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.
Swing Low
Nick Cave Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thomas Magee, he swallowed a key
Jedediah, little Thomas Magee
Holly holly, just let him be
His wife now, little Thomas Magee
Called this cat on the telephone
Heart was beating in my chest
I needed something I could not have guessed
Ran to his house, rapped on my window
Blood was pumping much too fast
I stuck my finger through the glass
Strange music playing on the radio
Swing low
Swing low
Swing low
Swing low,
Way down low
And carry me home
Pray like Peter, preach like Paul
Jesus died to save us all
I climbed through the window
And crawled on the floor
I wrecked all of the furniture
But I still couldn't find what I was looking for
Problems still reclaimed as a whole
Cannot be solved and must be outgrown
The bottomless night still could not be known
The empty ring on the telephone
And the strange music playing on the radio
Swing low
Swing low
Swing low
Swing low,
Yeah way down low
And carry me home
Where you go?
Where do u go?
Swing low, baby,
Save my soul
Where do u go?
Where do u go?
Yeah swing low baby save my soul
Swing low [Repeat: x10]
The song Swing Low by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds is a haunting story of a man's frantic search for something he cannot identify. The first verse opens with the anxious question “How is little Thomas Magee?” and the answer, “Thomas Magee, he swallowed a key.” This bizarre statement introduces a sense of unease that runs throughout the song. The singer, known only as "Jedediah," is in the thrall of some mysterious force that is driving him to desperate measures. His phone call to Thomas's wife is frantic and full of urgency, suggesting that whatever he is seeking is of great importance to him. The line "The phone kept ringing there's no one home" speaks to the sense of looming emptiness and isolation that permeates the song.
As the song progresses, the sense of unease and desperation only intensifies. The singer breaks into Thomas Magee's home, wrecking the furniture in his search for something he cannot identify. The repeated refrain "Swing low, swing low, way down low, and carry me home" adds to this sense of urgency and desperation, with the singer begging for some kind of salvation or deliverance. The song's final lines, "Where do u go? Swing low baby, save my soul" offer a brief glimmer of hope for the singer, but ultimately the song ends unresolved, with the sense that he is still caught in the grip of his own fear and anxiety.
Line by Line Meaning
How is little Thomas Magee?
Asking about the well-being of Thomas Magee.
Thomas Magee, he swallowed a key
Thomas Magee accidentally swallowed a key.
Jedediah, little Thomas Magee
Addressing Jedediah and referring to Thomas Magee.
Holly holly, just let him be
Asking to leave Thomas Magee alone to recover.
His wife now, little Thomas Magee
Thomas Magee is married now.
Called this cat on the telephone
Referring to a person on the phone.
Heart was beating in my chest
Feeling anxious and nervous.
I needed something I could not have guessed
Looking for something unexpected.
The phone kept ringing there's no one home
Calling someone but no one is answering the phone.
Ran to his house, rapped on my window
Going to someone's house and knocking on their window.
Blood was pumping much too fast
Heart racing with excitement and fear.
I stuck my finger through the glass
Breaking the window to get inside the house.
Strange music playing on the radio
Mysterious music playing in the background.
Swing low
Asking for heavenly help and protection.
Swing low
Repeated request for help.
Swing low
Continued plea for help.
Swing low,
Asking for angels to intervene.
Way down low
Asking for protection and safety from a lower place.
And carry me home
Requesting to be guided home safely.
Pray like Peter, preach like Paul
Urging to have strong faith and advocate for it.
Jesus died to save us all
Reminding of Jesus' sacrifice for salvation.
I climbed through the window
Breaking into a house to find something.
And crawled on the floor
Searching on all fours for something needed.
I wrecked all of the furniture
Causing damage while searching for something.
But I still couldn't find what I was looking for
Despite causing chaos, still could not find what was needed.
Problems still reclaimed as a whole
Problems still pervasive and unresolved.
Cannot be solved and must be outgrown
Problems that can't be fixed must be left behind.
The bottomless night still could not be known
Unable to understand the unfathomable darkness.
The empty ring on the telephone
Continued attempts to reach someone, but unsuccessful.
Where you go?
Asking where someone has gone.
Where do u go?
Repeated asking where someone has gone.
Swing low, baby,Save my soul
Asking for salvation and protection.
Where do u go?
Asking again where someone has gone.
Where do u go?
Continued asking where someone has gone.
Yeah swing low baby save my soul
Reiterating the need for divine intervention.
Swing low [Repeat: x10]
Repeatedly asking for help and guidance.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DrMrNikolaMax
Copied from https://genius.com/Nick-cave-and-the-bad-seeds-swing-low-lyrics
[Verse 1]
How is little Thomas Magee?
Thomas Magee, he swallowed a key
Did he die, little Thomas Magee?
Holly, Holly, just let him be
His wife now, little Thomas Magee
Called this cat on a telephone
Heart was beating in my chest
I'd eaten something I could not digest
And the phone kept ringing
There's no-one home
[Verse 2]
Ran to his house, rapped on the window
Ooh blood was pumping much to fast
Stuck my fingers through the glass
Strange music playin' on the radio
Swing low, swing low
Swing low, swing low
Way down low and carry me home
[Verse 3]
Pray like Peter, preach like Paul
Jesus died to save us all
I climbed through the window
I crawled on the floor
I ripped up all the furniture
But I still couldn't find what I was looking for
[Verse 4]
Problems that we claim as our own
Cannot be solved, they must be outgrown
The bottomless knowledge cannot be known
The empty ring on the telephone
And the strange music playin' on the radio
Swing low, swing low
Swing low, swing low
Yea way down low and carry me home
Where do you go?
Where do you go?
Swing low, baby, save my soul
Where do you go?
Where do you go?
Swing low, babe, and save my soul
Swing low, swing low
Swing low, swing low
Swing low, swing low
Swing low, swing low
@PiaHorshauge
Et fantastisk nummer, fremført af en af de største kunstnere nogensinde.
@Ivanselectsongs
majestic. thank you for sharing!
@martinhodecarvalho
I love this song :)
@Journeyman-Fixit
My brother played this song over and over again before he passed away, not really sure what the meaning might have been.
@dingdong6069
Never quite got how this was just a "mere" B-Side??? Amazing song!!!
@Journeyman-Fixit
Agree.
@mustafajustin6684
i realize I am kinda randomly asking but does anybody know of a good place to watch newly released series online ?
@irajonah3108
@Mustafa Justin I would suggest Flixzone. Just search on google for it :)
@leandrogage9409
@Mustafa Justin try Flixzone. Just google for it =)
@williamebersbach9148
Jesus. Fucking beautiful