Meaning of "Curl of the Burl" by Mastodon

"Curl of the Burl" delves into the darker side of human nature and our instinctual drives. The opening lines describe a violent act of revenge, where the narrator takes another person's life because they killed their goat. This act represents the primal desire for justice and retribution. The narrator reflects on the futile attempts of the man to reason with the sky and the clouds, emphasizing the insignificance of human attempts to find solace or justification in nature.

The lyrics then shift to a more introspective tone, describing the physical sensations experienced while cutting through pine trees. This act symbolizes a connection with the natural world and the satisfaction gained from the act of creation. The splinters in the narrator's skin are compared to needles and pins, highlighting the pain endured in this act of creation. The repetition of the phrase "It's just the curl of the burl" suggests that these destructive and violent tendencies are simply part of the inherent nature of the world - a curl, a twist, a deviation from what is considered "normal."

The chorus repeats the line "It's just the curl of the burl," emphasizing that this violent and destructive behavior is an inevitable part of the human experience. The "burl" can be seen as a metaphor for the dark, twisted, and hidden aspects of our psyche that manifest in moments of extreme emotion or instinctive action. It suggests that these actions are not anomalies, but rather an inherent part of the complex tapestry of the human experience.

The final lines, "I feed the powerless, Chew it up, spit out the rest" further explore the theme of primal instincts and self-preservation. It implies a callous disregard for those who are weaker, a survival of the fittest mentality where the narrator consumes the powerless and discards what is unnecessary.

Overall, "Curl of the Burl" conveys a gritty and primal understanding of humanity. It explores the destructive nature of revenge, the connection between humanity and the natural world, and the underlying primal instincts that drive our actions.