This song was inspired by Black reading about Japanese businessmen who would commit suicide by driving their cars off a cliff and into the ocean.
Black Francis also told Esquire,
It references the El Niño streams and weather patterns and there are contemporary references in it but they all are the...
[Verse 1]
Cease to resist, givin' my goodbye
Drive my car into the ocean
You think I'm dead, but I sail away
[Chorus]
On a wave of mutilation
Wave of mutilation
Wave of mutilation
Wave, wave
[Verse 2]
I've kissed mermaids, rode the El Niño
Walked the sand with the crustaceans
Could find my way to Mariana
[Chorus]
On a wave of mutilation
Wave of mutilation
Wave of mutilation
Wave, wave
Wave of mutilation
Wave of mutilation
Wave of mutilation
Wave, wave
Wave of Mutilation was written by Frank Black.
Wave of Mutilation was produced by Gil Norton.
Pixies released Wave of Mutilation on Tue Apr 18 1989.