Big Muff

Written by: 
Lee Perry, J. Martyn
4 Nov 1977

Well the man upstairs always lends an ear
To the man downstairs, even though he doesn't care
The man up the spiral staircase would love to sympathize
With the man downstairs and the same old phrase
Big Muff,

Can't you see I've had enough
God knows you're trying to kill me
Big Muff,
Get away with your powder puff
Lord knows you're killing me
It's like an allergy with no apology
It saps my energy
Denies my integrity
Big Muff,
Get away with your powder puff
Lord knows you're killing me
Good Lord knows you're stifling me
God, Lord knows you're trying to kill me

Well the man upstairs has learned it from his wife
But the man downstairs has got trouble in his life
The man upstairs don't notice what is wrong
Every time he sees his neighbour singing that same old song
Big Muff,
Get away with your powder puff
Lord knows you're trying to kill me
Big Muff,
Get away with your terrible stuff
God knows you're killing me
This thing is dangerous
I tell you it's serious
No need to be envious
It's bigger than both of us
Big Muff,
Can't you see that I had enough
Lord knows you're trying to kill me

Well, the man downstairs has moved away for good
Like the man upstairs always knew he would
The man downstairs has moved and gone away
And a girl upstairs every night can hear him say
Big Muff,
Get away with your powder puff
Lord knows you're killing me
Big Muff,
Can't you see I've had enough
God knows you're stifling me
It's like an allergy
With no apology
It saps my energy
Most caterempously
Big Muff,
Can't you see that I've had enough
God knows you're stifling me
God knows you're stifling me
Oh lord knows you're trying to kill me

Come on over, call my name and kill me
I said, Darling write my number on the wall

I could sleep on the edge of a razor
Sleep on the edge of your bed
Sleep on the edge of your tiny switchblade
And keep rocking you 'til I'm dead

Big Muff, so sweet, so tender
Big Muff, I've just got to surrender
Slip and slide on a tin can side
Slip and slide on a Big Muff
Big Muff...

sitenotes:
The first indented part started showing up in the mid eighties, the second in 1990.

Lee Perry and John met in 1976 during the latter's sabbatical in Jamaica. In 1977, Lee Perry was in London working with Bob Marley on Punky Reggae Party () from David Katz' People Funny Boy. During this visit to the UK, Perry again crossed paths with John Martyn at one of Chris Blackwells residences. Perry pontificated about the art of sex before Blackwell's assembled guests at the breakfast table. Scratch's wacky description of sexual union inspired Martyn, who was then working on his One World album; he thus wrote the song Big Muff, which Perry helped him record the next day.
This would have taken place at Woolwich Green Farm, "Martyn and his band, including ex-members of Traffic, Gong, Fairport Convention and Pentangle, all lived in the small 12×15 stable during the recording process. At the same time, a large cast of characters visited. Friends, family, musicians and, most notably, a friend from Jamaica. It’s at this rural English countryside barn that Scratch and Martyn reunited to record their most famous collaboration and their only co-written effort, Big Muff."

First release: