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.
Harry Lauders Walking Stick Tree
Melvins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This time so right
Opening so vitally
Left to die
Drown in an over-bend
I let it out
Green was sympathy
In doubt
The lyrics of "Harry Lauders Walking Stick Tree" by Melvins are enigmatic and open to interpretation. The opening lines "Follow the ride/ This time so right/ Opening so vitally" suggest a sense of optimism and excitement, perhaps in anticipation of a new opportunity or adventure. However, the subsequent line "Left to die/ Drown in an over-bend" introduces a note of darkness and danger, implying that the singer is taking risks and willing to confront the possibility of failure or even death.
As the song continues, the lyrics become more enigmatic and fragmented, with lines like "I let it out/ Green was sympathy/ In doubt/ And all the rabbits have come and died" suggesting both a sense of release and a growing sense of disillusionment or despair. The image of the rabbits dying could be interpreted as a metaphor for losing one's innocence or experiencing a sense of futility or hopelessness in the face of adversity.
Overall, "Harry Lauders Walking Stick Tree" is a poetic and evocative song that explores themes of risk, anxiety, and disillusionment. While the meaning of the specific lyrics may be open to interpretation, the overall impression is one of emotional intensity and potent symbolism.
Line by Line Meaning
Follow the ride
Join me on this journey
This time so right
It feels like the perfect moment
Opening so vitally
This opportunity is crucial
Left to die
Abandoned to suffer alone
Drown in an over-bend
Submerged in overwhelming circumstances
I let it out
Expressed my emotions freely
Green was sympathy
Feelings of compassion were present
In doubt
Uncertain of what to do
And all the rabbits have come and died
The innocent and powerless have suffered and perished
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Luka Lapadat
This is such a strange song, can't even imagine the Melvins talking about it or recording it... They have many obscure gems like this one.
Jose Gomez
Superb song!
pentalarc
It's "All the rabbits have come and died" Full lyrics: Follow the ride This time so right Opening so vitally I let it ride Drowning in overhead I let it out Green was sympathy In doubt And all the rabbits have come and died
Chris Knight
Love how the time signature is uncertain, like a drunk person is imagining the song
Mark Deutrom
This is two songs that Buzz and I wrote completely separately, and then combined in the studio. Harry Lauder's Walking Stick Tree is another name for the Corylus Contorta. I had one growing in my garden at the time.
Kenny Loggins
its fantastic Mark
itookallthenames
I looked it up out of curiosity and found out it was a real tree, I thought it was random word association. I thought the last line was "and all the rabble, have come undone". I used to listen to this while driving in the snowy mountains of Australia.
Mr MysteryGuest
A guy I worked with invited me to a cosmic psycho show, supporting some other band (in Perth WA). Having a meal, pre show, saw this crazy looking guy crossing the road. Next thing I know, he's the singer from the main act. The next day I bought this album.
Amber
@MULESLAX yeah, melvins lyrics are unique.