Knoxville Girl
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Lyrics
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A town we all know well
And every Sunday evening
Out in her home I'd dwell
We went to take an evening walk
About a mile from town
I picked a stick up off the ground
And I knocked that fair girl down
She fell down on her bended knees
For mercy she did cry
"Oh Willy, dear, don't kill me yet
I'm unprepared to die"
She never spoke another word
I only beat her more
Until the ground around me
With her blood did flow
I took her by her golden curls
And I dragged her 'round and 'round
Throwing her into the river
That flows from Knoxville town
Go down, go down, you Knoxville girl
With your dark and roving eyes
Go down, go down, you Knoxville girl
You can never be my bride
I started back to Knoxville
Got there about midnight
My mother, she was worried
And woke up in a fright
Saying, "Dear son, what have you done
To bloody up your clothes?"
I told my anxious mother
Was bleeding in my nose
I called for me a candle
And I called for me a bed
And I called for me a handkerchief
To bind my aching head
I rolled and thrashed the whole night through
All horrors I did see
The devil stood at the foot of my bed
Pointing his finger at me
They carried me down to Knoxville
And put me in a cell
My friends all tried to get me out
But none could grow my bail
I'm here to waste my life away
Down in this dirty old jail
Because I murdered that Knoxville girl
Girl I loved so well
The lyrics of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds's song Knoxville Girl tell the haunting story of a man who meets a girl in Knoxville, takes her for a walk, and brutally murders her. The lyrics are vivid and detailed, describing how the man picked up a stick and knocked the girl down, beat her, and then threw her into the river. She pleads for mercy, saying she is not prepared to die, but the man shows no mercy.
The song is based on a traditional American folk song of the same name, which is also known as The Wexford Girl, The Oxford Girl, and The Banks of the River. The lyrics of the traditional song describe a similar story, but with fewer details. Nick Cave's version is darker and more graphic, adding a level of emotional intensity to the already brutal tale.
There are many interpretations of the song, with some people seeing it as a commentary on the cycle of violence and others as a warning against the dangers of romantic obsession. Nick Cave has said that the song was inspired by the murder ballads of the Appalachian region, which often tell stories of violence and tragedy.
Line by Line Meaning
I met a little girl in Knoxville
I encountered a girl in the familiar city of Knoxville
A town we all know well
It's a place shared by many acquaintances of mine
And every Sunday evening
We consistently met on Sunday evenings
Out in her home I'd dwell
I would spend time outside her house
We went to take an evening walk
We went on a stroll together
About a mile from town
We walked approximately one mile from Knoxville
I picked a stick up off the ground
I lifted a stick from the earth
And I knocked that fair girl down
I punched that lovely girl to the ground
She fell down on her bended knees
She collapsed onto her kneeling legs in a supplicating position
For mercy she did cry
She pleaded for my compassion
"Oh Willy, dear, don't kill me yet
"Please don't kill me yet, my dear Willy
I'm unprepared to die"
I am not ready to die yet"
She never spoke another word
She didn't talk anymore
I only beat her more
I kept hitting her multiple times
Until the ground around me
Until the soil near me
With her blood did flow
Became covered in her spilt blood
I took her by her golden curls
I grabbed her by her blonde locks
And I dragged her 'round and 'round
I forcibly pulled her in a circle
Throwing her into the river
I tossed her into the river
That flows from Knoxville town
The river that runs through Knoxville
Go down, go down, you Knoxville girl
Suffer, Knoxville girl, suffer
With your dark and roving eyes
With your mysterious and wandering eyes
Go down, go down, you Knoxville girl
Suffer, Knoxville girl, suffer
You can never be my bride
You will never be my wife
I started back to Knoxville
I began to journey back to Knoxville
Got there about midnight
I arrived at around midnight
My mother, she was worried
My mother was anxious
And woke up in a fright
And woke up in a scared state
Saying, "Dear son, what have you done
"My beloved son, what have you committed?
To bloody up your clothes?"
To stain your garments with blood?"
I told my anxious mother
I explained to my worried mother
Was bleeding in my nose
I was bleeding from my nose
I called for me a candle
I summoned a candle
And I called for me a bed
I requested a bed
And I called for me a handkerchief
I requested a handkerchief
To bind my aching head
To wrap around my sore head
I rolled and thrashed the whole night through
I tossed and turned for the whole night
All horrors I did see
All kinds of terrifying visions I experienced
The devil stood at the foot of my bed
Satan himself stayed at the end of my bed
Pointing his finger at me
Directing a finger at me
They carried me down to Knoxville
They conveyed me to Knoxville
And put me in a cell
And confined me in a cell
My friends all tried to get me out
My comrades worked to bail me out
But none could grow my bail
But no one could obtain the requisite amount of bail money
I'm here to waste my life away
I'm stuck here to waste my life
Down in this dirty old jail
Inside this contaminated and ancient prison
Because I murdered that Knoxville girl
I committed the homicide of that Knoxville girl
Girl I loved so well
That I deeply loved
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOYLE WILBURN, TEDDY WILBURN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Elizabeth Hann
THIS IS THE SONG NICK CAVE WAS BORN TO SING!
Grady Smith
I suppose I love just about everything Nick has ever done, some more than others, but this is one fine cover.
RatatRatR
I'm surprised to see the complaints that he sounds "too real" and "histrionic." (Interestingly, the two complaints seem to mean the same thing.) He's Nick Cave. He sings it like Nick Cave. It's not going to sound like the Louvin Brothers. Personally, I love the way he sings this one. I think it's strange to expect the singer of a murder ballad to sound alienated from the murder.
JT Oglesby
how many of y'all are from this area? just curious bc this is pretty much how it goes
Shanna Williams
I grew up in Sevierville, the next incorporated city to the east, but spent a lot of time in Knoxville, especially South Knoxville in the area near the Henley Street Bridge.
Snapper Gapp12
I think this is one of his finest songs. I personally prefer it than where the wild roses grow.
Curse of millhaven is still better though.
No Name
@gtry6-yg,
'The Wexford Girl' is a variant of the English 'The Oxford Girl' which is based on the 18th century song 'The Berkshire Tragedy', or The Bloody Miller'.
The Pepys song or one printed in 1744 may or may not have been the ancestor of the above.
Thomas Syverson
LAMF murder ballad done well.Good feel for what that's all about.
toby jackman
I was just about to read my son the riot act about the horrid misogynistic rap music he was listening to...
Then I realised that one of my all time heroes spent about a decade almost exclusively recording songs about killing women.
Lip remains buttoned
oliviaisgod
The Louvin Brothers version is actually far creepier because it's very pretty. When Nick Cave sings it sounds appropriately psycho. Who would have thought a Nick Cave cover would actually be less disturbing? lol.