"Glass of milk...

[Richardo]

Standing in between extinction in the cold
and explosive radiating growth
So the warm blood flows
Through the large four-chambered heart
Maintaining the very high metabolism rate they have

Mammal, mammal
Their names are called
They raise a paw
The bat, the cat
Dolphin and dog
Koala bear and hog

One of us might lose his hair
But you're reminded that it once was there
From the embryonic whale to the monkey with no tail
So the warm blood flows
with the red blood cells lacking nuclei
Through the large four-chambered heart
Maintaining the very high metabolism rate they have

Mammal, mammal
Their names are called
They raise a paw
The bat, the cat
Dolphin and dog
Koala bear and hog

Placental the sister of her brother Marsupial
Their cousin called Monotreme
Dead uncle Allotheria

Mammal, mammal
Their names are called
They raise a paw
The bat, the cat
Dolphin and dog
Koala bear and hog
The fox, the ox
Giraffe and shrew
Echidna, caribou " :D

(c) They Might Be Giants

[On the Road]

1. I Love That Song

Strangely enough, it contains a very distinct reference to an obscure Wallace Stevens poem:

"The Glass of Water"

That the glass would melt in heat,
That the water would freeze in cold,
Shows that this object is merely a state,
One of many, between two poles. So,
In the metaphysical, there are these poles.

Here in the center stands the glass. Light
Is the lion that comes down to drink. There
And in that state, the glass is a pool.
Ruddy are his eyes and ruddy are his claws
When light comes down to wet his frothy jaws.

---snip

A lot of the Giants' songs contain odd references, such as "Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love," which is a fusion piece by John McLaughlin. Or "Mr. Klaw," who was some sort of New York theater figure in the early 20th century.

[Richardo]

2. Did not know that about "Sapphire Bullets"....

Their songs are so densely packed with meaning and imagery nothing would surprise me about their influences.

[On the Road]

3. I'm Sure That There's a Lot That I'm Missing

I've sometimes tried to figure out how their songs originated. I picture them sitting around drinking or smoking and someone mentions a phrase which is picked up. On DU it would be something about a yak or a falafel. With the Giants it might be seeing the phrase "actual size" on a box, or hearing the phrase "twisting in the wind" and making a twist-and-shout song out of it.

[Richardo]

4. "Twisting" is an all-timer for me...

...I literally (literally!) did a spit take when they got to "....in the wind". :D