Herod 2014
Scott Walker + Sunn O))) Lyrics
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Their soft, gummy smiles
won't be gilding the menu.
The deer fly, the sand fly,
the tsetse can't find them.
is left far behind them.
Their delicate derma
won't witness a ray.
She's hidden her babies away
She's hidden her babies away
No 'Raindrops on roses'.
'Whiskers on kittens'.
They refuse to be blinded
by Rubens or Poussin.
They'll hardly be boarding
the 12:10 to Tucson.
Is she shaking them hard
in dry run cabaret?
She's hidden her babies away
Ho, Ho, watenay
Ho, Ho, watenay
Ho, Ho, watenay
I'm closing in.
I'm closing in.
She's hidden her babies away
And why bring them out
with no shelter to offer.
The nurseries and creches
are heavily with lush lice.
Bubonic, blue blankets,
run ragged with church mice.
The Havana has died
in the clam-shell ashtray.
She's hidden her babies away
She's hidden her babies away
From posed, high,
pelvic bridges.
Pearly bone
mountain ridges.
No hiccupy silence
to finger their traces.
No colicky moon
shines bright pain
on their faces.
She has slipped
through the dark
like a mother moray.
She's hidden her babies away
Ho, Ho, watenay
Ho, Ho, watenay
Ho, Ho, watenay
I'm closing in.
I'm closing in.
I've come searching,
from far and away.
A r-e-a-c-h-i-n-g,L-o-n-g-A-r-m-e-d
vet ape
feeling hard
for a breech birth.
I gaze up at the night
at the asterisk's blazing.
til they straighten,
and like tiny spines,
fall to earth.
I bite down on this
as I dance
and I pray.
She's hidden her babies away
(Ho, Ho, watenay is a traditional Ojibwa Indian lullaby)
The lyrics to "Herod 2014" by Scott Walker and Sunn O))) are haunting, evocative, and deeply symbolic. At its core, the song is about a mother who has hidden her children away from the dangers of the world. This is represented in the lyrics by various images of protection and concealment: the babies' smiles won't be "gilding the menu" (i.e. they won't be literal food or target practice for hunters), bugs can't find them, and they won't be exposed to art or travel. The mother is fiercely protective of her children and will go to great lengths to keep them safe.
However, the song also hints at the darker side of this kind of parenting. The mother's protection can be read as overbearing and suffocating. The babies are cut off from the world around them, denied experiences and opportunities in the name of safety. The images of lice, mice, and dead cigars suggest a dirty and confined environment, while the references to painting and travel imply a lack of culture and adventure. The mother seems almost paranoid, hiding her children away not just from specific threats but from life itself.
Line by Line Meaning
She's hidden her babies away
She has kept her children secretly concealed from the world
Their soft, gummy smiles
won't be gilding the menu.
The children's pure innocent expressions will not be corrupted by the cruel reality of life
The deer fly, the sand fly,
the tsetse can't find them.
The insects cannot locate the hidden children
The goon from the Stasi
is left far behind them.
Even an oppressive government agent would struggle to find the hidden children
Their delicate derma
won't witness a ray.
The children are being protected from the sun's harmful rays
No 'Raindrops on roses'.
'Whiskers on kittens'.
The common beauties of life are not present for the children to enjoy
They refuse to be blinded
by Rubens or Poussin.
Even great works of art cannot tempt the hidden children
They'll hardly be boarding
the 12:10 to Tucson.
The children are not living a normal life and won't be taking any trips
Is she shaking them hard
in dry run cabaret?
It is questioned if the mother is harming the children to keep them hidden
Ho, Ho, watenay
Ho, Ho, watenay
Ho, Ho, watenay
I'm closing in.
I'm closing in.
The singer/Hero is approaching the hidden children
And why bring them out
with no shelter to offer.
There is no reason to bring the children out of hiding without a safe place for them to go
The nurseries and creches
are heavily with lush lice.
The outside world is infected with parasites that could harm the children
Bubonic, blue blankets,
run ragged with church mice.
The few possessions the children have are infested and dirty
The Havana has died
in the clam-shell ashtray.
Even luxurious items like a cigar have fallen into disrepair
From posed, high,
pelvic bridges.
The children are being protected from explicit or sexual content
Pearly bone
mountain ridges.
The simple beauty of nature is being denied to the children
No hiccupy silence
to finger their traces.
The children are being hidden so well that no trace of their existence can be found
No colicky moon
shines bright pain
on their faces.
The children are being given the chance to grow without the pain of the world affecting them
She has slipped
through the dark
like a mother moray.
The mother has secured her children and is protecting them like an eel
Ho, Ho, watenay
Ho, Ho, watenay
Ho, Ho, watenay
I'm closing in.
I'm closing in.
The singer/Hero is getting closer to finding the hidden children
I've come searching,
from far and away.
The singer/Hero has traveled a significant distance to find the hidden children
A r-e-a-c-h-i-n-g,L-o-n-g-A-r-m-e-d
vet ape
feeling hard
for a breech birth.
The singer/Hero is like a specialized veterinarian searching for a difficult birth
I gaze up at the night
at the asterisk's blazing.
til they straighten,
and like tiny spines,
fall to earth.
The singer/Hero is seeking guidance from the stars to find the hidden children
I bite down on this
as I dance
and I pray.
The singer/Hero is preparing themselves both physically and spiritually for the task ahead
Contributed by Gabriella H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.