| "Brontosaurus" | |
|---|---|
| Song by They Might Be Giants | |
| from the album Book | |
| Released | November 12, 2021 |
| Genre | Alternative rock |
| Length | 3:04 |
| Label | Idlewild |
| Songwriter | John Linnell |
| Composers | |
| Lyricist | John Linnell |
| Producers |
|
"Brontosaurus" is a song by American alternative rock band They Might Be Giants for their studio album Book (2021). [1] It discusses the hard life of a person through the metaphoric idea of being a brontosaurus.
The song includes various instruments from the bands recent lineup and was written by They Might Be Giants band member John Linnell plus co-composed with member John Flansburgh.
The lyrics include themes of "concepts of futility and uselessness" and "optimism and bad vision" which it uses metaphors in the lines referencing the brontosaurus dinosaur. [2] The lyrics have been described as surreal throughout the song. [3]
In a 2023 interview, John Linnell said about his inspiration to the lyrics of the song: [4]
A dinosaur is a metaphor for something that is ancient or extinct, and there is this notion that artists or bands can be dinosaurs and that just means that they're "old hat". That's part of the idea.
The song has a reference to Anne Elk's Theory on Brontosauruses in Monty Python's Flying Circus sketch comedy. The lyrics include that brontosauruses are thick in the middle and skinny on the front and end sides. [5]
Brontosaurus includes rock melodies backed with a horns section, [2] and keyboard. [6]
Musicians
Backing band
Production
The song is well-received by fans when played at concert. [8] They Might Be Giants preformed the song at the Jimmy Kimmel Live! in April 2023. [9]
AllMusic describes the song as one that "uncovers the sensitivity of someone seemingly impervious in a tale that resembles Dumbo as a depressed dinosaur". [10] PopMatters states that it is a "disjointed story about a brontosaurus living in modern times." [6]