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There was only one option for a song about a girl’s name with an S: Salome by the German band Saltatio Mortis. It’s one of my favourite songs by this band. When I first encountered them at a festival, they would perform this song, and I loved it from the start. The song is catchy, and especially the live performance was impressive.
Warning: the following paragraph contains graphic imagery and biblical references.
The figure Salome is mentioned in the Bible:
Mark’s account (6:21–28) reads:
A convenient day arrived when Herod spread an evening meal on his birthday for his high officials and the military commanders and the most prominent men of Galilee. The daughter of Herodias came in and danced, pleasing Herod and those dining with him. The king said to the girl: “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” Yes, he swore to her: “Whatever you ask me for, I will give it to you, up to half my kingdom.” So she went out and said to her mother: “What should I ask for?” She said: “The head of John the Baptist.” She immediately rushed in to the king and made her request, saying: “I want you to give me right away on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” Although this deeply grieved him, the king did not want to disregard her request, because of his oaths and his guests. So the king immediately sent a bodyguard and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went off and beheaded him in the prison and brought his head on a platter. He gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
The parallel passage in the Gospel of Matthew (14:6–11):
But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them: and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath, to give her whatsoever she would ask of him. But she being instructed before by her mother, said: Give me here in a dish the head of John the Baptist. And the king was struck sad: yet because of his oath, and for them that sat with him at table, he commanded it to be given. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a dish: and it was given to the damsel, and she brought it to her mother. – from Wikipedia
As I said, it’s not a happy story. Throughout history, the tale has inspired many works of art, including this painting by Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen. I enjoyed delving into the history and I hope you didn’t mind the imagery too much 😉
Salome – Saltatio Mortis
[Alea]
Herod was enchanted,
Her gaze held him fast
“The most beautiful woman in the desert”
Salome was called
A glittering feast was held
in honour of Salome
To crown the evening,
the King wished her to dance
In the dungeon lay the Baptist
Salome wanted him
She dreamed of the kisses
which he would not give her
[Doro]
Just one kiss, John
It’s still not too late
But my revenge will fall hard
On he who spurns me
[Chorus]
Dance like the wind (like the wind)
like foam on the sea
oh-oh dance for me, Salome!
Dance with seven veils,
Your skin as white as snow
Seven sins and a dance for me, Salome!
[Alea]
With fire in her eyes,
and a smile upon her face
wrapped in seven veils
She now says to the King
[Doro]
Herod Antipas,
I will gladly dance
But in return, I demand
the kiss I was denied
[Chorus x2]
…Salome…
With an enchanting smile,
she whispers coquettishly
[Doro]
Give me the head of the Baptist
on a silver platter
And she danced…
[Chorus x2]
https://lyricstranslate.com/nl/salome-salome.html
Writer(s): Frank Heim, Jörg Roth, Michael Kaufmann
Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
Salome – Saltatio Mortis
[Alea]
Herodes war verzaubert,
ihr Blick hatte ihn gebannt:
Die schönste Frau der Wüste
ward Salome genannt.
Ein Fest zu ihren Ehren,
erstrahlt in hellem Glanz.
Als Krönung dieses Abends
wünscht er sich ihren Tanz.
Im Kerker harrt der Täufer,
den Salome begehrt.
Sie träumt von seinen Küssen,
die dieser ihr verwehrt.
[Doro]
Nur einen Kuss Johannes,
es ist noch nicht zu spät.
Denn hart trifft meine Rache
den, der mich verschmäht…
[Chorus]
Tanz wie der Wind, (wie der Wind)
wie die Gischt der See,
oh-oh, tanz für mich, Salome!
Tanz mit sieben Schleiern,
deine Haut so weiß wie Schnee.
Sieben Sünden und dein Tanz für mich, Salome!
[Alea]
Mit Feuer in den Augen,
ein Lächeln im Gesicht,
verhüllt von sieben Schleiern,
sie nun zum König spricht:
[Doro]
Herodes Antipas,
gern tanz’ ich mit Genuss,
Doch als Lohn verlange ich
den mir versagten Kuss!
[Chorus x2]
…Salome…
[Alea]
Mit zauberhaftem Lächeln
flüstert sie kokett:
[Doro]
Schenk mir das Haupt des Täufers
auf einem silbernen Tablett!
Und sie tanzt…
[Chorus x2]
https://lyricstranslate.com/nl/salome-salome.html
Song Lyrics Sunday is a prompt by Jim Adams, other entries can be found here: https://jimadamsauthordotcom.wordpress.com/2021/04/17/desperately-seeking-susan/
Karma came back to get Salome years later when she was crossing a frozen river. The ice broke and Salome fell through the ice and her body was trapped in water, while her head stayed above the ice. Salome was flailing helplessly in the icy water, as the strong current of the river was trying to drag her under. She was holding on struggling to keep her head above the frigid water. Salome was trapped and then shards of ice broke off upstream of her body and they pierced her neck decapitating her. Her body was carried away under the ice, but her head remained on top and they say that you could still hear her screaming.
That’s an equally gruesome ending as the story itself 😅
Thanks for adding this, I had no idea 🙂
I remember reading this when I was kid in Bible class, but I think we skip over it as it was too graphic for children’s church.
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