The Reality™ Institute

TMBG rule as we all know. This song tells the story of a few types of people but whether your big or small no-one really gives a damn. Triangle man illustrates the restrictions, boundaries and protocols we all follow. (Or just the combined power of Foster & Allan, these irish folk singers could kill us all!) 

haha i completely agree! although, i feel tmbg are genious’s in desguise! 

It’s been suggested to me that the different “men” in this song represent different social forces - science, religion (the triangle for the Trinity), fate and the common man - and the conflicts between them (and how the common man always gets crapped on, no matter who’s fighting or who wins). However, I think this is just one way to listen to this song - I like to listen to it and think of absurd, melodramatic pro wrestler personas. (Or is that personae?) 

It seems like everyone has a different story for what this songs means:

http://www.tmbg.org/band-info/songs/interp/ParticleMan.html

But that’s the greatest part about this song: so simple, yet so deep at the same time. 

…i think this song is about a guy made of particles… a guy with a head shaped like a triangle… a really, really big guy… and also a really plain guy whom no one loves… don’t try and look too deep intot his song… your head will hurt. 

lol this was on Animaniacs shown like that belthazar. Namingway that’s an awesome thought….I never took the time to think about it before, but if they are thinking that much into it they rule even more! 

isn’t this a cover song? I know another band (The Bobs) does an accapella version, but i think they wrote it. I could be wrong though, it’s a great song. I love Tiny Toons. 

Okay people…they’re just screwing around! I agree with belthazar…don’t look into this song too much or you’re head will hurt. So there! 

namingway is right! Particle Man represents microscopic theoretical constructs, Universe Man represents huge theoretical constructs, and Triangle Man represents the church and its attempts to stifle logic-based explanations of the laws of Nature. Person Man is the poor individual trapped between these views, and Triangle Man not only hates Particle Man for going against what the church teaches, he also hates Person Man because the church often wants to dumb down and control the people (in the most extreme cases anyway). 

first off…floggingmolly….tmbg definatley wrote particle man, not the Bobs, im a fan of both and trust me i know. Ive read lots of different theories about this song including the ones at the site Linoqe listed above. Everything from the holy trinity to the pathagory therom…..there are so many ways to interperet this song….and triangles….that it almost seems that Tmbg just wrote this song so that everyone could make their own little theories……wenever i get bored in class i always make little cartoon drawings of particle man triangle man universe man person man ect……and educate people with it on TMBG ….awsoem tune 

First of all, you shouldn’t take TMBG’s lyrics so seriously. Second of all I’ve been to one of their concerts, and THEY said they wrote “Partical Man” when they were children. 

wow, seriously, i mean i listend to that song with my broter and we loved it, in a STUPID way, my opinion is, you are either drunk or stoned, so i think its ridiculous to put a deeper thinking in there… ok maybe when you’re stoned and drunk yourself it might make sense to you but it’s only meant to be a funny song, 
c’mon guys! 

myoria - do you always take TMBG seriously when they say something? 

No! That is what I am trying to tell you! Don’t take TMBG seriously, or you’ll end up on an overdose of asprin for a throbbing head. ^^ 
I HAVE been to their concert, and that is what they said, IN PERSON. 

1 Reply  · 

I believe the first three “men” listed are in ascending order of dimensional complexity. The point, the plane and the time/space omniverse. Person man cannot see beyond himself, living his life in confined area that seeks no positive inputs only negative waste.
The question, “who came up with person man?” is made not by the narrator, but by the person itself. This is why it is hated. Just like the particle asking about its relevance to other things. The question is inherently juvenile. These things are what they are. Universe man knows his place. Traingle man knows what he is. The better question for person man is how do I be? 

I bet Universe man could kick Triangle man’s ass — especially if Triangle man tried to hassle Smaller man.