Why Does the Sun Shine? (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas) is an EP by alternative rock band They Might Be Giants, released in 1993. The EP is notable for being their first release with a full-band lineup, rather than only the two original members (John Flansburgh and John Linnell) performing. It was also released as a single on 7" vinyl.
All of the songs on the EP are cover versions, except for one. The title song is a cover of a song by Hy Zaret from Tom Glazer's 1959 album, Space Songs. The lyrics for the refrain appear verbatim in the 1951 Golden Guide "Stars".[3] They Might Be Giants re-arranged the song in an uptempo version for their 1998 live album, Severe Tire Damage, and their 2009 children's album, Here Comes Science, on which they added the self-penned "Why Does The Sun Really Shine? (The Sun is a Miasma of Incandescent Plasma)", which corrects several factual inaccuracies in the original song. It was also included on the soundtrack to the children's game show Carmen Sandiego: Out of This World.[4]
The second track, "Jessica", was originally recorded by The Allman Brothers Band for their 1973 album, Brothers and Sisters. The third track, "Whirlpool", is a song written by alternative rock band Meat Puppets, and can be found on their 1991 album, Forbidden Places. The fourth and final track, entitled "Spy", is the lone original track on the EP. It was later re-recorded for the band's successive studio album, John Henry, released in 1994.
Music video[]
A music video for the song's animated sun Maciek Albrecht was featured in an episode of the Nickelodeontelevision seriesKaBlam!. In the video, a group of students are listening to a scientist talk about the sun which makes its way to them and shines its brightest.[5]
Track listings[]
Main release[]
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Why Does the Sun Shine? (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas)"
^Zim, Herbert S. and Baker, Robert H. (1951). Stars. NY: Golden Press. pp. 16 (1975 printing). "The sun is a mass of incadescent gas: a gigantic nuclear furnace where hydrogen is built into helium at a temperature of millions of degrees."
[2]