Music Review: Kim Wilde "House Of Salome"

House Of Salome
Album: Catch As Catch Can
Year: 1984

Kim Wilde tells a story of a young man who falls for the ghost of Salome in the passionate "House of Salome."

Fervid synthesizers start the single, setting a ravenous tone. Wilde says that the man is running around searching for the spirit of Salome. He senses her and pounds on the door, begging for her to let him in the house.

"Shadows run in the heat of the desert/Hands beat at the door/Someone stands and calls/For the name of Salome."

In the pre-chorus, Salome entrances him by slowly moving the veils away. When her face is revealed, the man cannot believe it. She was a stranger. However, at the time, it was exactly how he imagined her to be.

"As the veils were pushed away/He gazed upon a face/He'd never seen/Was she a dream?"

In the chorus, a male voice (perhaps Jochanann), screams at him. He shouts for him to be careful.
It was a dialect he heard existed centuries ago. Jochanann tells the man he has no choice but to give in to her now.

"He heard the sound from a distance voice/You'd better watch out!/You'd better watch out!/He heard the sound from a thousand years/Calling out/Calling out/In the house of Salome/
You have to surrender."

In the second verse, a handmaiden implores him to follow Salome. She says that Salome will be devoted to him. Every night, he will dream of her and the time he spent in the home. The handmaiden directs him on how to seduce her: kiss her gently and then back away. Salome will respond if she desires more.

""Run with her" said the young handmaiden/She will be your queen/All your life you'll live
In the dream of Salome (Salome)/Take her mouth and with your hands/Just kiss her painted lips/Don't you make a move/'Till Salome calls you."

In the second pre-chorus, Salome kisses him back. The amber scent of her perfume thrills him and he leads her to the bed. There, they make love.

"As the music danced around the desert night/He smelt her perfumed skin/As they made love."

The chorus is sung again.

After the chorus, a zestful saxophone solo occurs.

The second pre-chorus is sung again.

The chorus is sung again.

At the end, Wilde says Salome calls young men to her home.

"In the house of Salome/In the house of Salome/In the house of Salome/This house calls you!"

"House Of Salome" is a creative modern retelling of the opera. From Wilde's point of view, Salome is now living in the home she lived in. Her ghost lives there. Salome calls upon men to love her and not spurn her affections. Salome is reliving her last few days of her life how she wanted it to be: spent with man she loved.

Wilde alludes to the man being killed. However, that is not explored enough for it to be clear. The ambiguity gives the single mystery and openness. It's up to listeners to devise their own ending.

The single has a minor fault: the cliched saxophone solo. Its out of place liveliness seems to be celebrating the man for having sex with Salome. Momentarily, it's song aimed for the frat boy bookworms.

"House of Salome" succeeds. However, the careful intrepretation of the original story and feverish accompaniant disguise the flaw.

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