Bed of Nails

Album: Smother (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • British indie rock band Wild Beasts' third album Two Dancers features a more synth-oriented sound than their previous two releases. However, the band got through several synthesizers whilst recording. Bassist Tom Fleming explained to Drowned In Sound: "The synth used on this track was then to die immediately after, and this is its only legacy." Fleming added that the synth they played for "Reach a Little Further" also "died after the event."
  • The song sees the narrator listing the sacrifices he'll make for his lover. Fleming told the story of the song to Drowned in Sound: "One of the first we wrote, in a demo session that predated the album by about eight months. Almost all of the sounds on this track are so-called "real" instruments, treated and filtered to sound unfamiliar. This is a playful song, and if I may, a bit of a disco banger, or at least as close to one as we dared."
  • Wild Beasts are well known for their liberal use of literary references, and this song sees them working two classic tragedies, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Shakespeare's Hamlet into the lyric.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Benny Mardones

Benny MardonesSongwriter Interviews

His song "Into The Night" is one of the most-played of all time. For Benny, it took him to hell and back.

Artis the Spoonman

Artis the SpoonmanSong Writing

Even before Soundgarden wrote a song about him, Artis was the most famous spoon player of all time. So why has he always been broke?

Daniel Lanois

Daniel LanoisSongwriter Interviews

Daniel Lanois on his album Heavy Sun, and the inside stories of songs he produced for U2, Peter Gabriel, and Bob Dylan.

Early Days of MTV

Early Days of MTVFact or Fiction

If you can recall the days when MTV played videos, you know that there are lots of stories to tell. See if you can spot the real ones.

Protest Songs

Protest SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know your protest songs (including the one that went to #1)?

Sam Phillips

Sam PhillipsSongwriter Interviews

Collaborating with T Bone Burnett, Leslie Phillips changed her name and left her Christian label behind - Robert Plant, who recorded one of her songs on Raising Sand, is a fan.