of them, I suspect I will never hear:
