The band's third studio album, Follow the Reaper, was their first album to receive a gold certification in Finland, and subsequent studio albums acquired the same status. Their next four albums debuted at number one on the Finnish album charts, and have also seen chart positions on the United States Billboard 200. They are one of Finland's best selling artists of all time with more than 250,000 records sold there alone.
In 2019, Children of Bodom held their last concert in Helsinki named A Chapter Called Children of Bodom, before disbanding the band. Laiho and Freyberg carried on as Bodom After Midnight in 2020. Laiho, who was one of the founding members of Children of Bodom as well as the only main songwriter, died on 29 December 2020.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_of_Bodom
Studio albums
Something Wild (1997)
Hatebreeder (1999)
Follow the Reaper (2000)
Hate Crew Deathroll (2003)
Are You Dead Yet? (2005)
Blooddrunk (2008)
Relentless Reckless Forever (2011)
Halo of Blood (2013)
I Worship Chaos (2015)
Hexed (2019)
Dead Man's Hand on You
Children of Bodom Lyrics
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Just to see, feel your glare
I wanna sleep just drift away
Mother Kali, just tuck me in, take me in
Take me out
Heaven, hell and the underworld
Give me the white, the red and black
If you let me love and be true blue
I'll be more than just a dead man's hand on you
Tell me lies won't be denied
Mother Kali, will you be my bride?
I'd paint your roses black and show you heaven
Just to see your skin for one more second
It's all I want that's what I do
Love me one more time and I'll let you kill me too
The song "Dead Man's Hand on You" by Children of Bodom is a dark and intense track that explores themes of life, death, love, and the afterlife. The lyrics describe a journey taken by the singer to see someone and feel their gaze. The singer wants to sleep and be taken in by Mother Kali, an Indian goddess associated with death and destruction. The chorus expresses the singer's desire to experience all aspects of life and death, including heaven, hell, and the underworld. The singer pleads with Mother Kali to give him the white, the red, and black, which likely refer to purity, blood, and darkness.
The second verse continues the theme of love and death. The singer asks Mother Kali to let him love and be true blue, meaning loyal and faithful. He promises to be more than just a dead man's hand on her, which likely refers to being a tool or pawn in the afterlife. The singer asks for lies to be told to him, indicating a desire for deception or illusion. He then asks Mother Kali to be his bride, suggesting a willingness to commit to death.
The final verse is particularly intense, with the singer declaring a willingness to die for love. He would "paint your roses black," a reversal of the traditional symbol of romantic love, and show Mother Kali heaven, perhaps as a sacrifice or offering. The singer asks to be loved one more time and promises to let Mother Kali kill him too, implying a sense of fatalism and acceptance of death.
Overall, the song is a haunting exploration of mortality and the desire for connection that persists even beyond death.
Line by Line Meaning
Walked a long long way down there
I traveled a great distance just to be near you
Just to see, feel your glare
I came to witness your gaze and aura
I wanna sleep just drift away
I wish to peacefully rest and be free of my troubles
Mother Kali, just tuck me in, take me in
The goddess Kali, please comfort me and bring me safety
Take me out
Rescue me from my current state
Heaven, hell and the underworld
I desire all three realms of existence
Give me the white, the red and black
I request all colors and aspects of life
It's all I ask, that's what I need
This is my sole desire, it is essential for me
If you let me love and be true blue
If I may have your affection and remain loyal
I'll be more than just a dead man's hand on you
I will be a living and active part of our relationship
Tell me lies won't be denied
I am willing to be deceived, I won't object
Mother Kali, will you be my bride?
I propose to the goddess Kali
I'd paint your roses black and show you heaven
I would darken beauty and reveal greatness to you
Just to see your skin for one more second
To briefly see your flesh, even for a moment
It's all I want that's what I do
My greatest craving is this, it is who I am
Love me one more time and I'll let you kill me too
If you love me again, I will willingly die for you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALEXI LAIHO, HENRI SAMULI SEPPALA, JANNE VILJAMI WIRMANN, JASKA ILMARI RAATIKAINEN, ROOPE JUHANI LATVALA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind