Hammering the Cramps

100% this is about dealing with heroin withdrawal. Cramps are one of the most significant symptoms of the sickness that accompanies withdrawal. Given Mark's documented issues and the overall sonic impact of this track, there's no doubt in my mind as to what this song means.

The lyrics to this song are at once disturbing and so simplistic as to mean nothing. But I like the song anyway. I dig the guitar, I think.

No idea what this song means but it sounds awesome. Like all of their songs.

why are the lyrics disturbing? i dont find them to be. i also...do not understand the song haha i just love the guitar though, the whole sound of it too.

Captain Howdy is from the exorcist. Before the girl gets possessed she shows her mom a Ouija board and says "Captain Howdy moves it" then she says something like "you can't see him". I still don't get it, at all.

It's seems to me Mark it's trying to coop with the fact that things are changing. the reason he's asking "Can you fly?" is because things are changing, like vehicle = planes This type of imagery is simply genius and is very hard to explain. And the "hammering the cramps" is simply saying that he's trying to deal with the changes until some great god like figure appears, "captain Howdy", "we can't see him" "we can't see them"

see he adds Him and Them.....Him being the god like figure and Them being the angels he sends down. I could be very much wrong, but this is just an idea. Wasn't he doing Herion at the time?

Hammering the cramps. To me, It's like trying to cure a disease but the more you try, the worst it gets. I think this song is about being high. This could sound a little offensive but is my interpretation.

Perfect song for me tonight! Aspirin and IbProfen are NOT working and soon I'm going to resort to a hammer to feel pain elsewhere! Actually, it's a foolish song and I doubt even the band knows about that which it sang ;)

I think, even though Mark is a tremendous song writer, this song is one that might have been thrown together for phonetic reasons rather than lyrical. Loads of songwriters do it, not a bad thing at all unless maybe every song on the album is done in this way. Anyway my interpretation is maybe Mark had been hammering The Cramps on his stereo a lot that month.

to me its about coping with herion withdrawal cramps being the most common physical problem.when the heroin is wearing off .hammering means getting rid off something .sadly in this case probably taking more smack