The Bends Lyrics

Lyric discussion by MysteryAvenger 

Cover art for The Bends lyrics by Mr. Bungle

From the descriptions given on the album and the sounds made.

  1. Man Overboard
  2. The Drowning Flute
  3. Aqua Swing (happy sounds)
  4. Follow the Bubbles (bubbles)
  5. Duet For Guitar and Oxygen Tank (door opens, starts breathing heavily)
  6. Nerve Damage (flat lining - medical equipment sound, rushing to the surface, running out of breath)
  7. Screaming Bends (dark eerie music)
  8. Panic In Blue (really starts to loose it, disorientated)
  9. Love on the Event Horizon (happy vocals, dahh da ends, with "aahh...ahh" in pain)
  10. Re-Entry (sounds like he is starting to hear surface sounds through the water, then re-enters the surface world).

It would seem obvious that the guy was thrown overboard, he sinks (Man Overboard) possibly unconscious, he wakes up disorientated (Drowning Flute), doesn't know for how long and see's he is going to drown, there is not much oxygen in the tank, loses his mind a bit under water (maybe dances with the fishes) ; ) (aqua swing)..thinning oxygen, then realises he has to re-surface fast, he starts climbing (following the bubbles to the surface/starting to get sick internally as he is climbing too fast), he tries to get to the surface before time runs out (Guitar and Oxygen Tank), suffers nerve damage (nerve damage), gets a severe case of the bends (Screaming Bends), Panics (Panic In Blue)....trying to get to the surface he gets an extreme sense of relief, he is almost there, it feels euphoric (Love on the event horizon) re-entry almost kills him, intense experience...

This episode leads into...."back stroking" maybe....he's lost his mind...temporarily...seeing things...

My Interpretation