Benny The Bouncing Bump

Art by Jim Ludtke

**"Benny The Bouncing Bump"** is a song written and recorded by The Residents, and released on their 1990 concept album *Freak Show*.

The song is about a young boy called Benny who has a growth out of his stomach. He lives at the Freak Show. Benny is obsessed with female wrestlers, and dreams of one day leaving the Freak Show in order to join a wrestling organisation to meet the woman of his dreams.

## Plot

> Stupid, overweight, and unattractive, Benny would have a difficult time supporting himself were it not for his willingness to display his only remarkable feature, a large shapeless mass that projects outwards from center of his chest. Other than fond recollections of his mother, Benny's only interest in life is a collection of women's wrestling magazines, and he often fantasizes about the happiness that a close friendship with a female wrestler might bring.
>
>

## History

The song was performed live for the first time in 1991 as part of a one night only *Freak Show* inspired performance. "Benny The Bouncing Bump" is one of two songs made available from this show, initially as an excerpt on the *Twenty Twisted Questions* laserdisc, and then in full length as a bonus track on on the tribute album *Eyesore*.

The song was then adapted into a comic book by Pourneaux Graphics in 1992, then in 1994 the song was the basis for the character of the same name appearing in the *Freak Show* CD-ROM. The song appears in the game, which also includes a music video.

The song was next performed live in 1995, as part of the Freak Show Live "opera" in Prague; the show largely follows Benny in the second act, focusing on his dream to leave the Show, as well as his apparent mental disabilities.

The song was the one of only a few played throughout the entire Disfigured Night series of live shows, minus the shortened Marlboro show, which featured exclusively new material.

It was then performed throughout the 2001 Icky Flix tour, featuring Molly Harvey on vocals. Three recordings from this tour have been made available.

The song was then not performed live until it was revived for the Shadowland tour, from 2014 to 2016.

## Lyrics

```
Seeing that his eyes were empty under half closed lids,
Made it all the more disturbing knowing Benny hid
A bump that looked like clods of dirt inside a sickly lung
That barely peeked beneath his shirt and twitched like Toto's tongue.

```

```
For fifty cents inside a tent adjacent to the rest,
The weaker souls could hide their eyes while Benny bared his chest;
He rubbed the bump with oleo and little bits of meat
And stroked the shape as it extended down towards his feet.

```

```
Bounce Benny bounce Bouncing Benny

```

```
He would put a record on then go into a trance
Until he heard his mother's favorite polka then he danced;
The record player went to fast but Benny didn't care,
He simply bounced around the room while people stood and stared.

```

```
Benny really only cared about one single thing --
He collected magazines called "Women in the Ring";
He kept them all in plastic bags and everybody said
That Benny talked to them at night before he went to bed.

```

```
Bounce Benny bounce Bouncing Benny

```

```
I need someone to wrestle with she'd have to wear a hood.

```

```
And hold me in a hammerlock if she was feeling good.

```

```
She'd probably have a ponytail that stuck out from the back
And I bet her eyes would shine -- right when she attacked;

```

```
She might be kind of mean some times and act like we weren't friends,
But when the match was over we'd be buddies till the end;
I've got to go! I've got to go! I know that she is there --
Waiting in a ring for me to hug her like a bear.

```

```
Follow that dream Benny follow that dream...

```

## List of appearances

* Freak Show (1990)
* Twenty Twisted Questions (1992)
* Freak Show CD-ROM (1994)
* In Memoriam Torso (1994)
* Eyesore: A Stab At The Residents (1996)
* Live At The Fillmore (1998)
* Live! ...On The Outskirts (2002)
* Kettles Of Fish On The Outskirts Of Town (2003)
* Prague And Beyond (2003)
* Freak Show DVD (2006)
* Adobe Disfigured Night (2009)
* The Fillmore Dress Rehearsal (Act One) (2009)
* Icky Flix Live (2009)
* Brava (2010)
* Shadowland (2015)
* Disfigured Night (2016)
* Loss Of The Lizard Lady (2018)

### List of versions

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1990 Studio Version (6:07)
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 1991 Live Version Edit (2:27)
3. ↑ 1991 Live Version (4:09)
4. ↑ 1997 October Live Version (7:00)
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 2001 October Live Version (9:59)
6. ↑ 1995 Live Version featuring Miroslav Matyáš (6:44)
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 1997 May Live Version (3:33)
8. ↑ 1997 Rehearsal Version (6:50)
9. ↑ 2001 March Live Version (7:14)
10. ↑ 2014 Live Version (4:23)
11. ↑ 2001 Live Third Version (3:11)