Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS (2003)

NOCTURAMA

  1. Wonderful Life
  2. He Wants You
  3. Right Out Of Your Hand
  4. Bring It On
  5. Dead Man In My Bed
  6. Still In Love
  7. There Is A Town
  8. Rock Of Gibraltar
  9. She Passed By My Window
10. Babe, I'm On Fire

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS

NOCTURAMA

1. WONDERFUL LIFE

Come in, babe
Across these purple fields
The sun has sunk behind you
Across these purple fields
That idiot boy in the corner
Is speaking deviated truths
Come on, admit it, babe
It's a wonderful life
If you can find it
If you can find it
If you can find it
It's a wonderful life that you bring
It's a wonderful thing

Speak our secret into your hands
And hold it in between
Plunge your hands into the water
And drown it in the sea
There will be nothing between us, baby
But the air that we breathe
Don't cry
It's a wonderful, wonderful life
If you can find it
If you can find it
If you can find it
It's a wonderful life that you bring
It's a wonderful, wonderful thing

We can build our dungeons in the air
And sit and cry the blues
We can stomp across this world
With nails hammered through our shoes
We can join that troubled chorus
Who criticise and accuse
That don't matter much, no
We got nothing much to lose
But this wonderful life
Find it
And when you find it
And when you find it
It's a wonderful life that you bring
It's a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful thing

Sometimes our secrets are all we got
Our lives we must defend
Sometimes the air between us, babe
Is unbearably thin
Sometimes it's wise to lay down your gloves
And just give in
Come in, come in
Come in, come in
To this wonderful life
If you can find it
And if you find it
It's a wonderful life that you bring
It's a wonderful, wonderful thing
It's a wonderful life (14 x).

2. HE WANTS YOU

In his boat and through the dark he rowed
Chained to the oar and the night and the wind that blowed
Horribly 'round his ears

Under the bridge and into your dreams he soars
While you lie alone in that idea-free sleep of yours
You've been sleeping now for years

And he wants you
Yes, he wants you
He is straight and he is true

Beneath the hanging cliffs and under the many stars
Where he will move, all amongst your tangled hair
And deep into the sea

And you will wake and walk and draw the blind
And feel some presence there behind
And turn to see what that may be
Oh, babe, it's me

And he wants you
Yes, he wants you
He is straight and he is true

And he wants you
And he wants you
He is straight and he is true.

3. RIGHT OUT OF YOUR HAND

Please forgive me
It's impossible to say
If I appear unkind
It's impossible to know
But any fool can tell you
It's all in your mind

Down in the meadow
The old lion stirs
Puts his hand 'cross his mouth
He has no use for words

Poor little girl
With your handful of snow
Poor little girl
Had no way to know

And you've got me eating
You've got me eating
You've got me eating
Right out of your hand

I mean you no harm
It's impossible to say
When I tell you you're blind
It's impossible to know
Give a sucker an even break
He'll lose it all, every time

The airborne starlings circle
Over the frozen fields
And the hollyhocks hang harmlessly
And the old lion yields

And you've got me eating
You've got me eating
You've got me eating right out of your hand
You've got me eating right out of your hand
Got me eating right out of your hands
Got me eating right out of your hands, babe
Got me eating right out of your hands.

4. BRING IT ON

This garden that I built for you
That you sit in now and yearn
I will never leave it, dear
I could not bear to return
And find it all untended
With the trees all bended low
This garden is our home, dear
And I got nowhere else to go

So bring it on
Bring it on
Every little tear
Bring it on
Every useless fear
Bring it on
All your shattered dreams
And I'll scatter them into the sea
Into the sea

The geraniums on your window sill
The carnations, dear, and the daffodil
Well, they're ordinary flowers
But they long for the light of your touch
And of your trembling will
Ah, you're trembling still
And I'm trembling too
To be perfectly honest I don't know
Quite what else to do

So bring it on
Bring it on
Every neglected dream
Bring it on
Every little scheme
Bring it on
Every little fear
And I'll make them disappear

So bring it on, bring it on
Bring it on
Every little thing
Bring it on
Every tiny fear
Bring it on
Every shattered dream
And I'll scatter them into the sea

So bring it on, bring it on
Oh, bring it on
Yeah, bring it on
Oh, come on
Oh, bring it on
Yeah, come on, come on
Come on, Come on
Bring it on
Every little fear
And I'll make them disappear

Bring it on, bring it on
Oh, bring it on
Yeah, bring it on
Bring it on, yeah
Yeah, bring it on
Every little fear
Oh, bring it on
Every tiny tear
And I'll make them disappear.

5. DEAD MAN IN MY BED

Well, she sat in a wicker chair, her eyes, they were downcast
She breathed in the future by breathing out the past
The die is done, the die is shook, the die is duly cast
"There is a dead man in my bed", she said
"That smile you see upon his face
It's been there for many days
There's a dead man in my bed"

"Well, I ain't been feeling that good too much no more"
She said, I swear
She pointed at the bedroom door, said: "I ain't going in there"
She leaped out of her seat and screamed:
"Someone's not concentrating here"
"'Cause there is a dead man in my bed", she said
"Ain't speaking metaphorically
His eyes are open, but he cannot see
There's a dead man in my bed"

Well, the leaves outside the window waved
All brown, they were, and falling
Even I could tell the atmosphere in here was utterly appalling
The phone, it rang incessantly, but nobody was calling
"There's a dead man in my bed", she said
"And though he keeps on taking notes
I swear this ain't some kind of hoax
Dead man in my bed"

Well, now she's in the kitchen, rattling those pots and pans
"I'd cook him something nice", she said
"But he refuses to wash his hands
He used to be so good to me, now he smells so fucking bad
There is a dead man in my bed", she said
"I keep poking at him with my stick
But his skin is just so fucking thick
There's a dead man in my bed"

We've gotta get it all together (13 x)
Get it all together
We've gotta get it all together
We've, we've gotta get it all together.

6. STILL IN LOVE

The cops are hanging around the house
Cars outside look like they got the blues
The moon don't know if it's day or night
Everybody's creeping around with plastic covers on their shoes
You're making coffee for everyone concerned
Someone points to this and someone points to that
Everyone is saying that you should lie down
But you ain't having none of that
I say to the sleepy summer rain
With a complete absence of pain
You might think I'm crazy
But I'm still in love with you

Hide your eyes and hide your tears
And hide your face, my love
Hide your ribbons, hide your bows
And hide your coloured cotton gloves
Hide your trinkets and hide your treasures
And hide your neatly scissored locks
Hide your memories, hide them all, hide them all
Stuff them in a cardboard box
Or throw them into the street below
Leave them to the wind and the rain and the snow
For you might think I'm crazy
But I'm still in love with you

Call me up, baby and I will answer your call
Call me up, but remember I am no use to you at all

One, two, three, four

Now you're standing at the top of the stairs
One hand on the banister, a flower in your hair
The other one resting on your hip
Without a solitary care
I fall asleep in the summer rain
With no single memory of pain
And you might think I'm crazy
I'm still in love
I'm still in love
I'm still in love with you.

7. THERE IS A TOWN

There is a town
Where I was born
Far, far away
Across the sea

And in that town
Where I was born
I would dream
That one day
I would leave and cross the sea

And so it goes
And so it seems
That God lives only in our dreams
In our dreams

And now I live
In this town
I walk these dark streets
Up and down, up and down
Under a dark sky
And I dream
That one day I'll go back home

And so it goes
And so it seems
That God lives only in our dreams
In our dreams.

8. ROCK OF GIBRALTAR

Let me say this to you
I'll be steadfast and true
My love will never falter

The sea would crash about us
The waves would lash about us
I'll be your Rock of Gibraltar

Sometimes it's hard
And we're both caught off guard
There's nothing I'd ever alter

The wind could howl round our ears
For the next thousand years
I'd still be your Rock of Gibraltar
Yes, I'd be your Rock of Gibraltar
Oh, I'll be your Rock of Gibraltar

Well, the best thing I done
Was to make you the one
Who I'd walk with down to the altar

And you'd stand by me
And together we'd be
That great, steady Rock of Gibraltar
Yes, the great, steady Rock of Gibraltar
Oh, the great steady Rock of Gibraltar

Under the big yellow moon
On our honeymoon
I took you on a trip to Malta
And all through the night
Well, you held me so tight
Your great, steady Rock of Gibraltar
Oh, your great, steady Rock of Gibraltar
Yeah, your great, steady Rock of Gibraltar
Could the powers that be ever foresee
That things could so utterly alter?

All the plans that we laid
They could soon be betrayed
Betrayed like the Rock of Gibraltar
Betrayed like the Rock of Gibraltar
Yes, betrayed like the Rock of Gibraltar.

9. SHE PASSED BY MY WINDOW

She passed by my window
Her eyes were all aglow
Bent to pick her glove she'd dropped
From the bright and the brittle snow

Nature had spoken it in the spring
With apple, plum and brand new pear
"Have you time for my company?"
"No", I said, "I have none to spare"

You've gotta sanctify my love
You've gotta sanctify my love
You've gotta sanctify my love
I ain't no lover-boy, oh no

For apple, plum and brand new pear
Soon wither on the ground
She slapped the snow from off her glove
And moved on without a sound

You've gotta sanctify my love
You've gotta sanctify my love
You've gotta sanctify my love
I ain't no lover-boy, oh no

Sanctify my love
Sanctify my love
Sanctify my love
I ain't no lover-boy, oh no
I ain't no lover-boy
I ain't no lover-boy
I ain't no lover-boy
I ain't no lover-boy
I ain't no lover-boy
I ain't no lover-boy
I ain't no lover-boy
I ain't no lover-boy

So bye-bye

I ain't no lover-boy
I ain't no lover-boy
I ain't no lover-boy.

10. BABE, I'M ON FIRE

Well, Father says it, mother says it
Sister says it, brother says it
Uncle says it, auntie says it
Everyone at the party says
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the horse says it, pig says it
Judge in his wig says it
Fox and the rabbit
And the nun in her habit
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, my mate Bill Gates says it
The President of the United States says it
The slacker and the worker
And the girl in her burqa
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Yeah, the general with his tank says it
The man at the bank says it
The soldier with his rocket
And the mouse in my pocket
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the drug-addled wreck
With a needle in his neck says it
Drunk says it, punk says it
Brave Buddhist monk
Babe, I'm on fire
Well, babe, I'm on fire

Alright now
Hit me up, baby and knock me down
Drop what you're doing and come around
We can hold hands till the sun goes down
'Cause I know
That you
And I
Can be
Together
'Cause I love you

Alright

Well, the blind referee says it
The unlucky amputee says it
Giant killer bee
Who is landing on my knee
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the cop with his breathalyser
The paddy with his fertiliser
Man in the basement
That's getting a taste for it
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the fucked-up Rastafarian says it
The dribbling libertarian says it
The sweet little Goth
With the ears of cloth
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

The cross-over country singer says it
The hump-backed bell ringer says it
The swinger, the flinger
And the outraged right-winger
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the man going hiking says it
The misunderstood Viking says it
The man at the rodeo
And the lonely old Eskimo
Babe, I'm on fire
Babe, I'm on fire

Alright now
Hit me up, baby and knock me down
Drop what you're doing and come around
We can hold hands till the sun goes down
'Cause I know
That you
And I
Can be
Together
'Cause I love you

The mild little Christian says it
Wild Sonny Liston says it
The pimp and the gimp
And the guy with the limp
Babe, I'm on fire
Oh yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the blind piano tuner says it
The Las Vegas crooner says it
The hooligan mooner
Who's holding a schooner
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Oh yeah, the Chinese contortionist says it
The backyard abortionist says it
The poor Pakistani
With his lamb Bhirriani
Babe, I'm on fire
Oh yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the hopeless defendant says it
The toilet attendant says it
The pornographer, the stenographer
And the fashion photographer
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, let me tell you
That the college professor says it
The vicious cross-dresser says it
Grandma and grandpa
In the back of the car
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Alright now
Hit me up, baby and knock me down
Drop what you're doing and come around
We can hold hands till the sun goes down
'Cause I know
That you
And I
Can be
Together
'Cause I love you
O yeah, too

Well, the hack at the doorstep says it
The midwife with her forceps says it
The demented young lady
Who is roasting her baby
On the fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the athlete with his hernia says it
Picasso with his Guernica says it
My wife with her furniture
Everybody!
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the laughing hyena says it
The homesick polish cleaner says it
The man from the Klan
With a torch in his hand
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the Chinese herbologist says it
The Christian apologist says it
The dog and the frog
Sitting on a log
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the foxhunting toff says it
The horrible moth says it
The doomed homosexual
With the persistent cough
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Alright now
Hit me up, baby and knock me down
Drop what you're doing and come around
We can hold hands till the sun goes down
'Cause I know
That you
And I
Can be
Together
Forever
'Cause I love you

Come on

Well, the Papist with his soul says it
The rapist on a roll says it
Jack says it, Jill says it
As they roll down the hill
Babe, I'm on fire
Babe, I'm on fire

Well, the clever circus flea says it
The sailor on the sea
The man from the Daily Mail
With his dead refugee
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the hymen-busting Zulu says it
The proud kangaroo says it
The koala, the echidna
And the platypus too
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, now, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the disgraced country vicar says it
The crazed guitar picker says it
The beatnik, the peacenik
And the apparachick too blast it out
Babe, I'm on fire
Babe, I'm on fire

Well, the deranged midnight stalker says it
Garcia Lorca says it
The hit man, Walt Whitman
And the haliototic talker
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Alright now
Hit me up, baby and knock me down
Drop what you're doing and come around
We can hold hands till the sun goes down
'Cause I know
That you
And I
Can be
Together
'Cause I love you

Well, the wine taster with his nose says it
The fireman with his hose says it
The pedestrian, the equestrian
And the tap-dancer with his toes
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Yeah, well, the beast in the beauty pageant
The pimply real estate agent
The beach-comber, the roamer
And the girl in a coma
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Alright, well, the old rock 'n' roller
With his two-seater stroller
And the fan in the van
With the abominable plan
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the menstruating Jewess says it
The nervous stewardess says it
The hijacker, backpacker
The cunning safecracker
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the sports commentator says it
The old alligator says it
The tennis pro with his racquet
And the loon in the straight jacket
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, he says: "babe, I'm on fire"

Alright now
Hit me up, baby, and knock me down
Drop what you're doing and come around
We can hold hands till the sun goes down
'Cause I know
That you
And I
Can be
Together
'Cause I love you

Oh, hit it

Well, the butcher with his cleaver says it
The mad basket weaver says it
The jaded boxing writer
And the glass-jawed fighter
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the old town cryer says it
The inveterate liar says it
The pilchard, the bream
And the trout in the stream
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the war correspondent says it
The enthused and the despondent says it
The electrician, the mortician
And the man going fishin'
Babe, I'm on fire
Oh yeah, babe, I'm on fire

The cattleman from Down Under says it
The patriot with his plunder says it
Watching a boat of full of refugees
Sinking into the fucking sea
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the silicone junky says it
The corporate flunky says it
The Italian designer
With his rickshaw in China
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Alright now
Hit me up, baby and knock me down
Drop what you're doing and come around
We can hold hands till the sun goes down
'Cause I know
That you
And I
Can be
Together
'Cause I love you

The trucker with his juggernaut says it
The lost astronaut says it
Share cropper, bent copper
The compulsive shopper
Babe, I'm on fire
Oh yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Well, the Viennese vampire says it
The cowboy round his campfire says it
The game show panellist
And he Jungian analyst
Babe, I'm on fire
Come on now, babe, I'm on fire

Well, Warren says it, Blixa says it
The lighting guy and mixer says it
Mick says it, Marty says it
Oh, everyone at the party
Babe, I'm on fire
Yeah, babe, I'm on fire

Alright now
Hit me up, baby and knock me down
Drop what you're doing and come around
We can hold hands till the sun goes down
'Cause I know
That you
And I
Can be
Together
Forever
'Cause I love you.

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