Doctor Worm

Last updated
"Doctor Worm"
Single by They Might Be Giants
from the album Severe Tire Damage
Released1998
Recorded1998
Genre Alternative rock, ska
Length3:01
Label Elektra
Songwriter(s) John Flansburgh, John Linnell
Producer(s) Pat Dillett, Tom Durack, They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants singles chronology
"S-E-X-X-Y"
(1996)
"Doctor Worm"
(1998)
"Boss of Me"
(2000)
Music video
Doctor Worm on YouTube

"Doctor Worm" is a song by They Might Be Giants. It first appeared on the primarily live album Severe Tire Damage , being one of only three studio-recorded songs on the album. It was also released as a single and featured in a music video directed by band member John Flansburgh.

Contents

Details

The lyrics describe a worm going by the stage name of "Doctor Worm" learning to play the drums better. The narrator also describes a friend, a bass-playing vole known as "Rabbi Vole".

Discussing the lyrical inspiration, Flansburgh said, "For a long, long time we have been riffing on the song 'Dr. Love' by the band Kiss. And I think just the weirdness of the conceit of that song was kind of rolling around in John Linnell's head. I know a million, billion times we've talked about the song 'Dr. Love'. It's such an absurd song. So I think 'Dr. Love' was kind of the springboard for the idea behind 'Dr. Worm'." [1]

The song placed as #13 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 1998 and appears on the compilation CD. [2]

Music video

The music video directed by John Flansburgh, shot in black-and-white, features the band performing the song in an apartment office surrounded by medical paraphernalia. [3]

An alternate music video for the song directed by the cartoonist Kaz was featured in an episode of the Nickelodeon television series KaBlam! . In the video, Doctor Worm (an actual worm in medical attire) earns the respect of a musical group in search of a percussionist. [4]

Cover versions

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References

  1. "They Might Be Giants". Song Facts.
  2. http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/history/1998.htm Archived 2013-01-29 at the Wayback Machine Triple J Hottest 100, 1998
  3. Video on YouTube
  4. Video on YouTube