They Might Be Giants - Dirt Bike

Artist: They Might Be Giants

Song: Dirt Bike

Album: John Henry (1994)

John Flansburgh introduced this song at the first show it was played at by saying,

"Here come a brand new song. This song is about a fictitious rock band that became a phenomenon called Dirt Bike. It's the story of their phenomonon."

Here's what Flansburgh said about Dirt Bike in a 1994 interview from ABC: - 21:43, 18 Jan 2006 (EST)

It's kind of a song about a kid who's sitting in this town and there's this religious cult passing through the country, and he's just kind of thinking about getting swept up in the cult and what that's gonna be like.

 

Introducing the song in concert soon after John Henry came out, Flans said that the song is about "certain bands spreading their message of hate around the country”.

 

They Might Be Giants expands to a sextet on its fifth album, John Henry. Even with the addition of bass, drums, sax, and trumpet, the focus is still on the goofy vocals, silly lyrical puns, and accordion-driven hooks of John Flansburgh and John Linnell, and that is not a good thing. These 20 songs include a tune that quotes Allen Ginsberg's "Howl," love songs to a dirt bike and a copy shop clerk, and a song that takes its lyrics from Alice Cooper song titles. If that sounds like your idea of clever, enjoy. --Jim DeRogatis

music

Here comes the dirt bike

Beware of the dirt bike
Because I hear they're coming to our town
They've got plans for everyone
And now I hear they're over their sophomore jinx
So you had better check it out
All hail the dirt bike
Philosopher dirt bike
Silence as we gathered round
We saw the word and were on our way
Now it's brain washing dirt bike
Ground shaking dirt bike
Mind bending dirt bike in control
Soul crushing dirt bike
Self propelled dirt bike
You see I never thought
understand til that bike took me
by the hand
Now I ride...