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.
Lime Tree Arbour
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A lone loon dives upon the water
I put my hand over hers
Down in the lime tree arbour
The wind in the trees is whispering
Whispering low that I love her
She puts her hand over mine
Through every breath that I breathe
And every place I go
There is a hand that protects me
And I do love her so
Always be suffering
It flows through life like water
I put my hand over hers
Down in the lime tree arbour
The boatman he has gone
And the loons have flown for cover
She puts her hand over mine
Down in the lime tree arbour
Through every word that I speak
And every thing I know
There is hand that protects me
And I do love her so
The lyrics of "Lime Tree Arbour" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds depict a scene of two lovers sitting in a lime tree arbour, surrounded by the sound of nature. The boatman calls from the lake while a lone loon dives upon the water. The artist puts his hand over his lover's, making a connection with her. The wind blowing through the trees is like a whisper, conveying the love they share. It's a serene moment for the couple, and they're protected under the shelter of the lime tree. The artist is grateful for the love he's found and knows that it'll always be there to support and protect him, through every breath he takes and every step he takes.
The lyrics of "Lime Tree Arbour" are full of imagery and symbolism that allow the listener to conjure up this romantic scene. The lime tree arbour is a symbol of protection, safety, and growth, and it's the perfect place for two lovers to connect. The loon and the boatman are symbols of freedom and adventure, but also of change and impermanence. The wind and the whispering trees add to the natural beauty of the setting, and it's as if nature itself is celebrating this love. Finally, the artist's hand over his lover's is a symbol of intimacy, commitment, and interdependence. All these elements come together to create a powerful and emotional song about love and its sustaining power.
Line by Line Meaning
Boatman calls from the lake
The boatman is calling out from the lake.
A lone loon dives upon the water
A single loon bird dives into the water.
I put my hand over hers
The singer places his hand over the hand of the person next to him, showing affection.
Down in the lime tree arbour
This love scene takes place in a protected grove of lime trees.
The wind in the trees is whispering
A gentle wind is blowing and making a whispering sound in the trees.
Whispering low that I love her
The wind is carrying the message that the singer loves the person next to him, in a subtle way.
She puts her hand over mine
The other person now places her hand over the singer's, as a sign of response to his gesture.
Through every breath that I breathe
Every time the singer breathes, he is reminded of a certain person and their relationship together.
And every place I go
No matter where he goes, the singer cannot escape the memories of this relationship.
There is a hand that protects me
This person next to him is a source of protection and comfort, like a hand that guides him.
And I do love her so
The singer reaffirms his love for this person again.
Always be suffering
Suffering is an inevitable part of life, and the singer acknowledges its presence.
It flows through life like water
Suffering is like a continuous stream through life, affecting every experience.
The boatman he has gone
The boatman who called out earlier is no longer visible.
And the loons have flown for cover
The loon birds have also departed, possibly due to the presence of humans nearby.
Through every word that I speak
Every time the singer speaks, he is reminded of this special relationship.
And every thing I know
All the knowledge and experiences he has collected throughout life cannot change the importance of this relationship.
There is hand that protects me
Again, this person is like a guiding hand through life.
And I do love her so
The song ends with the same reaffirmation of love as before.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Nicholas Cave
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind