Song Meaning
The lyrics present a visceral, almost body-horror scenario with the repeated, unsettling image of "eels up inside ya." This invasion is described as "finding an entrance where they can," suggesting a loss of control and a violation of personal boundaries. The eels are not just physically present but are "boring through your mind, through your tummy, through your anus," creating a disturbing, all-encompassing sense of internal disruption. The sheer repetition of "Eels!" amplifies the feeling of being overwhelmed by this invasive force.
The central tension appears to be a transformation from a state of obsolescence and near-death to a chaotic, "nu rave" existence. The narrator was "obsolete," "couldn't hear the beat," and had "one foot in the grave." This dire condition is abruptly contrasted with a vibrant, albeit strange, new state. The phrase "nu rave" itself, combined with "It's a mash up! Pie and mash up!" suggests a forced, perhaps unappetizing, fusion of disparate elements.
The most striking craft element is the juxtaposition of the grotesque, invasive imagery of the eels with the celebratory, if nonsensical, "nu rave" declaration. The lyrics explicitly state, "Elements of the past and the future combining to make something not quite as good as either..." This meta-commentary reveals the underlying dissatisfaction with the current state, implying that the "nu rave" is a flawed amalgamation, a consequence of the invasive "eels" disrupting a more coherent past or future.
This lyrical construction is effective because it taps into a primal fear of internal violation and then pairs it with a disorienting, almost manic, sense of rebirth. The absurdity of the "eels" and the "mash up" creates a darkly humorous, unsettling effect. The narrator’s transformation, driven by this bizarre invasion, highlights a feeling of being fundamentally altered, not necessarily for the better, but with an undeniable, albeit chaotic, energy.
