Are 'They Might Be Giants' klezmer?

Subject: Are 'They Might Be Giants' klezmer?
From: mousethief
Date: 08 Oct 01 - 11:22 AM

My stepson, bless his furry green heart, burned me a CD of some of his TMBG MP3s. Some of them have a squeezebox going oompa-oompa-oompa and sound (to my very untrained ear) rather Klezmery. But then again the beat sounds sort of ska-like.

Is there an affinity (albeit unintentional) between a klezmer beat and a ska beat? Or am I just unable to tell the difference?

Alex

Subject: RE: Are 'They Might Be Giants' klezmer?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Oct 01 - 01:21 PM

Hi, Alex - My kids introduced me to They Might Be Giants several years ago. There's a pretty good piece on them in the All-Music Guide. If you like They Might Be Giants, you will probably enjoy Barenaked Ladies.
Are "Giants" related to Klezmer? I wouldn't think so - although they certainly are accomplished musicians and would most likely have some knowledge of Klezmer.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Are 'They Might Be Giants' klezmer?
From: Skeptic
Date: 08 Oct 01 - 01:47 PM

Alex,

Back when napster was still up and running I came across something called "Klezmer-Ska". Didn't bother to explore and can't remember if it was the name of a band or not but there were quite a few songs.

I foound this link KlEZKA on mp3.com.

Regards

John

Subject: RE: Are 'They Might Be Giants' klezmer?
From: GUEST,AliUK on the works comp.
Date: 08 Oct 01 - 05:06 PM

TMBG only about one of the best groups ever. The Sun is a Ball of Incandescent Gas, is one of my all-time faves.

Subject: RE: Are 'They Might Be Giants' klezmer?
From: mousethief
Date: 08 Oct 01 - 06:14 PM

Thanks John, Joe!

Alex

Subject: RE: Are 'They Might Be Giants' klezmer?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 08 Oct 01 - 06:56 PM

Alex, I haven't heard this group, so I don't know if you're referring to the beat or to the scales (modes) they use. The fast 2/4 beat is characteristic of a kind of tune called a "freilach", which means "happy", and is! But klezmer bands, which were bands of musicians who traveled among Eastern European Jewish communities in previous centuries, played other tempos as well! There was a kind of slow air called a "sher", and the repertoires no doubt included waltzes, novelty songs, and popular songs of the day. From what I've been able to find out, the oldest "lineup" for a klezmer band was a duet of violin and tsimbl, or cymbalom, which is kind of a hammered dulcimer on steroids. The clarinets, trumpets, bass and drums came later.

Eastern European Jewish music had some of its roots in synagogue melodies, both from the mainstream liturgical tradition and from "nigunim", which were melodies of prayer and praise and dance created, often spontaneously, by members of the Hasidic sects. These melodies often are based on characteristic modes: see this page on klezmer music theory for an interesting discussion, with links to more info on klezmer music.

Now I guess I'm going to have to listen to these guys!

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Are 'They Might Be Giants' klezmer?
From: Susan from California
Date: 08 Oct 01 - 07:48 PM

TMBG have been around for at least 13 years. When my son was 7 years old they were his favorite band. Now one of their songs is the theme for Fox tv's "Malcolm in the Middle". I have a bunch of students who love the song "Istanbul", and who can blame them with a line like "...if you have a date in Constantinople she'll be waiting in Istanbul..."

Subject: RE: Are 'They Might Be Giants' klezmer?
From: SeanM
Date: 08 Oct 01 - 07:53 PM

TMBG are one of the few remaining refugees from the "college rock" crowd of the '80s. They proudly refused to stick to any given genre of music, and woud up with a very convoluted genre of their own. The sound has evolved over the years - listening to the earlier albums (up through "Lincoln", and some segments of "Flood") you can hear an almost palpable effort to be 'different' over anything else. Their later work lacks some of the flair of their earlier work (some of which can only really be classified as "experimental music"), but it's more polished. Among other things, they've added a drummer - a band member they used to revel in not having (see Want Ad).

Ska is more an outgrowth of reggae than klezmer - if you listen to the earlier 'first wave' bands, there's not as much difference between them and their reggae contemporaries as you'd expect. The music did tend to have bouncier beats and a few other stylistic differences, and several of the bands forsook the political leaning of the majority of reggae groups in favor of more local politics, or left all social responsibility behind in favor of just having fun.

At least, that's what I've read.

M

Subject: RE: Are 'They Might Be Giants' klezmer?
From: Troll
Date: 08 Oct 01 - 10:41 PM

Susan from California, what goes around comes around. "Istanbul" was a hit in the mid '50's but I can't remember the band. Help me out here Garg!
For those interested in klezmer, try Ari's Klezmer Shack. It's a sort of clearinghouse for Klez.
I play Banjo and Guitar in the 24th Street Klezmer!Band, out of Gainesville Fla., and drums in the Gainesville Community Kapelye.
Pm me if you need further info and I'll try to help.

troll ***BTW "kapelye" is yiddish for band.

Subject: RE: Are 'They Might Be Giants' klezmer?
From: Troll
Date: 08 Oct 01 - 10:44 PM

Ari's is at:click here

troll

Subject: RE: Are 'They Might Be Giants' klezmer?
From: SeanM
Date: 09 Oct 01 - 12:39 AM

Well, I'm not Garg (for which I may be forever grateful), but I DID find this page with lyrics and crediting the original lyrics to Jimmy Kennedy and music to Nat Simon. Also states that the original release was by "The Four Lads" and hit #10 on the Billboard chart in 1953.

M

Subject: RE: Are 'They Might Be Giants' klezmer?
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 09 Oct 01 - 05:24 PM

Actually, reggae came out of ska. Just wanted to say that. :)

Oh, that, and TMBG ROCKS They're playing at First Ave. in Mpls. tomorrow night, and I'm going to miss the show, *sob.*

---Lepus Rex