Pompeii from Icarus by TOMKAT

‘Pompeii’ was originally named ‘Walls’, but after a brief survey revealed that no one knew what the hell the lyrics were about, TOMKAT decided to rename the song to reflect its inspiration. Put in short, ‘Pompeii’ describes the scene of Mt Vesuvius erupting in AD 79, as ‘it shook the sky/it spit
a fire red…. It burned/ the Earth and all we had’ and rained down ash and hot lava on the city of Pompeii. Photos in history books depict mummified bodies of victims fleeing or hiding in their homes. But the lyrics describe a wholly different reaction, ‘I stayed, and I stood, and I did not hide. I closed my eyes.” This description of facing death head on may seem fatalistic, suicidal even. But lyricist Katrina Cain explains that it’s more of a metaphor for facing your failures head on. “I’ve spent so much time being too nervous, too worried, too filled with fear. To me, the entire world feels
like a volcano at times, and I’ve decided to face its wrath instead of run away.”

Tracklist

8.	Pompeii	4:26

Lyrics

They said, the Walls were coming down.
They said, Walls were coming down.
It shook the sky, it spit a fire red.
It shook the sky, coming down, they said.

And I stayed, and I stood, and I did not hide,
I closed my eyes.

They ran, the Walls were coming down.
They ran, Walls were coming down.
It burned the Earth and all we had.
It burned coming down, they ran.

And I stayed, and I stood, and I did not hide,
I closed my eyes.
And I stayed, and I stood, and I did not hide,
I closed my eyes.

Credits

from Icarus, track released October 13, 2017
Vocals- Katrina Cain
Guitar- Andrew McMillan
Bass- Mike Luzecky
Drums- Jonny Harmon
Synths- Trenton Hull

Written and performed by TOMKAT
Recording by Tanner Landry at Fort Worth Sound, Studio B
Mixed and Mastered by Matt Pence at Echo Lab Studios in Denton, TX

License