I choose not to be creeped out by the song but both musical deliveries here (and the performance video) lean into that interpretation, so I get where it comes from. OK, so here's my positive spin: at the end of the song, I'm two minutes older, and two less minutes remain in this life of mine. How did I spend them? By listening, respecting, appreciating a TMBG song (probably while driving to/from work or to some other errand-accomplishing destination). I didn't spend those two minutes listening to bozo sports analysts or bozo news pundits acting like bozo sports analysts. I didn't spend it arguing with anyone or doing anything useless or negative. Any given two minutes seems minute and inconsequential but I'm 57 and aware that what's left of this life of mine should not be treated so. For what it's worth, I deeply hold and profess a faith in Jesus, and experience the spiritual blessings that accompany that, so that probably mitigates the fears I could have about reaching this two-thirds (or beyond) stage of physical life. But what I do acutely feel is that each activity and its duration is a choice. What is worth reading, doing, listening to, accomplishing, participating in, serving, during the opportunities this day presents? Right now, the best thing I can think of is to compose this comment--hopefully primarily out of appreciation and respect for the time you, Chase, take to make these posts, with my prayer that you might find it somehow encouragjng, and not out of my own selfish anticipation of any response of yours to my thoughts here.
I don't think They-ir point of view is that time is running out, but that it marches on. These are different things. Yes, the day (my life here) will soon be at an end and now it's even sooner, but there will be a next day, and a next, and a next, for a very long time. What we do each day leaves traces for us and others to carry on and do something with next. Maybe that's serving coffee-ish drinks, as my daughter is doing right now, all day at a swanky hotel nearby to sometimes very friendly, sometimes over-entitled customers, and doing that with a pleasant smile and attitude she may not actually be feeling in those moments, yet she still briefly blesses their day. Maybe that's scoring homework and tests, as I need to do this weekend, for students who care far less about seeing and contributing to the beauty of mathematics than about getting good final marks. Maybe that's celebrating a colleague's retirement later today--about as positive an event as possible when it comes to reminding people that they are older than they have ever been and will not get younger. Maybe that's having less beer at said event than I would really like to have, so that I will feel good enough Sunday to have more good choices about ways to spend that day. And maybe it's just washing my daughter and son-in-law's days-old dishes so they have a little more of their limited time together today to not do chores. Hopefully all of those choices contribute by their traces, if only incrementally, infinitesimally, to a better way people live, feel, believe, work, serve, do math, do dishes, read, listen, comment, encourage, support, enlighten, self-educate, self-entertain, etc., long past the years when all memory of me specifically in this world has disappeared.
I hope no one ran a stopwatch while reading this comment that severely reaches into "shut up and go get your own blog" territory. You would have been better off listening to another TMBG song. But Chase, thanks for your time spent writing what you write here and any attention you gave this rambling shamble.
A note of musical appreciation: Flansburgh's "Time! Is marching on!" interruption reminds me very much of that other other John's beautiful interjection that "Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend." I don't know if Flansburgh & Linnell ever work full Lennon-McCartney mode, but this is one of a few moments where we hear something like that from Them.
Wow, Michael, thank you so much for this very well thought out comment. I truly appreciate the different perspective you’re bringing and you’re probably right. The certainty you feel from your faith in regards to life and the ending of it, is probably rose colored to an extent. Not in a negative way, just a different reality tunnel than mine.
I do enjoy that my time is being spent on things I love and enjoy and I feel like that is important to hang on to but I also have this variety of mental illness that kind of like to interject it’s own flavor of thoughts and feelings that don’t always align with how I’d rather view existence.
Either way, I love that music can build a community and bring people together to talk about these things and appreciate the art together.
Love this post! I, too, prefer the Long, Tall Weekend version. I had forgotten about the Mink Car version. My very first TMBG post featured this song. The TMBG wiki says that Flansburgh isn't credited on the song, which is surprising if true.
I love the stopwatch idea, and I can see how it would be anxiety-provoking. I still think it's a great concept, especially since you faked it after the first day. For some reason, I thought you were going to do it backward. Like giving yourself a countdown to finishing the post. I don't think that would make you younger, but it's worth a shot.
Thanks Steve! I do NOT recommend writing with a stop watch running. I don’t know I fully faked it. I just couldn’t write it in one sitting so I kept the stop watch paused until I sat to type again.
I actually almost did it as a countdown but I had no idea how long to give myself and once I realized the end point was the end of all matter in the universe, starting from the end and counting backward wouldn’t seem like any time passed at all 😂
This was fun to do though. I like it when I can lean into the theme of the song as the vehicle for the essay.
Great post! Fair warning: like Michael's comment, mine got a little long and reflective. But I think that's what's fun about these songs - the conversations and perspectives we can share. I really appreciate the space to do that.
It's really interesting contrasting the two versions of this song. I like them both and would have a hard time picking a favorite between them. The LTW version is delightfully silly, and the way Flansburgh growls the "Time is marching on" line reminds me of Animal from the Muppets. The faux seriousness to me seems like pushback against that creeping dread. Like they know they're supposed to be concerned but can't quite seem to be.
Meanwhile, the Mink Car version feels more whimsical. The two instruments combined paint a picture to me of old toys marching by. Maybe a toy soldier and a stuffed elephant, once brightly colored and now scratched, dented, lumpy, but well-loved. It reminds me of those old claymation Christmas movies somehow. Then it shifts to the standard, modern instruments and vocals, then back to the quirky ones and ends with them all combined. Now I have no idea if this interpretation is anything close to what the Johns were going for, but it feels to me like a metaphor for the whimsy of youth giving way to the seriousness we feel we need to project in adulthood, followed by the realization as we get older that we lost something important along the way and hopefully regaining that sense of fun and whimsy as we get older and wiser.
I do understand how the subject of time passing can bring about that sense of anxiety and creeping dread. It sort of relates to the timeless question of the meaning of life. If it all ends, what is the point of it all? What gives my life meaning if eventually no one will remember me? With a limited number of moments, how do I know if I'm spending THIS one the right way? I think we all struggle with this.
For me, I think it all comes down to loving and caring for each other. We can't expect every single moment of every day to be perfect or impactful, but if we try to in some way be kind, show another person they have value, extend love to others around us through words or actions, and also appreciate the beauty around us as an expression of the love of a higher being than ourselves... that, to me, gives me peace and a sense that we don't need to be individually rushing to meet some goal before we die. It's the little moments and actions sprinkled along the way that give life meaning, not the self-imposed construct of time or ambition. I think as long as humanity can continue treasuring and passing love along, that is the purpose and meaning of life. If we shift what we value, time becomes a useless measurement.
Hey P.A.! I really enjoy this more vague interpretation you've shared. TMBG are perfect for that. But also, the rest of your comment resonated so much with me that I started to quote a part of it to say I liked that part but then I kept wanting to copy and paste other lines that you shared haha
I'll just say that you absolutely nailed what I think about the point of existing. You're completely right on this. And thank you for taking the time to send such an in-depth reply on this one.
I loved reading this essay (and really enjoyed the stop-watch structure).
I have to wait until tomorrow to listen to the song, and am grateful that I got to spend the last 12 minutes reading your essay, and also the commentary related to your essay.
I definitely feel that march of time. But there were moments when time slowed to what felt like a halt. Parenting small children really allowed time to expand in a way I wasn’t expecting.
Like watching the clock at the end of the day in high school. There are some minutes I have wished would end.
Now that I’m about to be 47…I’m grateful that I have this weird life to look back upon, knowing that there were very few wasted moments.
I can only hope for another 47 years. But do want to make it to the next time Halley’s Comet comes around, so that is something I’m looking forward to.
Now that I’m thinking about the song…I think I have heard it. Often and on repeat. Hmm. Perhaps it was one of the favourites of that TMBG fan I dated.
Wake! Time is most certainly weird, based solely on the individual perceiving it, and maybe doesn’t exist haha. But that won’t stop my mind from worrying about it apparently :) I also have a voice memo of yours to listen to!
Oh! I think it was just a silly thank you voice message! No need to prioritize it 🥰 I’m grateful for my time blindness cuz it means that whenever you message back is exactly the right time.
I choose not to be creeped out by the song but both musical deliveries here (and the performance video) lean into that interpretation, so I get where it comes from. OK, so here's my positive spin: at the end of the song, I'm two minutes older, and two less minutes remain in this life of mine. How did I spend them? By listening, respecting, appreciating a TMBG song (probably while driving to/from work or to some other errand-accomplishing destination). I didn't spend those two minutes listening to bozo sports analysts or bozo news pundits acting like bozo sports analysts. I didn't spend it arguing with anyone or doing anything useless or negative. Any given two minutes seems minute and inconsequential but I'm 57 and aware that what's left of this life of mine should not be treated so. For what it's worth, I deeply hold and profess a faith in Jesus, and experience the spiritual blessings that accompany that, so that probably mitigates the fears I could have about reaching this two-thirds (or beyond) stage of physical life. But what I do acutely feel is that each activity and its duration is a choice. What is worth reading, doing, listening to, accomplishing, participating in, serving, during the opportunities this day presents? Right now, the best thing I can think of is to compose this comment--hopefully primarily out of appreciation and respect for the time you, Chase, take to make these posts, with my prayer that you might find it somehow encouragjng, and not out of my own selfish anticipation of any response of yours to my thoughts here.
I don't think They-ir point of view is that time is running out, but that it marches on. These are different things. Yes, the day (my life here) will soon be at an end and now it's even sooner, but there will be a next day, and a next, and a next, for a very long time. What we do each day leaves traces for us and others to carry on and do something with next. Maybe that's serving coffee-ish drinks, as my daughter is doing right now, all day at a swanky hotel nearby to sometimes very friendly, sometimes over-entitled customers, and doing that with a pleasant smile and attitude she may not actually be feeling in those moments, yet she still briefly blesses their day. Maybe that's scoring homework and tests, as I need to do this weekend, for students who care far less about seeing and contributing to the beauty of mathematics than about getting good final marks. Maybe that's celebrating a colleague's retirement later today--about as positive an event as possible when it comes to reminding people that they are older than they have ever been and will not get younger. Maybe that's having less beer at said event than I would really like to have, so that I will feel good enough Sunday to have more good choices about ways to spend that day. And maybe it's just washing my daughter and son-in-law's days-old dishes so they have a little more of their limited time together today to not do chores. Hopefully all of those choices contribute by their traces, if only incrementally, infinitesimally, to a better way people live, feel, believe, work, serve, do math, do dishes, read, listen, comment, encourage, support, enlighten, self-educate, self-entertain, etc., long past the years when all memory of me specifically in this world has disappeared.
I hope no one ran a stopwatch while reading this comment that severely reaches into "shut up and go get your own blog" territory. You would have been better off listening to another TMBG song. But Chase, thanks for your time spent writing what you write here and any attention you gave this rambling shamble.
A note of musical appreciation: Flansburgh's "Time! Is marching on!" interruption reminds me very much of that other other John's beautiful interjection that "Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend." I don't know if Flansburgh & Linnell ever work full Lennon-McCartney mode, but this is one of a few moments where we hear something like that from Them.
Wow, Michael, thank you so much for this very well thought out comment. I truly appreciate the different perspective you’re bringing and you’re probably right. The certainty you feel from your faith in regards to life and the ending of it, is probably rose colored to an extent. Not in a negative way, just a different reality tunnel than mine.
I do enjoy that my time is being spent on things I love and enjoy and I feel like that is important to hang on to but I also have this variety of mental illness that kind of like to interject it’s own flavor of thoughts and feelings that don’t always align with how I’d rather view existence.
Either way, I love that music can build a community and bring people together to talk about these things and appreciate the art together.
Love this post! I, too, prefer the Long, Tall Weekend version. I had forgotten about the Mink Car version. My very first TMBG post featured this song. The TMBG wiki says that Flansburgh isn't credited on the song, which is surprising if true.
I love the stopwatch idea, and I can see how it would be anxiety-provoking. I still think it's a great concept, especially since you faked it after the first day. For some reason, I thought you were going to do it backward. Like giving yourself a countdown to finishing the post. I don't think that would make you younger, but it's worth a shot.
Thanks Steve! I do NOT recommend writing with a stop watch running. I don’t know I fully faked it. I just couldn’t write it in one sitting so I kept the stop watch paused until I sat to type again.
I actually almost did it as a countdown but I had no idea how long to give myself and once I realized the end point was the end of all matter in the universe, starting from the end and counting backward wouldn’t seem like any time passed at all 😂
This was fun to do though. I like it when I can lean into the theme of the song as the vehicle for the essay.
I just came here to say I have always liked the video, but enjoy the Mink Car version of Older best.
The addition of videos demonstrating the rauschpfeife and contrabass sarrusophone tickled me!
And now I'm even older...
Thank you! I gotta say, I'm really coming around on this rauschpfeife. The textures from those horns are very very interesting.
Great post! Fair warning: like Michael's comment, mine got a little long and reflective. But I think that's what's fun about these songs - the conversations and perspectives we can share. I really appreciate the space to do that.
It's really interesting contrasting the two versions of this song. I like them both and would have a hard time picking a favorite between them. The LTW version is delightfully silly, and the way Flansburgh growls the "Time is marching on" line reminds me of Animal from the Muppets. The faux seriousness to me seems like pushback against that creeping dread. Like they know they're supposed to be concerned but can't quite seem to be.
Meanwhile, the Mink Car version feels more whimsical. The two instruments combined paint a picture to me of old toys marching by. Maybe a toy soldier and a stuffed elephant, once brightly colored and now scratched, dented, lumpy, but well-loved. It reminds me of those old claymation Christmas movies somehow. Then it shifts to the standard, modern instruments and vocals, then back to the quirky ones and ends with them all combined. Now I have no idea if this interpretation is anything close to what the Johns were going for, but it feels to me like a metaphor for the whimsy of youth giving way to the seriousness we feel we need to project in adulthood, followed by the realization as we get older that we lost something important along the way and hopefully regaining that sense of fun and whimsy as we get older and wiser.
I do understand how the subject of time passing can bring about that sense of anxiety and creeping dread. It sort of relates to the timeless question of the meaning of life. If it all ends, what is the point of it all? What gives my life meaning if eventually no one will remember me? With a limited number of moments, how do I know if I'm spending THIS one the right way? I think we all struggle with this.
For me, I think it all comes down to loving and caring for each other. We can't expect every single moment of every day to be perfect or impactful, but if we try to in some way be kind, show another person they have value, extend love to others around us through words or actions, and also appreciate the beauty around us as an expression of the love of a higher being than ourselves... that, to me, gives me peace and a sense that we don't need to be individually rushing to meet some goal before we die. It's the little moments and actions sprinkled along the way that give life meaning, not the self-imposed construct of time or ambition. I think as long as humanity can continue treasuring and passing love along, that is the purpose and meaning of life. If we shift what we value, time becomes a useless measurement.
Hey P.A.! I really enjoy this more vague interpretation you've shared. TMBG are perfect for that. But also, the rest of your comment resonated so much with me that I started to quote a part of it to say I liked that part but then I kept wanting to copy and paste other lines that you shared haha
I'll just say that you absolutely nailed what I think about the point of existing. You're completely right on this. And thank you for taking the time to send such an in-depth reply on this one.
I loved reading this essay (and really enjoyed the stop-watch structure).
I have to wait until tomorrow to listen to the song, and am grateful that I got to spend the last 12 minutes reading your essay, and also the commentary related to your essay.
I definitely feel that march of time. But there were moments when time slowed to what felt like a halt. Parenting small children really allowed time to expand in a way I wasn’t expecting.
Like watching the clock at the end of the day in high school. There are some minutes I have wished would end.
Now that I’m about to be 47…I’m grateful that I have this weird life to look back upon, knowing that there were very few wasted moments.
I can only hope for another 47 years. But do want to make it to the next time Halley’s Comet comes around, so that is something I’m looking forward to.
Now that I’m thinking about the song…I think I have heard it. Often and on repeat. Hmm. Perhaps it was one of the favourites of that TMBG fan I dated.
Time is weird.
Wake! Time is most certainly weird, based solely on the individual perceiving it, and maybe doesn’t exist haha. But that won’t stop my mind from worrying about it apparently :) I also have a voice memo of yours to listen to!
Oh! I think it was just a silly thank you voice message! No need to prioritize it 🥰 I’m grateful for my time blindness cuz it means that whenever you message back is exactly the right time.