The band has featured international personnel throughout its career and presently consists of Cave, violinist and multi-instrumentalist Warren Ellis, bassist Martyn P. Casey (all from Australia), guitarist George Vjestica (United Kingdom), keyboardist/percussionist Toby Dammit (United States) and drummers Thomas Wydler (Switzerland) and Jim Sclavunos (United States). The band has released sixteen studio albums and completed numerous international tours, and has been considered "one of the most original and celebrated bands of the post-punk and alternative rock eras in the '80s and onward".
The band was founded in 1983 following the demise of Cave and Harvey's former group the Birthday Party, the members of which met at a boarding school in Victoria. By the release of their fifth studio album Tender Prey in 1988, they shifted from post-punk towards an experimental alternative rock sound, later incorporating various influences throughout their career. For example, the 2008 album Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! and the side-project Grinderman were strongly influenced by garage rock. Synthesizers and minimal guitar work feature prominently on Push the Sky Away (2013), recorded after Harvey's departure from the band in 2009.
The project that would later evolve into Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds began following the demise of The Birthday Party in August 1983. Both Cave and Harvey were members of the Birthday Party, along with guitarist Rowland S. Howard and bassist Tracy Pew. During the recording sessions of the Birthday Party's scheduled EPs Mutiny/The Bad Seed, internal disputes developed in the band. The difference in Cave and Howard's approach to songwriting was a major factor, as Cave explained in an interview with On The Street: "the main reason why The Birthday Party broke up was that the sort of songs that I was writing and the sort of songs that Rowland was writing were just totally at odds with each other." Following the departure of Harvey, they officially disbanded. Cave also said that "it probably would have gone on longer, but Mick has the ability to judge things much more clearly than the rest of us."[8]
Cave and guitarist Kid Congo Powers during the band's 1986 tour.
An embryonic version of what would later become Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds was formed in the Birthday Party's then-home of London in September 1983, with Cave, Harvey (acting primarily as drummer), Einstürzende Neubauten guitarist Bargeld, Magazine bassist Barry Adamson, and Jim G. Thirlwell. The band was initially formed as a backing band for Cave's intended solo project Man Or Myth?, which had been approved by the record label Mute Records. During September and October 1983, they recorded material with producer Flood,[9] although the sessions were cut short due to Cave's touring with the Immaculate Consumptive, another project formed with Thirlwell, Lydia Lunch and Marc Almond.[10] In December 1983 Cave returned to Melbourne, Australia, where he formed a temporary line-up of his backing band, due to Bargeld's absence, that included Pew and guitarist Hugo Race. The band performed their first live show at Seaview in St. Kilda on 31 December 1983.
Following a short Australian tour, and during a period when they were without management, Cave and his band returned to London. Cave, Harvey, Bargeld, Race and Adamson formed the project's first consistent line-up, while Cave's longtime girlfriend Anita Lane was credited as a lyricist on the band's debut album.[citation needed] The group, which up to this time had been nameless, adopted the moniker Nick Cave and the Cavemen, which they used for the first six months of their career. However, they were later renamed Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in May 1984, in reference to the final Birthday Party EP The Bad Seed.[citation needed] They began recording sessions for their debut album in March 1984 at London's Trident Studios and these sessions, together with the abandoned Man Or Myth? sessions from September–October 1983 that were recorded at The Garden studios, formed the album From Her to Eternity, released on Mute Records in 1984.
Jesus of the Moon
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I left you behind curled up like a child
A change is gonna come
And as the door whispered shut
I walked on down the high-windowed hall
You lay sleeping on the unmade bed
The weatherman on the television in the St. James hotel
Said that the rains are gonna come
And I stepped out on the streets
All sparkling clean with the early morning dew
Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
You came on like a punch in the heart
Lying there with the light on your hair
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
Well, I kept thinking about what the weatherman said
And if the voices of the living can be heard by the dead
Well, the day is gonna come when we find out
And in some kind of way I take a little comfort from that
Now and then
'Cause people often talk about being scared of change
But for me I'm more afraid of things staying the same
'Cause the game is never won
By standing in any one place
For too long
Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
But there was a chord in you that I could not find to strike
You lying there with all the light in your hair
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
I see the many girls walking down the empty streets
Maybe once or twice one of them smiles at me
You can't blame anyone for saying hello
I say hey
I say hello, I say hello
Will it be me or will it be you?
One must stay and one depart
You lying there in the St. James hotel bed
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
I say hello, hello, hello
The song "Jesus of the Moon" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds is a haunting and poetic exploration of change and mortality. The opening lines describe the singer leaving someone behind, curled up like a child, as he walks down a high-windowed hall. He steps out onto the streets, sparkling with dew, and thinks of the weatherman's prediction of rain. As he remembers the person he left behind, he wonders if it was them or him who came on like a punch in the heart, lying there with the light on their hair, like a Jesus of the moon, planets, and stars. The singer reflects on the inevitability of change and the fear of things staying the same, and takes comfort in the idea that the voices of the living can be heard by the dead. The song ends with the singer saying hello to the many girls walking down the empty streets and wondering if it will be him or the person he left behind who departs.
The lyrics of "Jesus of the Moon" are rich with metaphor and allusions, demonstrating Cave's mastery of language and symbolism. The image of the Jesus of the moon, planets, and stars is particularly striking, suggesting both otherworldly divinity and an intimate connection to the cosmos. The song also touches on themes of love, mortality, and the passage of time, conveying a sense of both nostalgia for the past and uncertainty about the future. Overall, "Jesus of the Moon" is a vivid and haunting exploration of the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
I stepped out of the St. James hotel
Leaving behind the past and moving forward to the future
And I left you behind curled up like a child
Leaving someone behind who is helpless and vulnerable
A change is gonna come
Change is inevitable and will happen no matter what
And as the door whispered shut
Closing the door to the past and embracing change
I walked on down the high-windowed hall
Moving forward into a bright and uncertain future
You lay sleeping on the unmade bed
Someone who is unaware of the changes that are happening
The weatherman on the television in the St. James hotel
An omen of the changes that are to come
Said that the rains are gonna come
The coming changes are going to be intense and difficult
And I stepped out on the streets
Taking a step out of the comfort zone
All sparkling clean with the early morning dew
Wondering what the new day will bring
Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
Wondering who is responsible for the changes that are happening
You came on like a punch in the heart
The changes are sudden and surprising
Lying there with the light on your hair
Trying to hold on to something that is slowly slipping away
Like a Jesus of the moon
Symbolizing the hope of something greater and more powerful
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
Symbolizing the hope of something beyond human comprehension
Well, I kept thinking about what the weatherman said
Contemplating the gravity of the situation
And if the voices of the living can be heard by the dead
Questioning the possibility of an afterlife
Well, the day is gonna come when we find out
Believing that the truth will eventually be revealed
And in some kind of way I take a little comfort from that
Finding solace in the idea of something greater
Now and then
Occasionally hoping for a glimpse of the unknown
'Cause people often talk about being scared of change
People fear the unknown and the uncertainties that come with it
But for me I'm more afraid of things staying the same
Stagnation and monotony are more terrifying than change
'Cause the game is never won
Life is unpredictable and constantly changing
By standing in any one place
Remaining still and not moving forward will lead to defeat
For too long
Reminding that progress should not be delayed
Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
Wondering who is at fault for the current situation
But there was a chord in you that I could not find to strike
Inability to connect emotionally with someone
You lying there with all the light in your hair
Holding on to memories of what used to be
Like a Jesus of the moon
Symbolizing the hope of a brighter future
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
Symbolizing the hope of something beyond the immediate present
I see the many girls walking down the empty streets
Observing other people's lives but feeling disconnected from them
Maybe once or twice one of them smiles at me
Feeling a sense of fleeting connection to others
You can't blame anyone for saying hello
Encouraging taking risks and reaching out to others
I say hey
Acknowledging the ephemeral nature of these connections
I say hello, I say hello
Repeating the importance of acknowledging others
Will it be me or will it be you?
Wondering who will be left behind and who will move forward
One must stay and one depart
Knowing that sometimes parting ways is necessary for growth
You lying there in the St. James hotel bed
Memories of what once was holding on tight
Like a Jesus of the moon
Hoping for something greater and more profound
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
Hoping for something beyond the immediate present
I say hello, hello, hello
Repeating the importance of human connection
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Nicholas Cave
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Iulius II
I stepped out of the St. James Hotel, I'd left you behind curled up like a child
A change is gonna come, and as the door whispered shut
I walked on down the high-windowed hall
You lay sleeping on the unmade bed, the weatherman on the television
In the St. James Hotel said that the rains are gonna come
And I stepped out on the streets all sparkling clean with the early morning dew
Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
You came on like a punch in the heart
You lying there with the light on your hair
like a Jesus on the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
Well, I kept thinking about what the weatherman said
And if the voices of the living can be heard by the dead
Well, the day is gonna come when we find out
And in some kinda way I take a little comfort from that now and then
Cause people often talk about being scared of change
But for me I'm more afraid of things staying the same
Cause the game is never won by standing in any one place for too long
Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
But there was a chord in you I could not find to strike
You lying there with all the light in your hair like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
I see the many girls walking down the empty streets
And maybe once or twice one of them smiles at me
You can't blame anyone for saying hello
I say hey, I say hello, I say hello
Will it be me or will it be you?
One must stay and one depart
You lying there in a St. James Hotel bed
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
I say hello, hello, hello
Phoenix
I stepped out of the St. James hotel
And I left you behind curled up like a child
A change is gonna come
And as the door whispered shut
I walked on down the high-windowed hall
You lay sleeping on the unmade bed
The weatherman on the television in the St. James hotel
Said that the rains are gonna come
And I stepped out on the streets
All sparkling clean with the early morning dew
Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
You came on like a punch in the heart
Lying there with the light on your hair
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
Well, I kept thinking about what the weatherman said
And if the voices of the living can be heard by the dead
Well, the day is gonna come when we find out
And in some kind of way I take a little comfort from that
Now and then
'Cause people often talk about being scared of change
But for me I'm more afraid of things staying the same
'Cause the game is never won
By standing in any one place
For too long
Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
But there was a chord in you that I could not find to strike
You lying there with all the light in your hair
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
I see the many girls walking down the empty streets
Maybe once or twice one of them smiles at me
You can't blame anyone for saying hello
I say hey
I say hello, I say hello
Will it be me or will it be you?
One must stay and one depart
You lying there in the St. James hotel bed
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
I say hello, hello, hello
BrokenVHS
I think this is probably my favourite from this album.
littleblackpistol
Yes, mine too.
Iulius II
I stepped out of the St. James Hotel, I'd left you behind curled up like a child
A change is gonna come, and as the door whispered shut
I walked on down the high-windowed hall
You lay sleeping on the unmade bed, the weatherman on the television
In the St. James Hotel said that the rains are gonna come
And I stepped out on the streets all sparkling clean with the early morning dew
Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
You came on like a punch in the heart
You lying there with the light on your hair
like a Jesus on the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
Well, I kept thinking about what the weatherman said
And if the voices of the living can be heard by the dead
Well, the day is gonna come when we find out
And in some kinda way I take a little comfort from that now and then
Cause people often talk about being scared of change
But for me I'm more afraid of things staying the same
Cause the game is never won by standing in any one place for too long
Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
But there was a chord in you I could not find to strike
You lying there with all the light in your hair like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
I see the many girls walking down the empty streets
And maybe once or twice one of them smiles at me
You can't blame anyone for saying hello
I say hey, I say hello, I say hello
Will it be me or will it be you?
One must stay and one depart
You lying there in a St. James Hotel bed
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
I say hello, hello, hello
sara zuccon
"cause people often talk about being scared of change
but for me I’m more afraid of things staying the same
cause the game is never won
by standing in any one place for too long"
my mantra...
Phoenix
I stepped out of the St. James hotel
And I left you behind curled up like a child
A change is gonna come
And as the door whispered shut
I walked on down the high-windowed hall
You lay sleeping on the unmade bed
The weatherman on the television in the St. James hotel
Said that the rains are gonna come
And I stepped out on the streets
All sparkling clean with the early morning dew
Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
You came on like a punch in the heart
Lying there with the light on your hair
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
Well, I kept thinking about what the weatherman said
And if the voices of the living can be heard by the dead
Well, the day is gonna come when we find out
And in some kind of way I take a little comfort from that
Now and then
'Cause people often talk about being scared of change
But for me I'm more afraid of things staying the same
'Cause the game is never won
By standing in any one place
For too long
Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
But there was a chord in you that I could not find to strike
You lying there with all the light in your hair
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
I see the many girls walking down the empty streets
Maybe once or twice one of them smiles at me
You can't blame anyone for saying hello
I say hey
I say hello, I say hello
Will it be me or will it be you?
One must stay and one depart
You lying there in the St. James hotel bed
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars
I say hello, hello, hello
Adam James Gee
Great song and artist, Thanks for posting David!
João Soares
Absolutely mesmerising!
Sarah Chalkley
One of his most beautiful and underrated - thanks :) x
Petr Lebeda
What should I say. Simply brilliant
MrGleamMusic
My favourite on this album