Well, there’s the Minibosses as well as The Bloodhound Gang. “Dear Chasey Lain, I called to explain…”
That wasn’t TMBG, but it was close. That was from John Linnell’s solo State Songs tour. Maryland didn’t make the album, I think it was just to appease an audience in Baltimore. The album is actually quite cool. It’s not official state songs, but songs that use states like people or objects. There’s a sea shanty about a ship that’s shaped like Arkansas, a fight song about a predatory Michigan, and others of the like. In my opinion it’s almost as good as the best of the TMBG albums, but definitely leans more towards the obscure side of things. Oh, and it uses a carousel organ on a few songs. Gotta love that.
DaVinci’s Notebook is possibly the most famous a capella group from the DC area and have made appearances on the Today show. They do have some joke songs (e.g.: “Fish Sticks” and “Secret Asian Man”) but even these are amazing.
This thread made me immediately think of Tenacious D.
“Oh baby you got what I need
But you said you got a friend, you said you got a friend”
crooned by Biz Markie. He was a very good rapper.
So was Flavor Flav of Public Enemy, when he got his head straight. But his songs in which he was lead has as much biting societal commentary as those lead by Chuck D.
First off, the Biz Markie line was,
“But you say he’s just a friend.” (actually, I seem to recall it as the less grammatical “But you say he just a friend,” but I could be misremembering)
Second, come on. Some of my absolute favorite bands are TMBG, Cake, and Crash Test Dummies. I’ve seen TMBG 4 times live. But I wouldn’t be upset to hear them considered a “joke” band. And, honestly, when they’re NOT being funny, I find their songs less successful (like the “New York City” cover–orig. by Cub, I think–or similar songs where Flansburgh is trying to make a normal pop song). That’s not to say that they’re not great musicians. They’re geniuses. But they’re geniuses of the comic and the absurd and the odd. Listening to them may make me smile, but it never gives me chills.
Crash Test Dummies and Cake tread a finer line. Crash Test Dummies has some songs that sound beautiful and make me want to cry despite the fact that they’re ridiculous or grotesque (“Superman”, “The Psychic”, “My Own Sunrise”). And Cake has some very dark songs that aren’t very funny at all, and are probably my favorites (“Where Would I Be?”). But I still wouldn’t be upset if they were called a “joke band.”
And then there’s ELO …
What difference does it make? There is no way in hell that TMBG, BNL, or Cake take themselves as seriously as some of their fans do. Especially TMBG. Rabid TMBG fans drive me nuts !! How many times do I have to hear what freakin geniuses they are, and how cutting and post modern they are?! TMBG themselves would tell you, “Jesus, man, we’re They Might Be Giants! Have you heard our records?!”
(although for the record I realize that this is a personal issue. just thought I’d share.)
Don’t even get me started on Live. “Throwing Copper.” Gawd. Would you believe that the line “her placenta falls to the floor” is supposed to give you chills instead of crack you up? They’re funnier than a joke band.
but I always kind of liked “I alone.”
Sorry. I’m a bit conflicted today.
Speaking of Lookout! bands, Pansy Division falls into this category. Of course, prior to Absurd Pop Song Romance, they were a joke band. But their last album was a damn fine pop album, but was ignored because everyone thought… Yawn, another novelty record full of ditties about fudgepacking and BJs. It’s a shame; “You’re Gonna Need Your Friends” could and should have been a big hit.
King Missle gets written off too becuase of the “Detachable Penis” song.
Ahem. Weird Al is talented, with a lot of quality stuff. And it’s Yankovic.
I have been a TMBG follower for a long long time. I love their music because it IS wacky and , um, odd.
I have a theory about how the Johns write songs.
I believe that they sometimes sit around and try to chalenge each other with a word to write a song around. For example, I Palandrome I. Who would use Palandrome in a song? Or a host of others with a multisylable word that stands out.
The main reason I like them, however, is that I enjoy trying to sing along with the songs. I have “Cow Town” down to a science.
“The yellow roosevelt avenue leaf overturned,
The order of arboriality is an adventure we have spurned,
We’ve spurned,
It’s a new leaf overturned,
A new leaf overturned.”
True poetry.
I was wondering if someone was going to mention King Missile before I had the chance, and ChockFull did, dang it. And Birdhouse is the best song on Flood, maybe.
Mojo Nixon.
Unrecognized genius.
And hell of a guitarist.
Ooo! You’re now one of my favorite posters. 
All excellent bands, all with great music, lyrics, sense of poetic irony, and wonderfully twisted perspectives.
My other favorite bands that fall in this category did not have hit singles like the aforementioned bands. (Unfortunately, most of them are also now defunct.)
[ul]
[li]The Waltons[/li][li]Lawsuit[/li][li]Rhythm Akimbo[/li][/ul]
And, of course, “Weird Al”. 'Nuff said.
JOhn.
King Missile deserves praise simply for “Jesus is Way Cool”