They Might Be Giants — "Monongahela" lyrics
[From the Venue Songs DVD:]
Returning from Canada, the tour bus heads to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and They Might Be Giants goes with it. Pittsburgh. Known for its mighty bridges, spanning rivers with names that are difficult to pronounce, like Mon-on-ga-hela. Pittsburgh, its world famous natural hot steel springs still flowing into the city's burning streets. Pittsburgh. Where precariously cantilevered over its great, rolling hillsides are the forgotten chambers, and great halls that are the city's one thousand alternative rock clubs. Memories of Pittsburgh haunt They Might Be Giants. Memories of 1987, and a show in front of 23 people at one such club, The Electric Banana, named after its owner, a gun-toting alcoholic called Johnny Banana. Now, The Electric Banana is gone. And as the band enters the mountains, they do not know what they will discover. Actually, they discover another rock club, called Mr. Smalls.
[Alternate version:]
Returning from Canada, the tour bus makes the quick drive to Pittsburgh, PA. To [http://www.mrsmalls.com// Mr. Smalls] theatre, an old school rock club where air conditioning is still considered fancy talk. Now, in the sweltering heat of August, the band must play on. As they play, the instruments melt in their very hands far earlier in the set than usual. And yet, they manage to eke out a song that does the fiery venue proud.