If I Wasn’t Shy: a Clarinet-Fueled Rebellion

What would you do if you weren’t shy? A look at They Might Be Giants’ “If I Wasn’t Shy” from Apollo 18, where rebellion meets tenderness.

Released in 1992, Apollo 18 marked They Might Be Giants' turn as “Musical Ambassadors to the Space Program.” Its cover art—a deep-sea deathmatch in the vacuum of space—is either a metaphor for human ambition or just a really solid squid vs. whale bit.

I was a theater kid. From fourth through twelfth grade, I performed in plays, musicals, and the occasion…