Audio: Shoehorn With Teeth
Album: Lincoln
Release Date: 1988
There are a few TMBG songs that I’ve realized in recent times are beloved by much of the fanbase. Whether it be “Someone Keeps Moving My Chair” or “We Want a Rock”, I had never thought of them very highly until I saw the love many had for them.
One of these songs is probably my least favorite track from off of Lincoln, “Shoehorn With Teeth”. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it has so much less staying power for me. You can imagine my surprise when I found out that much of the fanbase really liked this song.
My opinion on it hasn’t changed too much.
Moments of Interest: This song almost seems weird just for the sake of being weird. I know the story that Dan Spock (a childhood friend of the Johns’) told is almost certainly true, and therefore this song is not just a random assembly of words and phrases. But really, the song doesn’t feel very connected at all to me.
The actual music is composed of just Linnell playing accordion, tenor and baritone saxophone. There’s also a hilarious glockenspiel that only plays three notes for the entire song. Everything seems jumpy and sporadic, and although it is fun I feel that there isn’t much substance to it. But not all songs need to be deep and complex, so no judgement there.
The vocals consist of Linnell and Flans harmonizing. I actually like the vocals quite a bit — it’s the lyrics that confound me as to why people love this song. There are a smattering of completely different phrases and lines throughout the track that by no means should be put together. “Tour the world in a heavy metal band, but they run out of gas — the plane can never land,” and “What’s the sense in thinkin’ ‘bout the tomb when you’re much too busy returning to the womb,” are only a stanza apart and have no apparent connection.
Maybe I’m being too hard on this track… it’s alright to be weird for weirdness’ sake.
Favorite Aspect: I do like the way that the Johns’ voices mesh here. It sounds pretty nice and I do enjoy a TMBG track with both of them singing the lead vocals.
Score: Honestly, I could never hear this song again and be happy. But I do recognize that it has made many others happy, and although I don’t fully understand it or like it I can at least see that. I will give it a 5/10 (for pity’s sake).
Upcoming: Sensurround [Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie]
