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.
People Ain't No Good
Nick Cave Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I think that's well understood
You can see it everywhere you look
People just ain't no good
We were married under cherry trees
Under blossom we made our vows
All the blossoms come sailing down
The sun would stream on the sheets
Awoken by the morning bird
We'd buy the Sunday newspapers
And never read a single word
People they ain't no good
People they ain't no good
People they ain't no good
Seasons came, seasons went
The winter stripped the blossoms bare
A different tree now lines the streets
Shaking its fists in the air
The winter slammed us like a fist
The windows rattling in the gales
To which she drew the curtains
Made out of her wedding veils
People they ain't no good
People they ain't no good
People they ain't no good
To our love send a dozen white lilies
To our love send a coffin of wood
To our love let all the pink-eyed pigeons coo
That people they just ain't no good
To our love send back all the letters
To our love a valentine of blood
To our love let all the jilted lovers cry
That people they just ain't no good
It ain't in their hearts they're bad
They can comfort you, some even try
They nurse you when you're ill of health
They bury you when you go and die
It ain't that in their hearts they're bad
They'd stick by you if they could
But that's just bullshit
People just ain't no good
People they ain't no good
People they ain't no good
People they ain't no good
People they ain't no good
In Nick Cave's song "People Aint No Good," he paints a picture of the disappointment and disillusionment that comes from relying on people. The opening lines, "People just ain't no good, I think that's well understood," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The lyrics describe a failed marriage that started with promise under the cherry blossoms but turned sour with time. The imagery of blossoms sailing down through the streets and the sun streaming on the sheets evoke a happy and idyllic time that is in the past. However, the winter comes, stripping the blossoms bare and leaving a different tree that shakes its fists in the air. The metaphor here is that time has passed, their relationship deteriorated, and anger and frustration have taken hold.
The refrain repeats the line "People they ain't no good" as a chorus of sorts, driving home the sentiment that people cannot be relied upon. The mood is somber and heavy, and the lyrics convey a sense of resignation in the face of this hard truth. However, the song doesn't end on a completely hopeless note. The lines "It ain't in their hearts they're bad, they can comfort you, some even try" suggest that people are not inherently evil but can't always be counted on, and that some will try to help. The closing line, "People just ain't no good," is repeated several times to drive home the main message of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
People just ain't no good
The singer believes that people, as a whole, are not good.
I think that's well understood
The singer believes that this concept is widely accepted and recognized.
You can see it everywhere you look
The singer believes that the evidence to support this belief is all around.
We were married under cherry trees
The artist references a past memory of getting married under cherry trees.
Under blossom we made our vows
The artist emphasizes the beauty of the environment during their wedding ceremony.
All the blossoms come sailing down
The singer recalls the images of the blossoms falling and floating around them.
Through the streets and through the playgrounds
The singer remembers the blossoms blowing through the town in which they were celebrating their wedding.
The sun would stream on the sheets
The artist describes the warmth and light that would fill their bedroom in the morning.
Awoken by the morning bird
The artist remembers the sound of birds singing in the morning waking them up.
We'd buy the Sunday newspapers
The artist references a routine they had of purchasing newspapers on Sundays.
And never read a single word
The singer implies that they were content to simply exist in each other's company and not worry about current events.
Seasons came, seasons went
The artist references the passage of time through the changing seasons.
The winter stripped the blossoms bare
The singer describes the harsh impact of winter on the once-beautiful cherry trees.
A different tree now lines the streets
The singer points out that the town looks different due to the change in scenery from the cherry blossoms to a new type of tree.
Shaking its fists in the air
The singer uses a metaphor to describe the new tree as if it is angry and aggressive.
The winter slammed us like a fist
The artist remembers a particularly harsh winter that impacted them personally.
The windows rattling in the gales
The artist describes the intense wind of the winter storm shaking their windows.
To which she drew the curtains
The singer recalls their partner closing the curtains to block out the storm.
Made out of her wedding veils
The singer adds a detail about the curtains being made from material that was once part of her wedding attire.
To our love send a dozen white lilies
The artist shares a message they would like sent to their beloved partner - a dozen white lilies.
To our love send a coffin of wood
The artist adds a darker message, suggesting that death has come between them and their partner.
To our love let all the pink-eyed pigeons coo
The artist requests that even the pigeons acknowledge the love that they shared with their partner.
That people they just ain't no good
The singer concludes with the same thought that people are not good, and perhaps this has contributed to the end of their relationship.
To our love send back all the letters
The artist adds another request for communication to their partner - sending back all of their letters.
To our love a valentine of blood
Here the singer expresses their continued love, but in a way that is darker and potentially violent.
To our love let all the jilted lovers cry
The singer wishes for others who have also been left heartbroken to recognize and grieve their loss.
It ain't in their hearts they're bad
The singer clarifies that people are not inherently bad; rather, they just act in ways that cause harm to others.
They can comfort you, some even try
The artist acknowledges that people can provide comfort and support, but it may not always be genuine.
They nurse you when you're ill of health
The artist highlights the positive actions that some people can take, such as caring for others during times of illness.
They bury you when you go and die
The singer acknowledges that people are there for each other during difficult times such as the death of a loved one.
They'd stick by you if they could
The singer believes that people would support each other if they were able to or if it was convenient to do so.
But that's just bullshit
The artist dismisses this idea as false and not reflective of reality.
Contributed by Zachary V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
moenbase
on Nick Cave & Enya - (Don't Fear) The Reaper
Don't fear the reaper isn't sung by Cave. It's H.I.M. And... the lyrics is from a completely different song; Disco 2000, original by Pulp, but yea, also sung by Cave.