10 Unknown Facts About They Might Be Giants!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I've been talking a lot about politics over the last few days, and I apologize. Elections bring out the worst in me. I've been spending too much time on opinion and not enough time on cold hard facts and equally hard, though less cold investigation. Therefore, today we return to the light and bouncy world of fact with the lightest, bounciest band of all time, They Might Be Giants. This band, composed of Johns Linnell and Flansburgh and a revolving cast of others, is dedicated to fact with their catchy upbeat songs about U.S. presidents, mammals, Belgian painters, and everything else under the sun (and the sun too, now that I think about it, but that's a cover). They are, hands down, my favorite band, and to honor them, I present 10 Unknown Facts about They Might Be Giants (or rather, five facts each about Johns Linnell and Flansburgh).

10 Unknown Facts About They Might Be Giants' own Johns Linnell and Flansburgh!

1. John Flansburgh gets his name from an accomplishment of his in his youth. He built an entire city, or burgh, out of flan. Then someone made a loud noise and it collapsed.
2. John Linnell can shapeshift into any former U.S. president. In January, he'll be able to become George W. Bush. Had he lived in the late 1800s, he would have temporarilly lost the ability to turn into Grover Cleveland when he was reelected to a non-consecutive second term.
   
3. John Flansburgh speaks dog.
   
4. John Linnell learned to play the accordian from a stranger on a side street. After teaching the young Linnell to rock out the accordian, he vanished into thin air, leaving behind only the instrument he played.
   
5. John Flansburgh can escape from a straight jacket AND a curved one.
   
6. John Linnell can travel through time, but only to the 1964 World's Fair, hence its prominence in his songs.
   
7. John Flansburgh can operate any pieces of electronic machinery with his mind (and electricity, obviously, but other than that, he needs only his mind).
   
8. John Linnell was once both a doctor and a worm. He has since gotten better.
   
9. John Flansburgh spent a great deal of his spare time for several years studying psychology and sociology. Shortly thereafter, he wrote a musical called People Are Wrong. Coincidence? You decide.
   
10. John Linnell is a white collar superhero in his spare time, often busting illegal back-alley insider trading deals.

If you'd like to learn more about this fantastic band (though arguably, it's more of the widely known knowledge), I strongly recommend the documentary Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns. And then go buy their CDs afterward.

One ore thing before I wrap up today's post. Thank you veterans for all you've done for me, for us, and for the world.

You have been informed.