How I Learned International Relations

"The Alphabet of Nations" by They Might Be Giants.

Weird, wacky stuff. I used to be a serious geography nerd, but the last time I went head-to-head on world capitals I was taken to school by a true master who nailed me with something like a Togo-Zambia one-two punch at which point I had to concede that I was past my prime and since then I've only grown rustier.

Comments

Just in case anyone misses the joke.

Posted by MattF | August 14, 2007 10:29 AM

Still does not compare to this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XAaqJhLrUhM

Posted by Rob | August 14, 2007 10:41 AM

This misspelled Israel and included Palestine in the Animaniacs song. I bet the next song was the Ballad of the USS Liberty.

Posted by turkey | August 14, 2007 11:18 AM

"I'd like to send this letter to the Prussian consulate in Siam by aeromail. Am I too late for the 4:30 autogyro?" -C.M. Burns

I still can't keep straight the various Congos and Zaire.

Posted by Njorl | August 14, 2007 11:21 AM

Zaire is no longer the current name of any country. The former Zaire is now called the Democratic Republic of Congo, or sometimes Congo-Kinshasa (after its capital city)

Congo-Brazzaville is a neighboring country with its capital at Brazzaville. When the former Congo was called Zaire, the latter was simply called Congo.

Yes, still a geography nerd at 26. It does come in handy whenever pub quizzes roll around.

Posted by Matt Schiavenza | August 14, 2007 11:54 AM

If AFN (Armed Forces Network: the single TV station the Army provided for folks overseas) was good for anything it was this. I really wish they'd put some "commercials" like the ones they had on TV here. Helped me win the local Geography Bee in 5th grade. :)

But being an Army brat and travelling the world over in itself kinda gets one interested in geography too.

Posted by bubba | August 14, 2007 11:55 AM

Togo and Zambia? You're a rank amateur. It's the Caribbean and Pacific island nations that separate the men from the boys.

Posted by John | August 14, 2007 1:36 PM

While you are learning your international relations from They Might Be Giants, be sure to pick up lesson 2, their cover of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)":

http://youtube.com/watch?v=73TtWwPkPFM

Posted by Dilan Esper | August 14, 2007 2:58 PM

These days Strange Maps is where I get my geography geek on.

Posted by Sangfroid826 | August 14, 2007 3:04 PM

Even nerdier: I can still sing along with Yakko. Of more practical value (as a Canadian), however, was Wakko's song listing the state capitals.

Posted by shawn | August 14, 2007 7:43 PM

It's not DoMINica, it's DominICa.

Posted by Randy Paul | August 14, 2007 9:04 PM