I graduated with my phd yesterday. Over the last few years thiis song had become a weird anthem, where belting "I'M NOT A REAL DOCTOR BUT I AM A REAL WORM" became a kind of inspirational mantra to finish. In the car ride home from the ceremony I had to play this car so I could finally sing the lyric dishonestly.
According to the Giants, this is the only song they're contractually obliged to play at every concert they ever perform. Well, that's what JL said the last time I was at one, and much as I'd take anything they say with a Giant pinch of salt, I can very well believe it!
So, I saw them in Fayetteville, AR 24 years ago this week. They played it twice. And it’s not like they played it, people were going crazy, so they played it again. They played it like twice with ten songs between each play. I’ve been to a lot of shows in my days and I’ve never seen a band do that, play the same song twice without being prompted.
The part at 1:56 really hits me emotionally. Like I think it earnestly connects to how people have these secret dreams and aspirations and talents that theyre hoping will someday be acknowledged and fulfilled. But sitting around dreaming of it and doubting if it will ever come to fruition is such a lonely feeling. And in the music video especially, John's face and the edit they used really packs that emotional punch. And i have absolutely no clue if that is intentional and/or if anyone sees it that way lol
This has always been my favorite song, and every time I listen to it, I feel a sense of joy and emotion that I don’t think I feel listening to anything else. I’ll always have a deep sentimental attachment to this music video.
I love this song, it reminds me of when I lived in Omaha and I had participated in the walkouts that day. The They Might be Giants concert was that day, and they mentioned the walkouts mid set and I was so ecstatic to hear the band of my whole childhood (I grew up on Lincoln) was proud of something I participated in. It helped me gain the confidence in what I believe in that I have today.
The stream of consciousness of the lyrics is the real deal. Wakeful dreaming. Automatic writing. Tapping the unconscious. Whatever you want to call it. The poetry is high level stuff.
I am 18 years old and I only recently genuinely considered trying to pursue somewhat of a living in the arts after being told I should do so by so many people. I feel like Dr. Worm, I think I'm getting good, but I can handle criticism, and one day they'll all call me by my stage name. it will be hard to do if I wanna be a total renegade artist but dammit thats what I want
I remember reading about these guys in 1986 and paying the long distance to hear the Dial-A-Song. (Now That I Have Everything, that day.) I was shocked in 1990 when Flood made them really famous. And now they seem like old friends.
All this time, and it still has some of the best choreography around. I've had the _Direct From Brooklyn_ video compilation since around the time it was first released, watched it a ridiculous amount of times, but I don't think I ever noticed before now that there's a price tag hanging on the Les Paul that Flans is playing. Nice Minnie Pearl style representin' there. :D
two stories about this song: 1) my stepbrother's band covered this for the high school talent show and it was really good 2) when my friend got their PhD I sang this to them ("they call me Dr Sunny, [...] I'm not a real doctor but I am a real Sunny")
one morning I was greeting my mom and our conversation went like this: "good morning" "how are you?" _don't say I'm doctor worm don't say I'm doctor worm don't say I'm doctor worm_ *awkwardly long pause* "good"
Proud fan of They Might Be Giants, here. Only saw them 7 times, but all were great. Met John Flansburg at a free show they did in Boston in 1992, great guy, great show. Also proud to have the squid and whale from Apollo 18 tattooed on my forearm.
I’ve never been to a concert of theirs but I’ve been listening to them literally my whole life. I’m 16 and my dad would play their music all the time so I know all their songs and I plan on a tattoo from one of their songs or albums.
I remember this song from a special TMBG event on AQW (Adventure quest worlds), we had to kill their doppelgängers to get tokens to trade in for the collector class. Dr worm was playing constantly in the background xD
I'm thinking Hank Green would fit right in amongst the "particlemen". Especially post-cancer. Dr. Worm seems fitting! Wish you guys would take a detour to Missoula someday.
My son's already in love with some of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse songs. I hum "Hot Dog, Hot Dog" all the time. This is Going to be his formal TMBG introduction like it was mine.
They call me Dr. Worm Good morning, how are you? I'm Dr. Worm I'm interested in things I'm not a real doctor But I am a real worm I am an actual worm I live like a worm I like to play the drums I think I'm getting good But I can handle criticism I'll show you what I know And you can tell me if you think I'm getting better on the drums I'll leave the front un-locked 'Cause I can't hear the doorbell When I get into it I can't tell if you are Watching me twirling the stick When I give the signal, my friend Rabbi Vole will play the solo Some day somebody else besides me will Call me by my stage name, they will Call me Dr. Worm Good Morning how are you, I'm Dr. Worm I'm interested in things I'm not a real doctor But I am a real worm I am an actual worm I live like a worm And I like to play the drums I think I'm getting good But I can handle criticism I'll show you what I know And you can tell me if you think I'm getting better on the drums I'm not a real doctor But they call me Dr. Worm
Ahh yes, the best times of my life. The golden era of my life. They Might Be Giants and AdventureQuest Worlds collab. I miss my childhood. Vindicator of They
Please upload a better quality video of Birdhouse in Your Soul, Don't Let's Start, Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head, The Mesopotamians, Can't Keep Johnny Down, and an actual official version of Boss of Me. You guys are awesome and these uploads prove it.
Can you release a high quality version for birdhouse in your soul? I seriously have played that song on repeat for hours and would love to hear it as crisp as this 👌
Thank you, Kablam, for first introducing me to this Song as a Kid, I already was aware of the band because of Nicklodeon. But i loved this song as a kid with the accompanying Music Vid.
@ oh yea i don’t doubt that at all! i was just specifying that it seems like most of the people who hate this song at least enough to comment are a specific faction of middle aged guys who hate fun
@@CJMediaSolutions Not at all, fans of good work come in all ages. I am 27 as of writing this comment, but a couple years back I shocked a fifty year old guy by telling him TMBG was one of my favorite bands- he didn't even know they were still active. My own sister went to see a TMBG concert just this year and she's only a year younger than me!
I think I first heard this song when I was 11-12 or something, on that nickelodeon show, Ka-blam! At the time, I didn't know it was the same guys from the Particle Man and Istanbul shorts on Tiny Toon Adventures. But this was the song that made me want to really dive into their music. And now they're one of my top three favorite bands of all time, along with any project of Devin Townsend, and almost anything from Stephin Merritt.
21 years ago my daught got tmbg cd from friends when she was 2. now her 10 yo brother listened to all that back when he was a baby. now he is 10 and asked for "mop". and now in 2024 we found this and he loves it and so do i!!!! i wish they were touring northeast u.s. this year! will aim for 2025
Ended up staying to the third encore during their March 2019 show in Melbourne. Saw the drummer hanging out with some of the audience. I did end up going to see the Clock at ACMI later on like John did when they arrived (was played for 100 hrs straight to finish the season)
One day, I'll have a comment on youtube be over 20 years old. Of course, other comments will get there beforehand, but I want one of those comments to be on this video. Hence the reason I'm commenting. Someone remind me in 2043 that this exists, and I'll update my life. Hoping to be a museum curator some day, so we'll see if that dream gets to be a reality.
Fun little story: New to TMBG, so I go to iTunes to put this song in my library and come to find out Relient K did a remake of this song. I went through a brief Relient K phase and never heard this song during it. But I love both versions!
I graduated with my phd yesterday. Over the last few years thiis song had become a weird anthem, where belting "I'M NOT A REAL DOCTOR BUT I AM A REAL WORM" became a kind of inspirational mantra to finish. In the car ride home from the ceremony I had to play this car so I could finally sing the lyric dishonestly.
Godspeed, Doctor Wormn't
thanks, I needed this
Congratulations 👏👏🪱⚕️🥼🩺
Congratulations on being both a real doctor and a real worm!!!
Awesome! Congratulations on becoming a real doctor!
According to the Giants, this is the only song they're contractually obliged to play at every concert they ever perform. Well, that's what JL said the last time I was at one, and much as I'd take anything they say with a Giant pinch of salt, I can very well believe it!
So, I saw them in Fayetteville, AR 24 years ago this week. They played it twice. And it’s not like they played it, people were going crazy, so they played it again. They played it like twice with ten songs between each play. I’ve been to a lot of shows in my days and I’ve never seen a band do that, play the same song twice without being prompted.
@@threeminuteshate It’s just so damn fun
Just saw them tonight lol. Can confirm thry did play this song at the end of their set
i can confirm, 11 Oct ‘24 Forum Melbourne, they played it as first encore
The part at 1:56 really hits me emotionally. Like I think it earnestly connects to how people have these secret dreams and aspirations and talents that theyre hoping will someday be acknowledged and fulfilled. But sitting around dreaming of it and doubting if it will ever come to fruition is such a lonely feeling. And in the music video especially, John's face and the edit they used really packs that emotional punch.
And i have absolutely no clue if that is intentional and/or if anyone sees it that way lol
Yes.
It really does. Gets it perfectly. My heart drops. And I’m reminded of everything. It hurts.
The finale of this song is so triumphant and light-hearted, it makes me smile every time.
Music video: nothing to do with worms and some to do with doctors.
Song: Nothing to do with doctors and some to do with worms.
Good song to be a worm to especially if you're a worm that isn't a doctor
@@garfself especially if you can handle criticism
from now on i’m rating songs based on how good they are to be a worm to
@@brokentoaster6389 good to know
This song just lives in my head rent free and I'll never complain about it.
Real
This has always been my favorite song, and every time I listen to it, I feel a sense of joy and emotion that I don’t think I feel listening to anything else. I’ll always have a deep sentimental attachment to this music video.
I love this song, it reminds me of when I lived in Omaha and I had participated in the walkouts that day. The They Might be Giants concert was that day, and they mentioned the walkouts mid set and I was so ecstatic to hear the band of my whole childhood (I grew up on Lincoln) was proud of something I participated in. It helped me gain the confidence in what I believe in that I have today.
The stream of consciousness of the lyrics is the real deal. Wakeful dreaming. Automatic writing. Tapping the unconscious. Whatever you want to call it. The poetry is high level stuff.
Any time someone says someone's not a real doctor, I ask if they're a real worm and if they like to play the drums.
...Does this happen to you on a regular basis?
My boss was a doctor. But she wasn’t an actual worm. I miss her dearly.
@@evanseifert8858I play Borderlands. Doctor Zed is not a real doctor, nor is he a real worm. His enjoyment of drum playing is unknown.
@@MrResin-xk2mfmy last boss wasn't a doctor, but she was an actual worm
This is the type of song you'd have a dream about, lyrics and all.
I love both Johns, but meeting and shaking hands with John L. was one of my best moments ever. Such a genius.
This is my highschool orchestra teacher's favorite song. He plays this almost everyday at the beginning of class.
would your teacher happen to be a worm?
@ccrider201 and giantspilled
I feel like sitting for two hours in my kitchen watching TMBG videos is a very important task for today, for life.
i did this in the morning for years before school, its the best
@@LakeMarshmallows I just did it now!
Fun Fact: Doctor Worm once built a bird house for his soul in his mom's basement using parts found around home...
Dang.
That just clarified insight to one of reasons I loved miniatures and dollhouses as a kid / adult..... a safe place for my soul ..... 🤯
I am 18 years old and I only recently genuinely considered trying to pursue somewhat of a living in the arts after being told I should do so by so many people. I feel like Dr. Worm, I think I'm getting good, but I can handle criticism, and one day they'll all call me by my stage name. it will be hard to do if I wanna be a total renegade artist but dammit thats what I want
you can do it!
Found a dead vole in my yard and sent my husband a picture "oh, no! He was supposed to play the solo!"
This is my orchestra teacher's favorite song and he plays this song everyday in class.
I usually introduce myself to people as Doctor Worm, to see if they know what a good song really is.
Do you then go on to tell them that you like to play the drums? And that you think you're getting good, but that you can handle criticism?
@@rhysobrien2439yea but does he tell them that he isnt a real doctor but he is a real worm?
@@ae-jx8tzIf they're skeptical, you must insist that you are, in fact, an actual worm
@@KillaB777but make sure they also know that you live like a worm.
Why when I see Linnell smile at 2:26 my heart warms-
It Worms
@@FNRNICK NICE ONE.
I remember reading about these guys in 1986 and paying the long distance to hear the Dial-A-Song. (Now That I Have Everything, that day.) I was shocked in 1990 when Flood made them really famous. And now they seem like old friends.
Free when you call from work!
Would you love me if I was Doctor Worm.
I think i'd love you more
Best comment.
I feel like every time I watch the music video for this song, there's a new segment that I have no memory of whatsoever
Rabbi Vole is not a real Rabbi, but he is a real vole.
He likes to play the solo when you give him the signal
I thought it was 'Rabbi Bull' as in 'Ra-Bible'
This song is absolute fire
All this time, and it still has some of the best choreography around.
I've had the _Direct From Brooklyn_ video compilation since around the time it was first released, watched it a ridiculous amount of times, but I don't think I ever noticed before now that there's a price tag hanging on the Les Paul that Flans is playing. Nice Minnie Pearl style representin' there. :D
two stories about this song:
1) my stepbrother's band covered this for the high school talent show and it was really good
2) when my friend got their PhD I sang this to them ("they call me Dr Sunny, [...] I'm not a real doctor but I am a real Sunny")
that grin at 2:26 ❤️
This one really needed a good upload.
The brass in this song is so good
one morning I was greeting my mom and our conversation went like this:
"good morning"
"how are you?"
_don't say I'm doctor worm don't say I'm doctor worm don't say I'm doctor worm_
*awkwardly long pause*
"good"
"Choreography." Never gets old.
I feel this song because i too am interested in things and live like a worm
There's a guy I know who reblogs a line from this song once a week on tumblr
What's their URL?
@@paddyryan5702 piano-like-an-epic-sir
He hasn't posted it in a while but he tags it with #weekly reblog
I'd like to learn more about this "Rabbi Vole" character. What's his story?
well they call him rabbi vole. he’s not not a real rabbi but he is a real vole
He's an actual vole, he live like a vole
I thought his name was Rabbi Mole because that's what he was in the Kablam! music video.
You just unlocked a core memory.@@AdahnFlorence
This song is always a treat to see performed live in their concerts. ^_^
Heard it on newgrounds when I was like 5 in an ancient flash animation. Didn't know who was playing it but I've loved every tmbg since.
I'd like to make an excursion into John Linnell's brain, just to see what it's like in there.
Proud fan of They Might Be Giants, here. Only saw them 7 times, but all were great. Met John Flansburg at a free show they did in Boston in 1992, great guy, great show. Also proud to have the squid and whale from Apollo 18 tattooed on my forearm.
“Only”
What?
Holy crap, I was at tha Boston show, and that is what made me a TMBG fan!
I’ve never been to a concert of theirs but I’ve been listening to them literally my whole life. I’m 16 and my dad would play their music all the time so I know all their songs and I plan on a tattoo from one of their songs or albums.
TMBG is fearlessness and freedom in the form of music.
I remember this song from a special TMBG event on AQW (Adventure quest worlds), we had to kill their doppelgängers to get tokens to trade in for the collector class. Dr worm was playing constantly in the background xD
YOOOO I WAS THERE TOO!!! That was one of my favorite events on aqw
I'm thinking Hank Green would fit right in amongst the "particlemen". Especially post-cancer. Dr. Worm seems fitting! Wish you guys would take a detour to Missoula someday.
1:55 Gives me chills every time. Bravo.
My son's already in love with some of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse songs. I hum "Hot Dog, Hot Dog" all the time. This is Going to be his formal TMBG introduction like it was mine.
Today i learned that they made the clubhouse songs. WHAT?? It does make sense tho :O
Man it was so crazy finding out they wrote that song, among others that I surprisingly found around childhood age.
@@aranxtil5554 so true
no shit hot dog hit dog hot diggity dog is by tmbg
@@themumblebrapperBros mad for no reason 😭🙏
Shout out for the Late, Great, Lynne Thigpen as the Worm Testing Scientist! She was The Chief on "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego"!
Favorite. Song. Ever.
At the one and only time I’ve seen them live in 1998 they played this one twice.
Theory - this song was written as a response to Rhythm Section Want Ad
Mayhaps
this is nice but WHERE ARE THE WORMS? THEY ARE FREE IN THE GRUND GI GET SOME!
They call me Dr. Worm
Good morning, how are you? I'm Dr. Worm
I'm interested in things
I'm not a real doctor
But I am a real worm
I am an actual worm
I live like a worm
I like to play the drums
I think I'm getting good
But I can handle criticism
I'll show you what I know
And you can tell me if you think
I'm getting better on the drums
I'll leave the front un-locked
'Cause I can't hear the doorbell
When I get into it
I can't tell if you are
Watching me twirling the stick
When I give the signal, my friend
Rabbi Vole will play the solo
Some day somebody else besides me will
Call me by my stage name, they will
Call me Dr. Worm
Good Morning how are you, I'm Dr. Worm
I'm interested in things
I'm not a real doctor
But I am a real worm
I am an actual worm
I live like a worm
And I like to play the drums
I think I'm getting good
But I can handle criticism
I'll show you what I know
And you can tell me if you think
I'm getting better on the drums
I'm not a real doctor
But they call me Dr. Worm
I’m always happy when I hear Doctor Worm. I also love the Direct From Brooklyn DVD, watch it all the time, thanks for reuploading!
Well, thanks Tulok for introducing me to this. I'm not entirely sure what it is, but here we are.
this is so stupid hard ❤🔥
Ahh yes, the best times of my life. The golden era of my life.
They Might Be Giants and AdventureQuest Worlds collab.
I miss my childhood.
Vindicator of They
When I was in marching band in high school, this was everyone's favorite song to hear!
This is one of my favorites (can you pick just ONE?) but the SONG ROCKS and the VIDEO ROCKS. 10 out of 10 for the JOHNS
Check out the original video, done for MTV For Teens or something, it's pretty cool too.
i love that this song and many of their other have music videos, they dont have to make sense just getting to see what awesome absurdity they create.
Who would I be without They Might Be Giants?
You Might Be Old Wave
Sad probably
It’s probably about 23% of me
Please upload a better quality video of Birdhouse in Your Soul, Don't Let's Start, Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head, The Mesopotamians, Can't Keep Johnny Down, and an actual official version of Boss of Me. You guys are awesome and these uploads prove it.
YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!
You've gotten your wish so far on 2 of those. We'll see if the other classics get the same treatment soon enough
Dr Worm a classic
Oh worm?
One of the very first TMBG tunes I heard when I was younger
The start of their "later" career for me, after I got into them as a young adult with Apollo 18 in 1992.
One of my all time favourite tunes!
i cant explain how much i love this song xd
For me, my appreciation is best summarized by Linnell's smile at 2:25 !
Happy Thanksgiving @theymightbegiants !
2:09 that bass slide gets me hyped every damn time
One day people someone else will call me my stage name
Can you release a high quality version for birdhouse in your soul? I seriously have played that song on repeat for hours and would love to hear it as crisp as this 👌
Thank you, Kablam, for first introducing me to this Song as a Kid, I already was aware of the band because of Nicklodeon. But i loved this song as a kid with the accompanying Music Vid.
Honestly a little disappointed to learn the video on Kerblam is not the offical video
You’re back! :O
a shark on whiskey is mighty risky
a shark on beer is a beer engineer
God, this song is such a vibe.
Just saw them play this live!
me too!
One of my favorite TMBG songs. Its just so, so good
The inhabitants of this comment section are as follows
• true doctor worm-ers
• middle aged dudes who hate this band with every fibre of their being
Their first record came out in ‘86. Wouldn’t the core fan base be mostly middle age guys?
@ oh yea i don’t doubt that at all! i was just specifying that it seems like most of the people who hate this song at least enough to comment are a specific faction of middle aged guys who hate fun
@@CJMediaSolutions Not at all, fans of good work come in all ages. I am 27 as of writing this comment, but a couple years back I shocked a fifty year old guy by telling him TMBG was one of my favorite bands- he didn't even know they were still active. My own sister went to see a TMBG concert just this year and she's only a year younger than me!
@@g--stef4756 minor here, young people absolutely listen to tmbg
@@CJMediaSolutions Doctor Worm transcends silly things like age
I think I first heard this song when I was 11-12 or something, on that nickelodeon show, Ka-blam! At the time, I didn't know it was the same guys from the Particle Man and Istanbul shorts on Tiny Toon Adventures. But this was the song that made me want to really dive into their music. And now they're one of my top three favorite bands of all time, along with any project of Devin Townsend, and almost anything from Stephin Merritt.
i love the brass in this song
Should have made more Tiny Toon animations for their songs! 😆
For some reason this reminds me of REM around 1984 ~ 87.
It is very reminiscent of Automatic for the people, although I think that was '92
@@Jude_5555 - A4TP is all mandolins and complicated arrangements; to me this sounds a lot more like Fables / LRP era REM.
GOOD MORNING DR WORM!
Ooh, you can actually read the name and address on the prescriptions now! Pointless but cool. =)
my favorite fake thing from this video is "head so sof" what does it entail
My favorite is president drops
AI generated medication before AI
21 years ago my daught got tmbg cd from friends when she was 2. now her 10 yo brother listened to all that back when he was a baby. now he is 10 and asked for "mop". and now in 2024 we found this and he loves it and so do i!!!! i wish they were touring northeast u.s. this year! will aim for 2025
This song always makes me smile big, those horns!
my national anthem
Ended up staying to the third encore during their March 2019 show in Melbourne. Saw the drummer hanging out with some of the audience. I did end up going to see the Clock at ACMI later on like John did when they arrived (was played for 100 hrs straight to finish the season)
Brilliant and beautiful filmmaking here. I love this video.
What a gift! It’s like Christmas! In October!
Relient K brought me here. I love this song!!!!
I love this song! You guys are great!
We can finally see this in a higher quality than 140p
Buy the DVD's. They rock.
Talk about an earworm! I work for tips
My nephews introduced me to this about 4.5 years ago and it’s one of my favorites
I was recently learned of this band because one of my co-workers was playing this song
Such a good song.
You’re getting better on the drums my wormy friend!
One day, I'll have a comment on youtube be over 20 years old. Of course, other comments will get there beforehand, but I want one of those comments to be on this video. Hence the reason I'm commenting.
Someone remind me in 2043 that this exists, and I'll update my life. Hoping to be a museum curator some day, so we'll see if that dream gets to be a reality.
I’ll make sure of it
Yo its 2043
@@Jamieclarkisokay unfortunately, not quite yet
I want to be a part of this experiment
miracle musical profile picture
they call me doctor worm. that’s all they’ve ever called me.
Fun little story: New to TMBG, so I go to iTunes to put this song in my library and come to find out Relient K did a remake of this song. I went through a brief Relient K phase and never heard this song during it. But I love both versions!
Thank you adventure quest worlds for introducing me to this gem all those years ago🤞🏾