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.
Cottonmouth
Melvins Lyrics
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Got your head bowed down
I got a mouth full of cotton
Duct taped down
I've been drinking too much Lysol
And my heads bowed too
The lyrics of Melvins's song "Cottonmouth" convey an overwhelming sense of despair and desperation. The opening lines describe a "mean little stealer" with their head bowed down, possibly referencing the singer's own sense of shame and guilt. This is followed by a vivid description of the singer's own condition, with his mouth full of cotton and duct-taped down. This suggests a stifled and muted existence, where the singer feels trapped and powerless.
The second half of the lyrics deepens the sense of despair, with the singer confessing to "drinking too much Lysol" and feeling like his head is bowed too. This is a reference to the singer's self-destructive tendencies, and suggests that they are facing some kind of overwhelming personal struggle. The song's overall tone is bleak, but there is a sense of defiance in the singer's willingness to express his pain and vulnerability.
Line by Line Meaning
Mean little stealer you
You are a wicked person who takes things that don't belong to you.
Got your head bowed down
You're ashamed of your actions and your head is lowered in guilt.
I got a mouth full of cotton
I'm feeling dry and dehydrated, like my mouth is filled with cotton.
Duct taped down
I feel trapped and constrained, like I'm tied down with duct tape.
I've been drinking too much Lysol
I've been consuming toxic substances, likely as a form of escapism or self-harm.
And my heads bowed too
Similar to the first line, I am also feeling guilty and ashamed.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DALE CROVER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind