Tower Of Song
Bad Seeds; Nick Cave Lyrics

Well my friends are gone and my hair is grey
The singer is alone and aging.

I ache in the places I used to play
The singer misses their former activities.

And I'm crazy for love but I'm not coming on
The singer is searching for love but not aggressively pursuing it.

I'm paying my rent everyday in the Tower of Song
The artist is dedicated to their music career.

I said to Leonard Cohen: How lonely does it get?
The artist wonders about Cohen's emotional state.

Leonard Cohen hasn't answered me yet
Cohen hasn't responded to the singer's inquiry.

But I can hear him coughing all night long,
The singer is aware of Cohen's presence and his struggles.

A million floors above me in the Tower of Song
Cohen is far removed from the artist, who remains in the Tower of Song.

I was born like this, I had no choice
The artist is saying they were born with talent and didn't choose it.

I was born like this, with a golden voice
The artist is commenting on the quality of their voice.

Twenty-seven angels from the Great Beyond,
The singer is speaking metaphorically about their musical inspiration.

Well they tied me to this table right here in the Tower of Song
The artist feels obligated to keep creating music.

You can stick your needles in a voodoo doll
The singer is unaffected by negative criticism or influence.

I'm sorry baby, but it don't look like me at all
The singer denies that any negative criticism is accurate.

I'm standing by the window where the light is strong
The singer is standing in a place where they can clearly see and reflect on their surroundings.

They don't let a woman kill you in the Tower of Song
The artist is pointing out the risks of pursuing a music career.

I've grown bitter, bitter, of this you may be sure:
The artist is expressing anger and dissatisfaction with society.

The rich, the rich have got channels in the bedrooms of the poor
The singer is accusing the rich of exploiting the poor.

And there's a mighty judgement but it won't be long, but I may be wrong
The singer believes that a reckoning is coming, but it may not happen as they predict.

You see, you hear these funny voices in the Tower of Song - oh yeah -
The artist is acknowledging the power of music to stir emotions and provoke thoughts.

The guitar, the bass, the drums, so nice every hour in the Tower of Song
The artist is expressing their love for creating music.

I see you standing on the other side
The artist imagines their loved one on the other side of the river.

I don't know how the river got so wide
The singer is confused about how they became separated from their loved one.

But I loved you, baby, way back when
The artist is expressing their love for their former partner.

All the bridges are burning that we might have crossed,
The singer regrets not being able to reconcile with their loved one earlier.

But I feel so close to everything that we lost
The singer is reflecting on their past relationship and feeling nostalgic.

But I'll never have to lose you again, Tower of Song
The singer finds comfort in their music, which always brings them back to their loved one.

I bid you farewell, I don't know when I'm back
The artist is saying goodbye to their current location.

They're moving us tomorrow to that tower down the track
The artist is being relocated to a different place to continue their music career.

But you'll be hearing from me, baby, long after I'm gone
The singer believes their music will continue to speak to their loved one, even after they are gone.

I'm speaking to you sweetly from a window in the Tower of Song
The singer is using their music to communicate with their loved one.

Now you can say that I've grown bitter, of this you can be sure:
The artist is repeating their earlier sentiment that they are dissatisfied with society.

The rich have got channels in the bedrooms of the poor
The artist is repeating their criticism of the wealthy.

And there's a mighty judgement but it won't take long, I may be wrong
The artist is unsure if society will ever hold the wealthy accountable for their actions.