The Curse of Millhaven
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Lyrics

I live in a town called Millhaven
The song is sung by Lottie, who resides in the small and cold town of Millhaven.

And it's small and it's mean and it's cold
Millhaven is an unpleasant town.

But if you come around just as the sun goes down
The town can be beautiful during sunset.

You can watch the whole thing turn to gold
The sunset makes the town look better.

It's around about then that I used to go a-roaming
Lottie roams around the town during sunset.

All God's children they all gotta die
Death is inevitable for everyone.

My name is Loretta but I prefer Lottie
Loretta's nickname is Lottie.

I'm closing in on my fifteenth year
Lottie is almost 15 years old.

And if you think you have seen a pair of eyes more green
Lottie has very striking green eyes.

Then you sure didn't see them around here
Lottie's green eyes are unique to Millhaven.

Well my hair is yellow and I'm always a-combing
Lottie has blonde hair that she frequently combs.

Mama often told me that we all got to die
Lottie's mother has warned her that death is inevitable.

You must have heard about The Curse Of Millhaven
The town of Millhaven is known for a curse.

How last Christmas Bill Blake's little boy didn't come home
A child went missing last Christmas in Millhaven.

They found him next week up in One Mile Creek
The child's body was found in the creek a week later.

With his head bashed in and his pockets full of stones
The child was murdered and his body weighted with stones.

Well, just imagine all the wailing and moaning
The murder caused a lot of grief and mourning.

Even Bill Blake's boy, he had to die
Bill Blake's son was one of the victims of The Curse of Millhaven.

Then Professor O'Rye from Millhaven High
A Professor from Millhaven High was the next victim.

Found nailed to his door his prize-winning terrier
The Professor's dog was killed and displayed on his doorstep as a message.

Then next day the old fool brought little Biko to school
The next day, the Professor's daughter brought their dog to school to bury it.

And we all had to watch as he buried her
The students had to witness the burial of the dog.

Well his eulogy to Biko had all the tears flowing
The Professor's speech at the dog's burial was very emotional.

Even God's little creatures, they have to die
The dog also fell victim to The Curse of Millhaven.

Our little town fell into a state of shock
The town was traumatized by the events.

A lot of people were saying things that made little sense
The townspeople were struggling to come to terms with the events.

The next thing you know the head of Handyman Joe
The next victim was Handyman Joe.

Was found in the fountain of the Mayor's residence
His head was found in the Mayor's fountain.

Well foul play can really get a small town going
The murder intensified the fear and panic in the town.

Then, in a cruel twist of fate, old Mrs Colgate
Mrs. Colgate was the final victim mentioned in the song.

Was stabbed but the job was not complete
Mrs. Colgate was attacked but not killed.

Well the last thing she said before the cops pronounced her dead
Mrs. Colgate identified Lottie as her attacker before she died.

Was, "My killer is Loretta and she lives across the street!"
Mrs. Colgate accused Lottie of attempting to kill her.

Twenty cops burst through my door without even phoning
Lottie was quickly apprehended by the police.

The young ones, and the old ones, they all gotta die
Death is inevitable for everyone, regardless of age.

"Yes, it is I, Lottie, The Curse Of Millhaven"
Lottie confesses to the murders.

I've struck horror in the heart of this town
Lottie has caused fear and horror in the town.

Like my eyes ain't green and my hair ain't yellow It's more like the other way around
Lottie's eyes and hair are actually the opposite color from what she previously claimed.

I gotta pretty little mouth underneath all the foaming
Lottie's appearance is deceptive, as she appears harmless and innocent despite her horrific actions.

Sooner or later, we all gotta die
Once again, Lottie acknowledges that death is inevitable for everyone.

Since I was no bigger than a weavil they've been saying I was evil
Lottie has been labeled as evil since she was very young.

That if "bad" was a boot that I'd fit it
Lottie is seen as the epitome of evil in the town.

That I'm a wicked young lady, but I've been trying hard lately O fuck it! I'm a monster! I admit it!
Lottie finally admits that she is a monster, despite her prior efforts to prove otherwise.

Well it makes me so mad my blood really starts a-going Mama always told me that we all gotta die
Lottie is angry that she can't change the fact that death is inevitable.

Well yeah, I drowned the Bailey kid, stabbed Mrs. Colgate, I admit Did the handyman with his circular saw in his garden shed
Lottie admits to multiple murders in the song.

But I never crucified little Biko, that was two junior high school psychos Stinky Bohoon and his friend with the pumpkin-sized head
Lottie clears her name for one of the murders, as she blames two other boys for killing Biko.

I'll sing to the lot, now that you got me going All God's children have all gotta die
Lottie ends the song with a final reminder that death is inevitable for everyone.

Then there were all of the others, all our sisters and brothers You assumed were accidents, best forgotten
Lottie claims responsibility for many other deaths that appeared to be accidents.

Recall the children who broke through the ice on Lake Tahoo? Everyone assumed the "Warning" signs had followed them to the bottom
Lottie reveals that she caused the deaths of many children who drowned in a lake, despite the presence of warning signs.

Well, they're underneath the house where I do quite a bit of stowing
Lottie has been hiding the bodies of her many victims underneath her house.

Even twenty little children, they had to die
Lottie killed many innocent children, in addition to her adult victims.

And the fire of '91 that razed the Bella Vista slum That was the biggest shit-fire this country's ever seen Insurance companies ruined, land lords getting sued All cause of a wee little girl with a can of gasoline
Lottie caused a massive fire in the town that destroyed an entire neighborhood and caused many casualties.

Those flames really roared when the wind started blowing
The fire was especially destructive due to high winds.

Well the rich man, poor man, they all got to die
Lottie's murders show that death is inevitable for everyone, regardless of social status.

Well I confessed to all these crimes and they put me on trial I was laughing when they took me away Off to the asylum in an old black Mariah
Lottie was caught and put on trial for her crimes, eventually ending up in an asylum.

Well it ain't home, but you know, it's fucking better than jail It ain't such bad old place to have a home in
Lottie is content with her new home in the asylum, despite its unpleasant nature.

Now I got shrinks that will not rest with their endless Rorschach tests I keep telling them they're out to get me
Lottie is being psychologically evaluated in the asylum and she believes the doctors are conspiring against her.

They ask me if I feel remorse and I answer, "Why of course, There is so much more I could have done if they'd let me!"
Lottie claims to feel remorse for her actions, but also expresses regret that she wasn't able to commit even more murders.

So it's Rorschach and Prozac and everything is groovy La la la la, yes, la la la lie Well all God's children they all have to die
Lottie is being treated with medication and therapy, but still remains resigned to the fact that death is inevitable for everyone.

I'm happy as a lark now, and everything is fine Yeah, everything is groovy, everything is fine
Despite being in an asylum, Lottie is content with her situation and denies feeling remorse for her crimes.

Well all God's children they gotta die
Lottie repeats the central theme of the song once more.