The Kindness of Strangers
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Lyrics

Stranger than kindness
The situation is more unusual than what is considered kind or empathetic behavior

Bottled light from hotels
The artificial lighting of a hotel room, captured in a small container or bottle

Spilling everything
Sharing intimate details with someone, even if it may be too much information

Wet hand from the volcano
A hand dampened by the steam from a volcanic eruption, symbolizing the unexpected and sometimes dangerous events that occur in life

Sobers your skin
A sudden feeling of sobriety or clarity that makes one more aware of their surroundings and their own feelings

You caress yourself
Engaging in self-pleasure or self-comfort

And grind my soft cold bones below
Using the singer's body for one's own pleasure, without concern for the singer's comfort or well-being

Your map of desire
The complex and intricate ways in which one's desires (sexual or otherwise) are interconnected

Burned in your slave
Being enslaved by one's own desires or passions, leading to a sense of powerlessness or lack of control

Even a fool can come
The ease with which one can become trapped or lost in their own desires or obsessions

A strange lit stair
A surreal or dreamlike image of a staircase, representing the path one takes to fulfill their desires

And find a rope hanging there
The availability of tools or means to achieve one's desires, even in unexpected places

Keys rain like heaven's hair
Keys falling or raining down from above, symbolizing an abundance of opportunities or choices

There is no home, there is no bread
A sense of lack, emptiness, or desperation that can accompany one's obsessions or desires

We sit at the gate and scratch
The frustration or struggle that can come with trying to satisfy one's desires, feeling stuck or unable to move forward

The gaunt fruit of passion
The negative effects that can result from following one's desires too closely or obsessively, leading to a metaphorical 'gaunt' or withered state

Dies in the light
The end of a relationship or connection due to the harsh light of reality, exposing the flaws or issues that may have been hidden before

Your sleeping hands, they journey
The subconscious thoughts and desires that guide one's actions and movements, even while asleep

They loiter
The aimless or wandering nature of these subconscious thoughts or desires, sometimes leading to indecision or confusion

You hold me so carelessly close
The mix of passion and carelessness that can be present in intimate relationships, leading to a sense of danger or unpredictability

Tell me I'm dirty
The use of language or shaming tactics to further one's own desires, regardless of how it may make the other person feel

I'm a stranger
The artist feels disconnected or removed from their own desires and passions

To kindness
The singer is unable to connect with or understand the empathetic or kind behavior that is expected in social situations