Amalia's Theme
Kayo Dot Lyrics
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Over the touchscreen
Delphi it threw us
Up like a stone
In sheep's clothing
Instrumental
The gods that roil
Inside of us
Oracles
Out by the poolside
Ravings of suicide
As Athens is burning
Plots and visions
Empty amber bottle
Opiate
The sky is blue today
Gone tomorrow
Castalian Spring
Watching clouds
Amalia nods
Shield shroud
Of moonbeams sacramental
Poolside cigarette smoke
That gyres up like prophecies
Glyph in dragging blood
Amalia swayin' through the
Hotel corridors
Shuffling through the
Thousands years
Oracular and wandering
The lyrics of Kayo Dot's song "Amalia's Theme" depict a journey to Delphi, the ancient Greek sanctuary devoted to the god Apollo. The mention of "sheep's clothing" alludes to the story of the Greek mythological figure, Aristaeus, who was believed to have been aided by Apollo when he disguised himself as a shepherd in order to capture Eurydice, the wife of Orpheus. The mention of "instrumental" and "the gods that roil inside of us" could potentially refer to the idea of music and art as a means of accessing the divine. The singer mentions Amalia as she whistles oracles, perhaps referring to the power of prophecy that was often associated with Apollo and his oracle at Delphi. The lyrics then take a darker turn as the singer mentions "ravings of suicide" and "plots and visions" against the backdrop of Athens burning. The imagery of the empty amber bottle and opiate suggest a sense of disillusionment or escape from this chaos. The final stanza mentions Amalia again, swaying through hotel corridors and shuffling through "the thousands years," conjuring an image of someone who is both otherworldly and deeply grounded in the past.
Overall, the lyrics of "Amalia's Theme" allude to the complex intertwining of history, mythology, and personal experience. The references to Delphi and Apollo suggest a longing for the divine, while the darker themes of suicide and chaos remind us of the harsh realities of the world. Amalia, who appears as both a prophetic figure and someone who is deeply connected to the past, seems to offer a glimmer of hope amidst this uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Delphi it drew us
We were drawn to Delphi
Over the touchscreen
By way of technology
Delphi it threw us
Delphi tossed us
Up like a stone
Quickly and with force
In sheep's clothing
Disguised, or under the pretense of something else
Instrumental
Without vocals
The gods that roil
The powerful emotions that stir within us
Inside of us
Within our own psyche
As she whistles her sweet
As she sings her beautiful
Oracles
Prophecies or predictions
Out by the poolside
Outside near the swimming pool
Ravings of suicide
Talks or thoughts of ending one's own life
As Athens is burning
As the city of Athens is being destroyed
Plots and visions
Plans and dreams
Empty amber bottle
A used glass container formerly filled with alcohol
Opiate
A narcotic substance used to dull the senses or alleviate pain
The sky is blue today
The sky is a certain color currently
Gone tomorrow
But it won't always be that way
Castalian Spring
A natural spring located in Greece
Watching clouds
Observing the formations in the sky
Amalia nods
Amalia indicates agreement or understanding
Shield shroud
Protective covering or barrier
Of moonbeams sacramental
Formed out of the sacred light of the moon
Poolside cigarette smoke
The fumes produced by a lit tobacco product near the swimming pool
That gyres up like prophecies
That swirls and whirls like predictions
Glyph in dragging blood
Markings left behind in one's blood
Amalia swayin' through the
Amalia moving gracefully through the
Hotel corridors
Passageways within a hotel
Shuffling through the
Moving idly through
Thousands years
Periods of time adding up to millennia
Oracular and wandering
Filled with prophetic and aimless qualities
Contributed by Michael J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ethan Harte
The main reason I love anything Toby creates is because I cant name a single band that sounds even remotely close. He creates such a unique style and he does this across many genres. I cant wait any longer for this record!
B O
The unique and peerless nature of Toby's music is what makes it so incredibly refreshing (and also frustrating at times, haha). You can't go to any particular record of his with a specific reference point in mind. You have to take every record on its own terms, and, through a bunch of repeated listens, watch Toby & Co. blow your fucking mind.
Doom Mantia
But then like no two of his projects sound the same.
Jigen Sylvain
@Doom Mantia True. maudlin of the Well, and Kayo Dot are like night & day. No album sounds the same with Kayo Dot. I'm actually looking forward to Blasphemy, which comes out in 3 days from the time i am writing this. These are 2 of the greatest groups I have ever come across for various reasons. When I worked at Staples, and figured out how to make posters, i made giant posters for Coffins On Io, and Plastic House on Base of Sky.
Kyle Bisogno
Same here! I'm a drummer, always knew about Kayo Dot for years, but like most people I only listened to their most praised stuff (like Choirs, and stained glass) but recently I gave all of his albums a re-listen and I was blown away by the musicality of Toby, I always loved the "brutal" Maudlin stuff, but I grew to appreciate the softer tunes, especially Dowsing Copper, and Coyote. As a drummer it really helped me work on my dynamics while playing along to his music.
It's rare to have the skill and creativity he has. I can listen to his catalog front to back and it'll never get old lol. Honestly a shame that he isn't more popular, not for the fame but the dude clearly puts a lot into his work and I'd like to see him not starve
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officially this is one of the best songs I've ever heard
NoJoshinJoshy
Still haven't found anything as addictive as this song/album
Merlijn Toby
the part at 2:56 is one of the most perfect moments in music i've ever heard
ViridianLoom
I love the emotional climax that the theme from the begining of the song plays again right before he says Amalia's name at 5:10
Mark Grigoriev
This song just takes me places I thought were long forgotten