A beautiful modern exploration of Sephardic melodies, creatively arranged b… Read Full Bio ↴A beautiful modern exploration of Sephardic melodies, creatively arranged by the masterminds of the popular rock group Elysian Fields, Oren Bloedow and Jennifer Charles. Breathy vocals, exotic instruments and a sensibility that embraces jazz, funk, folk, rock and Latin music blend to make a CD to be enjoyed again and again.

Salome
Oren Bloedow and Jennifer Charles Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Down in your hole you look cold
I hear your voice like music like gold
Thy body so white, thy hair so black
Thy mouth so red

Suffer me once to take you my way
The moon is a virgin but she can't turn away
Suffer me twice I'll come back for more

I will taste of thee
Thy body, thy core

Daddy my dear you're on fire
I'll give you a dance
Just grant my desire
My king you shake
You need to watch through silver veils

And I'll dance for you
The way you want me to
Like this

Now bring me the head of that ivory-pale boy
He ain't no saint till I've taken my joy
All the treasure in Palestine will never replace
That strong, strong head contemptuous face

On that silver shield, you look cold
We meet once again just as you were told
Now I bite down on hot wet lips
But you don't cry out

Now I'm riding the head of that poison-pale boy
He ain't no saint till he's tasted my joy
All the treasure in Palestine will never replace
That strong, strong head
Contemptuous face

Strong, strong head
Unconquerable face

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Oren Bloedow and Jennifer Charles's song Salome fuse sensuality and violence as the singer addresses their desire towards an anonymous figure who is "down in [their] hole" and whose "body [is] so white, [their] hair so black, [their] mouth so red." The singer asks this individual to "suffer" them once or twice, assuring them that they will "taste of thee," consuming not only their body but their core as well. The lyrics are evocative of the Biblical story of Salome, who demanded the head of John the Baptist as a reward for dancing before Herod, and the references to the "ivory-pale boy" suggest that the song is similarly inspired by that narrative. However, the lyrics exchange the perspective of the story, portraying Salome not as a victim but as an empowered and dangerous figure who demands pleasure and control over the object of her desires. The lines "daddy my dear you're on fire, I'll give you a dance, just grant my desire" point towards an incestuous relationship between the singer and their father figure, expanding on the twisted power dynamics of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Down in your hole you look cold
You seem distant and unapproachable

I hear your voice like music like gold
Your voice is soothing and appealing

Thy body so white, thy hair so black
Your body is pale and your hair is dark

Thy mouth so red
Your mouth is red and attractive

Suffer me once to take you my way
Let me have my way with you just once

The moon is a virgin but she can't turn away
Even the moon cannot resist the temptation

Suffer me twice I'll come back for more
If you let me have my way with you twice, I will want more

I will taste of thee Thy body, thy core
I want to enjoy every part of your body

Daddy my dear you're on fire
You are incredibly desirable

I'll give you a dance Just grant my desire
I'll seduce you if you fulfill my wish

My king you shake You need to watch through silver veils
You tremble with desire and need to control your urges

And I'll dance for you The way you want me to Like this
I will dance for you however you want, just like this

Now bring me the head of that ivory-pale boy He ain't no saint till I've taken my joy All the treasure in Palestine will never replace That strong, strong head contemptuous face
I want the head of the pale boy, who is not innocent until I've had my way with him, and nothing can replace his arrogant and strong presence

On that silver shield, you look cold We meet once again just as you were told Now I bite down on hot wet lips But you don't cry out
You appear emotionless on the silver shield as we meet, I bite my lips in anticipation, but you remain silent

Now I'm riding the head of that poison-pale boy He ain't no saint till he's tasted my joy All the treasure in Palestine will never replace That strong, strong head Contemptuous face Strong, strong head Unconquerable face
I have conquered the pale boy and he is not pure anymore, even all the treasure in Palestine cannot replace his arrogance and strong personality

Contributed by Mateo J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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