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.
Nobody
Nick Cave Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I tried to unravel the mystery of Jesus Christ, the Savior
I've read the poets and the analysts
Searched through the books on human behaviour
I travelled this world around
For an answer that refused to be found
I don't know why and I don't know how
But she's nobody's baby now
I loved her then and I guess I love her still
Hers is the face I see when a certain mood moves in
She lives in my blood and skin
Her wild feral stare, her dark hair
Her winter lips as cold as stone
Yeah, I was her man
But there are some things love won't allow
I held her hand but I don't hold it now
I don't know why and I don't know how
But she's nobody's baby now
This is her dress that I loved best
With the blue quilted violets across the breast
And these are my many letters
Torn to pieces by her long-fingered hand
I was her cruel-hearted man
And though I've tried to lay her ghost down
She's moving through me, even now
I don't know why and I don't know how
But she's nobody's baby now
She's nobody's baby now
Nobody's baby now
She's nobody's baby now
The lyrics to Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' song Nobody Baby Now are about a man who has searched for answers to life's big questions and tried to find meaning in various texts and studies, but ultimately cannot find an answer as to why his former lover has left him. He still loves her and thinks about her often, but knows that their love was not sustainable and he cannot have her back. He describes her features and mannerisms in vivid detail, showing how she still haunts him, even though he knows deep down that they cannot be together. The repetition of the line "I don't know why and I don't know how, but she's nobody's baby now" emphasizes the sense of defeat and loss that the singer feels, despite his earthly pursuits and attempts to understand his situation.
Line by Line Meaning
I've searched the holy books
I've combed through sacred texts in my quest for truth
I tried to unravel the mystery of Jesus Christ, the Savior
I attempted to decode the enigma of Jesus Christ, the redeemer
I've read the poets and the analysts
I've scoured through literary works and critical interpretations
Searched through the books on human behaviour
Examined publications on the complexities of human nature
I travelled this world around
I have journeyed to different parts of the world
For an answer that refused to be found
In search of a solution that remained elusive
I don't know why and I don't know how
I'm uncertain of why and how this occurred
But she's nobody's baby now
She is no longer anyone's responsibility or concern
I loved her then and I guess I love her still
I was enamored with her back then and suppose I still am
Hers is the face I see when a certain mood moves in
Her countenance is the one that appears during certain emotional states
She lives in my blood and skin
Her essence has permeated my very being
Her wild feral stare, her dark hair
I recall her unrestrained gaze and tenebrous tresses
Her winter lips as cold as stone
I recollect her freezing lips akin to stone
Yeah, I was her man
I was her romantic partner
But there are some things love won't allow
Love has its constraints
I held her hand but I don't hold it now
I once held her hand, but I don't hold it anymore
This is her dress that I loved best
This is her garment I fancied the most
With the blue quilted violets across the breast
Adorned with blue, flower-shaped patterns over the bust
And these are my many letters
These are my numerous written messages
Torn to pieces by her long-fingered hand
Literally or figuratively, she destroyed my letters
I was her cruel-hearted man
I was seemingly her malevolent lover
And though I've tried to lay her ghost down
Although I endeavored to move on from her memory
She's moving through me, even now
I still feel haunted by her presence
She's nobody's baby now
She is no longer anyone's responsibility or concern
Nobody's baby now
She is entirely independent
She's nobody's baby now
She is no longer anyone's responsibility or concern
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tigrispeter
Nick doesn't fit any paradigm. He is simultaneously terrifying and romantic, lyrical and vulgar, passionate and furious, celebrated and underrated. May he live long and bless us with his music for many years to come.
v savage
Milla Knezevic Florida! Pa ti si izgleda gora od mene sto se tice divljanja:) A blizu smo, ja u torontu
Milla Knezevic
@v savage Od marta uglavnom divljam u mojoj cave, lol, half quarantine. Na Floridi sam, brate, gdje nije bas sjajno ove godine (jedna smo od najcrnjih drazava po pitanju pandemic). Ti?
v savage
Milla Knezevic da super! Kuda ti divljas?
Milla Knezevic
@v savage lol, moze li -k.savage-?
v savage
Milla Knezevic valja valja probaj I ti malo Knezevage :)
Teddyb1939
Something magical about Nick singing slow love songs,he just has it right.deep voice,great arrangements.Love it.
Bloodwraith Mantel
@sermerlin1 He sings low, bur Josh doesnt sing well. Otherwish Id know who he was
Bloodwraith Mantel
@sermerlin1 I call you close to stupid
Teddyb1939
Actually I was only talking of this recording.Nick is deep voiced on this. I can tell the difference between say ,Thomas Allen and Paul Eastwood. nuff said.