Lava
Left of Zed Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So you joined the circus
But it never left town
But you wear your trauma
Like an evening gown
It's the thirtieth year that you climbed up here to fall like a stone
Heavy in your hands and i don't think you're going back home
You fold it in, like a private sin
That's been engraved under your skin

And the lava lifts you through the pain
As you open your eyes to diamond rain
And the silver coins fall from your palms
And just for a moment the blue turns to white and it's
Gone
And it's enough
Until you fall
On aluminum
You're done with self blood lust so you entrust it with somebody else
You're done with every balm, it's never gone, the scab is somewhere else
All you got is watches
Taken from wrists that were dead
You gave it all and now you
Spend yourself instead
And the lava lifts you through the pain
As you open your eyes to diamond rain
And the silver coins fall from your palms
And just for a moment the blue turns to white and it's
Gone
And it's enough
Until you fall
On aluminum
Plums float down the brook you ride
There's a ram in the bushes from a valentine
And just so you knew they dropped you back down
With a tourniquet for a promise ring
And baby now you know
Baby now you know
Baby now you know
Now you know what you missed
It's gone
And it's enough

Until you fall
On aluminum

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Left of Zed's "Lava" are deeply poignant and speak to the struggles and trauma that a person can carry with them throughout their life. The singer addresses someone who joined the circus but it never left town, indicating that their life has been spent in a cycle of repetition and stagnation. The person wears their trauma like an evening gown, suggesting that it has become a central part of their identity and they can't escape its grip.

The chorus of the song describes the experience of the person being lifted by lava through their pain, as they open their eyes to diamond rain and silver coins fall from their palms. This can be interpreted as a moment of release or transcendence from their trauma, but it is fleeting and they eventually fall back down on aluminum. The use of different materials (lava, diamond rain, silver coins, aluminum) creates a vivid contrast of textures and sensations, highlighting the complex emotional experience of healing from trauma.

The second verse continues to explore the person's struggle with their trauma, describing their attempts to find relief through various methods such as taking watches from dead wrists and spending themselves instead of giving. The bridge and final repetition of "Baby now you know / Now you know what you missed / It's gone" emphasize the finality of the losses and missed opportunities that come with carrying trauma, while also acknowledging the potential for growth and self-awareness.

Overall, "Lava" is a moving and powerful track that deals with heavy subject matter in a nuanced and poetic way.

Line by Line Meaning

So you joined the circus
You joined something that has become stagnant and unwilling to change.

But it never left town
The circus has been in the same place for too long, not moving or evolving.

But you wear your trauma Like an evening gown
Your past pain and suffering is always with you, and it's become a part of your identity.

It's the thirtieth year that you climbed up here to fall like a stone Heavy in your hands and i don't think you're going back home
You've been stuck in the same cycle of self-destruction for 30 years, and it's weighing you down. You don't see a way out of it.

You fold it in, like a private sin That's been engraved under your skin
You keep your pain hidden from others, like a secret shame that you're ashamed of.

And the lava lifts you through the pain As you open your eyes to diamond rain And the silver coins fall from your palms And just for a moment the blue turns to white and it's Gone And it's enough Until you fall On aluminum
You escape from your pain through self-destructive behaviors, like drug use. It provides a fleeting moment of happiness, but ultimately, it's not enough and can cause you to hit rock bottom.

You're done with self blood lust so you entrust it with somebody else You're done with every balm, it's never gone, the scab is somewhere else
You're tired of hurting yourself and are looking for someone or something else to take your pain away. But you know that no matter what you do, it won't go away completely.

All you got is watches Taken from wrists that were dead You gave it all and now you Spend yourself instead
You don't have much left, and what you do have is taken from people who are no longer around. You've given everything you have, leaving yourself with nothing.

Plums float down the brook you ride There's a ram in the bushes from a valentine And just so you knew they dropped you back down With a tourniquet for a promise ring
Your life is like a river, with unexpected twists and turns. You may experience moments of love and hope, but they're quickly followed by disappointment and pain.

And baby now you know Baby now you know Baby now you know Now you know what you missed It's gone And it's enough Until you fall On aluminum
You've learned from your mistakes, but it's too late to change anything. You're left with the memories of what could have been and the pain of what actually happened.

Contributed by Jayden K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS