Blues Traveler is a rock band, formed in Princeton, New Jersey in 1987. The… Read Full Bio ↴Blues Traveler is a rock band, formed in Princeton, New Jersey in 1987. The band's music covers a variety of genres, including blues rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock, soul, and Southern rock.
Currently, the group comprises singer and harmonica player John Popper, guitarist Chan Kinchla, drummer Brendan Hill, bassist Tad Kinchla and keyboardist Ben Wilson. Tad Kinchla and Ben Wilson joined the band following the death of original bassist Bobby Sheehan in 1999.
While Blues Traveler is best known among fans for their improvisational live shows, the general public is most familiar with the group from their Top 40 singles "Run-Around" and "Hook". They gained mainstream popularity after their fourth studio album four, released in 1994. Sheehan's death and Popper's struggle with obesity put a damper on the group's success, and A&M dropped the band in 2002.

Mulling It Over
Blues Traveler Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm mulling it over
Thoughts at a grasp
You know I'm taking it in now
So much, so fast
I'm riding a feeling
Into deeper seas
I can't seem to fret now
It don't bother me

'Cause I'm mulling it over, yeah
Said I'm mulling it over
I said I'm mulling it over
I said I'm mulling it over

Oh, mulling it over
I said I'm mulling it mulling it
Mulling it mulling it
Mulling it over mulling it over

Twinkle twinkle little star
Wish I could afford a guitar
Sing a song of sixpence, pocketful of rye
Wish it was more than crumbs I could buy

Meet forever after
Don't he dress real well
You know he's clutching his chest now
Or couldn't you tell
Desperate to score now
No matter how hard he tries
You know he's strung out on future
See it in his eyes

And I'm mulling it over
Said I'm mulling it over
I said I'm mulling it over

I said I'm mulling it over
And over and over and over and over, yeah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Blues Traveler's Mulling It Over suggest the singer is contemplating various thoughts, possibly in a state of introspection or even confusion. The opening lines reveal that the singer is trying to grasp thoughts and ideas, perhaps after being inundated with information. Despite feeling overwhelmed, the singer is still able to remain calm and not get bogged down by the complexity of their thoughts. The repeated phrase, "I'm mulling it over," s reflects this state of careful consideration and the desire to think deeply through different scenarios without making any rash decisions.

The next verse references familiar aphorisms, such as "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "Sing a Song of Sixpence," to suggest the singer's yearning for a more stable and secure life. The singer seems to want more than just crumbs or random life experiences; they want something more substantial, like a guitar or a pocketful of coins. The following verse describes another person who appears desperate to succeed and move forward at all costs, even if it means sacrificing their own well-being. The singer recognizes this person's predicament, and it makes them ponder their own life circumstances. The use of repetition towards the end of the song reinforces the ambivalence of the singer and their continual rumination on their thoughts.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm mulling it over
Taking some time to think over something.

Thoughts at a grasp
Processing the thoughts in a logical manner.

You know I'm taking it in now
Undergoing a process of contemplation.

So much, so fast
Overwhelmed with a great deal of information or circumstances.

I'm riding a feeling
Experiencing a deep emotional connection.

Into deeper seas
Going into uncharted territories.

I can't seem to fret now
Not being worried or concerned about anything.

It don't bother me
Being at ease and relaxed.

'Cause I'm mulling it over, yeah
Reiterating the fact that the thought process is ongoing.

Twinkle twinkle little star
Rhetorical question, wishing for something out of reach.

Wish I could afford a guitar
Expressing desire for something unattainable.