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1985 Demo Tape

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1985 Demo Tape cover
1985 Demo Tape
Demo tape by They Might Be Giants
First released July 4, 1985 Tracks 23 Previous demo tape 1985 Promo Demo Tape
Label 1985: TMBG Music
1993: Hello (HEL-T) 		Length 40:10 Next demo tape 1986 Demo Tape

Insert for the 1985 Demo Tape
Insert for the 1985 Demo Tape
Hello 1993 Re-issue Cover
Hello 1993 Re-issue Cover
Promotional ad for the tape
Promotional ad for the tape
Advertisement from the December 1985 / January 1986 East Village Eye
Advertisement from the December 1985 / January 1986 East Village Eye

[edit] Track listing

  1. (Put Your Hand Inside The) Puppet Head (Demo)
  2. When It Rains It Snows (Demo)
  3. Number Three (Demo)
  4. Don't Let's Start (Demo)
  5. You'll Miss Me (Demo)
  6. I Hope That I Get Old Before I Die
  7. Biggest One (Demo)
  8. 32 Footsteps
  9. Boat Of Car (Demo)
  10. Cowtown (Demo)
  11. Chess Piece Face (Demo)
  12. Rabid Child
  13. Youth Culture Killed My Dog (1984 Promotional Demo Tape Demo)
  14. Alienation's For The Rich
  15. The Day (Demo)
  16. (She Was A) Hotel Detective (Demo)
  17. Which Describes How You're Feeling (Demo)
  18. Toddler Hiway
  19. Become A Robot
  20. I'm Def (Demo)
  21. Hell Hotel (1984 Demo Tape version)
  22. They Might Be Giants (Demo)
  23. Nothing's Going To Change My Clothes (Demo)

[edit] Trivia/Info

  • The 1985 Demo Tape was originally distributed by the Johns at TMBG concerts in 1985-86. The material was recorded onto standard store-bought audio cassettes, and the liner notes were black and white photocopy. The tape went out of print not long after The Pink Album came out, but was rereleased in 1993 as a promotion by the Hello CD Of The Month Club. If subscribers added $5 to their subscription fee, they would receive a copy of the demo tape, which then had fancy-schmancy glossy liner notes and this message on the back:
Hello Recording Club, PO Box 551, Palisades, New York 10694 - 1 year subscription send $41 check or money order (NY residents add 8.25% sales tax) or call 1-800-HELLO-41 for credit cards - For an additional $5 receive this cassette - All proceeds from the sale of this cassette go to the People With Aids Coalition - All songs written by They Might Be Giants, published by They Might Be Giants Music ASCAP, administered by WB Music Corp. - (P) & (C) 1985 They Might Be Giants Music. All Rights Reserved. HEL-T
  • Hell Hotel was the only song from this tape that had not been reworked and/or released elsewhere until the 1983 demo version was released as part of Podcast 32A in 2008. It is the only song on the tape that has never been released on CD. It was rumored that the original tape had a different version of the song than the one on the Hello release, but this is not true.
  • Notice there are 23 tracks on this demo tape. The number 23 plays an important role for the band. The following is from the liner notes of Then: The Earlier Years, referring to the Boys' second show, the first under their present name: "In spite of a heavy snow storm, 23 supportive friends came out, and the show was a big success."
  • In Podcast 22A Cecil wrongly says that Weep Day appeared on this demo tape.
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