Stephen Brodsky has been the vocalist and guitarist of Cave In since its formation in 1995 and Ben Koller has been the drummer of Converge since 1999. Both members have also played in each of those bands at some point; Brodsky was Converge's bassist from 1997 to 1998 and Koller was Cave In's drummer from 2005 to 2006.
Website: mutoidman.com
Bandages
Mutoid Man Lyrics
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A version of me falling tree
Scab in the shape of my heart
You could build a model
Of one that loved so free
Bandages on me
Bandages I need to cut off the blood
Scabs on the skin of my knees
You're making me crawl
Back into the womb
Bandages on me
I′m wounded in love
Bandages I need to cut off the blood
Tied to that pain gripping my soul
It's starting to rain and I'm losing
Losing control
The lyrics of Mutoid Man's song "Bandages" portray a sense of emotional pain that one goes through after heartbreak, by employing a series of metaphors. The first two lines "Scab in the shape of my face, a version of me falling tree" paints a picture of the aftermath of a fall, which caused injury that eventually led to a scab in the shape of his face. The metaphor suggests that he has been hurt emotionally, and now, after the healing process, he wears the scars of his heartbreak in his face. The scab acts as a physical manifestation of the emotional wound he carries.
The metaphorical depiction continues in the next verse, as he sings "Scab in the shape of my heart, you could build a model of one that loved so free." The lyrics illustrate that his heart, where he once possessed the capability to love so fiercely and passionately, has now become scarred, and that his former emotional self-representation was one of free love, but now lies in the shape of an emotional scab.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Bandages on me, I'm wounded in love," symbolizing the pain he is in post-breakup or after a heartbreak, and the need to remove the bandages that have been put on to invalidate or ignore his emotional pain. The metaphor in the song is consistent, illustrating his vulnerability through scabs and bandages, while revealing the pain and sadness he feels.
Line by Line Meaning
Scab in the shape of my face
A scar in the form of my visage
A version of me falling tree
A version of myself falling like a tree
Scab in the shape of my heart
A scar in the form of my heart
You could build a model
One could construct a replica
Of one that loved so free
Of someone who loved so freely
Bandages on me
Dressings covering me
I'm wounded in love
I'm injured in matters of the heart
Bandages I need to cut off the blood
Dressings I must remove to stop the flow of blood
Scabs on the skin of my knees
Scars on the skin of my knees
You're making me crawl
You're causing me to crawl
Back into the womb
Back into the uterus
Tied to that pain gripping my soul
Bound to that agony clutching my spirit
It's starting to rain and I'm losing
Rain is beginning to fall and I'm starting to falter
Losing control
Losing the ability to govern oneself
Writer(s): Benjamin Koller, Stephen Brodsky, Nick Cageao
Contributed by Tyler G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.