In 2013, while still a teenager, Marshall released the first King Krule album, 6 Feet Beneath the Moon, on XL in the U.K. and True Panther in the U.S. Marshall then collaborated with his brother Jack for the relatively fluid, more electronic A New Place 2 Drown. Released in 2015 and credited to Archy Marshall, its physical edition was packaged with a 208-page book of poetry, photography, and art. King Krule fully reactivated in 2017 with a handful of varied singles -- the dreamlike ballad "Czech One," the mid-tempo rocker "Dum Surfer," and the rumbling "Half Man Half Shark," all featuring saxophone from Ignacio Salvadores -- that led up to The Ooz, an hour-long follow-up written during a three-year period.
Dum Surfer
King Krule Lyrics
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Won a bet for fifty and now I need a slash
Man this band that's playing, is playing fucking trash
Skunk and onion gravy, as my brain's potato mash
He came across the back of a bureaucratic stash
Shot the lot for credit and never got it back
He's mashed, I'm mashed, we're mashed
That cat got slashed in half like that
As venus completes orbit, I'm feeling slightly mashed
The stir fry didn't absorb it, I need another slash
She spoke in English, it was low lit where we sat
Remembering her face but that's the end of that
I'm a step from madness as I puke on pavement slabs
Got a bit embarrassed, need to get back to the lab
In the depths of traffic, I was feeling like we crashed
With a girl from Slovak in a European cab
From a set of habits, I can see momentums mashed
If we were commuting, this train would fucking crash
Now my brain's diluting with blame and guilt and hash
Getting lashed, getting lashed by all of the gods
By all of the gods, by all of the gods
As my brain's diluting, I suffer from whiplash
This girl's now screaming, I think we've gone and crashed
The driver's speaking and the car is still intact
It was only minor, well that's the end of that
Girl, that's the end of that as I know
Girl, some things you don't know
Dumb surfer, don't suffer
Dumb surfer, don't suffer
Dumb surfer, don't suffer
Dumb surfer, don't suffer
Ay, some things won't change for a while
Keep me, keep me as the villain
But my prayer, you don't own
The song "Dum Surfer" by King Krule is a stream of consciousness narrative about a night of partying, drug use, and getting caught up in a chaotic world. The lyrics depict an intoxicated protagonist who is with a group of friends as they party and move around the city. The first verse introduces a dumb surfer, who has won some money in a bet, and the singer, who needs to use the bathroom urgently. They are listening to a band that they don't enjoy, and the singer is feeling the effects of the drugs he's taken, comparing his thoughts to a mash of skunk and onion gravy.
The second verse describes the singer and his friend's encounter with a drug dealer, whom they rip off and don't receive their purchased goods. They are both severely intoxicated and are hallucinating. The third verse has the singer in a cab with a girl from Slovakia, feeling like the world is crashing around them. He feels like he's lost control and is struggling to keep up with the momentum of his life spiraling out of control. The last verse sees the singer in a car with a girl who screams when they nearly crash. Still feeling the effects of the drugs, he is left to reflect on his actions.
Overall, "Dum Surfer" is a chaotic, surreal depiction of a wild night out. King Krule uses vivid imagery and poetic language to capture the feeling of being deeply immersed in a drug-induced haze. The song is open to interpretation and can be seen as a commentary on the darker side of party culture and the consequences of recklessness.
Line by Line Meaning
Dumb surfer is giving me his cash
Someone who is not very intelligent and who surfs is giving me his money
Won a bet for fifty and now I need a slash
I won fifty dollars and now I need to urinate
Man this band that's playing, is playing fucking trash
The band that is performing is playing terribly
Skunk and onion gravy, as my brain's potato mash
My brain feels like mashed potatoes after consuming skunk and onion gravy
He came across the back of a bureaucratic stash
He found a hidden stash of bureaucratic materials
Shot the lot for credit and never got it back
He used everything in the stash as collateral but never received equal value
He's mashed, I'm mashed, we're mashed
Both he and I are heavily intoxicated
That cat got slashed in half like that
The cat was abruptly cut in half
As venus completes orbit, I'm feeling slightly mashed
As Venus finishes its cycle, I am still somewhat intoxicated
The stir fry didn't absorb it, I need another slash
The stir fry did not absorb the alcohol, so I need to urinate again
She spoke in English, it was low lit where we sat
We were in a dimly lit place and she spoke English
Remembering her face but that's the end of that
I can recall what she looked like, but our interaction is over now
I'm a step from madness as I puke on pavement slabs
I am very close to losing my sanity as I vomit on the sidewalk
Got a bit embarrassed, need to get back to the lab
I feel a bit ashamed and want to leave the situation and return to my personal space
In the depths of traffic, I was feeling like we crashed
While stuck in heavy traffic, I was beginning to feel like we were in a car accident
With a girl from Slovak in a European cab
I was in a taxi with a girl from Slovakia
From a set of habits, I can see momentums mashed
Based on my actions, I can tell that my momentum is destroyed
If we were commuting, this train would fucking crash
If we were on a train, it would inevitably derail
Now my brain's diluting with blame and guilt and hash
My mind is becoming less coherent due to feelings of responsibility, remorse, and drug use
Getting lashed, getting lashed by all of the gods
I am being punished severely by a higher power
As my brain's diluting, I suffer from whiplash
As my mind becomes less clear, I also feel physical pain from whiplash
This girl's now screaming, I think we've gone and crashed
The girl is now screaming, making me believe that we were in a car accident
The driver's speaking and the car is still intact
The driver is speaking and the car is undamaged
It was only minor, well that's the end of that
The incident was minor and is now concluded
Girl, that's the end of that as I know
Girl, that is the final resolution from my perspective
Girl, some things you don't know
There are certain things that you are not aware of
Dumb surfer, don't suffer
Stupid person who surfs, do not undergo hardship
Dumb surfer, don't suffer
Stupid person who surfs, do not undergo hardship
Dumb surfer, don't suffer
Stupid person who surfs, do not undergo hardship
Dumb surfer, don't suffer
Stupid person who surfs, do not undergo hardship
Ay, some things won't change for a while
Hey, there are certain things that will persist for some time
Keep me, keep me as the villain
Maintain me as the bad guy
But my prayer, you don't own
However, you do not have control over my personal requests to a higher power
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Archie Ivan Marshall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind