And the angels kiss
Our souls in bliss
Measure the extent
Of a dizzying descent
Down the
Anal staircase.
Put just one foot on
The staircase
And the next step
You're down here
On this face.
And the rapids
Of my heart
Will tear your
Ship of live apart
And we'll
End up wrecked
We'll end up
At the start
Of the Anal Staircase.
And the angels kiss
Our souls in bliss
Measure the extent of a
Dizzying descent
Down the
Anal staircase.
Take a
Hollowpoint revolver
Shoot down the rapids
Of your heart
Blow the fucking
Thing apart
Blow the fucking
Thing apart.
One step
Two step
Three step
Four Step.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Coil's song The Anal Staircase evoke themes of self-destruction, descent into madness, and the allure of taboo desires. The song opens with a seemingly blissful description of angels kissing souls, but quickly takes a darker turn as the language shifts towards a dizzying descent down the "Anal Staircase". The staircase is a metaphor for a dangerous path that leads to destruction, and once one takes the first step, there is no going back. The singer warns that the rapid beating of their heart will ensnare the listener in a downward spiral and ultimately lead to them being "wrecked" and returned to the start of the staircase.

The final lines of the song introduce the idea of a hollowpoint revolver as a way to "blow the fucking thing apart" - possibly referencing suicide or a desire to erase oneself entirely. The repetition of the four-step count at the end of the lyrics is haunting and suggests a never-ending cycle of destruction, descending down the staircase again and again.

Overall, The Anal Staircase can be interpreted as a cautionary tale about the danger of giving into one's darkest desires and the inevitability of self-destruction.

Line by Line Meaning

And the angels kiss
Our spirits are embraced by divine beings

Our souls in bliss
We experience utmost ecstasy

Measure the extent
Calculate the scope

Of a dizzying descent
Of a disorienting drop

Down the Anal staircase.
Through the path of the anus.

Put just one foot on
Merely stepping on

The staircase
The structure leading to our descent

And the next step
Then the subsequent movement

You're down here
We're instantly in this location

On this face.
On this surface

And the rapids
And the swift-moving currents