Ana Ng
Encyclopedia
"Ana Ng" is a song by alternative rock
band They Might Be Giants
. It was released as the lead single
from the band's 1988 album Lincoln
. Although the song was their first US chart appearance
, hitting #11 on the US Modern Rock chart, the single was never officially released in the US. It was only released for promotional purposes in the US, and saw official releases in 1989 in the United Kingdom (as a maxi-single), Australia, and later, in 1991, in Europe.
listings in the New York City phone book.
Ng is a common Cantonese family name, and in Cantonese it is pronounced ŋ̍, like the last sound in the English word hang. However, according to a 1988 handbill advertisement for the single, They Might Be Giants actually rhyme the name with hang, ˈ.
The song, or at least part of it, is set against the backdrop of the 1964 New York World's Fair
, which John Linnell
attended as a child. It includes references to "It's a Small World" and the DuPont
pavilion, both attractions at the fair.
The line, "I don't want the world / I just want your half," is said by Lisa Klapp, a friend of John and John's, and recorded through a telephone.
.
The song makes mention of a "foreign nation" while a map of Romania
(specifically the cities of Bragadiru
and Slobozia
) is shown.
12" maxi-single
Australian 7" release
1991 European release
This release's cover art was the same photograph as that used for the rarities compilation, Miscellaneous T
.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years Flansburgh and Linnell were frequently accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG became a full band. Currently, the members of TMBG are...
. It was released as the lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
from the band's 1988 album Lincoln
Lincoln (album)
Lincoln is the second album by the band They Might Be Giants. It was released in 1988 . The album is named after John Linnell and John Flansburgh's boyhood home of Lincoln, Massachusetts. The two men pictured are Linnell's great-grandfather, Lewis T...
. Although the song was their first US chart appearance
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
, hitting #11 on the US Modern Rock chart, the single was never officially released in the US. It was only released for promotional purposes in the US, and saw official releases in 1989 in the United Kingdom (as a maxi-single), Australia, and later, in 1991, in Europe.
Background
The title of the track came from an experience the Johns had when they found a huge number of NgNg
Ng is a Cantonese and Hakka transliteration of the Chinese surnames 吳/吴 and 伍 , and Hokkien and Teochew transliteration of the Chinese surname 黃 . It is pronounced , and 伍 means "five." It is sometimes romanized as Ang, Eng, Ing and Ong in the United States and Ung in Australia...
listings in the New York City phone book.
Linnell: "I think I was collecting possible song ideas and, for some reason, I ended up looking in the phone book, and there were about four pages of this name that contains no vowels, Ng. I was fascinated because it's a name I didn't know about before, and it was filling up a large chunk of the Manhattan white pages. I called up some of the numbers kind of experimentally to find out how it was pronounced, and I got the phone machine of a Dr. Ng and I was kind of relieved. The message said, "Dr. Ng is not in," and I had my material." (Pitchfork Magazine, 1996)
Ng is a common Cantonese family name, and in Cantonese it is pronounced ŋ̍, like the last sound in the English word hang. However, according to a 1988 handbill advertisement for the single, They Might Be Giants actually rhyme the name with hang, ˈ.
Linnell: "The other inspiration for [Ana Ng] was a Pogo comic strip. [...] Some of the characters are digging a hole. They decide they're going to dig to China, but one of the smarter characters pulls this huge revolver out of a drawer and shoots a hole "in the desktop globe." Then they look at the other side and the hole is in the Indian Ocean. (Pitchfork Magazine, 1996).
The song, or at least part of it, is set against the backdrop of the 1964 New York World's Fair
1964 New York World's Fair
The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City. Hailing itself as a "universal and international" exposition, the fair's theme was "Peace Through Understanding," dedicated to "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe";...
, which John Linnell
John Linnell
John Sidney Linnell is an American musician, is known primarily as one half of Brooklyn, New York alternative rock duo They Might Be Giants...
attended as a child. It includes references to "It's a Small World" and the DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
pavilion, both attractions at the fair.
The line, "I don't want the world / I just want your half," is said by Lisa Klapp, a friend of John and John's, and recorded through a telephone.
Music video
A music video for the song was shot at the Ward's Island Fireman's Training Center, and was directed by Adam BernsteinAdam Bernstein
Adam Bernstein is an American film, music video and television director and screenwriter. He was born in Princeton, New Jersey...
.
The song makes mention of a "foreign nation" while a map of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
(specifically the cities of Bragadiru
Bragadiru
Bragadiru is a town in the southwestern part of Ilfov County, Romania.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census, Bragadiru had a population of 8,165, of which 98.19% were Romanians, 1.45% were Roma, and 0.36% of other ethnic backgrounds....
and Slobozia
Slobozia
Slobozia is the capital city of Ialomiţa County, Romania, with a population of 52,710 in 2002.-Geography:Slobozia lies roughly in the middle of the county, on the banks of Ialomita River, at ca. east of Bucharest and west of Constanţa, important port at the Black Sea...
) is shown.
Other uses
- "Ana Ng" has been covered by the rock band SelfSelf (band)Self is an American alternative pop/rock band from Murfreesboro, Tennessee and largely the brainchild of writer, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Matt Mahaffey....
on the album Hello Radio: The Songs of They Might Be Giants.
- The song was featured during the 2008 Jim CarreyJim CarreyJames Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
comedy film Yes ManYes Man (film)Yes Man is a 2008 comedy film directed by Peyton Reed, written by Nicholas Stoller, Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel and starring Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, John Michael Higgins, Rhys Darby, Maile Flanagan, Danny Masterson, and Terence Stamp...
.
- The song played in the first episode of the 1991 sitcom Clarissa Explains It AllClarissa Explains It AllClarissa Explains It All is an American teen sitcom that aired on Nickelodeon. Created by Mitchell Kriegman, it aired for five seasons for a total of 65 episodes from March 23, 1991, to December 3, 1994, and then went into reruns....
while Clarissa proclaimed her affinity for John Linnell.
- The song was covered by Star Fucking HipstersStar Fucking HipstersStar Fucking Hipsters is a punk rock band from New York City who have released albums on Fat Wreck Chords and Alternative Tentacles records. They have been called a "punk supergroup" and feature members from numerous notable bands including Leftöver Crack, Ensign, and The Ergs!-Initial formation...
on their 2011 album From the Dumpster to the GraveFrom the Dumpster to the GraveFrom the Dumpster to the Grave is the third studio album by ska-punk/anarcho-punk band Star Fucking Hipsters. It was released in 2011 on Fat Wreck Chords.-Background:...
.
Track listing
All tracks by They Might Be Giants.12" maxi-single
- "Ana Ng" – 3:23
- "Nightgown of the Sullen Moon" – 1:59
- "It's Not My Birthday" – 1:52
- "Lie Still, Little Bottle" – 2:06
Australian 7" release
- "Ana Ng" – 3:23
- "Snowball in Hell" – 2:31
1991 European release
This release's cover art was the same photograph as that used for the rarities compilation, Miscellaneous T
Miscellaneous T
Miscellaneous T is a b-side and remix compilation album released by the alternative rock band They Might Be Giants in 1991. It is a US re-release of Don't Let's Start which was only released in the UK and West Germany. The differences include cover art, track order, and the song "Hello Radio",...
.
- "Ana Ng" – 3:23
- "They'll Need a CraneThey'll Need a CraneThey'll Need a Crane is an EP and song by They Might Be Giants. "They'll Need a Crane" was the first song the band performed on network television, in 1989 on the Late Night with David Letterman.-Track listing:#"They'll Need a Crane"...
" – 2:33 - "(She Was A) Hotel Detective(She Was A) Hotel Detective-12" track listing:- Personnel :*John Flansburgh – vocals, guitar*John Linnell – vocals, bass saxophone, baritone saxiphone, synthesizers*Anne Moore – vocals*Peter Pairman Thomson – backup vocalsProduction*Al Houghton – engineer...
" (single mix) – 2:20 - "Don't Let's StartDon't Let's Start"Don't Let's Start" is a song by alternative rock band They Might Be Giants, from their eponymous debut album They Might Be Giants. It was the first single released from the album, released as a maxi-single. The song is one of the band's most popular and well-known songs, despite failing to chart...
" (single mix) – 2:35
External links
- Ana Ng at This Might Be A Wiki
- Audio file at TMBG.com