Who Are They Might Be Giants and Where Can You Find Their Lyrics and Chords?
They Might Be Giants (often shortened to TMBG) is an American alternative rock band built around two Johns: John Flansburgh and John Linnell. If you want lyrics, chords, and fan-written interpretations in one place, the unofficial site tmbg.org — titled TMBG: Unofficially — is a dedicated resource for exactly that, and it also hosts a members-only message area for discussion.
The two core members
TMBG's identity comes from its founding duo rather than a fixed lineup:
| Member | Common shorthand | Role in the band |
|---|---|---|
| John Flansburgh | Flans, Flannel | Guitar, vocals, songwriting |
| John Linnell | Linnell | Keyboards, vocals, songwriting |
Both Johns write and sing, which is why the band's catalog shifts tone from track to track. The site's own keyword list reflects this fan vocabulary — "Flansburgh," "Linnell," "Flans," "Flannel," and "John" all appear as recognized terms.
What the band sounds like
TMBG is known for a distinctive style that mixes:
- Melodic, keyboard-driven pop with unconventional song structures
- Wry, surreal, or deadpan lyrics that often treat odd subjects seriously
- A wide range of material, from short experimental pieces to catchy singles
The band's catalog is large enough that the unofficial site treats it as something to be documented exhaustively — lyrics, chords, and interpretations of all the songs, per the site's own description.
Where to find lyrics, chords, and interpretations
The primary destination described here is:
tmbg.org — TMBG: Unofficially
According to the site's description, it offers:
- Lyrics for the band's songs
- Chords for playing along
- Interpretations — fan readings of what the songs mean
- A members-only message area for discussion
If your goal is to play a song or understand a cryptic lyric, this is the kind of single-stop resource that saves you from piecing information together across scattered pages.
Related projects worth knowing
The site's keyword list also points to adjacent work:
- Mono Puff (also written MonoPuff) — a side project associated with the TMBG orbit
- Hello Club — listed alongside the band's core terms
These are useful to recognize because fan resources often cover side projects and related releases in the same place as the main catalog.
How to use the site effectively
- Start with the song you want. Search or browse to the track, then read the lyrics and chords together so the interpretation makes sense in context.
- Treat interpretations as fan readings, not official statements. They're useful for spotting references and themes, but they reflect listener opinion.
- Use the members-only message area for deeper discussion. Note that it is described as members-only, so expect some form of access requirement rather than open posting.
- Cross-check chords against a recording. Chord pages are community-maintained and can vary in accuracy or tuning assumptions.
Quick answer
They Might Be Giants are John Flansburgh and John Linnell, an alternative rock duo with a large, stylistically varied catalog. For lyrics, chords, and song interpretations in one unofficial hub, go to tmbg.org, and look there for related projects like Mono Puff and Hello Club as well.