King Volcano

I think this song is about female masturbation: She feels "overshadowed by her sister" and probably insecure; so instead of going for intercourse she retreats into her inner world, and in order to escape her loneliness and her feeling of inferiority she tries to convince herself that she has a purer soul than others. But inside she 'burns like a candle' and feels like she has a volcano in her guts (or crotch, rather). In her fancy, she has left the human sphere for a higher ground. She has become like a chaste priest for King Volcano, who gratifies her lust. - On the one hand, King Volcano is her own sex drive. On the other hand it transcends herself. There are very old myths, according to which a virgin has to be sacrificed in order to pacify an irate god or demon who lives inside a volcano, and to keep this volcano from erupting. So that's what she does - throwing herself into her volcano, to keep it from erupting; at the same time she sacrifices part of her sexual life, not having sex w/ anyone else. She takes pride in her sacrifice, because she feels that her kind of sex is purer. However, she has to reassure herself time and again (repetition of "King Volcano is clean" and "Only we are clean"). Note the ambiguity of 'only' here: It can mean both: Although we burn like candles (still want sex), we are still clean. Or: Only we (the lonely people) are clean. She hangs somewhere in there, feeling both insecure and superior. Very complex and delicate piece of poetry!

this song is insane but it's awesome and beautiful. i learned to play it on piano a while ago and i couldn't stop but now i forget. story of my life.

Good Interpretation. I agree

I like the interpretation above… In David Bowie’s song Velvet Goldmine he refers to himself as King Volcano in a sexual situation with someone. Myself, I couldn’t find a specific meaning for this piece…

I think all the lonely people are the King Volcano in this case. Each one is a candle but through the void they have something in common and that makes them as a whole the King Volcano.

I often think of a short story about moths who burn brightly when they hit a candle. In the short story the moth was a symbol for our lives. Perhaps this is about transcendence through loneliness.

The most curious line for me is “King Volcano gave me numbers”. In connection with the Velvet Goldmine there is something about choosing abstraction as a method of communication. As well I’ve often heard math and numbers in general are a perfect language in that they are totally abstract. Is it abstract to feel connection to other lonely people who you are essentially totally otherwise unaware of?

A beautiful song and puzzle for me. Any other ideas?