Poll: TMBG - No! - Side 1

I'd vote for Four of Two, but the original version of it is SO much better than the non-fatal one that ended up on No!

Damn, I voted for the wrong song. It is nice to vote on an album I actually like and know the songs.

Which original one?

http://tmbw.net/wiki/Four_Of_Two_%28Demo%29

I've never heard it, though.  I have the earlier eMusic version, but it sounds exactly like the No! version.

Demo lyrics: very different!

At four of two I was staring into space
I had to move there were things I had to do
I wasn't really doing anything
I was standing around
And I looked at the clock
And the clock said four of two

I was late
My appointment was at two
With a beautiful girl I had met the night before
I would tell her I was in love with her
But I still hadn't moved
And I looked at the clock
And it still said four of two

When I'm late it makes me feel upset
When I'm upset I might do something rash
Like stare at the wall and grind my teeth
Which is just what I did
Though I really had to leave
And the clock said four of two

At four of two I had a great idea
To break the chain of inactivity
I put my hands around my neck and started
To strangle myself
And I looked at the clock
And it still said four of two

At four of two I successfully expired
And my breathing ceased and my heart no longer beat
My eyes stayed open lifelessly
They continued to stare at the clock on the wall
They continued to stare at the clock on the wall
And it still said four of two

Which is great, because in addition to the mundane "the clock is stopped" interpretation, there are two others that are possible without the bit about him getting tired and growing old: 1. the whole song takes place over the course of one minute. 2. time itself is stopped, rather than just the clock. and I'm honestly not sure which one is creepier. :)

I believe the song is talking about an actual clock in Manhattan, no?

It indeed is.  It's on the Flatiron Building.  The clock was really broken and stuck on 1:56 PM when Linnell wrote the song.  When he finished, they fixed the clock.  There is a picture of it on one of my old websites:

http://bowery.theymightbegiants.org

Here's the clock:  http://jjrrutgers.tripod.com/4of2.jpg

inspired by, yes, but then it seems to have taken on a life of its own. :)

I still prefer the flying cars and gigantic metal bugs ;P