Why Does the Sun Shine? (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas)

Why Does The Sun Shine? (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas)

EP by They Might Be Giants

Released

September 14, 1993

Recorded

Excello Studio, Brooklyn and Skyline Studios, NYC

Genre

Alternative rock

Length

9:57

They Might Be Giants chronology

Apollo 18
(1992)

Why Does The Sun Shine?
(1993)

Back to Skull
(1994)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]
Robert Christgau	^[2]

Why Does the Sun Shine? (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas) is an EP by alternative rock band They Might Be Giants, released in 1993. The EP is notable for being their first release with a full-band lineup, rather than only the two original members (John Flansburgh and John Linnell) performing. It was also released as a single on 7" vinyl.

Songs

All of the songs on the EP are cover versions, except for one. The title song is a cover of a song by Hy Zaret from Tom Glazer's 1959 album, Space Songs. The lyrics for the refrain appear verbatim in the 1951 Golden Guide "Stars".^[3] They Might Be Giants re-arranged the song in an uptempo version for their 1998 live album, Severe Tire Damage, and their 2009 children's album, Here Comes Science, on which they added the self-penned "Why Does The Sun Really Shine? (The Sun is a Miasma of Incandescent Plasma)", which corrects several factual inaccuracies in the original song. It was also included on the soundtrack to the children's game show Carmen Sandiego: Out of This World.^[4]

The second track, "Jessica", was originally recorded by The Allman Brothers Band for their 1973 album, Brothers and Sisters. The third track, "Whirlpool", is a song written by alternative rock band Meat Puppets, and can be found on their 1991 album, Forbidden Places. The fourth and final track, entitled "Spy", is the lone original track on the EP. It was later re-recorded for the band's successive studio album, John Henry, released in 1994.

Track listings

Main release

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Why Does The Sun Shine? (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas)"	John Flansburgh, John Linnell	2:53
2.	"Jessica"	Forrest Richard Betts, Les Dudek	2:24
3.	"Whirlpool"	Curt Kirkwood	2:10
4.	"Spy"	John Flansburgh, John Linnell	2:30
Total length:			9:57

7" vinyl

A. "Why Does the Sun Shine? (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas) – 2:53

B. "Jessica" – 2:24

Personnel

Music

John Linnell – accordion, saxophone, bass clarinet, vocals
John Flansburgh – electric guitar, vocals
Brian Doherty – drums, glockenspiel
Kurt Hoffman – clarinet, saxophone
Frank London – trumpet
Graham Maby – bass

Production

They Might Be Giants (John Linnell & John Flansburgh) – producer
Patrick Dillett – music recording, mixing

References

↑ "Why Does The Sun Shine? (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas) - They Might Be Giants". Allmusic. Retrieved 2006-04-14.
↑ "CG: they might be giants". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
↑ Zim,, Herbert S. and Baker, Robert H. (1951). Stars. NY: Golden Press. pp. 16 (1975 printing). "The sun is a mass of incadescent gas: a gigantic nuclear furnace where hydrogen is built into helium at a temperature of millions of degrees."
↑ Carmen Sandiego: Out Of This World allmusic. Retrieved 2010-02-25.

External links

Why Does The Sun Shine? EP on This Might Be A Wiki
"Why Does The Sun Shine?" (song) on This Might Be A Wiki
Why Does The Sun Shine? at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

They Might Be Giants

John Flansburgh John Linnell Dan Miller Danny Weinkauf Marty Beller Hal Cragin Brian Doherty Jonathan Feinberg Dan Hickey Kurt Hoffman Graham Maby Tony Maimone Eric Schermerhorn

Rock albums	They Might Be Giants (1986) Lincoln (1988) Flood (1990) Apollo 18 (1992) John Henry (1994) Factory Showroom (1996) Long Tall Weekend (1999) Mink Car (2001) The Spine (2004) The Else (2007) Join Us (2011) Nanobots (2013) Glean (2015) Phone Power (2016)

Children's albums	No! (2002) Here Come the ABCs (2005) Here Come the 123s (2008) Here Comes Science (2009) Why? (2015)

EPs	Why Does the Sun Shine? Back to Skull Working Undercover for the Man They Might Be Giants in Holidayland Bed, Bed, Bed Indestructible Object The Spine Surfs Alone

Singles	"Don't Let's Start" "(She Was A) Hotel Detective" "They'll Need a Crane" "Ana Ng" "Purple Toupee" "Birdhouse in Your Soul" "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" "The Statue Got Me High" "I Palindrome I" "The Guitar (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)" "O Tannenbaum" "S-E-X-X-Y" "Doctor Worm" "Boss of Me" "Man, It's So Loud in Here" "Experimental Film" "Kids Go!" "I'm Impressed" "Can't Keep Johnny Down"

Other notable songs	"Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head" "Particle Man" "James K. Polk" "You're on Fire"

Live albums	Live!! New York City 10/14/94 Severe Tire Damage Live The Spine Hits the Road Almanac Venue Songs First Album Live Flood Live in Australia

Compilations	Don't Let's Start Miscellaneous T Then: The Earlier Years Best of the Early Years They Got Lost Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants A User's Guide to They Might Be Giants Venue Songs DVD/CD Album Raises New and Troubling Questions Idlewild

Video releases	Direct from Brooklyn Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns) Here Come the ABCs Venue Songs DVD/CD Here Come the 123s Here Comes Science

Related articles	Discography Mono Puff State Songs The Brothers Chaps International Space Year

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