From records and CDs:
Jessica (Allman Brothers)
Why does the sun shine (Tom Glazer)
Istanbul (not Constantinople) (The Four Lads)
Maybe I know (Leslie Gore)
New York City (Cub)
Whirlpool (the Meat Puppets)
Yeh Yeh (Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames)
Plus about a dozen from concerts.
Am I missing any from the records and CDs?
In addition to the originals, I have a recording of Ella Fitzgerald and Bing Crosby doing Istanbul. Are there other covers of these songs anyone knows about?
Favorite originals: OK, these are all great tunes (except for wdtss, maybe). But my favorite has to be Whirlpool. Totally distinct sound and pop sensibility and sooo hooky!
In the middle of Rhythm Section Want Ad, John breaks into a very recognizable riff on the accordion. It’s from Powerhouse written by Raymond Scott, originally recorded by his orchestra in 1936, and done by so many people since then that almost nobody knows the original. One of the notable borrowers was Carl Stalling, who used it in some of the old Warner Brothers cartoons.
One More Parade. This was orignally by Phil Ochs, the Giants recorded it for a 40th Anniversary compilation for Elektra Records.
Ah. I thought you were knocking the TMBG version of WDTSS and got kinda mad (and puzzled. ‘unintentional’ camp? ;)). I’ve never actually heard the original.