They'll Need a Crane
| "They'll Need a Crane" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by They Might Be Giants | ||||
| from the album Lincoln | ||||
| Released | February 10, 1989 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 2:33 | |||
| Label | Bar/None, Restless | |||
| Songwriters | John Flansburgh, John Linnell | |||
| Producer | Bill Krauss | |||
| They Might Be Giants singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| They'll Need a Crane on YouTube | ||||
"They'll Need a Crane" is a song by American alternative rock duo They Might Be Giants, released as a single on February 10, 1989. In addition to vinyl and cassette releases, the single was released as a 3-inch CD. "They'll Need a Crane" was the first song the band performed on network television, in 1989 on Late Night with David Letterman.[1]
Background
The song's lyrics focus on the breakup of a dysfunctional relationship. According to AllMusic critic Stewart Mason, the song contrasts a "jaunty, uptempo melody" with "one of the bluntest depictions of divorce in popular music" about a couple (described as "Gal" and "Lad") whose relationship is crumbling. Mason notes that the song uses construction imagery to describe the relationship's degradation.[2]
Music video
A music video for the single was directed by Adam Bernstein, a frequent collaborator of the band during their earlier years. It was filmed at the Bethesda Terrace in Central Park, New York City.[3] The video primarily features the band playing with a group of elderly musicians, most notably jazz drummer Johnny Blowers who worked with Frank Sinatra during the 1940s.[4]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "They'll Need A Crane" | 2:33 |
| 2. | "It's Not My Birthday" | 1:52 |
| 3. | "I'll Sink Manhattan" | 2:32 |
| 4. | "Nightgown of The Sullen Moon" | 1:59 |
References
- ^ Directed by Hal Gurnee (1989-02-01). "Show #1088". Late Night with David Letterman. Season 8. Episode 1088. Studio 6A, NBC Studios, New York, New York. 45 minutes in. NBC.
Ladies and gentlemen, making their network television debut, please welcome They Might Be Giants.
{{cite episode}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ Mason, Stewart. "They'll Need a Crane - Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
- ^ "Billboard" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 46. 12 November 1988. p. 45.
- ^ The article of the song on This Might Be a Wiki
External links
- They'll Need a Crane EP at This Might Be A Wiki
- "They'll Need a Crane" (song) at This Might Be A Wiki