Dig Lazarus Dig!!!
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Lyrics

Dig yourself, Lazarus
Get back to work, Lazarus

Dig yourself, back in that hole
Get back to your previous life or situation, because it's where you belong

Larry made his nest up in the autumn branches
Larry had ambitions that he pursued with optimism and creativity

Built from nothing but high hopes and thin air
Larry had nothing but his dreams and aspirations to fuel his ambition

Collected up some baby blasted mothers
Larry surrounded himself with women who had gone through traumatic experiences, possibly for comfort or validation

They took their chances and for a while
The women were willing to take risks with Larry because they wanted to escape their past or because they believed in him

They lived quite happily up there
For a time, Larry and the women enjoyed the freedom and joy of their unconventional and adventurous lifestyle

He came from New York City man
The artist is referring to Larry

But he couldn't take the pace
Larry became overwhelmed by the fast pace and pressures of living in New York City

He thought it was like a dog eat dog world
Larry perceived the city as a competitive and ruthless environment where people fight for survival

But he went to San Francisco
Larry left New York City to find a new life and opportunities

Spent a year in outer space
The artist is using figurative language to describe Larry's liberating and transformative experience in San Francisco

With a sweet little San Franciscan girl
Larry fell in love with someone in San Francisco

I can hear my mother wailing
The singer hears a woman in distress

And a whole lot of scraping of chairs
There is a commotion or struggle happening nearby

I don't know what it is
The artist is confused or unsure about the situation

But there's definitely something going on upstairs
Something significant and possibly dangerous is happening nearby

Well, yeah, New York City, he had to get out of there
The singer is continuing to refer to Larry and why he left New York City

And San Francisco, well, I don't know
The singer is unclear why Larry left San Francisco

And then to LA, where he spent about a day
Larry tried living in Los Angeles, but it did not last long

He thought even the pale sky-stars were smart
Larry thought the stars in the sky were smarter than the people in Los Angeles

Enough to keep well away from LA
The stars in the sky avoid being associated with Los Angeles

Meanwhile Larry made up names for the ladies
Larry gave the women in his life pet names or nicknames

Like Ms Boo and Ms Quick
Examples of the nicknames Larry made up for the women

He stockpiled weapons and took pot shots in the air
Larry became increasingly paranoid and started arming himself

He feasted on their lovely bodies like a lunatic
Larry became more deranged and started mistreating the women in his life

And wrapped himself up in their soft yellow hair
The singer is describing how Larry became obsessive and possessive over his victims

I can hear chants and incantations
The artist is hearing possibly religious or mystical rituals being performed nearby

And some guy is mentioning me in his prayers
The artist is disturbed that someone is praying for them, but unsure what to make of it

Well New York City Man
The singer is referring to Larry again

San Francisco, LA, I don't know
The singer is reflecting on Larry's journey

But Larry grew increasingly neurotic and obscene
Larry's mental state deteriorated as he became more erratic and vulgar

I mean, he, he never asked to be raised up from the tomb
The artist is suggesting that Larry was never meant to succeed or find happiness in life

I mean no one ever actually asked him to forsake his dreams
The artist is acknowledging Larry's desire to pursue his aspirations, even if he lacked guidance or support

Anyway, to cut a long story short
The singer is summarizing Larry's life, likely because it was too long or convoluted to explain in detail

Fame finally found him
Larry achieved some level of success or recognition

Mirrors became his torturers
Larry became self-conscious and insecure when he gained fame or attention

Cameras snapped him at every chance
Larry became a celebrity and could not avoid being photographed or recorded

The women all went back to their homes
The women in Larry's life moved on from him and returned to their normal lives

And their husbands
The women were married, suggesting they were not truly happy with Larry

With secret smiles in the corners of their mouths
The women were pleased to have escaped Larry's hold on them and moved on with their lives

He ended up, like so many of them do
The singer is suggesting that Larry's fate was common among people in his situation

Back in the streets of New York City
Larry returned to where he started, but in a worse state

In a soup queue
Larry had to rely on charity or assistance to survive

A dope fiend
Larry became addicted to drugs, likely as a result of his experiences and trauma

A slave
Larry became trapped and controlled by his addiction and poverty

Then prison
Larry was likely arrested and imprisoned for drug-related crimes

Then the mad house
Larry ended up in a mental institution, probably due to his deteriorating mental and emotional wellbeing

Then the grave
Larry died, either from his addiction, illness, or other reasons

Oh poor Larry
The singer expresses pity or sympathy for Larry's tragic life

But what do we really know of the dead
The singer is questioning our knowledge and understanding of the deceased

And who actually cares?
The artist is asking whether anyone truly feels compassion or empathy for the dead