Interpretations:Rhythm Section Want Ad
"We salute you the way we know" makes me think they're giving the finger. -Cronny
Basically, John is saying that they'll never change who they are and what they're like just for the money.
"If you dig a band with a chick singer, Say your cup of tea is a wall of trombones, If you dig Menudo or MDC, we'll salute you the way we know. For every one with dollar signs in his eyes, There must be hundreds who look at you as if you're some kind of rhythm section want ad"
Some producers thought that TMBG would be more of a commercial success if they followed the norm of the day (as in the examples given in the above lines) -- especially an actual drummer. Though the Johns salute those people, they're not going to sacrifice their tastes to appease the public and make more money. What they like, they like.
Ironically, seemingly every line in this section was "broken" later on in TMBG's career. "Chick Singer": Robin Goldwasser (In The Middle, In The Middle, In The Middle, Dr. Evil, and other newer songs) "Wall of Trombones": See John Henry. "Menudo or MDC": Well, not much to say here. Menudo was a Puerto Rican "boy band" of the 80s. While TMBG did facetiously record Too Plus 3 R One, I guess this part remains intact... so far. "Rhythm Section Want Ad": Well, Dan Hickey and the infamous Jim from The Guitar are examples of some drummers they've picked up over the years.
As most They Might Be Giant's songs, I figured this one was nonsensical. I mean "If you dig a band with a chick singer, Say your cup of tea is a wall of trombones," I honestly doubt we're supposed to take that literally. Not to mention the whole "use hats as megaphones" thing. --Mr. Nuclear
"Use hats as megaphones" brings to mind acts like Devo in which the fashion sense (like stylish haircuts in of the previous line) or gimmickry seemed as important as the music.
On the contrary, I would argue that the references to Menudo, MDC, the wall of trombones, etc., are not included in the spirit of "we'll never be like these mainstream guys" but more like "Yeah! Freaks like us!" Because look: In the mid-eighties, what was selling was Springsteen and Aerosmith and Madonna and the Cars, and I'm not saying there's anything wrong with these bands, but they were not experimental. None of them had large brass ensembles. The rock band with the "chick singer" was still mostly a staple of the underground and nascent alternative scenes. I don't know much about Menudo, other than that they supposedly completely overhauled their lineup every few years -- not exactly music-industry standard practice, if it's true -- but I know that MDC, at least, was the acronym for a hardcore punk band that stood for Millions of Dead Cops, which I doubt mainstream America received with open arms. So I think in this song the Giants, far from listing stodgy standards that they would one day shamefully cave in to and espouse, are rattling off a lot of the elements that they would later incorporate, all in the spirit of unabashed weirdness. Just my two cents...
They say they're a lot happier now with a rhythm section anyway, and it's not like you're seeing John Flansburgh's apartment on "Cribs," so I don't think you can say TMBG have tried to please the crowd more than they've tried to please themselves and do justice to their music.
I just put in an alternate lyric at the beginning of the song. More of an interpretation, I guess. I thought the word might be "prose" rather than "pros" ... indicating the place for poetry was across from the place for prose. -BigJohn
- This is a double pun. The obvious one is "poetry"/"prose". The other is that the opposite of a "pro(fessional)" is an "amateur", which literally means "one who loves" -- someone who does (music, or whatever) for love, not for money. So, "there's a place for poetry amateurs/lovers, it's not the place for prose/pros." --fubar o.
This song is just a bundle of fun for lots of reasons.
To me, the lyrics are difficult to decypher without being able to read them, due to how rapid they are enunciated and the unusual ways in which many syllables are stressed and inflected. "Poetry" to me does not normally sound like "power tree", and "mistakes into rhyme" sounds to me like "my sticks into ram". The "so if you like a band...wall of trombones" bit comes across as near total gibberish ending in "drum on". I can't hear the word "salute" at all. In "hairstyle made of bones", I tend to hear "bombs" instead.
Aside from the plays on words and notes about alternative music, this song also seems to me to be chock full of cartoon references. The idea of dollar signs in the eyes is a figurative one often made literal by the magic of animation. Olive Oyl. The entire chrous is, I think, one cartoon reference after another. A new-age hairstyle made of bones would be found in The Flintstones. I'm sure I've only seen a hat used as a megaphone in a cartoon. Speaking softly, driving a Sherman tank sounds so Elmer Fudd. Laughing on the way to the bank is also something made literal in cartoons.
I'm probably stretching too far to look for the cartoon references, but the specific mention of Olive Oyl kinda sets the stage for that.
The song also makes me think of Men Without Hats.
I'm pretty sure the Olive Oyl reference is to do with Linnel's whiny style of singing. So someone who didn't really get them might go up to him after hearing them and ask, "Do you sing like Olive Oyle in purpose?"
Kristofski
In some ways, this song is They Might Be Giants' in-your-face, "rebellion" anthem. The rhetorical lines "Do you sing like Olive Oyl on purpose / You guys must be into the Eurythmics" caustically parody (recapitulate maybe) what some listeners have said to the duo in derision: that John Linnell sways his body as he sings like Olive Oyl (which fans, of course, appreciate -- consult the video to "They'll Need A Crane"), and that TMBG is a campy, derivative New Wave group (since proven wrong, obviously). Flansburgh yelling "No! No! No! No!" over these lines is reminiscent of bands angry over being labeled, genre'd, or miscatagorized.
- wittytirade
I hear this song as an affirmation, that there's plenty of room in the world for every kind of music (and every kind of person) and that they have respect for everyone, no matter what their musical taste (or lifestyle).
That said, they wanted to let everyone know that, even if hundreds of people are saying you are weird, that you will never make it, that you need a rhythm section, you don't have to do it, because there's room for you, too. Speak softly (do your own thing), drive a sherman tank (don't let anyone change you), laugh hard (have fun), it's a long way to the bank (you're going to be here in life for a long time).
- gazoogleheimer
I think this song is a celebration of diversity in music. "There's lots of room to roam" means there is enough room in the musical world for many different styles. No matter what your sound, you can find an audience because there are many music lovers with diverse tastes. "Pleanty of time to turn mistakes into rhyme" refers to the need to develop a sound. Very few bands pick up their instraments and find their sound right away. You will struggle at first, but there is pleanty of time to find your sound.
"There's a place for those who love their poetry" means there is room in the music world for musicians who are trying to make art rather than being commercially successful. "It's just accross from the sign that says 'pros (prose) only'" distinguishes the true artists from those trying to for commercial success.
"So if you like a band . . ." means it doesn't matter what genre of music you are trying to make. THBG will salute anyone trying to make good music, regardless of the style of music.
"For everyone with dollar signs . . ." means that for exec that gets your sound, there may be hundreds that don't. It also is a reference to the fact that music execs are a necessary evil for anyone who wants to make a living playing music. The execs don't sign bands because they love the music but because they think they can make money off the music. Hence the dollar signs (rather than hearts or something).
I read somewhere that the "use of hats as megaphones" line refers to a dunce cap (which is the shape of a megaphone). It means, if someone tells you you're no good (puts you in the corner with a dunce cap on) keep on making music (use the hat as a megaphone).
"Laugh hard it's a long way to the bank" is advising you to enjoy the music. Don't let the money be the most important thing, because it could be a long time until you make any money making music (if you ever do). So have fun (laugh hard).
They themselves ARE the rythm section want ad. They played with a drum machine all those years, and therefore had no rythm section (bass, drums, percussion).--tehbagel ( o ) 15:41, 3 Jun 2006 (CDT)
Just a quick note: the only sort of hat that would make a good megaphone would be a dunce cap, and a hairstyle made of bones would make the person who had it a "bone-head". Make of that what you will.
I think it's about being unique and not selling out as some people have already outlined, but here are some of the lines I think prove it...
"In a world we call our home there's lots of room to roam" you can do whatever you want... "Plenty of time to turn mistakes into rhyme" because you won't die that soon.
"There's a place for those who love their poetry
It's just across from the sign that says, 'Pros Only'"
If you dig poetry and like to make it, you don't have to make a job out of it.
"So if you like a band with a chick singer,
Say your cup of tea is a wall of trombones
If you dig Menudo, or MDC we salute you the way we know"
If you say you like what you truly like, we're all for you.
"For every one with dollar signs in his eyes" if you want money...
"There must be hundreds that look at you as if you're some kind of
Rhythm section want ad" you have to know people are gonna look at you weird if you do what you really want to do. in TMBG's case this was not having a rythm section.
"Hats off to the new age hairstyle made of bones
Hats off to the use of hats as megaphones"
Hats off to being unique.
"Speak softly, drive a Sherman tank"
Do what you want. Speak softly could be referencing shoegaze
"Laugh hard, it's a long way to the bank"
Remember that your hobbies are all for you to have fun, and it will take a lot of work for you to make a career out of your interests.
"Do you sing like Olive Oyl on purpose
You guys must be into the Eurythmics"
about how odd people think Linnell is.
Some individual lines have been well explained up there.
I don't have anything to say about the rest of the song, but "Speak softly, drive a Sherman tank" is probably a play on the phrase "Speak softly and carry a big stick", which is (according to Wikipedia) a West African proverb most famously used by President Theodore Roosevelt to describe his foreign policy.
I really like the interpretation toward the very top of the page, about them not changing for the money. It reminds me of "Sultans of Swing," by Dire Straits. The way I'd originally thought of it was very similar. Now I'm not much on interpreting lyrics (I'm a melody man like Linnell) and I only looked at these lyrics for the first time last week, so bear with me.
I've taken what they're describing as a place (ie club/lounge) where all kinds of music is welcome.
There's a place for those who love their poetry It's just across from the sign that says, "Pros Only"
This reminds me of my town. There's a club that nearly only hosts bands of genres that are big now, very much into trends. Of course, there's no "Pros Only" sign. Around the corner is a club about the size of my bathroom, that brings in all kinds of acts and it's glorious.
So if you like a band with a chick singer...we salute you the way we know
If you like any of this off-beat kind of stuff, come on down!
Speak softly, drive a Sherman tank
This is a spin on the philosophy of the Monroe Doctrine, but here I take it to mean "don't worry about being rich and famous, just rock hard."
Laugh hard, it's a long way to the bank
As others have said, it's about having fun and just doing it out of the love of art.
For now, that's all I've got!
I think this song is very straightforward. It was just the Johns' way of saying, "We don't need any drummers; we're fine with our drum machine, thanks. No Solicitors," back before they actually got a band. --Izzhov
- Randy 11:43, 25 August 2009 (UTC)
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