James K. Polk " is a song by alternative rock band They Might Be Giants , about the United States president of the same name . Originally released in 1990 as a B-side to the single " Istanbul ( Not Constantinople ) " , its first appearance on a studio album was 1996 's '' Factory Showroom '' . It also appeared on their compilation albums '' Dial-A-Song : 20 Years of They Might Be Giants '' and '' A User 's Guide to They Might Be Giants '' . The song is about James K. Polk , 11th President of the United States , beginning with a description of the 1844 Democratic National Convention and going on to cover some of the highlights of Polk 's presidency . Although the band set out to write a song consisting entirely of historical facts , it includes a few errors or misstatements
1844 Democratic National Convention
1844 Democratic National Convention
James K. Polk (song)