New Song – Whirlpool

If you want to skip straight to the music, scroll down to the end.

As some of you may remember (or try to forget), I’m part of a trio that covers They Might Be Giants tunes. We take TMBG song lyrics and match them up with old-time tunes. I think we’ve been a hit as part of the Covers Crew over at This Might Be A Podcast (“TMBP”), but I’m a little biased. Since I made my debut on TMBP to discuss Yeh Yeh, our little group, We Are Number Three, has covered TMBG’s Prepare, 32 Footsteps, House At The Top Of The Tree, Minimum Wage (the episode is going to drop soon!) and a secret one for a charity compilation that is in the works. (All the links are to the podcast episodes where are covers, and others, are played.) Well, we just did another cover and that is what this post is all about.

Not too long ago, TMBP did an episode on a somewhat obscure TMBG tune, Whirlpool, which is a cover of a Meat Puppets song. The original version of the song is here

The TMBG version is here

Pretty different, right? We set out to cover Whirlpool because it’s always been a favorite of mine. It’s such an odd little song and the weird nature of it has always stuck with me.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the song together in time for the episode. But, after a little bit of time, we finished it up. And I am glad that we waited. As we were putting it all together, my Grandmother got sick and passed away. Her time in hospice care gave me a new interpretation of the song. As I read the lyrics over and over again, I concluded that the song is about someone passing from this life to the next. As a result, our cover of Whirlpool turned into a tribute to my Grandmother.

Here are the lyrics:

There was a swirling mass of water that lived in a quiet pond
It asked permission from its master to visit the lands beyond
And its master allowed it to fly
So the wind swept the whirlpool across the sky

Whirlpool
Whirlpool

There was a swirling mass of water that lived in a quiet pond
It asked permission from its master to visit the lands beyond
And its master allowed it to fly
So the wind swept the whirlpool across the sky
And it had the idea to fly
So the wind swept the whirlpool across the sky

Whirlpool
Whirlpool
Whirlpool

Our version of Whirlpool is below. The old-time tune we paired it with is called “Old Grimes.” It’s a good tune. We all hope you enjoy our cover. Love you, Grandma!