A History of Bad Men
The Melvins Lyrics

The Melvins’ “A History of Bad Men” is a song that tackles the concepts of fear and paranoia in society. The lyrics are an invocation to wake up from a state of apathy and face the dangers that could be lurking around us. The singer uses the image of someone who is sick and tries to spread the disease to others as a metaphor for those who embody malevolent intentions. He speaks about how it is difficult to identify the threat in time and prevent it from spreading. The line “Tell me, how will we know they can't hear us coming?” highlights that the antagonist is cunning and elusive, waiting for his opportunity to strike. The fear of being exposed as vulnerable becomes the driving force to take action; hence, the urgency in the plea of the song's lyrics.

The chorus of “Dire, dire, dire, it's fleeting” is a warning that the problem is dire and decaying but also that it may take time to change things. The concept of “fleeting” indicates that opportunities are slipping away and that there is a sense of urgency in taking the necessary action to stop the exploitation. The verse “Did you hear that? I got a real bad feeling” is an indicator that the issue is looming and not to be taken lightly. The final line “Don’t make a sound; they're not dead, just sleeping” seems to indicate that while there may be no immediate threat, there is still a potential danger to come.