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.
Disco 2000
Nick Cave Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our mothers said we could be sister and brother.
Your name is Deborah, Deborah.
It never suited ya.
And they said that when we grew up,
we'd get married, and never split up.
We never did it, although often I thought of it.
Your house was very small,
with wood chip on the wall.
When I came around to call,
you didn't notice me at all.
And I said let's all meet up in the year 2000.
Won't it be strange when we're all fully grown.
Be there 2 o'clock by the fountain down the road.
I never knew that you'd get married.
I would be living down here on my own,
on that damp and lonely Thursday years ago.
You were the first girl at school to get breasts.
Martyn said that you were the best.
The boys all loved you, but I was a mess.
I had to watch them trying to get you undressed.
We were friends, that was as far as it went.
I used to walk you home sometimes but it meant,
oh, it meant nothing to you,
''cause you were so popular.
Deborah do you recall?
Your house was very small,
with woodchip on the wall.
When I came around to call,
you didn't notice me at all.
I said let's all meet up in the year 2000.
Won't it be strange when we're all fully grown.
Be there 2 o'clock by the fountain down the road.
I never knew that you'd get married,
I would be living down here on my own,
on that damp and lonely Thursday years ago.
Oh yeah,
Oh yeah.
Ah do you recall?
Your house was very small,
with wood chip on the wall.
When I came around to call,
you didn't notice me at all.
And I said let's all meet up in the year 2000.
Won't it be strange when we're all fully grown.
Be there 2 o'clock by the fountain down the road.
I never knew that you'd get married,
I would be living down here on my own,
on that damp and lonely Thursday years ago.
Oh what are you doing Sunday baby.
Would you like to come and meet me maybe?
You can even bring your baby.
Ohhh ooh ooh. Ooh ooh ooh ooh.
What are you doing Sunday baby.
Would you like to come and meet me maybe?
You can even bring your baby.
Ooh ooh oh. Ooh ooh ooh ooh. Ooh ooh ooh ooh. Ooh.
The song "Disco 2000" by Nick Cave tells the story of two people, born within one hour of each other, who were considered as potential partners by their mothers. The singer, who is addressing a woman named Deborah, recounts memories of their childhood together, with a hint of regret that their relationship did not progress further. The song recalls the seemingly insignificant moments of their younger years—their small houses, Deborah's early physical development, and the singer's unrequited feelings for her.
However, the song is not just a nostalgic throwback to childhood memories, but also a poignant realization that life does not always turn out the way we anticipate it will; Deborah got married and left the singer alone. The hopeful tone of the song returns towards the end, as the singer looks towards the future and invites Deborah, who is now married with a child, to meet up. The song is a reflection on youthful hopes and desires, the unexpected curveballs that life throws at us, and the desire to reconnect with people from our past.
Line by Line Meaning
Well we were born within one hour of each other.
The singer and Deborah were born at almost the same time.
Our mothers said we could be sister and brother.
Their mothers thought they were like siblings.
Your name is Deborah, Deborah.
The girl's name is Deborah and the singer repeats it.
It never suited ya.
The artist doesn't think the name suits her.
And they said that when we grew up, we'd get married, and never split up.
People thought they would marry each other and stay together forever.
We never did it, although often I thought of it.
Despite the idea of getting married, they never did it, but the singer thought about it a lot.
Oh Deborah, do you recall?
The singer asks if Deborah remembers something.
Your house was very small, with wood chip on the wall.
Deborah lived in a small house with wood chips on the walls.
When I came around to call, you didn't notice me at all.
When the artist visited Deborah, she didn't pay attention to him.
And I said let's all meet up in the year 2000.
The artist suggests that they should all meet in the year 2000.
Won't it be strange when we're all fully grown.
The singer thinks it will be strange when they're all grown up.
Be there 2 o'clock by the fountain down the road.
The artist tells them to meet at the fountain at 2 o'clock.
I never knew that you'd get married.
The singer didn't know Deborah would get married.
I would be living down here on my own, on that damp and lonely Thursday years ago.
The singer would be living alone on a Thursday in the past.
You were the first girl at school to get breasts.
Deborah was the first girl at their school to develop breasts.
Martyn said that you were the best.
A boy named Martyn thought Deborah was the best.
The boys all loved you, but I was a mess.
All the boys liked Deborah, but the artist was unhappy.
I had to watch them trying to get you undressed.
The singer had to watch the boys trying to get Deborah undressed.
We were friends, that was as far as it went.
The singer and Deborah were friends, but nothing more.
I used to walk you home sometimes but it meant, oh, it meant nothing to you, 'cause you were so popular.
The artist used to walk Deborah home, but it didn't mean anything to her because she was popular.
Ah do you recall?
The artist asks Deborah if she remembers something.
Oh yeah, Oh yeah.
The artist affirms something.
Oh what are you doing Sunday baby.
The singer asks Deborah what she's doing on Sunday.
Would you like to come and meet me maybe?
The artist invites Deborah to meet him.
You can even bring your baby.
The singer tells Deborah she can bring her baby.
Ooh ooh oh. Ooh ooh ooh ooh. Ooh ooh ooh ooh. Ooh.
The song ends with a repeated sound.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CANDIDA DOYLE, JARVIS BRANSON COCKER, MARK ANDREW WEBBER, NICK BANKS, RUSSELL SENIOR, STEPHEN PATRICK MACKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tuzotonic
I don't think there could possibly be a better cover of Disco 2000. Nick Cave nails it. Spot on.
Rita Horvath
@John Barry 👍
John Barry
He also did the best covers of "Something's gotten hold of my heart" and "By the time i get to Phoenix"
tete carrillo
OMG, why everything he sings sounds beautiful?
because he is great.
Tanja Batinic
❤❤❤❤❤
Adam King
The ooohs on the chorus are sublime! What a brilliant cover!
PanoplyCabaret
This is great! One of the first Pulp tracks I heard, and my favourite. Nick's got some great taste to go along with his talent. ;)
Ricardo Maciel
I love this cover, the cover of this single, i love Pulp, I love nick cave!
Victoria Satinheart
Cave does two very terrific & very different versions of DISCO 2000💜
Henry Gysin
I ADORE THIS COVER!!! THANK YOU, MATE =D