Curl of the Burl

{{Infobox song

| name = Curl of the Burl

| cover = Mastodon-Curl-of-the-Burl.jpg

| alt =

| border = yes

| type = single

| artist = Mastodon

| album = The Hunter

| released = August 16, 2011

| recorded = Doppler Studios, Atlanta, Georgia

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Stoner rock{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/x2wx/|title = Review of Mastodon - The Hunter|publisher = BBC|accessdate=January 29, 2018}}

| length = 3:40

| label = Reprise, Roadrunner

| writer = Brann Dailor, Brent Hinds, Bill Kelliher, Troy Sanders

| producer = Mike Elizondo

| prev_title = Black Tongue

| prev_year = 2011

| next_title = Dry Bone Valley

| next_year = 2012

}}

"Curl of the Burl" is a single by American heavy metal band Mastodon from their fifth studio album, The Hunter. It was released August 16, 2011, as the second single from the album. The single was the band's most successful song on the Mainstream Rock Songs chart at release, peaking at No. 15. It would eventually lose its title to Emperor of Sand{{'s}} "Show Yourself".{{cite magazine | url={{BillboardURLbyName | artist=mastodon | chart=Mainstream Rock Tracks}} | title=Mastodon – Chart History: Mainstream Rock Songs | magazine=Billboard | publisher=Prometheus Global Media | accessdate=March 21, 2014}} It was nominated for a 2011 Grammy Award in the category Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance.{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RsAnJ7Zx_qgC&pg=PA30 |page=30 |journal=Billboard: Grammy Voting Guide |title=Billboard - Google Books |date=January 7, 2012 }}

Music video

A music video was produced for the song and was directed by Roboshobo.{{cite news | url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/mastodon-curl-of-the-burl-video-released/ | title=Mastodon: 'Curl Of The Burl' Video Released | work=Blabbermouth.net | publisher=Roadrunner Records | date=September 22, 2011 | accessdate=March 21, 2014}} The video was uploaded to the band's official YouTube account on September 20, 2011.{{cite web|publisher=YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAihDAJX8Ow|title=Mastodon - Curl Of The Burl [Official Music Video]| date=20 September 2011 |accessdate=March 21, 2014}} The video focuses on a man (played by Bill Oberst Jr.) who chops down a tree carrying a warning sign, snorts a rough powder made of its wood, and becomes intoxicated. He grows an extra set of arms. The man keeps snorting the powder to the point that he is transformed into an archetypal lumberjack. He proceeds to stomp through the woods felling trees and encounters a group of women. The women strip him and reveal he is a log and set him on fire.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col"| Chart (2011)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|32|artist=Mastodon|accessdate=March 21, 2014|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|15|artist=Mastodon|accessdate=March 21, 2014|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardrockairplay|27|artist=Mastodon|accessdate=March 21, 2014|rowheader=true}}

Personnel

References