Born and raised in rural Victoria, Cave studied art before fronting The Birthday Party, one of Melbourne's leading post-punk bands, in the late 1970s. They relocated to London in 1980, but, disillusioned by life there, evolved towards a darker, more challenging sound, and acquired a reputation as "the most violent live band in the world". At this time, Cave, with his shock of black hair and pale, emaciated look, became an unwilling gothic rock poster boy. Soon after the band's break-up in 1983, Cave formed Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Much of the band's early material was set in a mythic American Deep South, drawing on spirituals and Delta blues, while Cave's preoccupation with Old Testament notions of good versus evil culminated in what has been called his signature song, "The Mercy Seat" (1988). The 1990s saw Cave achieve greater commercial success with quieter, piano-driven ballads, notably the Kylie Minogue duet "Where the Wild Roses Grow" (1996), and "Into My Arms" (1997). More recent releases, including the band's 17th and latest LP, Ghosteen (2019), feature increasingly abstract lyrics from Cave, as well as elements of ambient and electronic music. Grinderman, Cave's garage rock side project, has released two albums since 2006.
Cave co-wrote, scored and starred in the 1988 Australian prison film Ghosts... of the Civil Dead (1988), directed by John Hillcoat. He also wrote the screenplay for Hillcoat's bushranger film The Proposition (2005), and composed the soundtrack with frequent collaborator Warren Ellis. The pair's film score credits include The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007), The Road (2009), Lawless (2012), and Hell or High Water (2016). Cave is the subject of several films, including the semi-fictional "day in the life" 20,000 Days on Earth (2014), and the documentary One More Time with Feeling (2016). Cave has also released two novels: And the Ass Saw the Angel (1989) and The Death of Bunny Munro (2009).
Cave's work has become the subject of academic study, and his songs have been covered by a wide range of artists, including Johnny Cash ("The Mercy Seat"), Metallica ("Loverman") and Snoop Dogg ("Red Right Hand"). He was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2007, and named an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2017.
Balcony Man
Nick Cave Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm the balcony man
When everything is ordinary until it's not
I'm the balcony man
I'm two hundred pounds of packed ice
Sitting on a chair and in the morning sun
Putting on my tap dancing shoes
In the morning sun
I'm the balcony man, I am Fred Astaire
You think you have a plan until I hit the stairs
I'm a two hundred pound bag of blood and bone
Leaking on your favorite chair
I put on my lap dancing shoes
In the morning sun
And this morning is amazing and so are you
This morning is amazing and so are you
This morning is amazing and so are you
In the morning sun
What am I to think on this balcony, Fred?
Where everything is amazing that stays in bed
I'm a two hundred pound octopus under a sheet
Dancing round your world with my hands and feet
And this much I know to be true
Yeah, this much I know to be true
And this much I know to be true
Yeah, this much I know to be true
This morning is amazing and so are you
This morning is amazing and so are you
This morning is amazing and so are you
This morning is amazing and so are you
This morning is amazing and so are you
This morning is amazing and so are you
You are languid and lovely and lazy
And what doesn't kill you just makes you crazier
In Nick Cave's Balcony Man, the lyrics are open to interpretation but can be seen as someone who observes the world from a distance, which could be metaphorically represented by the balcony. The singer seems to be searching for something to believe in. He may feel disconnected from the world, seeing it as ordinary until something remarkable happens. He sees himself as the balcony man, and he is compared to Fred Astaire, suggesting he has grace and style while moving through life. The singer is self-aware of his physical presence, described as "two hundred pounds of packed ice" and "a two hundred pound bag of blood and bone."
The lines "What am I to think on this balcony, Fred? Where everything is amazing that stays in bed" may represent the desire for a different life. The singer may long for a life where they can stay in bed and enjoy the world from afar, like someone who has the luxury of not needing to work. However, the singer is resigned to their current existence and accepts their role as an observer, describing themselves as an "octopus under a sheet," suggesting they are hidden and unseen, but still moving through life.
The song's hopeful message is that the world can still be amazing, even from a distance. The final line – "And what doesn't kill you just makes you crazier" – can be seen as a statement of resilience and acceptance; though life may be difficult and confusing at times, it's possible to embrace the chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
What am I to believe?
The singer is questioning what he should trust or have confidence in.
I'm the balcony man
The singer introduces himself as 'the balcony man,' indicating that he is an observer, likely watching the world from a distance.
When everything is ordinary until it's not
The singer notes that ordinary things can suddenly become extraordinary, or out of the ordinary.
I'm two hundred pounds of packed ice
The artist is using the metaphor of ice to describe himself as cold or unemotional.
Sitting on a chair and in the morning sun
The artist is sitting in a relaxed position, likely enjoying the warmth of the sun in the morning.
Putting on my tap dancing shoes
The singer is preparing for something, possibly a performance or an action.
Oh my lap dancing shoes
The singer refers to a specific type of dancing shoes, indicating he may be a dancer or performer.
You think you have a plan until I hit the stairs
The artist suggests that he is unpredictable and can disrupt plans or expectations.
I'm a two hundred pound bag of blood and bone
The artist is describing himself as a physical body, made up of flesh and bones.
Leaking on your favorite chair
The artist refers to himself 'leaking' on someone's furniture, possibly suggesting that he is leaving a bad or unwanted impression.
And this morning is amazing and so are you
The singer is expressing admiration or appreciation for the morning and someone else.
What am I to think on this balcony, Fred?
The artist addresses someone named Fred and poses a question about their thoughts or beliefs on the balcony.
Where everything is amazing that stays in bed
The singer is commenting that people who are inactive or unproductive may view everything around them as amazing, even if it is not actually amazing.
I'm a two hundred pound octopus under a sheet
The singer is comparing himself to an octopus, which can be a metaphor for being tangled up or having many tasks to juggle.
Dancing round your world with my hands and feet
The singer is describing his actions as dancing, possibly indicating that he is enjoying or taking control of his environment.
And this much I know to be true
The artist is asserting that the following statements are facts or true, according to his perspective.
You are languid and lovely and lazy
The artist is complimenting someone, describing them as relaxed, attractive, and possibly unproductive.
And what doesn't kill you just makes you crazier
The singer is commenting on the idea that difficult or dangerous experiences can cause someone to become more erratic or unstable.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Nicholas Cave, Warren Ellis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@didadou6509
Que dois-je croire ?
Je suis l'homme du balcon
Quand tout est ordinaire jusqu'à ce que ça ne le soit plus
Je suis l'homme du balcon
Je suis un bloc de glace de 200 livres
Assis sur une chaise et dans le soleil du matin
Je mets mes chaussures de claquettes, oh mes chaussures de lap dance
Sous le soleil du matin
Je suis l'homme du balcon, je suis Fred Astaire
Vous pensez avoir un plan, jusqu'à ce que j'atteigne les escaliers.
Je suis un sac de sang et d'os de 200 livres.
Qui coule sur ta chaise préférée
J'ai mis mes chaussures de danse sous le soleil du matin.
Et ce matin est incroyable et toi aussi
This morning is amazing and so are you
This morning is amazing and so are you
Sous le soleil du matin
Que dois-je penser sur ce balcon, Fred ?
Où tout ce qui reste au lit est incroyable
Je suis une pieuvre de 200 livres sous un drap.
Je danse autour de ton monde avec mes mains et mes pieds.
Et voilà ce que je sais être vrai
Oui, je sais que c'est vrai.
Et je sais que c'est vrai
Oui, je sais que c'est vrai.
Ce matin est incroyable et tu l'es aussi
This morning is amazing and so are you
Ce matin est incroyable et toi aussi
Ce matin est incroyable et toi aussi
Ce matin, tu es incroyable, et toi aussi
Ce matin est incroyable et vous aussi
Vous êtes langoureux, charmant et paresseux
Et ce qui ne te tue pas te rend encore plus fou, hmm...
@manhastam6852
Certainly my favourite track from the whole album, such a beautiful masterpiece
@kathrynlittlewood6060
Simply the most beautiful song I've ever heard and seems to encapsulate everything I feel loving a person with a severe mental illness with all the sadness, the scsriness, the dark and the light. What he brings to my life is amazing. We sat and watched the new film together in the cinema last week and after another dark period of weeks on end, Nick and Warren's film brought us closer. We held each other hand for the first time in weeks and cried throughout this track. Thank you so much 💓
@peterelmer9114
Just superb; Nick Cave is the only artist who can put me on the emotional floor in such a beautiful way - thanks Nick and Warren for this great Art.
@brendanbarnes3404
What a truly beautiful song.
Thank you Warren and Nick.
@collinmc90
Put this album on during your next road trip.
@Plentity
I thought this was my least favorite song ever when I was introduced to it a few months ago, but now it sounds pleasant! It's much different than what I'd normally listen to, but still!
@alansanchez810
Man, is someone cutting onions here? "this morning is amazing and so are you..." that line just hit me.
@cinthiapatronalonzo.6167
Same... I was having a shitty day
@Pharmatoni
Listen to the last 40 seconds and let your love of your life resonate in your head.....
@didadou6509
Que dois-je croire ?
Je suis l'homme du balcon
Quand tout est ordinaire jusqu'à ce que ça ne le soit plus
Je suis l'homme du balcon
Je suis un bloc de glace de 200 livres
Assis sur une chaise et dans le soleil du matin
Je mets mes chaussures de claquettes, oh mes chaussures de lap dance
Sous le soleil du matin
Je suis l'homme du balcon, je suis Fred Astaire
Vous pensez avoir un plan, jusqu'à ce que j'atteigne les escaliers.
Je suis un sac de sang et d'os de 200 livres.
Qui coule sur ta chaise préférée
J'ai mis mes chaussures de danse sous le soleil du matin.
Et ce matin est incroyable et toi aussi
This morning is amazing and so are you
This morning is amazing and so are you
Sous le soleil du matin
Que dois-je penser sur ce balcon, Fred ?
Où tout ce qui reste au lit est incroyable
Je suis une pieuvre de 200 livres sous un drap.
Je danse autour de ton monde avec mes mains et mes pieds.
Et voilà ce que je sais être vrai
Oui, je sais que c'est vrai.
Et je sais que c'est vrai
Oui, je sais que c'est vrai.
Ce matin est incroyable et tu l'es aussi
This morning is amazing and so are you
Ce matin est incroyable et toi aussi
Ce matin est incroyable et toi aussi
Ce matin, tu es incroyable, et toi aussi
Ce matin est incroyable et vous aussi
Vous êtes langoureux, charmant et paresseux
Et ce qui ne te tue pas te rend encore plus fou, hmm...