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Bed, Bed, Bed (They Might Be Giants) by They Might Be Giants
Book Summary InformationAuthor: They Might Be Giants Edition: Hardcover Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published) Published: 2003-10-28 ISBN: 0743250249 Number of pages: 48 Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Book Reviews of Bed, Bed, Bed (They Might Be Giants)Book Review: In a word, sweet (and I mean that in a good way) Summary: 5 Stars
I've been a fan of the Brooklyn-based musical duo They Might Be Giants for a little over a year, ever since I received a copy of Dial-A-Song, a 2-CD anthology pulling together 52 tracks from their 20-year career, as an early Christmas present in 2002. I immediately fell in love with their unique brand of witty, intelligent, and eclectic alternative-pop, and over the course of 2003 I collected as much of their work as I could -- studio albums, solo records, a rarities collection, a live album, a DVD of their videos, a recent documentary about them (2003's Gigantic), and even their 2002 children's album NO!Which brings me to their first book, Bed Bed Bed. As with the NO! album, since I'm in my mid-'20s and I don't have kids myself, it's easier for me to look at this book in terms of TMBG product rather than in terms of kid-friendly product. That said, it's an impressive product even by TMBG's typically high standards. I've lately noticed a kiddie-lit trend wherein popular songs (such as "I Hope You Dance") are simply made into books, but TMBG have gone beyond that. In addition to putting the NO! track "Bed Bed Bed" into storybook form, they've written three story-songs exclusively for the purpose of this project. (These four stories, which TMBG have set to music and put on a disc that comes with this book, will be discussed in detail below.) The illustrations by Canadian artist Marcel Dzama are quirky and strangely beautiful, like much of TMBG's music. Here are the story-songs, in the order that they are presented in the book and on the disc: 1) "Impossible" -- This story offers the inspiring message that you can become whatever you want if you believe in yourself. The song is an upbeat synth-pop number mostly sung by TMBG's keyboard/accordion-player John Linnell in his distinctive nasal twang. Guitar-playing bandmate John Flansburgh puts on a Paul McCartney-esque British accent to sing one of the later verses, and Flansburgh's wife Robin Goldwasser (who sang "In the Middle" on NO!) lends her sweet vocals to another verse. 2) "Happy Doesn't Have to Have an Ending" -- This just a fun story about a "long-haired hippie kitten" spreading a message of love and encouraging people to enjoy life. The song has Flansburgh showing off his funky side (not unlike the NO! tracks "John Lee Supertaster" and "Clap Your Hands"), with touches of hip-hop in the intro and outro. 3) "Idlewild" -- The story is a "dream of a perfect day" (as Flansburgh once put it) that involves going to a carnival and taking a ride on a skywriting plane. The song is a beautiful, mellow folk-pop number sung by the versatile, sweet-voiced Flansburgh. 4) "Bed, Bed, Bed, Bed, Bed" -- In this story, a tired-but-happy kid marvels over the full day he (or she) has had before turning in for the night. Originally a bouncy, Beatle-esque number sung by Linnell on NO!, the tune has been radically reworked into a ballad and is now sung by Kimya Dawson (of Moldy Peaches fame); her appropriately sleepy vocals are a sweet surprise. Overall, the whole package is incredibly sweet (even the "about the authors" piece), and it's clear that a lot of care went into it. Kudos to everyone involved -- especially Flansburgh and Goldwasser, who don't have any children themselves but still bring as much enthusiasm to this project as they brought to the NO! album. (Linnell has a son, to whom the book is dedicated.) Even though I'm not exactly in the target audience for Bed Bed Bed, I find this project to be very much in line with They Might Be Giants' friendly and creative spirit.
Summary of Bed, Bed, Bed (They Might Be Giants)Four stories to read in the book! Four new songs to sing on the CD inside the book! You can enjoy Bed, Bed, Bed anytime and anywhere but it is especially good for bedtime, especially good to read out loud, and it's especially good to share. Parents and kids looking for a break from the ordinary will appreciate this imaginative collection of stories and songs from quirk-rock kings They Might Be Giants. Fresh on the heels of their highly successful children's record No!, Bed, Bed, Bed features four brief stories written by the Giants and illustrated with surreal panache by Marcel Dzama along with a CD featuring all four stories in song version. "Impossible" explores the possibility of turning into fantastical animals like Octofish and Octofee or growing violet hair that flows down the stairs. Kids will find the silly animals and warped reality delightful and will love singer John Linnell's spacey conspiratorial tone. "Happy Doesn?t Have to Have an Ending" tells the story of a hippie kitten "on a secret mission to make a valentine for everyone on earth," who wants everyone to dance and be happy. "Idlewild" slows things down with a softer, sleepier beat and a story about a dreamy trip to the carnival. But the Giants save the best story for last; "Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed" is a well-reasoned and catchy argument for slumber. "I did so many things today, there?s nothing left to do", sings guest vocalist Kimya Dawson (in a slower, different version than the one on "No!"). While the story features familiar bedtime milestones, Dzama?s illustrations lend the proceedings a compellingly skewed vision in which kids eat three meals in the company of bears and go to bed accompanied by their pet octopus and a tuxedoed rabbit. While the lyrics flow nicely in the songs, they can sometimes be a bit clunky on the page. But even then, the stories and Dzama?s illustrations are more imaginative and memorable than most children?s books today. --John Moe
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