Lincoln (album)

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Lincoln
Lincoln cover
Studio album by They Might Be Giants
Released September 25, 1988
Genre Alternative rock
Length 39:32
Label Bar/None, Restless (U.S.)
Rough Trade (Australia)
Producer Bill Krauss
Professional reviews
They Might Be Giants chronology
(She Was A) Hotel Detective
(1988)		 Lincoln
(1988)		 They'll Need a Crane
(1989)
TMBG studio album chronology
They Might Be Giants
(1986)		 Lincoln
(1988)		 Flood
(1990)

Lincoln is the second album by the band They Might Be Giants. It was released in 1988 (see 1988 in music). The album is named after John Linnell and John Flansburgh's boyhood home of Lincoln, Massachusetts. The two men pictured are Linnell's great-grandfather, Lewis T. Linnell (left) and Flansburgh's maternal grandfather, Brigadier General Ralph Hospital (right).[1][2]

Lincoln's lyrics further elaborate the themes and surrealistic, wordplay-heavy style of They Might Be Giants ("Shoehorn With Teeth"), but include more songs about troubled romantic relationships ("Ana Ng", "They'll Need a Crane", "I've Got a Match"), and some songs that verge on social or political satire ("Purple Toupee", "Pencil Rain", "Kiss Me, Son of God"). Lincoln is a more technically polished album than They Might Be Giants, making heavier use of what would become TMBG's signature instrument, Linnell's accordion. Hints of jazz ("Lie Still, Little Bottle") and sea shanties ("Mr. Me", "Cowtown") are added to the previous album's wide-ranging musical influences.

Despite its primitive sound (the duo would eventually take on a backing band with live drums), this do-it-yourself effort is widely considered by critics to be the band's defining musical statement.

Music videos were made for "Ana Ng", "They'll Need a Crane", and "Purple Toupee".

This album is included in Then: The Earlier Years, a compilation of the band's early material, in its entirety.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Ana Ng" – 3:23
  2. "Cowtown" – 2:20
  3. "Lie Still, Little Bottle" – 2:06
  4. "Purple Toupee" – 2:40
  5. "Cage & Aquarium" – 1:10
  6. "Where Your Eyes Don't Go" – 3:06
  7. "Piece of Dirt" – 2:00
  8. "Mr. Me" – 1:52
  9. "Pencil Rain" – 2:42
  10. "The World's Address" – 2:24
  11. "I've Got a Match" – 2:36
  12. "Santa's Beard" – 1:55
  13. "You'll Miss Me" – 1:53
  14. "They'll Need a Crane" – 2:33
  15. "Shoehorn With Teeth" – 1:13
  16. "Stand on Your Own Head" – 1:16
  17. "Snowball in Hell" – 2:31
  18. "Kiss Me, Son of God" – 1:52

[edit] References

  1. ^ According to This unofficial FAQ, this was stated in the Fall, 1991 issue of "They", the fan club magazine; it was also noted in the "TMBG Info Club" newsletter, Fall 1994 (archived here).
  2. ^ Generals of World War II - Ralph Hospital was an Artillery Commander for the American forces.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
They Might Be Giants
John Flansburgh  · John Linnell
Dan Miller · Danny Weinkauf · Marty Beller
Brian Doherty · Dan Hickey · Graham Maby · Tony Maimone · Eric Schermerhorn
Albums:
They Might Be Giants (1986) · Lincoln (1988) · Flood (1990) · Apollo 18 (1992) · John Henry (1994) · Factory Showroom (1996) · Long Tall Weekend (1999) · Mink Car (2001) · No! (2002) · The Spine (2004) · Here Come the ABCs (2005) · The Else (2007) · Here Come the 123s (2008)
EPs:
Live albums:
Compilations:
Songs
Video Releases
Related Articles
Dial-A-Song · Mono Puff · State Songs (John Linnell solo album) · Hello Radio: The Songs of They Might Be Giants (tribute album)
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