Rhythm Section Want Ad – Wrapping Up They Might Be Giants' Debut Album
Exploring "Rhythm Section Want Ad" by They Might Be Giants—a song that taught me guitar and still trips me up with its clever lyrics.
We’ve finally made it to the end—the last song on They Might Be Giants’ debut album. "Rhythm Section Want Ad" is the perfect closing track, with its incredible guitar and accordion breakdown, clever wordplay, and phrasing that scratches that itch in your brain you didn’t even know was there. This song serves as a final statement from TMBG that they are something different, blending intellect, absurdity, and musical genius all in one.
Musical Instruction with Greg
The first thing I think of when I hear this song is sitting down with my cousin-in-law, Greg, at his house, where he was teaching me guitar. Now, this wasn’t just some random cousin who knew a few chords. Greg had already played music professionally and had one of those adult lives—house, family, and all. But he was generous with his time, and I spent hours with him, learning the ropes of guitar playing.
Shout out to Greg, who taught me how to find the root note in a chord while listening to songs. He walked me through TMBG guitar riffs and let me ramble on about how special the band’s lyrics were. I remember us going over the lyrics to "Rhythm Section Want Ad," especially the lines I loved:
"There's a place for those who love their poetry
It's just across from the sign that says, 'Pros Only.'"
The play on pros (as in professionals) and prose (as in poems that don’t follow a strict meter or rhyme) felt like the smartest, funniest lyric I had ever heard. At 16, getting that joke made me feel like I was so intelligent—like I was in on something special that not everyone might catch. I’m sure this is a common occurrence for young TMBG fans, discovering those little lyrical Easter eggs and feeling like geniuses for picking up on them.
Song Review: Structure and Appeal
"Rhythm Section Want Ad" is an upbeat, rock-and-roll banger if there ever was one. It’s a bold exclamation point at the end of The Pink Album, making it clear that They Might Be Giants weren’t just some quirky indie band—they were creating a whole new category of their own. The song’s cleverness, mixed with a driving energy, shows how well they understand both music and melody, blending the absurd with the intellectual seamlessly.
This is a song I will always sing along to. I still pick up my guitar and play around with the chords and riffs that Greg helped me figure out. It’s embedded in my muscle memory at this point.
Lyrical Challenges: A Personal Anecdote
However, no matter how many times I listen to this song, there’s one particular lyric that trips me up every single time. I can tell myself what the words are all I want, but my brain will always fail to sync up with my mouth during this verse:
"So if you like a band with a chick singer
Say your cup of tea is a wall of trom-
bones if you dig Menudo or MD-
C we salute you the way we know."
It’s not the splitting of “trombones” that gets me. It’s the "Menudo or MDC" line that short circuits my brain every time. Without fail, I end up stuttering through it, mumbling my way past that section until I reach "we salute you the way we know." And at that point, I act like I’ve nailed it flawlessly.
It’s like trying to catch your footing while running downhill—you just keep going, hoping no one noticed you stumbled.
Looking Ahead: On to Lincoln
With "Rhythm Section Want Ad" wrapping up this album, we’re now about to dive into one of my all-time favorite musical works from any artist—LINCOLN. This album is truly something special, and the song that lends its title to this newsletter is coming up in our next stretch of posts. It’s going to be an incredible few months ahead, and I can’t wait to dive into it with you all.
If you’ve been following along with the The Pink Album posts, thank you. I hope you’ll stick around for what’s coming next. Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button and read along as we dig into LINCOLN—you won’t want to miss it.
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