Here Come The 123s [CD+DVD]

They Might Be Giants | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 5, 2008)
• Original Release Date: February 5, 2008
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: CD+DVD
• Label: Disney Sound
• ASIN: B000VDDCLK
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (133 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,211 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #10 in Music > Children's Music > Educational
  • #14 in Music > Children's Music > Sing-A-Longs
  • #19 in Music > Children's Music > Disney

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Here Come the 123s

2. Zeroes

3. One Everything

4. Number Two

5. Triops Has Three Eyes

6. Apartment Four

7. High Five!

8. The Secret Life of Six

9. Seven

10. Seven Days of the Week (I Never Go To Work)

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Here Come the 123s [video content]

2. Zeroes [video content]

3. One Everything [video content]

4. Number Two [video content]

5. Triops Has Three Eyes [video content]

6. Apartment Four [video content]

7. High Five! [video content]

8. The Secret Life of Six [video content]

9. Seven [video content]

10. Seven Days of the Week (I Never Go To Work) [video content]

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

They Might Be Giants are like the handful of best-selling authors who also happen to be doctors or astrophysicists: They do two things so well--in their case kids' music and grown-up music--that it seems a little unfair, like the talent scale has been tipped too hard in their favor. Like Here Come the 123s, the follow-up to 2005's Here Come the ABCs, and TMBG's third kids' record. Here the Johns--Linnell and Flansburgh--are up to their usual smart shenanigans: In "Seven," a bunch of skinny numerals crash a stranger’s living room before settling in for some cake, and in "Nine Bowls of Soup" an ichthyosaur is so enamored of soup he works out a way to balance a multitude of bowls on his scaly body. The brilliance isn’t limited to the lyrics. The Johns know a thing or 1-2-3 about crafting seriously jammable music. Highights include “High Five,” a flippy, freewheeling dab of disco, and “One Everything,” a juiced-up, jangly rocker with a message for listeners ages 3 to 93: an untidy room actually is an insult to the omniverse. --Tammy La Gorce

Product Description

Limited two disc (CD/DVD) edition of the duo's 2008 children's album, the follow-up to their Here Come The ABCs kids release from 2005. Combining a knack for infectious melodies with a quirky, bizarre sense of humor and a vaguely avant-garde aesthetic borrowed from the New York post-punk underground, They Might Be Giants became one of the most unlikely alternative success stories of the late '80s and early '90s. Musically, the duo of John Flansburgh and John Linnell borrowed from everywhere, but their freewheeling eclecticism was enhanced by their arcane, geeky sense of humor. UMGD/Disney. 2008.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great For Kids!! One of Our Favorites!! August 20, 2008

By Telemachus

Format:Audio CD

We received this DVD/CD last week and the kids have been watching it over and over. Normally, I'd find this obsessive behavior concerning, but the educational quality of the video makes this one of the best DVD's I've seen for children. My kids are ages 6 & 8 and the video is geared so that both of them benefit from the lessons.

We really liked Here Come the ABCs [CD/DVD Combo], but we think this one is actually better. The music is well-composed and shows a great deal of musical sophistication underneath the silliness, playing with different musical styles and time signatures. The instructional value for the overall DVD is exceptional. My only complaint is that I can't get several of the tunes out of my head! Your kids will soon know that there are, in fact, animals with three eyes and be able to correctly identify a nonagon. Excellent video! I give it my highest recommendation.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm still cool . . . February 21, 2009

By Jessica Salgado

Format:Audio CD

I love this CD. As a 30-something parent I remember They Might Be Giants music from my teen years. This CD is true to their style--odd, funny, original, and off-the-wall. I like that it includes some humor that a grown-up can appreciate. Sharing this CD with my daughter (age 2 1/2) gives her music she enjoys and let's me feel a little cooler for listening to a real band instead of some sampling of nursery rhymes. We of course have classic children's songs in our CD collection, too, but this one is a refreshing break when I've heard all I can take of "Frere Jacques". It helps pass the time during our commute each day. I like most of the DVD pretty well, but find it kind of strange for a young child to watch (some odd puppets in a couple songs). Still, a must have in your children's CD collection, and something mom & dad can (secretly) enjoy, too.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Here Come the 123s July 7, 2008

By Brandi Stockebrand

Format:Audio CD

We love this DVD and CD. My son is already doing addition problems from watching this video. We watch it in the car and everyone enjoys the lyrical masterings of They Might Be Giants. My husband and I loved them before they did kids music, and we love them even more now!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars HIGHLY recommend this wonderful CD & DVD! March 23, 2009

By Busy Mom

Format:Audio CD

I have been on a mission to find more sophisticated children's music for my kids (which by default usually includes me) to listen to. I have to say this is one of my all time favorites. The music is wonderful and there is a nice variety of music on the CD. There are interesting facts and a couple of funny jokes which my 5 year old appreciates since she has become a little joke teller. My children 18 months, 3 and 5 love to listen to this in the car. They enjoy the DVD even more. It has creative videos that are enjoyable to watch. We really do like the songs and I have to warn you they may get stuck in your head. My husband also enjoys listening to this CD/DVD while most others make him want to poke out his eye balls. Great music and creative lyrics that most parents will enjoys with the kids. This is not a teach your kids to count education CD, but rather giving your child great music (much more sophisticated than than the traditional kiddy music) and lyrics with fun facts to listen to. It won a Grammy for a reason!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Such a relief and surprise after repetition October 22, 2010

By J M P

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

In my first review I wrote: Such a relief to have music my 2 1/2 year old enjoys that doesn't remind me of nails on a chalk board. So many children's albums are SOOO bad and this one is actually enjoyable. Must say that I went to see They Might be Giants Live and enjoyed them in my pre-teen to early college years. They haven't changed themselves so much to appeal to the kid crowd that you won't recognize them. If this wasn't your music scene in the past don't anticipate a big change from the grown up CDs to the kids ones. If you replaced 7 with another word they could probably have a top 40 hit instead of something on the Disney circuit. Haven't done much with the DVD version but CD was easy to download unto itunes when put in an apple laptop. As far as actual educational value of the songs I would say that this is a toss up. This is certainly not drill type 1,2,3 stuff and I wouldn't say with the music alone that your kid is going to be a math genius. What it does offer is a way to make the learning fun and fun songs about numbers. There are also some more complex concepts interwined that other educational materials might not hit. Exposure to the pre-fix tri for example and words like triops and tripod certainly aren't going to hurt anyone. Enough adult wit to keep you going and fun tunes that definitely grow on you.
UPDATE: We have listened to this CD on and off for several months and just a little past three now my son is getting into it. The songs from Mickey Mouse Club House are on here and that discovery was a big hit. Much to my surprise last night my son repeated every day of the week to me in order by singing the song. This morning he asked to hear the #2 song and began listing things that came in pairs.... Honestly, I was hoping to build some excitement about numbers and have something that didn't have bad content like sometimes is found on morning talk shows. The fact that it is actually teaching him something during the idle moments between home and preschool is more than I anticipated. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Hoped For More March 31, 2010

By amh

Format:Audio CD

I bought this and Here Come the ABCs for my son after falling in love with No! I'm a huge TMBG fan and really expected more from this album. The songs are mostly passable, but really sound a lot more like straight-up kids music without that flair that the band has always shown in all their work (for kids or adults). The songs are a bit too forced as "edutainment" and the sheer number of short tracks gives the feel of cranking out a bunch of tunes to fill the CD. The end result feels like a random collection of odds and ends instead of a fun wonderful kids album like No! A few songs capture that unique feel, like "One Everything" and "Triops Has Three Eyes" but mostly it plays more like a "wacky" kids album for kids. Three stars for that, but I was hoping for something I would enjoy as well instead of merely tolerating.

Sounds like Here Comes the Science is the best of this bunch. I still love TMBG so I may give it a try and hope the third time's the charm!