The Golden Eel
"The Golden Eel" is a song by Ween from the 1997 album The Mollusk.
Song Details[edit | edit source]
The lead vocals are sung by Gene Ween.
"The Golden Eel" was one of the earliest songs written in the creative process for The Mollusk. It was written by Gene Ween in the fall of 1995 within the first two weeks of the first beach house recording sessions for the album.[1] The song is about an actual golden eel that Gene's roommate had. The line "sitting alone in the den, watching the eel" is a literal description of the activity Gene was doing when he was inspired to write the song. Dean added, "The fact that we were on shrooms or liquid kinda goes without saying."[2]
Ween first played "The Golden Eel" live several times in the spring of 1996 as a duo with DAT-deck accompaniment.[3] Ween debuted the song with the full live band on the Comedy Central show Viva Variety in April of 1997, two months before the release of The Mollusk. Notably, this appearance was Ween's very first live performance with the modern lineup, including Dave Dreiwitz on bass and Glenn McClelland on keyboards.[4] "The Golden Eel" was played frequently on the subsequent Mollusk tour, and has remained a common live Ween song ever since.[5]
In addition, "The Golden Eel" has been played numerous times individually by both Gene Ween (solo acoustic and with the Gene Ween Band) and Dean Ween (with the Dean Ween Group).[6]
Live Intro[edit | edit source]
[April 18th, 1996, debut performance]
- Dean: This is my new thing here. This is my new direction. Since Jerry died this is my domain
- Gene: Look how fucked up this shit is. I'm reading the lyric sheet here.
- Dean: Alright this is brand new.
- Gene: This is called The Golden Eel, mang.
- Dean: Kirk put that magical mystical sound, you got it? Here comes [???] on your ass.
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
Official lyrics were printed in the liner notes of The Mollusk album:
Sitting alone in the den
Watching the eel
Help me find my way home
Watching the eel
Burrows its head in the sand
Daylight has come
There shall be rest in a while
Daylight has come
I cannot repeal
The words of the golden eel
Who can explain all these thoughts
Racking my mind
An endless barrage of shit
Racking my mind
The eel offered his help
I can't understand
Speaking its truth from the bank
Now I can see
I cannot repeal
The words of the golden eel
I cannot reveal
The words of the golden eel[7]
Personnel[edit | edit source]
- Gene Ween: Vocals, Additional Guitar
- Dean Ween: Lead Guitar
- Claude Coleman: Drums
- Dave Dreiwitz: Bass Guitar
- Glenn McClelland: Synthesizers
Song Themes[edit | edit source]
Profanity/Swearing, Sung by Gene Ween
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ https://www.stereogum.com/1951136/weens-the-mollusk-turns-20-an-oral-history-by-mickey-melchiondo/reviews/the-anniversary/
- ↑ https://www.stereogum.com/1951136/weens-the-mollusk-turns-20-an-oral-history-by-mickey-melchiondo/reviews/the-anniversary/
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/every_time_played.php?band=all%20bands&song_id=210
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/setlist.php?band=all%20bands&show_id=633
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/every_time_played.php?band=all%20bands&song_id=210
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/every_time_played.php?band=all%20bands&song_id=210
- ↑ From the Mollusk liner notes