The Melvins are a sludge metal band that formed in Montesano, Washington, U… Read Full Bio ↴The Melvins are a sludge metal band that formed in Montesano, Washington, United States in 1983. The band currently consists of Buzz Osborne (vocals, guitar), Steven Shane McDonald (bass), and Dale Crover (drums). Osborne is the only remaining original member, although Crover has been a member since early in the band's career.

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.

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Melvins Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(I think we should probably uhh)
Toy, toy, toy, toy
Toy, toy, toy, toy
Toy, toy, toy, toy
Toy, toy, toy, toy
The simpletons are turnip white
More than all in time again
Take away the finest falling down

Let it all go
Let it all be alone
Be now
Make it fit
Throw a fit are
In around and round

Find a velvet falling overhead
Looking for my door

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Toy" by Melvins seem to be somewhat abstract and open to various interpretations. One possible meaning could be that the singer is advocating for simplicity and detachment from material possessions. The repetition of "toy" throughout the song suggests a focus on materialism and perhaps a critique of society's obsession with consumerism. The line "let it all go, let it all be alone" could be seen as a call for individualism and independence from societal norms.

The next few lines, "be now, make it fit, throw a fit are in around and round" are more enigmatic, but could be interpreted as a call to action or a reminder to seize the present moment. The final line, "looking for my door," could be seen as a search for meaning or purpose in life.

Line by Line Meaning

I think we should probably uhh
I suggest that we engage in the activity of playing with a toy

Toy, toy, toy, toy
Repeatedly emphasizing the concept of a toy as the subject of the song

The simpletons are turnip white
The unintelligent individuals are pale and sickly in appearance

More than all in time again
Recurring pattern of being more than everything else

Take away the finest falling down
Remove the best part that is deteriorating

Let it all go
Abandon all worries and concerns

Let it all be alone
Leave everything isolated and detached

Be now
Live in the present moment

Make it fit
Adjust things until they work or fit properly

Throw a fit are
Possibly indicating an abrupt change or outburst

In around and round
Something is moving in a circular motion

Find a velvet falling overhead
Discover something soft and smooth that covers above

Looking for my door
Searching for a means of escape or exit

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANA ELIZABET BELLONE, ALVARO GIL MARIï¿½O DI LUCIANO, ALVARO GIL MARINO DI LUCIANO, IVAN EDUARDO GRAMATICO, DIEGO SEBASTIAN MUROVANKIN, FRANCISCO JAVIER PATERNO, PABLO FRANCISCO RETAMERO

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