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.
Wonderful Life
Nick Cave Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Across these purple fields
The sun has sunk behind you
Across these purple fields
That idiot-boy in the corner
Is speaking deviated truths
Come on, admit it, babe
It's a wonderful life
If you can find it
If you can find it
It's a wonderful life that you bring
Ooh it's a wonderful thing
Speak our secret into your hands
And hold it in between
Plunge your hands into the water
And drown it in the sea
There will be nothing between us, baby
But the air that we breathe
Don't cry
It's a wonderful, wonderful life
If you can find it
If you can find it
If you can find it
It's a wonderful life that you bring
It's a wonderful, wonderful thing
We can build our dungeons in the air
And sit and cry the blues
We can stomp across this world
With nails hammered through our shoes
We can join that troubled chorus
Who criticize and accuse
It don't matter much, no
We got nothing much to lose
But this wonderful life
If you can find it
And when you find it
And when you find it
It's a wonderful life that you bring
It's a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful thing
Sometimes our secrets are all we've got
With our lives we must defend
Sometimes the air between us, babe
Is unbearably thin
Sometimes it's wise to lay down your gloves
And just give in
Come in, come in
Come in, come in
To this wonderful life
If you can find it
And if you find it
It's a wonderful life that you bring
It's a wonderful, wonderful thing
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
The lyrics of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds's song "Wonderful Life" speak of finding the beauty and wonder in life despite the struggles and hardships that may come along the way. The song encourages listeners to admit that life is wonderful, but only if one can find it. The opening lines set a surrealistic tone, describing purple fields and a sinking sun. The last stanza especially highlights the importance of cherishing life, even in moments of vulnerability and weakness.
The second stanza's use of water imagery is poignant and symbolic. The line "There will be nothing between us, baby, but the air that we breathe" suggests stripping oneself of any barriers or walls, allowing oneself to be fully open with another person. This intimacy is a significant aspect of the song, as it emphasizes the importance of human relationships as well as the beauty of individual experience. The repeated emphasis on "It's a wonderful life that you bring" suggests that our own experiences shape and contribute to our perception and enjoyment of life.
Overall, "Wonderful Life" is a song that celebrates the joy and beauty of life and encourages listeners to embrace it, even in moments of vulnerability and sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
Come in, babe
Enter my life, my love
Across these purple fields
Through the fields that symbolize freedom, love finds its way
The sun has sunk behind you across these purple fields
The light that once shone so brightly is now fading away
That idiot-boy in the corner is speaking deviated truths
The fool in the room is saying things that aren't true
Come on, admit it, babe
Be honest, my love
It's a wonderful life if you can find it
Life is beautiful if you can discover its true meaning
If you can find it
Life must be searched for and discovered
If you can find it
Life is something that must be found
It's a wonderful life that you bring
My love brings joy and happiness to my existence
Ooh, it's a wonderful thing
The love that we share is a beautiful and wonderful thing
Speak our secret into your hands and hold it in between
Whisper our intimate secrets to yourself and hold them tightly
Plunge your hands into the water and drown it in the sea
Let go of your worries and leave them behind
There will be nothing between us, baby but the air that we breathe
Our love is pure and simple, only the air we share between us
Don't cry, it's a wonderful, wonderful life
Don't be sad, life is beautiful
We can build our dungeons in the air and sit and cry the blues
We can create our own problems and dwell in sadness
We can stomp across this world with nails hammered through our shoes
We can endure pain and suffering but still push through
We can join that troubled chorus who criticize and accuse
We can become part of the negativity that surrounds us
It don't matter much, no, we got nothing much to lose
Our problems are small in the grand scheme of things
But this wonderful life, if you can find it
Despite the hardships, life is still beautiful if we seek it out
And when you find it
When you truly discover the beauty of life
And when you find it
Life must be found through exploration
It's a wonderful life that you bring
My love makes my life worthwhile
Sometimes our secrets are all we've got, with our lives we must defend
Our deepest thoughts and feelings are what we must protect the most
Sometimes the air between us, babe, is unbearably thin
Sometimes our relationship is fragile and vulnerable
Sometimes it's wise to lay down your gloves and just give in
Sometimes it's best to surrender and let go of our burdens
Come in, come in, to this wonderful life
Join me in discovering the beauty of existence
It's a wonderful life
Life is beautiful
It's a wonderful life
Life must be cherished and valued
It's a wonderful life
Life is a gift to be appreciated
It's a wonderful life
Life is full of surprises and moments of joy
It's a wonderful life
No matter the hardships, life is worth living
It's a wonderful life
We must cherish every moment we have on this earth
It's a wonderful life
Life is beautiful, and we should always remember that
It's a wonderful life
We must find the beauty and joy in our existence
It's a wonderful life
Our lives are full of meaning and purpose
It's a wonderful life
Despite the hardships, life is still beautiful
It's a wonderful life
We must never forget the beauty and wonder of life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Nicholas Cave
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mavirenes
Come in, babe
Across these purple fields
The sun has sunk behind you
Across these purple fields
That idiot-boy in the corner
Is speaking deviated truths
Come on, admit it, babe
It’s a wonderful life
If you can find it
If you can find it
If you can find it
It’s a wonderful life that you bring
Ooh it’s a wonderful thing
Speak our secret into your hands
And hold it in between
Plunge your hands into the water
And drown it in the sea
There will be nothing between us, baby
But the air that we breathe
Don’t cry
It’s a wonderful life, wonderful life
if you can find it
If you can find it
If you can find it
It’s a wonderful life that you bring
It’s a wonderful, wonderful thing
We can build our dungeons in the air
And sit and cry the blues
We can stomp across this world
With nails hammered through our shoes
We can join that troubled chorus
Who criticise and accuse
It don’t matter much
We got nothing much to lose
But this wonderful life
If you can find it
And when you find it
And when you find it
It’s a wonderful life that you bring
It’s a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful thing
Sometimes our secrets are all we’ve got
With our lives we must defend
Sometimes the air between us, babe
Is unbearably thin
Sometimes it’s wise to lay down your gloves
And just give in
Come in, come in
Come in, come in
To this wonderful life
If you can find it
And if you find it
It’s a wonderful life that you bring
It’s a wonderful, wonderful thing
It’s a wonderful life
It’s a wonderful life
@stevieray56
When Nick Cave enters his home office and puts quill to parchment, the lyrics that bleed from its tip onto the page can range from those of a dark and grisly murder ballad to an epic Biblical allegory, rife with wit and layers of meaning. But Cave also has a well-tuned ear for the romantic; at one time it might have seemed peculiar to hear the singer behind “6-inch Gold Blade” trading his venom and violence for something more intimate and sincere, but 1997’s The Boatman’s Call should have put those doubts to rest — as would have 2003’s Nocturama.
Nocturama’s leadoff track, “Wonderful Life,” takes that level of intimacy up a notch by allowing some of the minor cracks in love’s facade — and the obstacles in its way — to become more visible. For while Cave can spin a poignant and devastating song of yearning or passion, he presents them in a way that goes much deeper than boy-meets-girl.
“A great love song should have, somewhere, an ache in it,” Cave said. “It should be able to make you feel joyful and a little melancholy at the same time. Love has its melancholy side. I think that love songs that are kind of upbeat, and don’t really have the sigh, aren’t really love songs.”
“Wonderful Life” certainly has the sigh, but it’s also optimistic in its own shadowy, minor-key way. The love that Cave sings of in “Wonderful Life” is portrayed as both imperfect and sacred. “Sometimes the air between us, babe, is unbearably thin,” Cave croons, reflecting the sometimes tumultuous, even ambiguous nature of relationships. “Sometimes it’s wise to lay down your gloves and just give in.”
With each verse’s permutation of the central theme — resistance, conflict, frustration and doubt — Cave always returns to a variation of the same refrain: “It’s a wonderful, wonderful life, if you can find it … It’s a wonderful life that you bring.” There are no illusions about love conquering all, changing the world, curing all ills or any such similar notions. But it’s still a worthy end in itself — a wonderful life, no matter how insignificant it might seem from the outside. It’s a realistic and human look at an intimate connection between two people — even a healthy one.
@admiremariah
Come in, babe
Across these purple fields
The sun has sunk behind you
Across these purple fields
That idiot-boy in the corner
Is speaking deviated truths
Come on, admit it, babe
It's a wonderful life
If you can find it
If you can find it
If you can find it
It's a wonderful life that you bring
Ooh it's a wonderful thing
Speak our secret into your hands
And hold it in between
Plunge your hands into the water
And drown it in the sea
There will be nothing between us, baby
But the air that we breathe
Don't cry
It's a wonderful, wonderful life
If you can find it
If you can find it
If you can find it
It's a wonderful life that you bring
It's a wonderful, wonderful thing
We can build our dungeons in the air
And sit and cry the blues
We can stomp across this world
With nails hammered through our shoes
We can join that troubled chorus
Who criticise and accuse
It don't matter much, no
We got nothing much to lose
But this wonderful life
If you can find it
And when you find it
And when you find it
It's a wonderful life that you bring
It's a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful thing
Sometimes our secrets are all we've got
With our lives we must defend
Sometimes the air between us, babe
Is unbearably thin
Sometimes it's wise to lay down your gloves
And just give in
Come in, come in
Come in, come in
To this wonderful life
If you can find it
And if you find it
It's a wonderful life that you bring
It's a wonderful, wonderful thing
It's a wonderful life
It's a wonderful life
@DanielleBarnham
This is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Happy in a rather sad way. Nick Cave is a stunning artist, not many even come close.
@mollyjones4165
This song sings of such simple truths. Life is as wonderful as we dare to make it. If we make it wonderful we bring wonder to others.
@tippersfunnyworld4795
This is the most underrated album in the history of rock n roll
@MattHooverDotCom
Agreed. I avoided it for years due to the ratings. Today I checked it out and realized my error.
@marijaspanjol4648
True !
@marisolquintero3179
Maybe because it is more valued as cabaret??
@mavirenes
Come in, babe
Across these purple fields
The sun has sunk behind you
Across these purple fields
That idiot-boy in the corner
Is speaking deviated truths
Come on, admit it, babe
It’s a wonderful life
If you can find it
If you can find it
If you can find it
It’s a wonderful life that you bring
Ooh it’s a wonderful thing
Speak our secret into your hands
And hold it in between
Plunge your hands into the water
And drown it in the sea
There will be nothing between us, baby
But the air that we breathe
Don’t cry
It’s a wonderful life, wonderful life
if you can find it
If you can find it
If you can find it
It’s a wonderful life that you bring
It’s a wonderful, wonderful thing
We can build our dungeons in the air
And sit and cry the blues
We can stomp across this world
With nails hammered through our shoes
We can join that troubled chorus
Who criticise and accuse
It don’t matter much
We got nothing much to lose
But this wonderful life
If you can find it
And when you find it
And when you find it
It’s a wonderful life that you bring
It’s a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful thing
Sometimes our secrets are all we’ve got
With our lives we must defend
Sometimes the air between us, babe
Is unbearably thin
Sometimes it’s wise to lay down your gloves
And just give in
Come in, come in
Come in, come in
To this wonderful life
If you can find it
And if you find it
It’s a wonderful life that you bring
It’s a wonderful, wonderful thing
It’s a wonderful life
It’s a wonderful life
@corviderook
this song never fails to show me anything less than what we are at our most passionate. it's a wonderful life it's a wonderful lie... made her cry when i played it to her too!
@pauloaleixo6554
I feel sorry for the 26 souls ,who did not have the necessary subtlety to appreciate this wonder!
@roodlofcalve9611
28 by now. some have no taste