Originally, the Australian band was called The Boys Next Door, comprising Cave, Howard, Mick Harvey (guitar, drums, organ, piano), bassist Tracy Pew, and drummer Phill Calvert. After the Door Door album and Hee Haw EP under that name, the band moved to London and switched its name to the deceptively benign Birthday Party. Once they arrived in Britain, their demented, knotty post-punk began to gel. They released their first international album, Prayers On Fire, in 1981, earning critical praise in the U.K. and U.S. While the band was preparing to record the follow-up, Pew was jailed for drunk driving; former Magazine member Barry Adamson, Harry Howard, and Chris Walsh filled in for the absent Pew on 1982's Junkyard.
After the release of Junkyard, Calvert joined Psychedelic Furs and the band moved to Germany, where they began collaborating with such experimental post-punk acts as Lydia Lunch and Einstürzende Neubauten. Harvey left in the summer of 1983. The group briefly continued with drummer Des Heffner, but it soon disbanded after a final concert in Melbourne, Australia. Cave had the most successful solo career, recording a series of albums in the '80s and '90s that maintained his status as a popular cult figure; Harvey joined Cave's band Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Howard joined Crime & The City Solution, which also featured his brother Harry and Harvey. Tracey Pew toured with The Saints before dying of an epileptic seizure in 1986.
--Review from AMG Allmusic Guide
King Ink
The Birthday Party Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
he sniffs around
King Ink kicks off his stink-boot
sand and soot and dust and dirt and
he's much bigger than you think
King Ink
King Ink
a wake up a King Ink a get up a King Ink a wake up a King Ink
a get up a get up a get up a get up a get up
up up up up up up up up up up...
a bug crawls up the wall
King Ink feels like a bug
and he hates his rotten shell
(he says) cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha...
King Ink a wake up a King Ink a get up a King Ink a wake up a King Ink
a get up a get up a get up a get up a get up
a what's in that room? a what's in that house?
a what's in that room? a what's in that house?
say something, express thyself, say something, express yourself
express... say something loudly Aaaaaahhhh...
a what's in that room? a what's in that house?
sand and soot and dust and dirt and sand and soot and dust and dirt
and-d-d-d-d-d-d-
di-di-di-di-di-di-di di-di-di-di-di-di DIRT
King Ink feels like a bug
swimming in a soup-bowl
he says oh! yer! oh! yer! what a wonderful life
oh! yer! oh! yer! what a wonderful life
oh! yer! oh! yer! what a wonderful life
oh! yer! oh! yer! what a wonderful life
oh! yer! oh! yer! FATS Domino on the radio
yer! oh! yer! what a wonderful life
oh! yer! oh! yer! what a wonderful life
oh! yer! oh! yer! FATS Domino on the radio
yer! oh! yer!
...
The Birthday Party's song "King Ink" has a surrealistic narrative that depicts a character called King Ink who comes to town and wanders around, searching for something that seems out of reach. The song has a repetitive structure and emphasizes the beat and rhythm over melody, reminiscent of punk music. Throughout the song, there are references to dirt, bugs, and a feeling of vague dissatisfaction. King Ink is presented as a larger-than-life character who is both repulsive and fascinating to the people around him.
The lyrics of "King Ink" can be interpreted as a commentary on the human condition, where individuals are trapped within their own shells, unable to escape their own mundane existence. The bug crawling up the wall and the references to feeling like a bug emphasize the insignificance of the individual in the grand scheme of things. The repetition of the phrase, "what's in that room? what's in that house?" is a metaphor for the human desire to search for meaning and purpose in life.
In conclusion, "King Ink" is a dark and surreal exploration of the human psyche that invites the listener to question their own existence and the meaning of life.
Line by Line Meaning
King Ink strolls into town
King Ink arrives in town
he sniffs around
He looks around curiously
King Ink kicks off his stink-boot
King Ink removes his smelly boots
sand and soot and dust and dirt and
Listing the types of debris on his boots
he's much bigger than you think
King Ink is larger than he appears
King Ink
Repetition of King Ink's name
King Ink
Repetition of King Ink's name
King Ink
Repetition of King Ink's name
a wake up a King Ink a get up a King Ink a wake up a King Ink
Wake up and get ready, King Ink
a get up a get up a get up a get up a get up
Continuation of the previous line
up up up up up up up up up up...
Continuation of the previous line
a bug crawls up the wall
A bug climbs the wall
King Ink feels like a bug
King Ink identifies with the feeling of a bug
and he hates his rotten shell
He dislikes his own appearance or circumstances
(he says) cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha...
King Ink is making unintelligible sounds
a wake up a King Ink a get up a King Ink a wake up a King Ink
Continuing the earlier encouragement to wake up
a get up a get up a get up a get up a get up
Continuation of the previous line
a what's in that room? a what's in that house?
King Ink is curious about what's inside the building
say something, express thyself, say something, express yourself
Encouragement to speak up and be authentic
express... say something loudly Aaaaaahhhh...
Continuation of the previous line
a what's in that room? a what's in that house?
Repetition of King Ink's earlier curiosity
sand and soot and dust and dirt and sand and soot and dust and dirt
Repetition of the earlier list of debris
and-d-d-d-d-d-d-
Extended pronunciation of the word 'and'
di-di-di-di-di-di-di di-di-di-di-di-di DIRT
Onomatopoeic description of dirt
King Ink feels like a bug
Continuation of King Ink's earlier identification with insects
swimming in a soup-bowl
Simile comparing King Ink's surroundings to a bowl of soup
he says oh! yer! oh! yer! what a wonderful life
King Ink finds joy in the moment
oh! yer! oh! yer! what a wonderful life
Repetition of King Ink's previous joy
oh! yer! oh! yer! what a wonderful life
Repetition of King Ink's previous joy
oh! yer! oh! yer! what a wonderful life
Repetition of King Ink's previous joy
oh! yer! oh! yer! FATS Domino on the radio
King Ink enjoys the music of FATS Domino
yer! oh! yer! what a wonderful life
Repetition of King Ink's previous joy
oh! yer! oh! yer! what a wonderful life
Repetition of King Ink's previous joy
oh! yer! oh! yer! FATS Domino on the radio
Repetition of King Ink's appreciation for the music of FATS Domino
yer! oh! yer!
Continuation of musical appreciation
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stoned Meadow Of Doom
A sinister, lumbering beast of sludgy doom. King Ink is The Birthday Party at their best. Prayers On Fire is a must have classic album.
Kp
And Junkyard!
Stoned Meadow Of Doom
@Kp yep i own it as well
Archie Bunger
Cave related years later that when he heard King Ink played back in the studio, he felt that, for the first time, he had a song that was his and his alone. It's true. King Ink is a unique animal, where TBP really found their sound
Badmen
this song was the Bad Seed
little bird
Badmen - no, was TBP...1981
pietrobembo
@little bird Whooosh!
Zozor666
You mean : "That was them and them alone" !
Katherine
@little bird
think he was being facetious.
look. no 's'.
"Seed", not Seeds.
Lucas Garibaldi
This song is so fucking grotesque. The menacing bass line, the disturbing random piano notes, Nick's manic delivery describing such a disgusting, foul creature. This is one of the best songs I've heard in my life.