The Dead Weather is an alternative rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee… Read Full Bio ↴The Dead Weather is an alternative rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee, United States in 2009. They consist of Alison Mosshart (vocals, guitar), Dean Fertita (guitar, organ), Jack Lawrence (bass, drums) and Jack White (drums, vocals, guitar).

All members of the band are from other, well known alternative rock groups. Mosshart is a member of The Kills, Fertita is a member of Queens of the Stone Age, Lawrence is a member of The Greenhornes and The Raconteurs and White was a member of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs.

White produced their album, Horehound, which was released in the US on July 14th 2009. The album was recorded in three weeks at White's own Third Man Studio in Nashville. This group sparks particular interest because Jack White, well known for guitar skills, played drums with this band.. White’s last booking as a drummer was with the Detroit punk outfit Goober and the Peas, aged 19.

Bone House
The Dead Weather Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I build a house
For your bones
I build a house
I build a home

I build a house
For your bones
I build a house

I build a home

I wrote a song
Go on and listen
That's all you'll hear
When I go missing

I wrote a song
Go on and listen
That's all you'll hear
When I go missing

I always get, I always get,
The things I want

I make a nest
For your hair
I lay you down
I lay you there
I build a ship
I sink or sail
Every tooth
And every nail

I always get, the things I want
I always get, the things I want
I always get, the things I want
I always get, the things I want

I put your heart
In a vault
That's how I get
The things I want

I put your heart
In a vault
That's how I get
The things I want

I lay a road
For your mind
So your mind can
Go, go, go, go

I lay a road
For your mind
So your mind can
Go, go, go, go

I always get the things I want
I always get the things I want
I always get the things I want
I always get the things I want

I build a house
I build a home
I build a house
For your bones
I build a house
For your bones

I build a house
I build a home

Overall Meaning

The Dead Weather’s song “Bone House” is one of the darkest and most haunting tracks on their 2010 album, “Sea of Cowards”. The song seems to be about a person who is obsessed with possessing their loved one, to the point of building a house for their bones, collecting every part of them that they can, and even putting their heart in a vault. The repeated refrain of “I always get the things I want” suggests an unwillingness to let go of this person, and a willingness to go to any lengths to keep them, even after they’re gone. The song ends with the repeated refrain “I build a house, I build a home,” driving home the point that this person wants to possess and control every part of their loved one, even after death.

The imagery in “Bone House” is vivid and unsettling. The repeated “I build a house, I build a home” lines create a sense of claustrophobia and entrapment, as if the singer is literally building a prison for their loved one. The metaphor of a ship that can either “sink or sail” suggests that the singer knows what they’re doing is wrong, but they don’t care. They’ll do whatever it takes to keep their loved one close, even if it means their own destruction. The line “I lay a road for your mind, so your mind can go go go go” adds to the sense of control and manipulation, as if the singer wants to own not just their loved one’s physical body, but their thoughts and memories as well.

Overall, “Bone House” is a chilling reminder of the power that one person can hold over another, and the lengths that some will go to in order to keep that power. The song is a masterpiece of dark, brooding rock, propelled by Jack White’s relentless drums and Alison Mosshart’s anguished vocals.

Line by Line Meaning

I build a house
I am creating a structure to hold something or someone.

For your bones
Specifically, I am building this structure to contain your remains after death.

I build a home
This structure is not just a physical dwelling, but a place of emotional belonging that I am crafting.

I wrote a song
I am expressing my feelings in a creative way.

Go on and listen
I want someone to hear my message.

That's all you'll hear
My song is the only thing that will remain when I am gone.

When I go missing
I am aware of my own mortality and the fact that I won't be around forever.

I always get, I always get,
I have a sense of entitlement and believe that I should receive what I desire.

The things I want
I am referring to specific desires or goals that I am actively pursuing.

I make a nest
I am creating a cozy and comfortable space.

For your hair
I am not only concerned with preserving your remains, but also the smaller and more delicate parts of you.

I lay you down
I am positioning you in a specific way.

I lay you there
I am carefully placing you in a location I have chosen.

I build a ship
I am creating a vehicle to transport myself and others to a specific destination.

I sink or sail
I am taking a risk with this ship, but I am willing to accept the consequences either way.

Every tooth
I am paying attention to the details and making sure every small component is accounted for and accounted.

And every nail
I am being meticulous in the construction of this ship, making sure that every part is securely fastened and in its proper place.

I put your heart
I am holding something dear to you, something that you may not willingly give up.

In a vault
I am keeping this precious thing locked away and protected.

That's how I get
By taking something valuable to you, I am able to gain something for myself.

I lay a road
I am creating a path, a direction to follow.

For your mind
I am not just concerned with your physical well-being, but your mental well-being as well.

So your mind can go, go, go, go
I am creating a situation where you have the freedom to think, create, and explore without hindrance.

I build a house
I am once again constructing a physical structure to hold something or someone.

I build a home
This house is not just a place to live, but a place to belong and feel secure.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: JACK WHITE, JACK LAWRENCE, DEAN FERTITA, ALISON MOSSHART

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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