Miniature Tigers are an indie rock band which formed in Phoenix, Arizona, U… Read Full Bio ↴Miniature Tigers are an indie rock band which formed in Phoenix, Arizona, United States in 2006. The band originally consisted of Charlie Brand (vocals, guitar), Algernon Quashie (guitar, keyboards), Alex Gerber (bass, vocals) and Rick Schaier (drums). The band is currently based in Brooklyn, New York. Brandon Lee has taken over for Alex.

Miniature Tigers' sound was forged in the bedroom of frontman Charlie Brand, only to quickly outgrow the space, with the band soon finding itself on stage, in the studio and signed to Phoenix’s Modern Art Records in short order. Brand’s lyrics – a mix of deeply personal insights and playful references to the disparate cultural artifacts that have informed his existence – and effortlessly constructed indie-pop arrangements have made fans in his native Phoenix and beyond. The fans stretch to Los Angeles, where Brand reconnected with drummer, collaborator and fellow charter member of the band Rick Schaier while living in Hollywood, and far beyond thanks to the Internet, which it seems people are into these days.

Miniature Tigers’ debut album "Tell it to the Volcano" runs the lyrical gamut, taking inspiration from and referencing TV’s Lost (which rates a Dharma Initiative sticker on Brand’s acoustic) as easily as it probes the joy and heartbreak of Charlie’s own life, while managing not to take itself too seriously. Brand wrote the album while on the lam – not from the law, but rather from a relationship he described as "brutal." He left Phoenix to clear his head, landing in Los Angeles and collaborating with his friend Rick to complete the long-gestating album. It was his catharsis – with cannibals and volcanoes stepping in for the real-world problems that had both beset and inspired him. In the end the album represents Charlie’s effort to codify, examine, and ultimately move past a 2-year stretch of his life.

Charlie and Rick are joined in their live incarnation by friends and collaborators Lou Kummerer on bass and Lawrence Hearn on lead guitar and keyboards, for performances that seem to give equal time to playing songs and intra-band joking. They aim for a controlled chaos aesthetic that eschews "auto-pilot" at all costs.

In an effort to further confound the expectations of those around the band, they chose to have their video directed by someone who had never helmed one before…or at least never an authorized music video. The band tapped "Yacht Rock" creator JD Ryznar to direct their video for Cannibal Queen in the hopes he would recreate the magic of his wildly popular Internet video series. Ryznar quickly assimilated the band’s aesthetic and turned in a video equal parts "Weird Science" and "Frankenstein," to the band’s delight.

Tell It To The Volcano
Miniature Tigers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You can hang on to me
But my love won't surround you
Now that you're finally gone
I am free to get on with my life

You can summon all the gods
That your black heart desires
They cannot help you 'cause they're starting fires

To burn you alive

Tell it to the volcano, from what I know you're goin' down the hole
Down you're goin' down the hole, tell it to the volcano
Save your sorry's, tell it to the volcano

A year ago today I was fallin' in love with you
I didn't know how I could tell you
You were breaking my heart, shrinking my head
I couldn't get out of my bed

Tell it to the volcano, from what I know you're goin' down the hole
Down you're goin' down the hole, tell it to the volcano
Save your sorry's, tell it to the volcano

Oom, I'd like to chuck ya
Oom, I'd like to chuck ya
Oom, I'd like to chuck ya
Oom, I'd like to chuck ya
Oom, I'd like to chuck ya
Oom, I'd like to chuck ya down

Oom, I'd like to chuck ya
Oom, I'd like to throw away the pain on my own
You're cryin' and you're screamin'
And you're beggin' not to go

Tell it to the volcano
Down you're goin' down the hole, tell it to the volcano
Save your sorry's, tell it to the volcano

Oom, I'd like to chuck ya
Oom, I'd like to chuck ya
Oom, I'd like to chuck ya
Oom, I'd like to chuck ya

Oom, I'd like to chuck ya
Oom, I'd like to chuck ya down

Overall Meaning

The Miniature Tigers' song, Tell it to the Volcano, is a song about moving on from a toxic relationship. The singer has finally realized that they no longer need their former partner to survive and thrive. The chorus, "Tell it to the volcano," is a metaphor for letting go of the past and releasing oneself from the burden of anger, regret, and sorrow.

The line, "You can hang on to me, but my love won't surround you," conveys that the singer is no longer emotionally invested in the relationship. They refuse to be chained to an unhealthy connection that drains them of their energy and vitality. Instead, they choose to honor their own needs and move on with their life.

The use of "volcano" imagery creates a sense of urgency and danger, implying that there is no time to waste. The chorus repeats several times, emphasizing the idea that it's time to let go and move on. The line, "Down you're goin' down the hole" further adds to the sense of finality, implying that once the singer has made the decision to let go, there is no turning back.

In other parts of the song, the singer reflects on their past with their partner. They look back on a time when they were in love but also acknowledge that the relationship was not healthy. The line, "You were breaking my heart, shrinking my head, I couldn't get out of my bed," conveys the emotional toll that the relationship took on them.

Overall, Tell it to the Volcano is an empowering anthem that encourages listeners to let go of toxic relationships, honor their own needs, and move forward with their lives.

Line by Line Meaning

You can hang on to me
You can try to hold on to me

But my love won't surround you
But my love won't be with you

Now that you're finally gone
Now that you've left me

I am free to get on with my life
I am free to move on with my life

You can summon all the gods
You can call upon any gods

That your black heart desires
That your evil heart wants

They cannot help you 'cause they're starting fires
They can't help you because they're causing trouble

To burn you alive
To cause you pain and suffering

Tell it to the volcano, from what I know you're goin' down the hole
Tell your problems to the volcano because you're going down

Save your sorry's, tell it to the volcano
Don't apologize, just tell your problems to the volcano

A year ago today I was fallin' in love with you
A year ago today I was falling in love with you