Nicholas Edward Cave AO (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, s… Read Full Bio ↴Nicholas Edward Cave AO (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor, best known for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Cave's music is generally characterized by his baritone voice, emotional intensity, a wide variety of influences and lyrical obsessions with death, religion, love and violence.

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.

Carnival
Nick Cave Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Say goodbye, my one true lover
And we'll steal a lover's song
How it breaks my heart to leave you
Now the carnival has gone

Oh my love, the dawn is breaking
And my tears are falling rain
For the carnival is over

We may never meet again

Like a drum my heart was beating
And your kiss was sweet as wine
But the joys of love are fleeting
For Pierrot and Columbine

Now the cloak of night is falling
This will be our last goodbye
Though the carnival is over
I will love you 'til I die

Though the carnival is over
I will love you 'til I die

Oh, I will love you 'til I die
I will love you 'til I die

Overall Meaning

The song "Carnival" by Nick Cave is about the celebration of Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago, specifically in Port-of-Spain. The lyrics talk about the excitement and joy of the event and how everyone comes together to celebrate. The first verse establishes that the singer is with their partner and they plan to attend Carnival together. The second verse praises the significance of Carnival to the Trinidadian people, saying that it's like they need it to survive. The rest of the song encourages listeners to participate in the festivities, telling them to jump, wave, and wine (a type of dance) along with the music. The song ends with a chant that shouts out different instructions for listeners to follow.

One interesting fact about the song is that Nick Cave is not from Trinidad and Tobago and has no known direct connection to the region. However, he has expressed admiration for the music and culture of Trinidad and has cited it as a source of inspiration for his work. Another interesting fact is that the song features Machel Montano, a prominent Trinidadian soca artist. Montano's energetic voice and style add to the celebratory nature of the song. "Carnival" was also released on a special limited edition 12" vinyl in Trinidad and Tobago, which featured artwork by local artist Peter Doig.

Another interesting aspect of the song is its fusion of different musical styles. Nick Cave is primarily known as a rock artist, but "Carnival" incorporates elements of soca, a type of Caribbean music characterized by its fast-paced rhythm and energetic vocals. The use of steel drums and bongo drums in the song reflects the influence of Trinidadian music. The lyrics also feature several Trinidadian phrases and expressions, such as "play ah mas'," which means to participate in the masquerade or costume aspect of Carnival.

In terms of chords, the song has an upbeat tempo and features a repeating four-chord progression throughout most of the song. The chords are Bb, F, Gm, and Eb. The song also includes several key changes, which add to its lively and dynamic structure.

Overall, "Carnival" is a joyful and celebratory song that pays tribute to the culture and music of Trinidad and Tobago. Its fusion of different musical styles and incorporation of Trinidadian phrases and expressions makes it a unique and interesting piece of music.

Line by Line Meaning

Yeah, baby you know how we do
We have a mutual understanding of how we behave

You, me
It is just the two of us

You tell your friends
You can inform your acquaintances

I'll tell mine
I will do the same with my peers

It's that time again
It is time for the Carnival.

Carnival in T and T
The annual carnival festival in Trinidad and Tobago.

Is so special to all ah we
It is important to every one of us.

Like we need blood in we vain
It is as important to us as blood in our veins.

That's how we feel about Port-of-Spain
This is how we feel about the city of Port-of-Spain.

When the posse them come in town
When the group of people arrives in the city

Beating pan and ah bongo drum
Playing steel drums and bongo percussions.

Is madness everywhere
There is an atmosphere of collective excitement.

Carnival is ah true freedom
Carnival offers true freedom to its revelers.

Make ah noise or ah joyful sound
It is time for yelling and making sounds of joy.

And jump up in the air
It is time for everyone to jump in the air.

Everybody take ah jump, take ah jump, take ah jump up now
Everyone jump up at this moment.

Start to wave, start to wave, start to wave up now
Start waving your hands up in the air now.

Start to wine, start to wine, start to wine up now
Start dancing and gyrating your hips now.

Because, it's Carnival
This is the Carnival

So put yea rag them in the air, in the air, in the air
Wave your pieces of fabric in the air.

Stomp yea foot them on the ground, on the ground, on the ground
Stamp your feet on the ground.

And lemme see you jump around, jump around, jump around
Let me witness you hop around.

And let them know we comin' down, comin' down, comin' down
Let everyone know we are coming.

All the pettiness have to down
There is no room for trivial matters during Carnival.

We is the soca vagabonds
We are the Soca wanderers.

Marinating under the sun
Basking under the sun.

Dis is how we does all come one
This is how we all come together.

So put yea bumper like ah truck, like ah truck, like ah truck
Move your hips like a truck.

And lemme see yea push it back, push it back, push it back
Let me see you push your body back.

And now yea ready take ah jump, take ah jump, take ah jump
And now you are ready to jump.

Well lemme see yea jook it up, jook it up, jook it up
Show me how you move your hips.

Seasons come and seasons go
The seasons keep changing.

But Carnival will last
Carnival will remain.

From Port-of-Spain straight to S'ando
Carnival spans from Port-of-Spain to S'ando.

Take it out, take it out and play ah mas'
Get out there and celebrate.

Carnival when when I comin' down
Carnival is almost here.

Jumpin' to dis crazy song
Dancing to this wild music.

People spreading rumors in town
People are spreading rumors about.

Machel is ah mad man
Machel is an insane person (in a good way).

You know you love bacchanal
You know you love revelry (and chaos)

Is part of they festival
It is part of their festival.

So put yea flag them in the air, in the air, in the air
Wave your flags high in the air.

And lemme see you pull yea rag, pull yea flag, pull yuh rag
And let me see you pull your cloth and flag.

So push yea bumper like ah truck, like ah truck, like ah truck
Move your hips like a big vehicle.

Well lemme see yea push it back, push it back, push it back
Show me how you move your body backwards.

And when yea ready take ah jump, take ah jump, take ah jump up now
And when you are ready, jump up now.

Watch the ride,
Observe how people celebrate.

Push it, push it, push it
Move your body vigorously.

And everybody take ah, take ah, take ah
Everyone should take.

And lemme me see yea push it, push it, push it
Show me how you push your body.

And lemme me see yea now
And let me see you do it now.

And lemme me see yea take ah wave, take ah wave, take ah
Let me see you wave your hands.

And lemme me see yea take ah jump, take ah, take ah
Let me see you jump.

Yeah ha
Yes, of course.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Frank Farian, Tom Springfield

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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