"Mutilated Lips" is a song by American
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band
Ween
Ween is an American rock band from New Hope, Pennsylvania, formed in 1984 by Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo, better known by their respective stage names, Gene and Dean Ween. Generally categorized as an alternative rock band, the band a ...
. It was released as the lead single from their sixth studio album, ''
The Mollusk'' (1997), on June 24, 1997.
Composition
The song lyrics refer to being under the influence of psychedelic drugs. It explains that
while under the influence of psychedelics, the distorted perception of sight while looking at
an unattractive girl appearing to have mutilated lips.
The song's inclusion of acoustic guitar,
bongos
Bongos ( es, bongó) are an Afro-Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of small open bottomed hand drums of different sizes. They are struck with both hands, most commonly in an eight-stroke pattern called ''martillo'' (hammer). The ...
,
synths, and keyboards were said to give the song a "psych-folk trippiness."
The lyrics also make reference to the
Ethiopian
Ethiopians are the native inhabitants of Ethiopia, as well as the global diaspora of Ethiopia. Ethiopians constitute several component ethnic groups, many of which are closely related to ethnic groups in neighboring Eritrea and other parts of ...
emperor
Haile Selassie I
Haile Selassie I ( gez, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, Qädamawi Häylä Səllasé, ; born Tafari Makonnen; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia ('' ...
.
In other media
The lyrics "Mutilated lips give a kiss on the wrist of the worm like tips of tentacles expanding" was directly referenced in
the novel ''The Procession of Mollusks'' (2009) by Eric E. Olson.
The girl from "Mutilated Lips" was also a character in the novel.
Track list
#"Mutilated Lips – 3:49
#"
Ocean Man" – 2:07
References
Songs about drugs
1997 singles
Ween songs
1997 songs
Elektra Records singles
Songs written by Gene Ween
Songs written by Dean Ween
Songs about Haile Selassie
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