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I'm not a mega fan but on every album there is the best song you ever heard. The man is probably the best song writer on the planet. Feel free to post your favourite song and educate me further.
It's not just the ones he writes - pretty much owns the ones he covers too
The mercy seat is a bit of a favourite of mine, a little bit because a lot of people (wrongly) think JC's cover is the best version
Many excellent songs, but try "Nature Boy" for a more up beat one, "Red right hand" also a classic
don't forget the birthday party - sonny's burning, maybe?
and the most "nick cave" (and some burd 😉 ) video, for a mighty fine song
Brilliant.....i love the lyrical imagery....
edit - not sure why it wont show.....
The Ship Song
Feel free to post your favourite song and educate me further.
Not songs,however, you probably know he's also an author.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_the_Ass_Saw_the_Angel
My mate who lives in Auckland saw him in concert there last week,so he's touring.
Never heard of him or these songs ,guess i`m just old?
i love Nick Caves music. Henry lee is a favourite, as iswhere the wild roses grow.
I think he would be good to see live, but that probably wont happen.
Thanks scaredey!
Got to be Kylie's best moment...?
Do like a bit of Nick Cave. He's a modern day Jim Morrison.
Edric 64 - MemberNever heard of him or these songs ,guess i`m just old?
😆
Nicholas Edward "Nick" Cave born 22 September 1957
I think he would be good to see live, but that probably wont happen.
Saw him about four years ago in Manchester. Red Right Hand was awesome.
Not typical, but this is a sublime track.
Tupelo for me, from The Firstborn Is Dead
Loved The Birthday Party EP's back in my goth days. Their album stuff I struggled thru a bit more, maybe I wasn't hip enough.
So many great songs. Love this fairly recent one...
Who?
Just joking. First knew him from a compilation that had The Mercy Seat on it, but it wasn't until a friend made a wedding compilation CD for us with all sorts of alternative love songs on that I really became aware of his genius, thanks to Into Your Arms.
Still have never managed to catch him live. Must put that right.
Colour noise. I like that.
Can you imagine the person whose job it was to persuade nick to have cartoon rabbits dancing in his video?
Must have caught him on a good day.
the ship song for me
Love Nick Cave favourite albums are Henry's Dream and Abattoir Blues. Favourite song changed every week but this one sends shivers down my spine every time I hear it.
Lots of rude words, but brilliant.....
john_drummer - Member
Tupelo for me, from The Firstborn Is Dead
Yes! Saw him many times in the eighties. Loved the Birthday Party as well
From the Dogs in Space soundtrack. Love it.
Pretty much anything fron kicking against the pricks, the singer maybe. Dig lazarus dig is a cracking tune.
Papa dont leave me henry for getting a good rhythm on a tedious climb. Seen him twice, great show.
My daughter recognised him at a open evening at the 6th form college and aher friends were all blank. Texted me, proud dad moment.
So many to choose. Oh My Lord and Weeping Song could pick loads more though.
zippykona - Member
Colour noise. I like that.
Can you imagine the person whose job it was to persuade nick to have cartoon rabbits dancing in his video?
Must have caught him on a good day.
I actually think that's about as true to Nick Cave as you'll get. There's a certain element of deliberate camp to his stuff which I like.
My favourite Nick Cave song is actually covered by Johnny Cash
As is, coincidentally, my favourite Beck song
My daughter recognised him at a open evening at the 6th form college and aher friends were all blank. Texted me, proud dad moment.
I saw him at a car boot sale when I used to live in Brighton. He was probably buying some knock off watches or something. 🙂
I love the OP's choice but have a special place for this one when I'm feeling murderous...
Plenty of amazing stuff. Songs not already mentioned
Curse of Milhaven (ok just saw the last post)
Higgs Boson Blues
Magneto
Etc.
Saw him live two weeks ago. Two and a half hours of sublime music played with real intensity and fire - brilliant!
I came via the Birthday Party (gave song definitely Mutiny in Heaven 'if this is heaven then ahm bailin out '). Nich the Stripper 12" I think was my starting point (Kathys Kisses on the b-side, brilliant. Good video too.
I remember express telling the guys in the record shop (and it was a record shop back then) how I wasn't going to get From Her to Eternity so the bastards played until I did (thanks Scars, you're missed man). Lyrically it blew me away. The title track has a very strong association for me so I think it would have to be my favourite track of his ouevre.
Wasn't as impressed (but still liked it a lot) the First born. I recall that it was the first time in an age that Bob Dylan authorised the alteration of his lyrics (Wanted Man) which impressed me! Kicking was pretty lush and made me go investigate classic so writers such as Jimmy Webb.
Your Funeral was played a lot. Laughed at Scum (never cross Nick!). Made me go investigate Tim Rose too.
Tender Prey was the last album I loved in its entirety (was childish pleased to see Kid Congo Powers join the Seeds!)
The Good Son was alright but it wasn't what I as looking for and after Henry's Dream I stopped buying. I did pick up the first Grinderman and Dig, Lazarus, Dig (which I did really, really like).
I'll see if I can find some videos....
Nick the stripper
By the time I get to Phoenix:
Scum:
Deanna:
Not absolutely my favourite, but seems the most relevant lately...
This song has already been posted but I was amazed at seeing this live performance of Stagger Lee at Glastonbury. Unfortunately, I only saw it on TV but even then it blew me away. Just amazing:
Two best acts I've ever seen live, Nick Cave and the band that the other bloke in this video is in.
Blixa Bargeld and Einstürzende Neubauten.
Would love to see him live, footage suggests he's a very charismatic performer.
zippy, thanks for this thread! 🙂
i remember i started one similar a few years ago probably after reading his book (ass saw the angel). always liked the birthday party, and then started to [i]really[/i] like him in the bad seeds, some of these songs ^^^ are absolute genius.
that book tho, didnt know what to think of it at first, is it sh1t, is it good, but after a few pages i just thought WOW, its brilliant, what the **** goes through his head??
thanks to this thread i feel a NC listening session coming on......
Anyone who starts a song 'I don't believe in an interventionist God...' gets my vote. I reckon the Steinway would have needed a full service after he was encoring Birthday Party stuff after a Bad Seeds gig at the Liverpool Phil a couple of years ago 🙂
When I was younger I didn't get him at all. The first Grinderman album turned me on to him and I saw him when they toured the second Grinderman album. Now I have, pretty much, everything he's done. Totally amazing artist. Skeleton Tree is possibly the saddest thing I've listened to.
that book tho, didnt know what to think of it at first, is it sh1t, is it good, but after a few pages i just thought WOW, its brilliant, what the **** goes through his head??
Sadex Have you tried The Death of Bunny Munro ? That made my skin crawl, felt grimy after reading it, but couldn't put it down.
I've never seen that video for the weeping song - makes me feel seasick watching it! Anyway, I feel the need to compile my own best of nick cave playlist now..
Sadex Have you tried The Death of Bunny Munro ? That made my skin crawl, felt grimy after reading it, but couldn't put it down.
yep, read it on the back of ass/angel. didnt rate it as highly but i know what you mean about grimy.
Awesome. Skeleton Tree is brilliant but find it hard to listen to because of his son - same age as mine.
So here's a couple of his songs that cheer me up
As above from Grinderman, plus Get it On and Depth Charge Ethel.
Red Right Hand and Thirsty Dog from Let Love In (Bad Seeds)
God is in the House from No More Shall We Part (Bad Seeds)
Edric 64 - Member
Never heard of him or these songs ,guess i`m just old?
Or maybe just not listening to the right radio station? Unlikely you'll hear him played on Radio 1/2, certainly not on any commercial station, with the possible exception of Absolute, but you'll certainly hear him played regularly on BBC 6Music, in most of his incarnations, ie The Birthday Party/Bad Seeds/Grinderman, etc.
Hell, I'm 62, going on 63, and I've known about him for years! 😀
Got Skeleton Tree on now. Is the awesomes.
Great thread, listen to Nick Cave most days I even have a Nick Cave spinning playlist, was spinning to it earlier this week.
If you're new to Nick Cave I reckon a good place to start is the Live at the Albert Hall from a couple of years back, just looked at both cds are on youtube.
Downloaded Skelton Tree the day it came out still can't bring myself to listen to it.
I have to be honest and say I was never a massive fan, until I saw him and the bad seeds in Porto a couple of years ago.
Absolutely mesmerising performance .
Sounded incredible .
The next morning they came down for breakfast (same hotel as us)in the most dapper of outfits & shades. The guitarist was drinking cocktails.:-)
Mr Cave was also kind to my son,
So we're super fans now.:-)
My first into into nick cave was a bootleg tape titled 'Nick Cave Live in Yugoslavia' I got from a market while I was on holiday in Sydney when I was 16.
Now days I have my daughter could play Ship Song and Into My Arms before she did her grade one.
There is just so much depth to his music.
I got into Nick Cave when he released Tender Prey which is more than half my lifetime ago 😯 - it remains one of my favourite albums.
Have seen him and the Bad Seeds three times Glastonbury, Brixton and Birmingham. Some albums have left me a bit indifferent but there is always at least on gem.
I had "Into my Arms" played whilst I was waiting for my wife to arrive at our wedding.
64 going on 65 and have listened to Nick Cave for years. Have seen him live three times, always gives a tremendous performance. Must also mention Warren Ellis, fantastic musician who has worked with Nick Cave for many years. God is in the House is possibly my favourite song.
Often listen to the Boatman's call, Dig Lazarus Dig and the Lyre of Orpheus (what a cheery little cherub I am!) and love Red right hand, and "He wants you" sometimes gets played on Radio 2 by Ken Bruce, a beautiful song...
Big fan here, too, but I started late, with the 'No more shall we part' album. Saw both the films and I've read the books. I heard somewhere that there's going to be a film of the Bunny Monroe book!
I started listening to him when I bought a copy of Best of.... when it came out and then got hooked and bought all his back catalogue. It always takes me a while to get into new releases. I suppose this is to do with the fact that he's written some of my all time favourite songs, and I'm always expecting great things from him.
Since then I've seen him live about 5 or 6 times and i've been blown away everytime by his performance. Brings a whole new perspective on his albums.
Still not listened to his latest album yet
Loving the Nick Cave/Bad Seeds/Grinderman love-in.
Rude words
Knew that was going to be 'Stagger Lee.'. Brilliant, and the first song that switched me on to Nick Cave so I bought Murder Ballads (on cassette!) and found out that it was truly great.
Like many, Ship Song and Red Right Hand also memorable. I think Ship Song, incidentally, is one of the greatest love songs ever. Red Right hand performed at Glastonbury was majestic.
Someone mentioned that Cave reminds them of Jim Morrison? It never occured to me before but yes! Not 'just' a rock singers. Not by a long shot. Honey-throated poets, they croon and howl dark dreams and the words and sounds play film-noir in our skull-cinema.
Going to be a Cave night tonight after the house is asleep. New xmas headphones have been craving some diversity 🙂
Here t'was:
Nick Cave - godlike genius!
Into My Arms - on of the best songs of all time IMHO.
First registered with me through the 'Let Love in' album , via an art student girlfriend. Read And the Ass saw the Angel at the same period, so hooked since.
Lots of great recommendations here, but 'Stranger than Kindness' from Your Funeral, My Trial, and 'Love Letter' from No More Shall We Part haven't been referenced and can illustrate his awesome range and complexity.
Recently the collaborative work on the soundtrack to 'Hell and High Water' is outstanding. And Peaky Blinders, of course.
He'd better not die soon, such emotional depth and creative brilliance in his work.
And whoever referenced Einstürzende Neurbaten above- pure class.
playing nottingham later in the year, so was really excited to go see him. until i realised its in the middle of our holiday abroad :-/
Nick cave, Einstürzende Neubauten,Swans,and Jim Thirwell,aka Foetus all walked in the same circles in the early 80s,what a mix of pure genius,all still at the top of there game.
Einstürzende Neubauten
Very pleased to see a mention of these.
Red Right Hand. Job jobbed...
Not forgetting Hell or High Water (best film of 2016) soundtrack, amongst others.
Tickets go on sale today for his tour for whoever is interested
Anyone from Derby / Nottingham area that wants to go see him
I would love too see him but no one else does !
Fright of my life there, just saw the word 'dead' and Nick Cave's name in capital letters!
Jeez.
Now for the second fright, let's see how much the tickets are. I've seen him many times, but passed on it last time as nearly 70 quid a ticket is ridiculous. I'd want to see Elvis Presley himself for that.
Couldn't possibly pick a NC favourite, depends on the day. Godlike Genius, obvs. Haven't read the thread, but someone will have posted No Pussy Blues already, won't they?
Anyone else buy tickets today?
Yep. Got tickets for Manchester. Once kids in bed going to pour myself a large glas of red and have a Nick Cave session on Apple Music.
The OP is spot on , appreciate him whilst he is still here . His body of work is amazing and I came to him probably about 5 years ago through Grinderman. The '20000 days on earth' is a stunning peice of work and Jubilee street in sydney is one of my go to "Pished" late night youtube choices.
It just seems after losing stars like Bowie that more people need to get tuned into guys like Nick Cave instead of listening to dirge like Ed Sheeran and co.
Yep, we're off to Notts 🙂
Me two going to Nottingham x2