Difference between revisions of "They'll Need A Crane (EP)"

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[[TMBW.Net]] > [[Albums]] > They'll Need A Crane (EP)
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{{Album Info
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----
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| Image      = CraneCover.png
 +
| Title      = They'll Need A Crane
 +
| Artist      =
 +
| Type        = EP
 +
| Released    = February 10, [[1989]]
 +
| Tracks      = 4
 +
| Length      = 8:56
 +
| Label      = [[Bar/None]] / [[Restless]]
 +
| Catalog    = 7 72611
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| Release    = Main Release
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| Last album  =
 +
| Next album  =
 +
}}
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__NOTOC__
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[[File:Craneback.png|thumb|[[Vinyl]] release back cover]]
 +
'''''They'll Need A Crane''''' was a four-song EP released through [[Bar/None]] and [[Restless]] records. With the exception of the title track, this was the first release produced by [[They Might Be Giants]] without [[Bill Krauss]].
  
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== They'll Need A Crane (EP) ==
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=== Description ===
 +
Two of the B-sides included in this release had been previously written and demoed during the ''[[Lincoln]]'' album cycle. "[[It's Not My Birthday]]" had been [[It's Not My Birthday (Lincoln Demo)|previously recorded on 8-track]] with Krauss for potential inclusion on ''Lincoln'', while "[[I'll Sink Manhattan]]" had been written, [[I'll Sink Manhattan (Dial-A-Song)|demoed]], and [[Shows/1988-04-29|performed]], but was not known to have been considered for inclusion during the recording of the album. "[[They'll Need A Crane]]" was chosen as the title track for its lack of novelty, as mentioned by [[John Flansburgh]] in a [https://archive.org/details/gwu_hatchet_19890216/page/n11/mode/2up February 1989 interview with ''Hatchet'']: "We try to steer away from releasing songs as singles that seem like they might be misconstrued as novelty songs, because we basically want people to hear our music before they hear the humor."
  
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http://tmbw.net/upload/1066157489-CraneCover.gif
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Although all of the B-sides were credited as being recorded at John Flansburgh's Hello Studio apartment space, "I'll Sink Manhattan" had mostly been recorded with jazz musician John Eric Greenberg in a "tiny room in the apartment directly across the street" from Hello{{ref|url=https://tmbgareok.tumblr.com/post/702289132542689280/do-you-guys-happen-to-remember-what-the?}}. In the liner notes for ''[[Then: The Earlier Years]]'', John and John mentioned it was their first time experimenting with sampling their own voices, which were engineered by Greenberg through a Casio sampler{{ref|url=https://archive.org/details/cd_then-the-earlier-years_they-might-be-giants/page/n7/mode/1up}} along with many other homemade sounds. It would later be mixed at Hello alongside the other B-sides after the song was tracked at Greenberg's studio{{ref|url=https://tmbgareok.tumblr.com/post/702289132542689280/do-you-guys-happen-to-remember-what-the?}}. A Casio CZ-101 was also used for the keyboard sounds heard throughout the EP, which were described in the ''Then'' liner notes as "further proof of [the keyboard's] limitless versatility"{{ref|url=https://archive.org/details/cd_then-the-earlier-years_they-might-be-giants/page/n7/mode/1up}}.
  
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Released: [[1989]]<BR>
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==== Artwork ====
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Tracks: 4<BR>
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[[File:One's Face.jpg|thumb|200px|''One's Face'' (1990) by Hiroko Hoshikawa]]
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Label: [[Bar/None]] / [[Restless]]
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The EP's cover artwork features an image taken by photographer [https://mochiaji-exblog-jp.translate.goog/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp Hiroko Hoshikawa], and soon after became the cover of her 1990 photo book ''One's Face'', a collection of images of objects resembling faces.
  
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=== Track Listing ===
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The back cover photograph of John & John was taken by [[Elizabeth Van Itallie]]. The shrine built by [[Brian Dewan]] for ''[[Lincoln]]'''s cover artwork can be seen peering into frame.
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# [[They'll Need A Crane]]
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−
# [[It's Not My Birthday]]
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# [[I'll Sink Manhattan]]
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# [[Nightgown of the Sullen Moon]]
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=== UK Release Version ===
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=== Track listing ===
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Released: [[1989]]<BR>
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{{Track List Header}}
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Tracks: 5<BR>
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{{Track|song=They'll Need A Crane}}
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Label: [[One Little Indian]]
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{{Track|song=It's Not My Birthday}}
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{{Track|song=I'll Sink Manhattan}}
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{{Track|song=Nightgown Of The Sullen Moon}}
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{{Close Table|clr=yes}}
  
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Cover showed corrected track names to match the release
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=== Image Gallery ===
 +
====CD====
 +
<gallery>
 +
File:Cranelongpack.png|Longpack
 +
File:CraneLongpackback.png|Longpack back
 +
File:CraneCDback.png|CD sleeve back
 +
</gallery>
 +
====Vinyl====
 +
<gallery>
 +
File:CraneLabel1.png|Side One label
 +
File:CraneLabel2.png|Side Two label
 +
</gallery>
 +
====Cassette====
 +
<gallery>
 +
File:CraneCS.png|Cassette cover
 +
File:CraneCScard.png|Full cassette card foldout
 +
File:Crane Cassette.jpg|Cassette
 +
</gallery>
 +
====Promotional Material====
 +
<gallery>
 +
File:CranePromo2.jpg|Print ad from Bar/None
 +
File:1989-02-24 Listing.jpg|Ad from ''The Village Voice''
 +
File:Crane_PR.png| Press release
 +
</gallery>
  
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# [[They'll Need A Crane]]
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== UK Release ==
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# [[Untitled]]
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{{Album Info
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# [[I've Got A Match]]
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| Image      = CraneUK.png
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# [[I'll Sink Manhattan]]
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| Title      = They'll Need A Crane
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# [[Kiss Me, Son Of God/Alternate Version|Kiss Me, Son Of God (Alternate Version)]]
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| Artist      =
 +
| Type        = EP
 +
| Released    = January 30, [[1989]]
 +
| Tracks      = 4
 +
| Length      = 9:37
 +
| Label      = [[One Little Indian]]
 +
| Catalog    = 22TP12
 +
| Release    = UK Release
 +
| Last album  =
 +
| Next album  =
 +
}}
 +
[[File:CraneUKback.png|thumb|Back cover]]
  
 +
=== Track listing ===
 +
{{Track List Header|start=1}}
 +
{{Track|song=They'll Need A Crane}}
 +
{{Track|song=I've Got A Match}}
 +
{{Track|song=Kiss Me, Son Of God}}
 +
{{Track|song=I'll Sink Manhattan}}
 +
{{Close Table|clr=yes}}
 +
[[File:Crane UK ad.png|thumb|Newsprint ad]]
 +
 +
=== Trivia ===
 +
*The absence of "[[It's Not My Birthday]]" and "[[Nightgown Of The Sullen Moon]]" is likely due to their inclusion on the [[Ana Ng (Single)#UK 12" release|UK release]] of the "[[Ana Ng]]" single.
 +
{{clr}}
 +
 +
== UK 7" Single ==
 +
{{Album Info
 +
| Image      = Crane UK 7.png
 +
| Title      = They'll Need A Crane
 +
| Artist      =
 +
| Type        = Single
 +
| Released    = January 30, [[1989]]
 +
| Tracks      = 2
 +
| Length      = 5:09
 +
| Label      = [[One Little Indian]]
 +
| Catalog    = 22TP7
 +
| Release    = UK Single
 +
| Last album  =
 +
| Next album  =
 +
}}
 +
=== Track listing ===
 +
{{Track List Header|start=1}}
 +
{{Track|song=They'll Need A Crane}}
 +
{{Track|song=I've Got A Match}}
 +
{{Close Table|clr=yes}}
 +
 +
== European Single ==
 +
{{Album Info
 +
| Image      = CraneEU.png
 +
| Title      = They'll Need A Crane
 +
| Artist      =
 +
| Type        = Single
 +
| Released    = February 27, [[1989]]
 +
| Tracks      = 2
 +
| Length      = 4:25
 +
| Label      = [[File:ES.png|20px]] Grabaciones Accidentales <GA-306><br>[[File:FR.png|20px]] Vogue <102308>
 +
| Catalog    =
 +
| Release    = European Single
 +
| Last album  =
 +
| Next album  =
 +
}}
 +
[[File:CraneES back.png|thumb|Back]]
 +
 +
=== Track listing ===
 +
{{Track List Header|start=1}}
 +
{{Track|song=They'll Need A Crane}}
 +
{{Track|song=It's Not My Birthday}}
 +
{{Close Table|clr=yes}}
 +
 +
*A transcription and translation of the bio sheet included with the Spanish release is viewable '''[[They'll Need A Crane (EP)/Spanish Bio|here]]'''.
 +
 +
== 12" Promo ==
 +
{{Album Info
 +
| Image      = CranePromo.png
 +
| Title      = They'll Need A Crane
 +
| Artist      =
 +
| Type        = Single
 +
| Released    = [[1989]]
 +
| Tracks      = 1
 +
| Length      = 2:33 (listed as 2:29)
 +
| Label      = [[Bar/None]] / [[Restless]]
 +
| Catalog    = EPRO-167
 +
| Release    = Vinyl 12 Promo
 +
| Last album  =
 +
| Next album  =
 +
}}
 +
=== Track listing ===
 +
{{Track List Header|start=1}}
 +
{{Track|song=They'll Need A Crane|note=plays the same both sides}}
 +
{{Close Table|clr=yes}}
 +
 +
=== Images ===
 +
<gallery>
 +
File:CranePromoSticker.png|Sticker
 +
File:CranePromoLabel.png|Label
 +
</gallery>
 +
 +
== Promotional VHS ==
 +
{{Album Info
 +
| Image      = They'll Need A Crane VHS Promo.jpg
 +
| Title      = They'll Need A Crane
 +
| Artist      = They Might Be Giants
 +
| Type        = Video
 +
| Released    = [[1989]]
 +
| Tracks      = 1
 +
| Length      = 2:29
 +
| Label      = [[File:US.png|20px]] [[Bar/None]]<br>[[File:DE.png|20px]] [[Rough Trade]]
 +
| Catalog    =
 +
| Release    = Promotional VHS
 +
| Last album  =
 +
| Next album  =
 +
}}
 +
 +
=== Track listing ===
 +
{{Track List Header|start=1}}
 +
{{Track|song=They'll Need A Crane|length=2:29}}
 +
{{Close Table|clr=yes}}
 +
 +
=== German release ===
 +
<gallery>
 +
File:Crane VHS.png|Cover
 +
File:Crane VHS back.png|Back cover
 +
File:Crane VHS Tape.jpg|Tape
 +
</gallery>
 +
 +
[[Category:VHS]]

Latest revision as of 18:39, 8 April 2025

They'll Need A Crane ep cover
They'll Need A Crane
EP by They Might Be Giants
First released February 10, 1989
Release details / collectors: Show | Hide 		Tracks 4
Label Bar/None / Restless <7 72611> Length 8:56
Vinyl release back cover

They'll Need A Crane was a four-song EP released through Bar/None and Restless records. With the exception of the title track, this was the first release produced by They Might Be Giants without Bill Krauss.

Description[edit]

Two of the B-sides included in this release had been previously written and demoed during the Lincoln album cycle. "It's Not My Birthday" had been previously recorded on 8-track with Krauss for potential inclusion on Lincoln, while "I'll Sink Manhattan" had been written, demoed, and performed, but was not known to have been considered for inclusion during the recording of the album. "They'll Need A Crane" was chosen as the title track for its lack of novelty, as mentioned by John Flansburgh in a February 1989 interview with Hatchet: "We try to steer away from releasing songs as singles that seem like they might be misconstrued as novelty songs, because we basically want people to hear our music before they hear the humor."

Although all of the B-sides were credited as being recorded at John Flansburgh's Hello Studio apartment space, "I'll Sink Manhattan" had mostly been recorded with jazz musician John Eric Greenberg in a "tiny room in the apartment directly across the street" from Hello[1]. In the liner notes for Then: The Earlier Years, John and John mentioned it was their first time experimenting with sampling their own voices, which were engineered by Greenberg through a Casio sampler[2] along with many other homemade sounds. It would later be mixed at Hello alongside the other B-sides after the song was tracked at Greenberg's studio[3]. A Casio CZ-101 was also used for the keyboard sounds heard throughout the EP, which were described in the Then liner notes as "further proof of [the keyboard's] limitless versatility"[4].

Artwork[edit]

One's Face (1990) by Hiroko Hoshikawa

The EP's cover artwork features an image taken by photographer Hiroko Hoshikawa, and soon after became the cover of her 1990 photo book One's Face, a collection of images of objects resembling faces.

The back cover photograph of John & John was taken by Elizabeth Van Itallie. The shrine built by Brian Dewan for Lincoln's cover artwork can be seen peering into frame.

Track listing[edit]

# Title Length  Lyrics Guitar Tab
1 They'll Need A Crane 2:33

 

2 It's Not My Birthday 1:52

 

3 I'll Sink Manhattan 2:32

 

4 Nightgown Of The Sullen Moon 1:59

 


Image Gallery[edit]

CD[edit]

  • Longpack

  • Longpack back

  • CD sleeve back

Vinyl[edit]

  • Side One label

  • Side Two label

Cassette[edit]

  • Cassette cover

  • Full cassette card foldout

  • Cassette

Promotional Material[edit]

  • Print ad from Bar/None

  • Ad from The Village Voice

  • Press release

UK Release[edit]

They'll Need A Crane ep cover
They'll Need A Crane
EP by They Might Be Giants
First released January 30, 1989
Release details / collectors: Show | Hide 		Tracks 4
Label One Little Indian <22TP12> Length 9:37
Back cover

Track listing[edit]

# Title Length  Lyrics Guitar Tab
1 They'll Need A Crane 2:33

 

2 I've Got A Match 2:36

 

3 Kiss Me, Son Of God 1:54

 

4 I'll Sink Manhattan 2:32

 


Newsprint ad

Trivia[edit]


UK 7" Single[edit]

They'll Need A Crane single cover
They'll Need A Crane
Single by They Might Be Giants
First released January 30, 1989
Release details / collectors: Show | Hide 		Tracks 2
Label One Little Indian <22TP7> Length 5:09

Track listing[edit]

# Title Length  Lyrics Guitar Tab
1 They'll Need A Crane 2:33

 

2 I've Got A Match 2:36

 


European Single[edit]

They'll Need A Crane single cover
They'll Need A Crane
Single by They Might Be Giants
First released February 27, 1989
Release details / collectors: Show | Hide 		Tracks 2
Label ES.png Grabaciones Accidentales <GA-306>
FR.png Vogue <102308> 		Length 4:25
Back

Track listing[edit]

# Title Length  Lyrics Guitar Tab
1 They'll Need A Crane 2:33

 

2 It's Not My Birthday 1:52

 


  • A transcription and translation of the bio sheet included with the Spanish release is viewable here.

12" Promo[edit]

They'll Need A Crane single cover
They'll Need A Crane
Single by They Might Be Giants
First released 1989
Release details / collectors: Show | Hide 		Tracks 1
Label Bar/None / Restless <EPRO-167> Length 2:33 (listed as 2:29)

Track listing[edit]

# Title Length  Lyrics Guitar Tab
1 They'll Need A Crane
plays the same both sides 		2:33

 


Images[edit]

  • Sticker

  • Label

Promotional VHS[edit]

They'll Need A Crane video cover
They'll Need A Crane
Video by They Might Be Giants
First released 1989
Release details / collectors: Show | Hide 		Tracks 1
Label US.png Bar/None
DE.png Rough Trade 		Length 2:29


Track listing[edit]

# Title Length  Lyrics Guitar Tab
1 They'll Need A Crane 2:29 

German release[edit]

  • Cover

  • Back cover

  • Tape

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