Valley Of The Kings
Nico Lyrics

In Nico's song Valley of the Kings, there are various conflicting emotions and ideas expressed through lyrics that are filled with paradoxes. In the first section of the song- "The bandits be my weaknesses, his fault shall be my knife, his weapon be my innocence, the killer must not die", it can be interpreted that Nico is taking blame and responsibility for someone else's wrongdoing. The usage of the word ‘bandits’ implies a situation of chaos, which could possibly mean that Nico is drawing a parallel to this state of disorder from the world into her personal relationships. The line "his fault shall be my knife" might refer to a sense of betrayal and desire for revenge. Furthermore, "his weapon be my innocence" indicates that Nico is willing to passively accept the blame others should bear. The final line of the verse "the killer must not die” represents her lack of desire for vengeance, as she chooses forgiveness over malice.

In the next section, Nico asks questions about her fate and expresses her confusion thereof. The lines "is there a charge against my fate, can't I betray my hate? Will I regain my father's gait, must the killer die?" pose a series of contradictions, where Nico oscillates between her desire for change and submission to what is. The progression of these lines indicates her uncertainty about the direction to take. The reference to her father's stance might imply that Nico wishes to gain clarity through following his footsteps, yet the latter question "must the killer die?" suggests the possibility of her wanting to take revenge, which would cause a deviation from her father’s path. At this juncture, Nico seems confused about whether to forgive or take revenge.

Finally, in the last verse "the testament lies hidden from me, underneath my sins, a carriage, a carriage will take me to the valley of the Kings", there is an element of mystery and religious symbolism. Nico uses the metaphor of the "valley of the Kings" as a place of transformation and spiritual evolution, where revelations are reached through acceptance of one's sins. The carriage might symbolize the mode of transport within the valley of kings but also could refer to a spiritual conveyance. The line "the testament lies hidden from me, underneath my sins" reflects Nico's need to search for answers within herself, to explore her innermost thoughts and feelings.