Grinderman was an Australian-British alternative rock band that formed in L… Read Full Bio ↴Grinderman was an Australian-British alternative rock band that formed in London, United Kingdom, in 2006. Since its inception, the band included Nick Cave (vocals, guitar, organ, piano), Warren Ellis (tenor guitar, electric mandolin, violin, viola, guitar, backing vocals), Martyn P. Casey (bass, guitar, backing vocals) and Jim Sclavunos (drums, percussion, backing vocals).

Formed as a side project to Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, the band was originally known as Mini Seeds and was formed by Cave as "a way to escape the weight of The Bad Seeds." The band's name was inspired by a Memphis Slim song, Grinder Man Blues, which Cave is noted to have started singing during one of the band's early rehearsal sessions. The band's eponymous debut studio album, Grinderman, was released in 2007 to extremely positive reviews and the band's second and final studio album, Grinderman 2, was released in 2010 to a similar reception.

Following extensive touring after the release of Grinderman 2, Grinderman disbanded after a performance at the Meredith Music Festival in Victoria, Australia in December 2011. The band split up in order to focus on The Bad Seeds upcoming material. However, Jim Sclavunos later said: "I can't predict what the future of Grinderman is - if there is a future." The band reunited for a one-off performance at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California in April 2013.

http://www.grinderman.com

Evil
Grinderman Lyrics

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Oh baby, baby, baby, baby (evil, evil)
Oh baby, oh my precious baby (evil, evil)
Oh baby, baby, baby
Who needs the stars?
You are my Star
Who needs the moon?
You are my moon
Oh baby, baby, baby (evil, evil)

Cling to me baby in this rented room
Who needs the TV?
You are my TV
Who needs a record player?
You are my record player
Oh, cling to me baby in this rented room (evil rising, evil rising)

Hear the ringing on the telephone
A voice from a hundred miles away
It's breath is heavy and you're all alone
And it's got something that it wants to say
It's got something that it wants to say
It's breath is heavy and you're all alone
A voice so clear you can feel it's breath
Yeah, coming down the telephone (evil rising, evil rising)

Oh my baby (evil rising, evil rising)

(Evil rising, evil rising)
(Evil rising, evil rising)
(Evil rising, evil rising)

Oh my precious baby
Now is the time that we must speak
They have divided us from our children
And they've tossed them on the heap
Well who needs children?
You are my child
Who needs children?
My little lamb
Who needs children?
You are my child
Crying like a demon in your daddy's arms

Oh my baby (evil rising, evil rising)

Oh, cling to me baby in this broken dream
You are the moon
Who needs the moon?
You are the stars
Who needs the stars?
Oh, cling to me little baby in this broken dream
And let me protect you from this evil (evil rising, evil rising)

Oh, my little baby (evil rising, evil rising)
(Evil rising, evil rising, evil)

Overall Meaning

The song "Evil" by Grinderman communicates a sense of desperation, fear, and loneliness. The lyrics express the singer's affection towards his partner while reflecting on the tumultuous state of the world. The song begins with the repetition of "Oh baby, baby, baby, baby" and "Oh my precious baby" while also adding the word "evil" throughout, creating a sense of discomfort and danger. These lines can be interpreted as the singer's attempt to reassure and comfort his partner while acknowledging the presence of evil forces around them.

The second verse talks about how the couple doesn't need external sources of entertainment as they are all they need for each other. The lines "Who needs the TV? You are my TV. Who needs a record player? You are my record player" highlight their reliance on each other for emotional and psychological fulfillment. However, the repetition of "evil rising" throughout this verse suggests that the singer is aware of the dangers lurking outside their relationship. As the chorus progresses, the intensity of evil rising becomes stronger, and the sense of fear that the singer feels increases.

The bridge of the song brings a political message, with the lines "Now is the time that we must speak, They have divided us from our children, And they've tossed them on the heap." The message is clear: the system has failed, and families have been torn apart. The sense of desperation and fear that was initially directed at the larger forces of evil is now turned to the system that governs them. The song ends with the repetition of the phrase "evil rising" while the singer says, "let me protect you from this evil."

Line by Line Meaning

Oh baby, baby, baby, baby (evil, evil)
Addressing someone who is evil or dangerous, possibly in a mocking or sarcastic way

Oh baby, oh my precious baby (evil, evil)
Addressing someone who is evil or dangerous, but also precious or dear

Oh baby, baby, baby Who needs the stars? You are my Star Who needs the moon? You are my moon Oh baby, baby, baby (evil, evil)
Expressing love and devotion to someone, suggesting they are more important than celestial bodies or anything else in the world

Cling to me baby in this rented room Who needs the TV? You are my TV Who needs a record player? You are my record player Oh, cling to me baby in this rented room (evil rising, evil rising)
Encouraging someone to seek comfort in their relationship, suggesting they don't need material possessions when they have each other. Foreshadowing a coming evil or danger

Hear the ringing on the telephone A voice from a hundred miles away It's breath is heavy and you're all alone And it's got something that it wants to say It's got something that it wants to say It's breath is heavy and you're all alone A voice so clear you can feel it's breath Yeah, coming down the telephone (evil rising, evil rising)
Creating a sense of unease or tension, describing a phone call from an unknown or threatening person. Using repetition and imagery to suggest that danger is approaching

Oh my baby (evil rising, evil rising)
Expressing worry or fear for the safety of a loved one

(Evil rising, evil rising) (Evil rising, evil rising) (Evil rising, evil rising)
Reiterating the idea that danger or evil is on the horizon

Oh my precious baby Now is the time that we must speak They have divided us from our children And they've tossed them on the heap Well who needs children? You are my child Who needs children? My little lamb Who needs children? You are my child Crying like a demon in your daddy's arms
Highlighting a source of conflict or trauma, suggesting that the state or society is separating families and forcing them to suffer. Insisting that the loved one is everything to them, even more important than any children they might have

Oh my baby (evil rising, evil rising)
Returning to the earlier sense of worry or fear for the loved one

Oh, cling to me baby in this broken dream You are the moon Who needs the moon? You are the stars Who needs the stars? Oh, cling to me little baby in this broken dream And let me protect you from this evil (evil rising, evil rising) Oh, my little baby (evil rising, evil rising) (Evil rising, evil rising, evil)
Returning to the idea of seeking comfort in their relationship, suggesting that things feel chaotic or nightmarish but that they have each other. Using repetition and imagery to underscore the rising evil that hangs over them

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Mute Song Limited, Sentric Music
Written by: James Sclavunos, Martyn Casey, Nicholas Cave, Warren Ellis

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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