Why Does the Sun Shine (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas)

Songs

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". 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.

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.

7" vinyl

A. "Why Does the Sun Shine? (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas)" – 2:53 B. "Jessica" – 2:24

Personnel

Music

John Linnell – accordion, saxophone, bass clarinet, vocals

John Flansburgh – electric guitar, vocals

Brian Doherty – drums, glockenspiel

Kurt Hoffman – clarinet, saxophone

Frank London – trumpet

Graham Maby – bass

Production

They Might Be Giants (John Linnell & John Flansburgh) – producer

Patrick Dillett – music recording, mixing