The Caves of Altamira

Album: The Royal Scam (1976)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The Cave of Altamira is a cave in Spain containing paintings and drawings made by Neanderthals. The song is about early man's call to be creative and expressive. Early in life he recognizes that "busy world was not for me so I went and found my own." His imagination was sparked in his solitude studying, reading, imagining and creating. The story of the caves of Altamira show this instinct: "Before the fall when they wrote it on the wall when there wasn't even a Hollywood they heard the call." Man answered his creative call and we are ever grateful. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jo - South Texas
  • In a 2000 BBC Online chat with Donald Fagen and Walter Becker of Steely Dan, they shared their thoughts on the meaning behind this song. Becker called it "A story about the loss of innocence." Fagen said it's "a pretty straightforward story about a guy who visits the caves of Altamira which have famous drawings by prehistoric men or women as the case may be, and he registers his astonishment."

Comments: 6

  • Pam from Topeka, KsThe Cave is timeless, so too Steely Dan's music
  • Miguel from CantabriaYeah! It's probably that. I'm from the region that Altamira is in, I was very surprised when I discovered the song, as I'd been there multiple times. I think the beginning of the song in particular is a reference to the cave's discovery, which was done by a lad that worked for an amateur archeologist (it was by accident; his dog got lost and the guy was looking for him when he found the cave!). I've always thought that the "Can it be this sad design could be the very same?" part is a reference to the new cave. The original cave was closed to the public in the '70s, but they opened a facility that contains exact replicas for the public to see. I am not sure that they went that far into the cave's lore, but I've always felt that I was missing something when visiting it but not seeing the real thing. I'd like to go one day but it's very difficult to get into the real thing. Anyway, hope you all found this interesting!
  • Semperfish from PhiladelphiaOP analysis (Jo- South Texas?) missed or ignored the entire first verse. Young loner finds a cave and discovers universal truths from long ago that are still relevant today...
  • Tom from ChicagoJo - The early man is not the one who sings, "the busy world was not for me so I went and found my own." It's the narrator of the song who's a small boy who remembers how he used to "climb a garden wall with a candle in my hand" and "hide inside a hole of rock and sand." It was there that he discovered the thousands of years old primitive art that he sings about.
  • Daniel from Arcata, CaSpence, I have a double disc of Android Where house and if dan fans want to hear raw steely dan they should try to find it. Well worth it
  • Spence from Brooklyn, NyI think this song was previously named "Android Warehouse" before they put it on the Royal Scam album.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Amanda Palmer

Amanda PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Call us crazy, but we like it when an artist comes around who doesn't mesh with the status quo.

Janis Ian

Janis IanSongwriter Interviews

One of the first successful female singer-songwriters, Janis had her first hit in 1967 at age 15.

Producer Ron Nevison

Producer Ron NevisonSong Writing

Ron Nevison explains in very clear terms the Quadrophenia concept and how Heart staged their resurgence after being dropped by their record company.

John Waite

John WaiteSongwriter Interviews

"Missing You" was a spontaneous outpouring of emotion triggered by a phone call. John tells that story and explains what MTV meant to his career.

Protest Songs

Protest SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know your protest songs (including the one that went to #1)?

Keith Reid of Procol Harum

Keith Reid of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

As Procol Harum's lyricist, Keith wrote the words to "A Whiter Shade Of Pale." We delve into that song and find out how you can form a band when you don't sing or play an instrument.