Devin says, or sings, or growls, whatever, the word "suffer" in several songs across the many albums, including SYL. What gives? What does it mean? Why does he say it?

Devin is truly tortured.

maybe he's into a little s&m....eh?

actually, i don't really know for sure so ill just leave it to other people to figure it out for now...
thanks

Well, I've heard it used here as a taunt: "suffer in yer undies!"

Perhaps Devin is using it as an indicator of plans thwarted, frustration, that kinda thing...
The little demon on one's shoulder yelling out: "Too bad! So sad!"

I've always assumed it was a death metal cliche; "suffer!!!" in a heavy-ass song is the equivalent to "hey!!" in punk or "yeah!!" in rock. A word that's REPLACEed almost involuntarily when the situation calls for it, in other words.

I've always assumed it was a death metal cliche; "suffer!!!" in a heavy-ass song is the equivalent to "hey!!" in punk or "yeah!!" in rock. A word that's REPLACEed almost involuntarily when the situation calls for it, in other words.

I'm not that in to Death Metal. Is that something that many other bands do? I was thinking it was unique to Devin Townsend. So, your theory would hold if many other Death Metal bands did it. I hadn't thought of that.

I've always assumed it was a death metal cliche; "suffer!!!" in a heavy-ass song is the equivalent to "hey!!" in punk or "yeah!!" in rock. A word that's REPLACEed almost involuntarily when the situation calls for it, in other words.

ah! A Heavy Metal metasyntactic variable

[Blazingmonga]

I am glad that somebody brought this up!

I always notice that word in any Devy song it appears, and I have always wondered why aswell.

Just one of those things like 'ooo' or 'whoah' that appear in songs, though this is like a trademarked Devy kind of thing.

Oops. This beer is too strong.

I think he wants to hurt us with his music, he's just a big meanie!

One of the reasons I asked was because I used to live in West Hollywood, California, which is, like San Francisco, chock o'block with gays and lesbians. Among some gay men, it's a joke to say "Suffer!" to someone who is jealous of you because, for example, you're good looking or whatever. If some other (gay) guy is checking you out, you might tell him to "Suffer!".

Now, I didn't immediately think that Devin is gay. Although, there is more than one reference to homosexuality in his lyrics. However, I did wonder if maybe he was versed in gay culture and was being ironic or something. But, I thought there might be something else to it. After all, he's Canadian and that's like a whole 'nother world up there.

So, my supposition is that Devin is telling us to "Suffer!" because his music's so fucking good and we wish we could make tunes like him. Plus, he's goddamn hot in that skullet and we wish we *were* him.

You know that he is married to what I with 99% certainty believe is a woman, right?

You know that he is married to what I with 99% certainty believe is a woman, right?

I assume that you're saying this because you think *I* think he's gay, which I don't. I never said that. Read the post. Nowhere does it say that Devin is gay or that I think he's gay. In fact, I said I *didn't* think he was gay. (You may have been confused by my modifier "immediately" which I meant to signify that I didn't jump to a conclusion that he was gay upon hearing "suffer".) You don't have to be gay to know gay culture, nor be influenced by it. I'm straight, married, three kids. But, since I lived in West Hollywood, had a gay roommate, gay friends, I have been influenced by gay culture. And besides, have your listened to his songs? At least two of them reference homosexuality. Most notably, Random Analysis and Earth Day ("Sometimes I think that inside of every straight there's a gay"). So, it's not like I'm reading something that's not there at all.

Of course, this is why I asked about "suffer" because I *don't* think that Devin is gay and I *didn't* know what he might mean when saying it.

another theory:

"suffer" is Canadian for "hey ho let's go" but doesn't take up so much space so we have more room for riffs

I also noticed that in a couple of SYL songs Devin loves to scream "BUUURN"

another theory:

"suffer" is Canadian for "hey ho let's go" but doesn't take up so much space so we have more room for riffs

That's fuckin classic!

Dev doin the 'Bop would fuckin RULE ALL!