King was born on the 24th August 1979 in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A., the first of two daughters. While King was a small child, her father noticed her natural musical ability, and encouraged her interest in music. She was introduced to the guitar at the age of four, and played for several years, but after taking up the drums a few years later, they became her primary instrument as an adolescent.
Convinced that her break in music would come from being a drummer, King played in bands in high school with classmate Morgan Jahnig, who would later become the bassist of Old Crow Medicine Show. Upon graduating from The Westminster Schools in Atlanta in 1998, the two friends made their way to New York University. During her time there, King picked up the guitar again, and revisited the finger-style techniques that intrigued her as a child. From there, King played a few occasional gigs and busked in the New York subways.
In February 2006, Rolling Stone released a list of "The New Guitar Gods", with King as the sole woman and youngest artist honoured. In addition to a ten-year career that includes six LP and two EP albums, King has also spent significant time scoring music for television and film. She worked alongside Eddie Vedder and Michael Brook, contributing the music for the soundtrack to Sean Penn's Into the Wild, for which King, Vedder, and Brook were nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.
King's style combines fret-tapping with slap bass techniques, using the guitar for percussive beats, as well as sound layering and looping. Her playing style has been compared to Michael Hedges and Preston Reed; she explicitly cites the latter as an influence.
Yellowcake
Kaki King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
unavoidable
glittering stars
are shards
they'll come to you (they'll come to you)
they'll come to you
diamonds deep
in the earth
it can hardly be conceived
oooh (oooh, oooh)
open yourself
you will become all that you see (?)
In Kaki King's song "Yellowcake," the lyrics are both abstract and introspective. The beginning of the song speaks of something unavoidable, with the glittering stars being like shards that will come to you. This imagery suggests that there is something both beautiful and dangerous that is coming towards the listener. It is as if the listener is being warned that there are things in life that might look magnificent from afar, yet are treacherous when approached.
As the song progresses, King speaks of diamonds deep in the earth that sparkle even though they cannot be seen. This metaphor again speaks to the theme of hidden dangers, and perhaps suggests that there is more to life than what meets the eye. When the lyrics say, "it can hardly be conceived," it seems as though the beauty and danger of the stars and diamonds are nearly impossible to grasp or understand.
The final line of the song, "Open yourself; you will become all that you see," is both empowering and ominous. By opening oneself up, the listener might become what he or she sees, which could be either beautiful or dangerous. It is possible that the message of the song is to carefully navigate the treacherous aspects of life, but not to let them hold us back from experiencing the beauty.
Line by Line Meaning
it appears (it appears)
It seems, it gives the impression (repeated for emphasis)
unavoidable
Inevitable, impossible to escape
glittering stars
Bright, shining celestial bodies
are shards
Are broken fragments, pieces that have been shattered
they'll come to you (they'll come to you)
They will arrive, they will find their way to you (repeated for emphasis)
they'll come to you
They will arrive, they will find their way to you
diamonds deep
Precious, valuable gemstones that are buried far beneath the surface
in the earth
Embedded within the ground, beneath our feet
sparkle though they can't be seen
Shine brightly, even though they are hidden from view
it can hardly be conceived
It is difficult to imagine or comprehend
oooh (oooh, oooh)
Vocalization, expressing emotion or emphasis
open yourself
Be receptive, vulnerable, and open to new experiences or possibilities
you will become all that you see (?)
You will take on the qualities or characteristics of what you observe or experience (question mark denotes uncertainty)
Contributed by Leo A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rob Babcock
I think this might be my favorite song on this album. She's such an amazing talent!
texasribbons
I can't stop listening to her music. It's addictive. She says she doesn't like writing lyrics but this song is amazing. And I'd also like to rep her hetero fan base. I'm a girl who likes boys but also Kaki King. We're not all a lost cause ...
Jadyn Hope
Kaki getting me through another breakup all these years later. ❤️
Dirty Higgins
This is still as beautiful today as I remembered it was. Pure Inspirational Beauty
isayhi72
Her music is so great. :) You can really tell it comes from her heart and soul. Go Kaki! :D
SanasSweetMode
Beautiful song... I love Kaki. She's such an inspirational musician.
blucheree
so, with her guitar, she conveyed all of the emotion and power needed.
Mitch Protheroe
Such a wonderful work of art, the video and the music. Until We Felt Red is a masterpiece
Magdelene Crockett
Kaki King is the most gorgeous, amazing, musician I've heard of. YOU, Kaki King, ARE MY ROLE MODEL!!!
godziladog
that was beautiful , i hadn't heard of you're music until today and now i'm a fan. thank you for rocking!