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salome

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jimbo913:
I have always liked this song (even though it sounds like salami), and have always wondered a bit about what the song meant.

I found this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salom%C3%A9

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herodias

The song makes sense now.  I guess the blue blood refers to incest (like the blue bloods in the Appalachian (sp?) Mountains. And "don't make me stick to my promise" is pretty clear now.

Or maybe I am wrong, but it does seem to make sense.  Anyway, I thought it was interesting.

Between Two Worlds:
You are quite right. It's an excellent piece of music. I got really into U2 through the B-Sides of the Best Of albums... which means I got to know the Zooromancer Remix (Edit) first! It has this haunting aspect, I think. The original version has more of the sickness aspect... They are both great...

I don't get your reference to the Appalachian mountains. (I am a German living in the UK - maybe this excuses me.)

I wonder whether the reference to blood turning blood has anything to do with Herod's aspirations to be recognized as proper royalty. His genealogy was not highly respected among the Jews he was governing and suspect Bono knows about that. But I don't know how this would fit in. In fact, I don't understand "When I crawled from your door"...

I love the double entendre of "untie the knot" -  the knot Herod got himself into through his careless promise would not have been there in the first place if he had untied the knot earlier (John the Baptist was in prison for condemning the marriage). Very clever.

Is there any significance to the cherry tree that I miss?

By the way, it is not the only time that Bono explores a Biblical story from an unusual angle - the perspective of the villain of the piece. There is one other piece in the U2 catalogue: Until the End of the World - Judas looking back on what he has done.

jimbo913:
Thanks for the reply :)

The Appalachian mountains run in the eastern part of the US and is generally considered to be "back woods" especially certain parts.  I am not saying it is all like that, but it is the stereotypical view of the area.

It seems I missed a certain part in my post.  Urban legend has it that some of those folks have somehow aquired blood that has a bluish tint, most likely from incestuous relationships (which Harod had married his niece).  Of course, I don't know if that is all true, just what I have heard growing up in Kentucky.  I am probably way off base.

I think of Salome in a much more sexual way (similar to UTEOTW) , untie the knot being a reference to disrobing, "I'll give you half what I got if you untie the knot" refering to his promise that he would give her anything, up to half what he had for her dancing).  I think the song paints the picture that Harod has his eye on Salome, he likes her dancing and he wouldn't mind developing the relationship a bit further.  But your explanation makes perfect sense too.

That is what you have to love about U2 lyrics, very open to interpretation.

Between Two Worlds:
Absolutely - a sign of good poetry. I agree that sexual innuendo is not far beneath the surface. Given that untying the knot first of all refers to getting ready for a dance, your explanation fits well, maybe better than mine which presumes that Herod is already trying to disentangle himself from the mess he got himself into early on in the song.

Thanks for clarifying the Appalachian blood bit - a real eye-opener. Herod had married his brother's wife which I think would have been considered an incestuous relationship by most Jews of the day (as well as adultery). Your idea that in the song Herod might be in pursuit of another incestuous relationship had not entered my mind but it makes sense. Thanks!

Between Two Worlds:
Just edited the Wikipedia entry on Salome to correct the neglect of U2  ;-)

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