Monday Morning Smile: "Tubthumping" - They Might Be Giants

I know, it's not Monday, but after a July 4th which fell on a Monday, it feels like a Monday. And if you think I'm waiting 'til next Monday to play this, you're nuts. It's They Might Be Giants covering Chumbawumba's one big hit, "Tubthumping," for The Onion's AV Club.

Now, I've actually loved the original song unironically since I first heard it -- it's got a nice melodic line, killer sing-along chorus, and the end, when there are like four different melodies interwoven is brilliant brilliant brilliant, easily one of my top ten musical moments of all time. On top of that, the lyrics are simultaneously celebratory and mocking -- the band (around for many years and known for its anarchist tendencies) is able to have its cake and eat it too. Yes, this song is on my iPod.

Having said that, I've never bothered embedding the song here; the combination of one of my favorite bands and the song, however, is almost reason enough to do so. I doubt the band are huge fans of the song, though I'm sure they appreciate it from a songwriters' standpoint. But since by the time TMBG got to the series, many of the tunes had been chosen, the band had to think strategically, and where the band's version doesn't quite have the studio production values that puts the original over the top, the choice to invite a whole of AV Club staffers into the tiny room and shout the chorus makes this required posting (and watching).

If your kids can sing or play music this joyfully, then you've done right by them, musically.

They Might Be Giants covers Chumbawamba