The Mollusk (song)
"The Mollusk" is a song by Ween from the 1997 album The Mollusk.
Song Details[edit | edit source]
"The Mollusk" was one of the earliest songs written in the creative process for the Mollusk album, in the fall of 1995 during the first two weeks of the first beach house recording sessions for that album. The song was written collaboratively by Dean and Gene Ween. Dean started by writing and recording the guitar chords, as well as the song's distinctive sound effect, made by "this little module that I plugged into a keyboard that made those really trippy swirling sounds".[1] Gene Ween then wrote and recorded the lyrics and vocal melody.[2] The early demo version of the song produced during these sessions can be heard on the semi-official The Mollusk Sessions. The final version heard on the Mollusk album was re-recorded at Claude Coleman's house.[3]
Dean Ween has said of "The Mollusk", "Of all the songs Aaron and I have written together, that’s hands-down my favorite." He also described it as the linchpin that solidified their idea of what the album's concept would be. "If we were on to something before, now it was anchored. . . . The 'Mollusk' song was like the missing fucking puzzle piece that was gonna pull the whole album together."[4]
Live Performances[edit | edit source]
Ween played "The Mollusk" live with DAT deck accompaniment twice in the spring of 1996, over a year before the release of the album version. The following year, they played the song heavily on the Mollusk tour, and it has remained a very common live Ween song ever since.[5] In addition, "The Mollusk" has been played numerous times individually by both Gene Ween (solo acoustic) and Dean Ween (with the Dean Ween Group).[6]
Live Intro[edit | edit source]
[From April 18th, 1996, debut]
- Dean: We were making a record down in long beach island here in New Jersey, starting last fall, and in January, the pipes burst and flooded out the entire record and the studio. But Golden Eel is part of the concept, and this is The Mollusk, also part of our concept that we're onto. It's a concept album. That's what I'm trying to say. We're very conceptual now.
- Gene: We're going to have to stop playing soon cause our stuff is getting yknow, too intricate.
- Dean: This is our magical long beach island flutist featured on this song.
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
Official lyrics were printed in the liner notes of The Mollusk album:
Hey little boy, whatcha got there?
Kind sir, it's a mollusk I've found
Did you find it in the sandy ground?
Does it emulate the ocean's sound?
Yes, I found it on the ground
Emulating the ocean's sound
Bring forth the mollusk cast unto me
Let's be forever, let forever be free
Hey little boy, come walk with me
And bring your new found mollusk along
Does it speaketh of the trinity?
Can it gaze at the sun with its wandering eye?
Yes, it speaks of the trinity
Casting light at the sun with its wandering eye
Bring forth the mollusk, cast unto me
Let's be forever, let forever be free
You see there are three things that spur the mollusk from the sand
The waking of all creatures that live on the land
And with just one faint glance back into the sea
The mollusk lingers with its wandering eye[7]
Song Themes[edit | edit source]
Sung by Gene Ween, Uncommon Time Signature
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://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=213
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/every_time_played.php?band=all%20bands&song_id=213
- ↑ From the Mollusk liner notes