# The meaning of the lyrics of "Lump" by the Presidents of the United States of America **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 19, 2008, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371 "2008-09-19T22:10:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/21 "2014-08-04T13:31:16Z")
Huh, I always assumed Lump was a frog. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/22 "2014-08-04T14:48:22Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > We meet our protagonist as he is embarking to his new home outside of the city, presumably on a collective farm. He looks forward to the paradise that awaits, as illustrated in the fanciful image of peaches available to him in unlimited quantities, at no cost. Rather than being sold in distant markets, the literal fruits of his labor are made available to him as a worker. And this is no slave camp. In this farm workers are have the freedom to relax as needed, filled with the bounty of nature and labor. > > With that in mind, he takes a moment to contemplate the dignity of the labor that produces this abundance. From his own collective farm to the industrialized factories in urban areas, the humble peach has been turned into a product with great value, in pies or otherwise. > > He then thinks of an unspecified woman, who he perhaps left behind as he serves his country. With some lingering emotion, he exceeds power over the peach (and perhaps nature itself), crushing it. Returning to the theme of nature, he then turns the peach into a shelter for ants. This echoes the them of collective labor (like so many busy ants) producing a safe space out of nature’s bounty. What about the [ninjas?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV14jq2n-jg#t=2m7s) ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/23 "2014-08-04T15:38:07Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > “Peaches” is about a guy who likes having sex with country girls. I always assumed it was about a man having sex with peaches. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/24 "2014-08-04T16:47:54Z")
I got this album for my 13th birthday, and really loved it. I still think it is good music, though not anything world-changing. I’ve always tried to take PUSA’s “less is more” message to heart. I never listened to their second album, and completely lost track of them after that. Did they break up? Get back together? I guess a trip to Wikipedia is in order… ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/25 "2014-08-04T18:45:30Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > I guess a trip to Wikipedia is in order… I took that trip and found the [explanation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Presidents_of_the_United_States_of_America_%28album%29#Composition)for the lyrics to both “Lump” and “Peaches.” > [@](#): > > Though “Peaches” met the most critical success, the band credits “Lump” as their favorite single. The song’s strange lyrics came from a dream that Ballew had while fighting pneumonia. The antibiotics he was taking caused an allergic reaction that produced several consecutive nights of wild and crazy dreams. The lyrics for “Peaches” were written about a crush Ballew used to have on a girl. According to him, she had a peach tree in the front of her yard, and when he finally summoned the courage to go talk to her, he stood under the tree and smashed peaches in his fist until he decided not to talk to her. Now what kind of meaning can we find in the song “Kitty”? ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/26 "2014-08-04T18:54:51Z")
> [@Apwalker](#): > > Perhaps earlier commentators missed the revelation c 1996 that POTUSA formed more or less on a dare. Originally formed as an impromptu party band, there was a wager that they couldn’t come up with an album-length of material in an impossibly short period of time. If memory serves that first album is under 30 minutes long. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/27 "2014-08-04T21:41:34Z")
The lead singer and lyricist now does double duty with a “Kindie” rock band… (kids music with an indie flavor). He calls himself [Caspar Babypants](http://babypantsmusic.com/)and has some catchy songs that could be passed off as Presidents stuff. My boys love them. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/28 "2014-08-05T03:00:43Z")
“She don’t eat meat but she sure like the bone” Says everything you need to know about 90’s and hippy girls. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/29 "2014-08-05T03:05:24Z")
> [@SpazCat](#): > > You must have never heard any '70s pop. I’ll see your “Lump” and raise you “McArthur Park.” Nothing wrong with 70’s or 90’s pop. It’s this decade’s pop that sucks ass. When ‘artists’ like Nicki Minaj and Iggy Azalea feud…“Wrap it up!” ---
**Author:** ![GraceOMalley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@GraceOMalley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceOMalley)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/30 "2016-12-27T16:59:43Z")
So I think that its pretty basic…the girl murdered in her PJs and dumped in the swamp. The Piranhas were confused b/c most things from the animal kingdom are confused by human remains, it’s a rarity in the wild. As for her intelligence or “small brain” well I think that goes to show she trusted the wrong bloke - she was either a ho or a whore and one of her fuck buddies either got to obsessed with her and she just wanted to have fun or she just took the wrong guy home. They had sex. After which she cleaned up, got in her PJ’s, he killed her then dumped her body. She’s a lump cos she dead, she’s rocking out with the band - which means she’s dead…like she is up in heaven having fun… So since I’ve been hearing this song for like over 20 years and it took this thread of a convo for me to get it :smack: ---
**Author:** ![GraceOMalley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@GraceOMalley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceOMalley)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/31 "2016-12-27T17:15:51Z")
> [@](#): > > “I actually think I may be possessed with demons, I was dropped on my head as a kid.” [Maybe one of these folks would know better](http://crimefeed.com/2015/11/excuse-6-horrific-serial-killer-quotes/) 😕😕😕:mad::mad::mad: ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/32 "2016-12-27T17:39:15Z")
Just a guess: guys get into rock bands for many reasons, but getting girls is usually a major factor. The dream is to become a rock star and have thousands of screaming girls chasing you. But bands often find that real groupies are damaged girls with a lot of problems. “Lump” is an ugly picture of the girls the Presidents of the United States were seeing backstage: emotionally scarred, drug addicted zombies who screwed musicians without any real passion, emotion or even enjoyment. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/33 "2016-12-27T18:04:42Z")
“Trump lingered last in line for brains and the ones he got were sorta rotten and insane.” Eerily prescient. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/34 "2016-12-27T19:08:55Z")
Or, hell, it could just be a goofy as hell alt-band with nonsensical lyrics but fun attitude. Just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![RGCarr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e95f7d/32.png) [@RGCarr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RGCarr)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/35 "2022-02-10T19:40:56Z")
All of you clueless virgins… LUMP is a woman’s CLIT … “boggy marsh” = wet vagina… I think that’s as far as I need to take it … The rest is self explanatory ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/36 "2022-02-10T20:00:30Z")
> [@RGCarr](#): > > All of you clueless virgins… LUMP is a woman’s CLIT … “boggy marsh” = wet vagina On what grounds do you assume that all of the previous posters are male? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/37 "2022-02-11T11:52:41Z")
So clitorises wear pajamas? I knew something fishy was going on. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2022, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/38 "2022-02-15T15:58:44Z")
Is Lump related to Seether? Those two woulda made for a hell of a double date… > **[Veruca Salt - Seether Lyrics | SongMeanings](https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/52309/)** ---
**Author:** ![Coodles10](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@Coodles10](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coodles10)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2024, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371/39 "2024-06-30T00:35:51Z")
Hello it’s funny how time works. There is always gonna be some lump person traveling to this page one day… When one sits and thinks and she’s lump she’s lump song comes on it in conversation As your older and now really listening to the lyric for the first time in forever. Halarious !! 😂 I always found the song in my opinion to be about a girl he was and now she’s sort of stalking him since they broke up. She’s kinda of like this damn lump that won’t go away. She has toxic traits and behavior that didn’t come out in the beginning. As the relationship carried on she was slowly displaying her true self. That turned into this controlling girl yet claimed she thrives for free will and peace. She tries for a life of pure calmness and quietness. She moves around in life as if she has no care in the world. No emotion, no empathy, she can be at times overly angry, and passive aggressive. The ora pouring out of her when in her presence is pure lust. She is so confident in her walk, talk, attitude, and the way she takes on life full speed ahead. It can be very addictive to make. That was my thoughts … Oh my bf said he w always thought it was a song about a girl with a lump in her head and she finds herself dead… like someone going through illness and thriving to hold onto life yet when your time it up it’s up . No right pill, surgery, passage read out of a Bible, or even hooking yourself up to a machine will truly stop YOU FROM DIEING. oh and my bf and I always thought the peaches song was Vaginas. Like a guy who is excited to live in a big city that he just moved to. Like New York for example. He’s so thrilled by the tall buildings and the many many peaces walking about … He is always being surrounded by yummy sweet peaches. Lmao 🤣🤣 plus I’ll never forget that line from Face Off movie Nicolas cage “I could eat a peach for hours” oh yeah prove it 😂😂 ok I’m done comment if u laughed !! Toodles!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-the-lyrics-of-lump-by-the-presidents-of-the-united-states-of-america/464371.md?page=1)