In the early days of their career their dark, heavy, oppressively slow sound made them innovators of genres like sludge, grunge, and doom metal. The Melvins' music is influenced by Flipper, Black Flag's My War-era hardcore punk and Black Sabbath-style heavy metal, but their idiosyncratic approach, bizarre sense of humor, and experimentation make neat categorization difficult. Singer/guitarist Buzz Osborne (aka "King Buzzo") and drummer Dale Crover are constant members while several bass guitarists have cycled through the group. The Melvins usually performed as a trio until 2006 when two members of Big Business became permanent members of the band.
The band was named after a grocery clerk at the Thriftway in Montesano, Washington where Osborne was employed. Melvin was the most-hated fellow employee and the band felt it to be an appropriate name. Like SF noisenik predecessors Flipper, their love of slow tempos and sludgy sound were a strong influence on grunge music, especially Nirvana and many other bands from Seattle. Their protegés, however, tended to use more conventional musical structures with this sound.
Though the group has received mostly positive critical notice, Crover's drumming has been especially praised; Patrick Kennedy describes his work as "astonishing, powerful, and daring."
While never finding and most likely never even seeking great mainstream success, the Melvins maintain an impressive schedule of new albums and tours, including a collaboration with Fantômas in The Fantômas Melvins Big Band, two releases with former Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra, and in 2004 the Melvins collaborated with ambient artist Lustmord for Pigs of the Roman Empire. In appreciation of their devoted fans, the Melvins have released various collectables through the years that have included two-headed dolls, an eight-track tape, and a plastic fetus in a jar.
Fellow Aberdeen resident Kurt Cobain (a good friend of Crover) was a huge Melvins fan and helped them transport their equipment to a few shows. Cobain also auditioned to join the band on bass, but he didn't make it, reportedly because he was so nervous that he forgot all the songs. Cobain maintained his relation with the band. Later he produced and played on some songs (guitar on "Sky Pup", percussion on "Spread Eagle Beagle") on the band's major label debut, Houdini. Dale Crover is also attributed as playing on the Nirvana debut album, Bleach, and on "Incesticide". In addition, Dave Grohl (ex-drummer for Nirvana) co-wrote and played drums for Isabella on Buzzo's Melvins solo album, King Buzzo.
Ballad of Dwight Fry
Melvins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was gone for fourteen days
Could have been gone for more
Held up in the intensive care ward
Lyin on the floor
I was gone for all those days
But I was not all alone
In the Danger Zone
See my lonely life unfold
I see it every day
See my only mind explode
When I'm gone away
I think I lost some weight there
And I really need some rest
Sleeping don't come very easy
In a straight white vest
Shaw'd like to see those little children
She's only four years old
I'd give her back all of her playthings
Even those I stole
See my lonely life unfold
I see it every day
See my only mind explode
When I've gone insane
[Extra verse from the Alice Cooper original, sung live sometimes]:
I grabbed my hat and I got my coat
And I ran into the street
I saw a man that was choking there
I guess he couldn't breathe
Said to myself this is very strange
I'm glad it wasn't me
But now I hear those sirens callin'
And so I am not free
See my lonely life unfold
I see it every day
See my only mind explode
When I've gone insane
The Ballad of Dwight Fry by Melvins is a cover of the original song by Alice Cooper, and it tells the story of a man who experiences a mental breakdown and is institutionalized. The lyrics paint a picture of the singer's time spent in the intensive care ward, where he is lonely and struggling to come to terms with his situation. He reminisces about his life before his breakdown, mentioning his wife and child and regretting his past mistakes.
The lyrics also touch on the theme of the danger of isolation and the importance of human connection. Even though the singer is in a hospital surrounded by people, he still feels alone and disconnected from the world. The imagery of his mind exploding highlights the overwhelming nature of his mental illness and the desire to escape from it.
Overall, the song is a powerful and emotional portrayal of mental illness and the struggles that come with it. The instrumentation in the Melvins cover emphasizes the intensity of the lyrics, adding to the rawness and emotional impact of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I was gone for fourteen days
The singer was absent for two weeks.
Could have been gone for more
The singer could have been away for an extended period.
Held up in the intensive care ward
The singer was treated in the hospital's intensive care ward.
Lyin on the floor
The artist was in a helpless state while lying down on the floor.
I was gone for all those days
The artist's absence lasted throughout the entire duration of their stay in the hospital.
But I was not all alone
The singer found companionship amongst fellow patients.
I made friends with a lot of people
The singer socialized with other patients.
In the Danger Zone
The hospital is a risky and potentially life-threatening environment.
See my lonely life unfold
The artist is witness to their joyless existence unravel.
I see it every day
The artist experiences this depressing reality on a daily basis.
See my only mind explode
The singer's already troubled state of mind reaches a breaking point.
When I'm gone away
These feelings become more profound during periods of isolation.
I think I lost some weight there
The singer lost weight while in the hospital.
And I really need some rest
The singer still requires additional time to recover.
Sleeping don't come very easy
Although weary, restful sleep does not come naturally to the singer.
In a straight white vest
The artist is clothed in a plain white hospital garment.
Shaw'd like to see those little children
The artist yearns to see young kids again.
She's only four years old
The specific child the singer is thinking of is four years of age.
I'd give her back all of her playthings
The singer would like to restore the child's previous toys.
Even those I stole
Even items the artist took contrary to social norms.
When I've gone insane
The artist's mental state has reached a point of instability.
I grabbed my hat and I got my coat
The artist suddenly leaves their location with haste.
And I ran into the street
The singer ventures outside.
I saw a man that was choking there
The artist observes a stranger in need of life-saving assistance.
I guess he couldn't breathe
The choking man is likely experiencing respiratory issues.
Said to myself this is very strange
The singer finds the overall situation peculiar.
I'm glad it wasn't me
The singer is grateful they are not the one experiencing the distress.
But now I hear those sirens callin'
Police or other authorities are likely summoning assistance for the man in trouble.
And so I am not free
The artist's day is disrupted or prevented from continuing as they had originally planned.
Contributed by Lillian O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.