Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down)
"Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down)" is a song by Ween from the 1994 album Chocolate and Cheese.
Song Details[edit | edit source]
Recording and Composition[edit | edit source]
"Spinal Meningitis" is in the key of F# minor, though the song uses F# instead of the actual F#m chord.
The song was written as early as summer 1992, when an early version of the song was recorded at Greg Frey's Graphic Sound Studios. This version can be heard on the bootleg Chocolate and Cheese Demos: Summer 1992. Dean Ween had the idea for this song after reading a newspaper article that mentioned a hillbilly who referred to spinal meningitis as "Smile on, mighty Jesus."[1] The song was debuted live in the spring of 1993 with DAT deck accompaniment on the Pure Guava tour.[2]
The song was included as track two on Ween's Chocolate and Cheese album. Elektra representatives tried to convince Ween to move the song to a later position in the album for the sake of publicity, but the band refused.[3]
Live Performances[edit | edit source]
As of the Chocolate and Cheese tour, Ween began playing the song frequently and it has remained one of the most common live Ween songs ever since,[4] and is one of Dean's favorite songs to play.[5] During the Chocolate and Cheese tour, Claude Coleman sang backing vocals.
During the 1996 country tour, the song was adapted with country instrumentation, a recording of which (from 10/23/1996) can be heard on the album Live in Toronto Canada. Additionally, recordings from the White Pepper tour (7/7/2000)[6] and the Quebec tour (11/7–9/2003)[7] have been released on the albums Live at Stubb's and Live in Chicago, respectively.
In addition, "Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down)" has been often played individually by both Dean Ween (with the Dean Ween Group) and Gene Ween (solo acoustic and with the Gene Ween Band.[8]
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
Official lyrics were printed in the Chocolate and Cheese liner notes:
Why they wanna see my spine, mommy?
Why they wanna see my spine?
It's gonna hurt again, mommy
Much worse than last time
Am I gonna see God, mommy?
Am I gonna die?
It really hurts, mommy!
Am I gonna die?
Smile on mighty Jesus
Spinal meningitis got me down
I'm feelin' greasy, mommy
Please don't let me die
Stinky vaseline, mommy!
Please don't let me die
Am I gonna see God, mommy?
Am I gonna die?
It really hurts, mommy!
Am I gonna die?
Smile on mighty Jesus
Spinal meningitis got me down[9]
Song Themes[edit | edit source]
Sung by Dean Ween, Sung by Gene Ween, Tape Speed Manipulation
Credits[edit | edit source]
- Gene Ween: Vocals
- Dean Ween: Vocals, guitar
- Andrew Weiss: Bass
- Claude Coleman: Drums, vocals
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ H. Shteamer, Chocolate and Cheese, p.76–77
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/every_time_played.php?band=all%20bands&song_id=184
- ↑ H. Shteamer, Chocolate and Cheese, p.77
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/every_time_played.php?band=all%20bands&song_id=184
- ↑ "I love playing this one" - Dean
- ↑ It was played on both 7/7 and 7/8, however a check of the recordings (available via Brownbase) confirms that the 7/7 recording is the one used on the Stubb's album.
- ↑ Played on all 3 nights; which one was used for the album is unknown, since taping was not permitted at these shows.
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/every_time_played.php?band=all%20bands&song_id=184
- ↑ From the Chocolate and Cheese liner notes.