02 Where the Wild Roses Grow
Kylie Minogue; Nick Cave Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Chorus:]
They call me The Wild Rose
But my name was Elisa Day
Why they call me it I do not know
For my name was Elisa Day

From the first day I saw her I knew she was the one
As she stared in my eyes and smiled
For her lips were the colour of the roses
They grew down the river, all bloody and wild

When he knocked on my door and entered the room
My trembling subsided in his sure embrace
He would be my first man, and with a careful hand
He wiped the tears that ran down my face

[Chorus]

On the second day I brought her a flower
She was more beautiful than any woman I'd seen
I said, 'Do you know where the wild roses grow
So sweet and scarlet and free?'

On the second day he came with a single rose
Said: 'Will you give me your loss and your sorrow?'
I nodded my head, as I laid on the bed
He said, 'If I show you the roses will you follow?'

[Chorus]

On the third day he took me to the river
He showed me the roses and we kissed
And the last thing I heard was a muttered word
As he stood smiling above me with a rock in his fist

On the last day I took her where the wild roses grow
And she lay on the bank, the wind light as a thief
As I kissed her goodbye, I said, 'All beauty must die'
And lent down and planted a rose between her teeth





[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The song "Where the Wild Roses Grow" by Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds tells the story of a woman named Elisa Day, who is also known as the Wild Rose. The song begins with the chorus, where the Wild Rose wonders why people call her that when her name is Elisa Day. The first verse describes how the singer, who is the person who would eventually kill her, fell in love with her as soon as he saw her. He was drawn to her lips, which were the color of the wild roses growing along the river.


The second verse tells how the singer and Elisa began a relationship. On the second day, he gave her a single rose and asked her if she knew where the wild roses grow. She didn't, but he continued to see her and eventually took her to the river where the wild roses grew. The third verse describes how he killed her there by hitting her on the head with a rock. As he kissed her goodbye, he said, "All beauty must die" and planted a rose between her teeth.


The song is a haunting tale of love, obsession, and murder. While the lyrics are very dark, the melody is beautiful and the combination creates a powerful effect. The song has become a classic and is considered one of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds' most popular songs.


Line by Line Meaning

They call me The Wild Rose
I have a pseudonym that society associates with me


But my name was Elisa Day
My true identity is Elisa Day


Why they call me it I do not know
I am unaware of the origin or meaning of my pseudonym


For my name was Elisa Day
My true identity is Elisa Day


From the first day I saw her I knew she was the one
I fell in love with her at first sight


As she stared in my eyes and smiled
She reciprocated my feelings and acknowledged me


For her lips were the colour of the roses
Her lips were the same shade as the wild roses


They grew down the river, all bloody and wild
The roses were untamed and grew freely by the river


When he knocked on my door and entered the room
He arrived at my door and joined me inside


My trembling subsided in his sure embrace
His comforting hug eased my anxiety


He would be my first man, and with a careful hand
He was going to be my first sexual partner, and he was gentle with me


He wiped the tears that ran down my face
He soothed my emotions and wiped away my tears


On the second day I brought her a flower
I gave her a gift of a flower on the second day I saw her


She was more beautiful than any woman I'd seen
I found her to be the most gorgeous woman I had ever laid eyes on


I said, 'Do you know where the wild roses grow
I asked her if she knew where the wild roses were


So sweet and scarlet and free?'
I described the roses as sweet, red, and untamed


On the second day he came with a single rose
He brought me a single rose on the second day I saw him


Said: 'Will you give me your loss and your sorrow?'
He asked if I would trust him with my emotions and vulnerability


I nodded my head, as I laid on the bed
I consented and laid on the bed


He said, 'If I show you the roses will you follow?'
He asked if I would trust and obey him if he showed me the roses


On the third day he took me to the river
He showed me the wild roses by the river on the third day


He showed me the roses and we kissed
We shared an intimate moment while viewing the wild roses


And the last thing I heard was a muttered word
He muttered something unintelligible to me


As he stood smiling above me with a rock in his fist
He stood above me with a rock in his hand, looking pleased


On the last day I took her where the wild roses grow
On the last day I saw her, I brought her to see the wild roses


And she lay on the bank, the wind light as a thief
She rested on the river bank as the gentle breeze blew


As I kissed her goodbye, I said, 'All beauty must die'
I kissed her goodbye and said that all beautiful things must come to an end


And lent down and planted a rose between her teeth
I put a rose in her mouth as a symbol of beauty in death


[Chorus]
Repeats the earlier stanzas




Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions