Jack The Ripper
(5x6) Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds Lyrics


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I got a woman
She rules my house with an iron fist
I got a woman
She rules my house with an iron fist
She screams out Jack the Ripper
Every time I try to give that girl a kiss

Oh well I got a woman
She strikes me down with a fist of lead
Oh well I got a woman
She strikes me down with a hand of lead
We bed in a bucket of butcher's knives
I awake with a hatchet hanging over my head

Well you know the story of the viper
It's long and lean with poison tooth
Oh well, you know the story of the viper
It's long, it's lean, it's got a poison tooth
Well they're hissing under the floorboards
Hanging down in bunches from my roof

I got a woman
She just hollers what she wants from where she's at
I got a woman
She just hollers what she wants from where she is




She screams out Jack the Ripper
Every time I try to give that girl a kiss

Overall Meaning

The song "Jack the Ripper" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is a haunting and intense exploration of a tumultuous relationship between the singer and his partner. The woman who rules his house with an "iron fist" is compared to the notorious serial killer Jack the Ripper, who terrorized London in the late 1800s. The lyrics explain that every time the singer tries to kiss his partner, she screams out the name of the killer, creating a sense of tension and unease in the relationship. The sound of the song is dark and brooding, with a menacing bassline underscoring Cave's powerful vocals.


As the song progresses, the lyrics become increasingly violent and macabre. The singer reveals that he sleeps in a bed of butcher's knives, and wakes up every morning with a hatchet hanging over his head. He compares his partner to a venomous viper, hissing and slithering under the floorboards and hanging from the rafters. The relationship is clearly dysfunctional and destructive, with both partners seemingly locked in a cycle of violence and fear.


Overall, "Jack the Ripper" is a powerful and disturbing song that explores the darker side of relationships. It paints a vivid picture of a couple trapped in a cycle of violence and abuse, and shows how even the smallest moments of tenderness can be twisted and distorted by mistrust and fear.


Line by Line Meaning

I got a woman
I have a significant other


She rules my house with an iron fist
My significant other is in charge and makes all the decisions


She screams out Jack the Ripper
She rejects and resists all physical advances


Every time I try to give that girl a kiss
Whenever I attempt to show affection, she pushes me away


She strikes me down with a fist of lead
My significant other physically attacks me


We bed in a bucket of butcher's knives
We sleep in a dangerous and unsettling environment


I awake with a hatchet hanging over my head
I feel constantly threatened and in danger


You know the story of the viper
You are aware of the venomous snake's reputation


It's long, it's lean, it's got a poison tooth
It's a dangerous and deadly creature


Well they're hissing under the floorboards
There are hidden and sinister dangers lurking beneath the surface


Hanging down in bunches from my roof
The dangers are everpresent and always looming


She just hollers what she wants from where she is
My significant other demands and commands from a distance




Lyrics Β© BMG Rights Management
Written by: Nicholas Cave

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@cyb3rDracul

I got a woman
She rules my house with an iron fist
I got a woman
She rules my house with an iron fist
She screams out Jack the Ripper
Every time I try to give that girl a kiss

I got a woman
She strikes me down with a fist of lead
I got a woman
She strikes me down with a fist of lead
We bed in a bucket of butcher's knives
A awake with a hatchet hanging over my head

Well you know the story of the viper
It's long and lean with poison tooth
Yeah, you know the story of the viper
It's long and lean with poison tooth
Well they're hissing under the floorboards
Hanging down in bunches from my roof

I got a woman
She just hollers what she wants from where she is
I got a woman
She just hollers what she wants from where she is
She screams out Jack the Ripper
Every time I try to give that girl a kiss



All comments from YouTube:

@cherybomber

Nick Cave brought me here.

@antemrva7439

Deftones brought me'er

@PatientenO.T.

Blixa is so hot in this video. Probably the one and only time he’s ever worn a white shirt performing. I love his signature guitar playing at the end. He’s such a treasure.

@marisolalvarezlopez7968

Beautiful Blixa ❀ brought me here

@ianalanneilgrant4626

Yeah, what the fuck happened to him? He started earning enough money to live on or something? πŸ˜‚β™₯️

@mattdigiulio3196

My wife as always adored Nick Cave. She calls him her muse for her art. I'm jealous, but I gotta admit he is a creative genius so I can understand.

@zoltankiraly3590

if your wife likes Nick Cave you know she is a keeper :)

@damongirl66

​@@zoltankiraly3590 Absololuty !

@deboracolangelo6334

He is fascinating when he sings!

@idasofar6892

I never realize how sexy this song was, until I saw Nick sing it for the first time in Paris last february (2013), I keep on loving him, more and more...

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