Talk:Let Me Tell You About My Operation
Contents
Let us tell you about our operation
Really, I've only had my wisdom teeth removed. It was 1996, I was 22 and poor, so it was just Novocaine and nitrous oxide - wasn't asleep. Doctor was working hard in my mouth, but I didn't really care because I was so doped up.--Pittsburghmuggle (talk) 02:58, 10 February 2015 (EST)
Operation Successful
The Giants have always had a jazzy element to their music but their ability to capture it (I was going to say on record, but I'm showing my age!) has improved in recent years, I guess with technology and the fact that they now have horn section at their disposal. I'm thinking of such early attempts like She's Actual Size, which I remember Flans bemoaning was never captured on record like it was in later live versions.
30 years into a career it's hard to keep fresh and Flans especially seems to have been trying for new sounds and idioms. In the same way as Cloisonné was a different kind of song for him, I feel this is more in that non/indie rock experimentation.
The lyric works because it's funny rather than farcical (unlike Madam I challenge you to a duel, or last week's nonsense from Linnell) and the music is easily the best we've had thus far on these weekly releases. If there is a fault, it's that this song probably requires a different singer, as again (like, but probably even more than Musical Jail) he's written something way beyond his range. I'd love to hear a version with a older female American singer, someone in the jazz/showtune idiom. Has Flans got Liza on speed-dial? Dylan recently wrote that he tries to be wise rather than trying to write young. Flans should try to take a leaf out of this book more often as I infinitely prefer this kind of song to stuff like Circular Karate Chop or Prevenge or when he name drops Banksy in the kind of power-pop songs that are harder to pull off when you're over 50! This is a good song. Not sure who wrote No Cops, but with Music Jail and this I put Flans ahead of Linnell thus far on the weekly releases.(Mr Tuck)
- This song but me the closest I've been to bored through this whole thing. I wasn't quite there but almost. The wacky animation made me want to like it but, in the end, even that could barely hold my attention. I don't think it's "way beyond [Flans'] range," as Mr. Tuck suggests. Just because he's pushing his voice to be loud doesn't mean he's pushing it to hit the notes. I've always thought Flans had a lovely falsetto, a strong and clear head voice and a pleasing, booming chest voice. Nothing about the way he sings suggests to me that he's overworking to his his notes. --Propman (talk) 15:43, 10 February 2015 (EST)
- Sad you weren't so keen. As for the singing he's struggling. This is in the studio too. You wait till he does it live, he'll either rearrange it down or, well struggle. It's crying out for a older female voice though. Still like Flans version though. (Mr Tuck)
Opera
When I opened this up in Windows Media Player is truncated the title to "Let Me Tell You About My Opera".--Pittsburghmuggle (talk) 18:27, 10 February 2015 (EST)
Genre-jumpin'
When I called to hear this song the first time, I ended up giggling at the beginning because the swing style was so unexpected, but also it was pulled off so well. I think one of the most impressive things about TMBG is that they can play around with wildly different genres and still do a really good job at it. Also, this is one of those songs that has a pretty common premise ("I loved you and things went badly and I want to forget about it" is certainly not something that's never been written about in a song before) but has enough of a twist on it to actually be interesting. --Self Called Nowhere (talk) 04:48, 18 March 2015 (EDT)
Song Pairs
Should we have this song paired with Erase? They both kinda feel like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind fanfic thematically, just explored very very differently --hashtag (talk) 07:45, 14 April 2015 (EDT)
- I thought of that movie with this one for sure, but I don't think it's directly inspired by it; it's just an exploration of a similar idea. I'm not quite sure what you mean with "Erase" though--that's not in line with my interpretation at all. Elaborate? --Self Called Nowhere (talk) 08:21, 14 April 2015 (EDT)
- That's clearly the case here, but I think "Erase" is veryyyyyyy open to interpretation. Another way of looking at it is death because there's all that imagery, and there's literal removal of objects too with the bits about the boxes and the sweater. There's the "when we shed our memory" line, but I don't think that's necessarily what the entire song is about. --Self Called Nowhere (talk) 20:52, 14 April 2015 (EDT)
Doubtless the inspiration
For those interested, Rae Bourbon's classic 'adult' album was likely the inspiration for the track title and vague theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ2_2BFaf8c
When I saw that album mentioned in the book The Comedians, I immediately asked Flans on Tumblr if that was the inspiration for the song title. No response as of yet, but I'll be sure to post here if I get one!
Flans has confirmed this is where the title came from: "This has been mentioned before-yes I actually own this album! Absolutely was aware-Rae Bourbon’s story is crazy in many ways. Kliph Nesteroff’s show business podcast on Stitcher had a great episode about Rae and the whole subculture of cabaret in the 40s and 50s.
But I took the title as a stand-alone phrase, and used it to create a scenario from it. It’s far away from Rae Bourbon’s ribald double entendre."
https://tmbgareok.tumblr.com/search/rae+bourbon
--Kaylum (talk) 13:27, 15 July 2019 (EDT)
Cigars & Martinis
I can't hear this song with thinking about the cover picture on It's Fun to Steal. --Nehushtan (talk) 07:29, 28 August 2019 (EDT)
Groovy
This one's right up my alley! I think Flans nails these jazzy songs. This is definitely a new favorite of mine.
