The project originally came together with songs being written in 2005. It was not recorded until the fall of 2008 in Fall Creek, Wisconsin, USA.
Since then, Jon Mueller (Death Blues) and Thomas Wincek (of All Tiny Creatures) have left Collections of Colonies of Bees, but continue to be members of Volcano Choir. They have also added Matthew Skemp on bass, who also plays in All Tiny Creatures.
Keel
Volcano Choir Lyrics
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The prophet's here
Only 'til august
Bearing down into the grass, down into the grass for me
The prophet's come
The prophet's good and stung
Gobbled up on cable wires
They won't work out like the lowly ones
High wires
That bring the heathens out for a fight
Ergo sum
The game's grown young
There's a danger now in the town below
And the hobble of gawker's look across the road
There's a tazor
And a brave young one
Spilling fiber like you, son
And the cherry pouts your lungs
Just stay here
Stay here loving me
or just stOp bloody loving me
See now.
Sweep behind the gauzy curtain
High rise
High and wild
I pick at you, my limestone
When you fiddle with your red stone
What are you without your flint then, sonny?
Can't count out your only lie
Can't you cap out your only lie
Sitting fore
Keel
Not before
I was in front
Of the pekid fountain
The whole time
The lyrics to Volcano Choir's song Keel tell the story of a propheteer or someone who is predicting future events. The prophet has arrived and will only be around until August. They are described as bearing down into the grass for the singer, which could be interpreted as them having a significant impact on the singer's life. The prophet is praised for being good and stung, but there may be some irony in this statement as it is said in the same line as being gobbled up on cable wires and dangling low above fires. The propheteer is warning people of impending danger in the town below, but they are met with skepticism and even hostility from some. The singer asks their lover to stay with them and love them, but also suggests the possibility of them stopping to bloody love them. The lyrics end with the singer reflecting on their own youth and past experiences while sitting and looking at a fountain.
Overall, the lyrics seem to convey a sense of uncertainty and danger. The propheteer's warnings suggest that something catastrophic could be on the horizon, but they are not being taken seriously. Meanwhile, the singer is unsure if their lover will stay with them or leave. The final lines suggest that the singer is reflecting on their past and how they have ended up in their current situation.
Line by Line Meaning
The propheteer
The person who predicts something big or important is coming soon
The prophet's here
The predicted event is happening now
Only 'til august
The event is temporary and will end by August
Bearing down into the grass, down into the grass for me
The event is affecting me deeply and in a negative way
The prophet's come
The predicted event has arrived
The prophet's good and stung
The event is powerful and causing a lot of discomfort or pain
Gobbled up on cable wires
The event is being heavily covered by the media
Dangling low + above the fires
The event is surrounded by danger and chaos
They won't work out like the lowly ones
The event won't end like previous ones that were less significant
High wires
The stakes are high and the situation is critical
That bring the heathens out for a fight
People who don't believe in the event are opposing it
Ergo sum
Therefore, I am
The game's grown young
The situation is unpredictable and anything can happen
There's a danger now in the town below
The event is causing harm or threat to the people around
And the hobble of gawker's look across the road
People are watching and observing the situation from a distance
There's a tazor
There is a weapon to control or attack the situation
And a brave young one
There is someone who is taking a risk and fighting against the situation
Spilling fiber like you, son
The person is revealing some truthful information about themselves
And the cherry pouts your lungs
The situation is taking a toll on the person's mental and physical health
Just stay here
Please don't leave
Stay here loving me
Stay here and continue loving me
or just stOp bloody loving me
Stop loving me so intensely
See now.
Understand now
Sweep behind the gauzy curtain
Examine what is hiding behind the illusions
High rise
Great success
High and wild
Great success and risk-taking behavior
I pick at you, my limestone
I am examining the person deeply and critically
When you fiddle with your red stone
When the person is playing with or concealing something important to them
What are you without your flint then, sonny?
What are you without the thing that gives you power or control?
Can't count out your only lie
The person can't keep lying and hiding the truth forever
Can't you cap out your only lie
Can't you just stop lying?
Sitting fore
In front of something important or significant
Keel
The bottom part of a boat that keeps it stable
Not before
The situation is different now than it was before
I was in front
I was leading or guiding the situation
Of the pekid fountain
Of the pale or weak-looking fountain
The whole time
Throughout the entire situation
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Christopher Michael Rosenau, Daniel Thomas Spack, Jonathan Edmund Mueller, Justin Deyarmond Edison Vernon, Matthew David Skemp, Thomas John Wincek
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind