House Carpenter

is a popular ballad from Britain. It tells the story of a man (usually the Devil), who returns to a former lover after a very long absence, and finds her with a husband (usually a carpenter) and a baby.

I agree with heavenisdieing.

First time I heard this, my girlfriend had just left for work and I was feelin pretty bored so I turned on the album and listened to it. At the end of this song, you all know there is about a 2 minute break where no music plays then it gets a bit louder, continues to get louder, then a woman says "I love you" which really freaked me out cause it sounded EXACTLY like my girlfriend.

never thought about it that way. it was so obvious.

I think of a man. Past his prime and collecting his thoughts. The woman he thought he was in love with has left him for someone who he obviously perceives to be inferior. House carpenter? House carpenter. Just look at how much the lead singer chooses to emphasize those words. What do you think of when you think of a house carpenter? A simple ordinary man. So what does that make the speaker? The speaker might have tried to keep the woman with ways other than true love, maybe spoil her with money etc. Anyway, whether or not this is intentional. The emphasis on his lost love being buried with her NEW husband either suggests that the speaker is murdering these two in his mind, or he has lost all control and has killed them himself.

It could very well be based off of this poem:

http://www.contemplator.com/child/carpentereng.html

Its a story of a house carpenter, of course, and how his love is taken from him by a third person, a captain apparently. While his wife and the captain that took her are at sea, the ship sinks. After she dies, she has to go to hell.

Pretty sad poem, I'd say the song matches it well.

"The only mistake was the love we made --- Never meant you wrong -- didn't mean it"

That could be coming from the perspective of the captain, the third person. Switching perspective in the song wouldn't be too far fetched, seeing how it is done within the poem.

"If you’ve ever lost a loved one, I pray for you I really do" ect, which would be from the house carpenter, of course.

"I’m sure you’re married to your house carpenter, and your love will never be mine" From the captain, realizing that the woman doesn't actually love him.

"Left alone in this ship" - the wife

"And your face I’ll never see no more - your face I’ll never see no more"

From the poem:

"Or do you weep for your house carpenter That you never shall see anymore"

Just what I think, could very well be wrong, but the similarities are there.

You can hear her say it again in the song unkind after he says (Just adds to the heaving when I breathe) maybe its about the same girl

you are all kinda right but if you listen to the song "rapture" and listen to this one he's singing about his child that got killed suppsedly by his ex. so he,s singing about how he knows he'll never get to see her face again and feel her love again and how now she is in heaven;and yes jesus is the carpenter. i know the feeling of love that he's talking about i'm a mother too'I feel his pain when i her both "rapture" and this one.

The very end of the track, the woman whispering, gives me chills and wets my eyes every time. I'm not sure why, it just really strikes a chord with me. I absolutely love this song, however dark and sad it may be.

Well J. does get alot of influence from poetry and classical music. But something about his voice gives me the impression this is much more personal...

This is their most powerful song, by far. I think he tied a poem to a life experience to be honest...similar to what you all have already posted.

I'm torn. I tend to think that loki is really onto it (the comparisons are just too close to be a coincidence), but at the same time I like to think that J. is singing about a woman he loves, that he's lamenting the fact that she's fervently religious and will never love him completely because she loves her god too much.