Don't Let's Start: A Podcast About They Might Be Giants

50: JOHN HENRY - Part 4: O, Do Not Forsake Me with Wilbur Pauley!

Don't Let's Start: A Podcast About They Might Be Giants

Show Notes

It's our 50th episode! While we feel 1,000 years old, we discuss O, Do Not Forsake Me, the gothic centerpiece of They Might Be Giants' John Henry! Jordan and his indolent friend Dave try to piece together the possible references (or are they misbegotten notions?) in the song! But what do we know? Joining us in the second half of the episode is lead singer of O, Do Not Forsake Me, Wilbur Pauley!

Wilbur tells us all about his vocal group Hudson Shad, how he got started in music, and how he got involved with They Might Be Giants! We discuss the recording session for the song, his live performances with TMBG, and then some of his notable voice-over and vocal work in some quite popular and iconic movies you've seen! Do not forsake us! LISTEN NOW!

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More from Don't Let's Start: A Podcast About They Might Be Giants

Sep 30, 2026

We clear our inbox and fill your podcast box with our latest Letterbox special! So many boxes! We respond to listener e-mails that cover such frenzied topics as Bob Dylan, Cast Your Pod To The Wind, Factory Showroom stuff, TMBG's children's music, and of course, scarecrows of the grinning and filthy variety! And so much more, much, much more...Plus, long overdue addendums to our past episodes! More about songs from Flood, Apollo 18, et-friggin-cetera! Listen and listen well!

Jul 16, 2026

Get away! Unless you want to hear us talk about the demos and alternate versions of songs They Might Be Giants cooked up from the Factory Showroom era! There's too many lo-fi delights to list here, but let's just say, incidentally, you might want to buy your Token Back to Brooklyn, head to New York City, and hitch a ride on a Rocket Ship! What are you, some sort of Alternate Take of I Can Hear You? Stop standing around like there's something to get! Sit down and listen!

Jun 19, 2026

From May 28th to May 30th They Might Be Giants performed at Brooklyn Steel, only a short drive, or an absurdly long walk, away from Jordan and Dave. We interrupt our Factory Showroom run once again to bring you our official unofficial report. What songs were performed? And WHO performed them?!? (TMBG?) Listen and find out!

Apr 26, 2026

Look what the cat has dragged in! They Might Be Giants have released a new album, The World Is To Dig! And here's what you get: our reaction! Do we dig it? Did it make us sleep or go feral? Is it an overnight sensation or flawed garbage? (Ok that's a bit harsh, I'm just trying to make wordplay from the song titles, people!) Get down with Jordan and Dave's brains, put that telescope up to your ears and give this a slow, careful listen! Join us on Patreon!: patreon.com/c/dontletsstartpodcast

Apr 15, 2026

Why? Because it's extra, baby! In this episode we're kicking back onto our seductive red leather couch to discuss a few songs left off of They Might Be Giants' sixth album Factory Showroom that managed to slide right into the S-E-X-X-Y EP! Our big earth-shaking discussion is Sensurround, a catchy, crafty and collateral-damage filled John Linnell classic! We don't know where he got the idea for this song, but we go ballistic for it! Next is We've Got A World That Swings, a cute and...Oh, wait, sorry. Next is Unforgotten, a somber and soberingly sweet sentiment from John Flansburgh that surprised us! Is this song what we want at all? Hey, what's the hassle? The nutty We've Got A World That Swings is next. Even though by this point we're sleepy and yawning, we give it our all and dive into the history of this curious cover! What a lucky guy I am! And finally, we grab our glow sticks and rave out with our fellow kids to the feature length S-E-X-X-Y (The Warren Rigg Microwave Mix)! You don't have to know what we're thinking now, listen to the episode to find out!

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