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.
The Bit
Melvins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not for the size of me
Into my mouth
Nine-hundred and fourteen
Try some force
Try to lead
The foundling die is close determinate
I'm not even sound raide
I'm alive
I got the silver
And I wonder
What will you follow?
When your head is not in order
And I'm stomping your little
How can you laugh
How can you lie awake
Making me drive
Making my heart a
Not too fat
Not to lean
The foundling die, is close excitedly
Raise head and stomp the blood
I'm not even soundly
The song begins with a cryptic statement, "This is for cows". It might sound like a reference to them being fed and ready for slaughter, but it is in fact an ode to the Melvins' hometown, Montesano, which has a rich history in the cattle industry. The next line, "It's not for the size of me" speaks to the frustration of feeling limited and confined by one's physical size or circumstance. The line "Into my mouth, nine hundred and fourteen" is a nod to the crow-themed graphics on the album cover (which features a plaque with those numbers). The significance of those numbers is unclear, but it adds to the overall strangeness of the Melvins' aesthetic.
The song then takes a dark turn, with lines like "Try some force, try to lead" and "The foundling die is close determinate". These lines could be interpreted as a commentary on controlled aggression, with the singer trying to channel their violent tendencies in a specific direction. The imagery of "stomping the blood" is unsettling and suggests that the singer is not in a stable state of mind. The line "I'm not even sound raide" might be a play on words, with "raide" being a French word for "striped". This could be a reference to the singer's mental state being "striped" or unstable.
The chorus, "I'm alive, I got the silver, and I wonder, what will you follow?" is an interesting contrast to the dark verses. "I'm alive" could be seen as a celebration of life, and "got the silver" is likely a reference to the idiom "to come in second place". The line "what will you follow?" could be interpreted as a challenge or a call to action. Overall, the lyrics of "The Bit" are enigmatic and open to interpretation, but they showcase the Melvins' unique brand of surreal, unpredictable music.
Line by Line Meaning
This is for cows
This song is meant for people who are ignorant and easily manipulated.
It's not for the size of me
The song is not meant to be judged by the performer's physical stature.
Into my mouth
The singer is consuming something or someone, possibly using them for his own benefit.
Nine-hundred and fourteen
A random number that may hold significance to the writer or performer, or it could be meaningless.
Try some force
An instruction to exert pressure or coercion upon someone or something.
Try to lead
The singer is attempting to influence someone or something to follow his direction.
The foundling die is close determinate
Death is inevitable and imminent.
Raise head and stomp the blood
A call to aggression and violence, possibly towards an enemy.
I'm not even sound raide
The singer is not making sense, possibly due to drug or alcohol use.
I'm alive
Acknowledging one's existence.
I got the silver
The singer has wealth or a valuable possession.
And I wonder
The singer is pondering something.
What will you follow?
Asking the listener what they will align themselves with.
When your head is not in order
Lack of mental clarity or focus.
And I'm stomping your little
The singer is exerting physical dominance over someone or something weaker than him.
How can you laugh
Questioning how someone can find humor in something that is not supposed to be funny.
How can you lie awake
Curious if someone is losing sleep or worried about something.
Making me drive
Something or someone is causing the singer to take action or move forward.
Making my heart a
Some external force is affecting the singer emotionally.
Not too fat
A reference to one's physical appearance, with a preference for not being overweight.
Not too lean
A reference to one's physical appearance, with a preference for not being underweight.
The foundling die, is close excitedly
Death is quickly approaching and it's causing excitement or agitation.
Raise head and stomp the blood
Reinforcing the call to action and aggression earlier in the song.
I'm not even soundly
Further emphasizing the singer's state of mental incoherence or confusion.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DALE CROVER, ROGER OSBORNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind