It first appeared on the album Let Love In, where it ran at 6:10. It was later released as a single at the condensed length of 4:48.
It has since become one of Cave's signature tunes, performed at most of his concerts.
It has appeared in several films and TV shows, such as the 1994 comedy, Dumb and Dumber, The X-Files television series, whose producer Chris Carter explained in the liner notes for the compilation album Songs in the Key of X that the song was the direct inspiration for the anthology, and the "Hellboy" movie. It has also been used in all three films in the Scream trilogy. The original version is featured on the soundtrack album for the first film while a remixed version by DJ Spooky appears on the Scream 2 album. Another version, sometimes referred to as "Red Right Hand 2", was recorded by Nick Cave for Scream 3 and released on Cave's B-Sides & Rarities album; composer Marco Beltrami also incorporates elements from the song into a track in his score for the third film. The song also appears on the soundtrack for the film Hellboy in a cover version by Pete Yorn.
It was notably featured as the opening theme song in the British TV drama "Peaky Blinders"
The song shares its name with the 1945 mystery novel by Joel Townsley Rogers. The liner notes for Murder Ballads say that "red right hand" is a phrase from Milton's Paradise Lost which there refers to the Devil, though in reality the passage in question refers to the vengeful hand of God. In the opening song on the album, "Song of Joy" the protagonist's wife and daughters are murdered, and he says of the murderer...
"It seems he has done many, many more, quotes John Milton on the walls in the victim's blood. The police are investigating at tremendous cost. In my house he wrote "his red right hand". That, I'm told, is from Paradise Lost."
Red Right Hand
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And go across the tracks
Where the viaduct looms
Like a bird of doom
As it shifts and cracks
Where secrets lie in the border fires
In the humming wires
Hey man, you know
Past the square, past the bridge
Past the mills, past the stacks
On a gathering storm
Comes a tall handsome man
In a dusty black coat with
A red right hand
He'll wrap you in his arms
Tell you that you've been a good boy
He'll rekindle all the dreams
It took you a lifetime to destroy
He'll reach deep into the hole
Heal your shrinking soul
But there won't be a single thing that you can do
He's a god, he's a man
He's a ghost, he's a guru
They're whispering his name
Through this disappearing land
But hidden in his coat
Is a red right hand
You don't have no money?
He'll get you some
You don't have no car?
He'll get you one
You don't have no self-respect
You feel like an insect
Well don't you worry buddy
'Cause here he comes
Through the ghettos and the barrio
And the Bowery and the slum
His shadow is cast wherever he stands
Stacks of green paper in his
Red right hand
You'll see him in your nightmares
You'll see him in your dreams
He'll appear out of nowhere but
He ain't what he seems
You'll see him in your head
On the TV screen
Hey buddy, I'm warning
You to turn it off
He's a ghost, he's a god
He's a man, he's a guru
You're one microscopic cog
In his catastrophic plan
Designed and directed by
His red right hand
The opening lines in Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ song "Red Right Hand" set the stage for a haunting tale of foreboding and danger. The lyrics describe a desolate and eerie area on the outskirts of town, where secrets and danger lurk behind every corner. The image of a "bird of doom" looming above in the form of a viaduct adds to the gloom and sense of dread. The song's narrator warns that once you cross the tracks and reach this place, you will never return.
As the song progresses, we discover the source of this ominous presence. The singer is a "tall, handsome man in a dusty black coat with a red right hand," whose abilities and intentions are unclear. The lyrics fluctuate between depicting him as a savior, reaching deep into the hole of a soul and healing it, and a source of terror, appearing out of nowhere and casting a shadow wherever he goes. The song's shifting perspectives create an unsettling atmosphere, prompting listeners to question what this enigmatic figure's true motives are.
Taken as a whole, "Red Right Hand" is a cautionary tale of sorts, warning listeners of the lurking dangers that surround us. While the song's lyrics remain shrouded in mystery and open to interpretation, its unsettling imagery and ominous tone create a sense of unease that is impossible to ignore.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a little walk to the edge of town
Let's go to the outskirts of the city
And go across the tracks
Crossing the railway lines
Where the viaduct looms
High bridge appears
Like a bird of doom
It's seen as ominous
As it shifts and cracks
It seems unstable
Where secrets lie in the border fires
Where hidden stuff are present in the division over town
In the humming wires
Electricity cables are humming
Hey man, you know
Hey buddy, this is common knowledge
You're never coming back
It's dangerous and there's no going back
Past the square, past the bridge
Beyond the plaza and bridge
Past the mills, past the stacks
Beyond the factory buildings and chimneys
On a gathering storm
A storm is brewing
Comes a tall handsome man
Appears an attractive towering man
In a dusty black coat with
Wearing a dusty, black coat
A red right hand
He possesses a red right hand
He'll wrap you in his arms
He'll embrace you
Tell you that you've been a good boy
He'll praise you
He'll rekindle all the dreams
He'll reignite your aspirations
It took you a lifetime to destroy
That you've spent a long time ruining
He'll reach deep into the hole
He'll dig into the abyss
Heal your shrinking soul
He will cure your declining soul
But there won't be a single thing that you can do
Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do
He's a god, he's a man
He's divine, he's human
He's a ghost, he's a guru
He's unearthly, he's a spiritual mentor
They're whispering his name
People are murmuring his name
Through this disappearing land
In this vanishing country
But hidden in his coat
But concealed in his coat
Is a red right hand
Is a red right hand
You don't have no money?
Don't have money?
He'll get you some
He'll provide some
You don't have no car?
You don't have a car?
He'll get you one
He'll give you one
You don't have no self-respect
You lack self-esteem
You feel like an insect
You feel insignificant
Well don't you worry buddy
Don't worry my friend
'Cause here he comes
Because he's coming
Through the ghettos and the barrio
Through the slums and the Hispanic district
And the Bowery and the slum
And the Bowery and the slum
His shadow is cast wherever he stands
Wherever he stands, his shadow falls
Stacks of green paper in his
Bundles of currency in his
Red right hand
Red right hand
You'll see him in your nightmares
He'll appear in your bad dreams
You'll see him in your dreams
He'll appear in your dreams
He'll appear out of nowhere but
He'll come out of nowhere, but
He ain't what he seems
He's not what he appears to be
You'll see him in your head
He'll be in your mind
On the TV screen
On the television screen
Hey buddy, I'm warning
I'm telling you
You to turn it off
To turn it off
He's a ghost, he's a god
He's an apparition, he's a deity
He's a man, he's a guru
He's human, he's a mentor
You're one microscopic cog
You're a tiny gear
In his catastrophic plan
You're a small part of his disastrous scheme
Designed and directed by
Conceived and orchestrated by
His red right hand
His red right hand
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Mute Song Limited
Written by: Mick Harvey, Nick Cave, Thomas Wydler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stormseun
Take a little walk to the edge of town
And go across the tracks
Where the viaduct looms
Like a bird of doom
As it shifts and cracks
Where secrets lie in the border fires
In the humming wires
Hey man, you know
You're never coming back
Past the square, past the bridge
Past the mills, past the stacks
On a gathering storm
Comes a tall handsome man
In a dusty black coat with
A red right hand
He'll wrap you in his arms
Tell you that you've been a good boy
He'll rekindle all the dreams
It took you a lifetime to destroy
He'll reach deep into the hole
Heal your shrinking soul
But there won't be a single thing that you can do
He's a god, he's a man
He's a ghost, he's a guru
They're whispering his name
Through this disappearing land
But hidden in his coat
Is a red right hand
You don't have no money?
He'll get you some
You don't have no car?
He'll get you one
You don't have no self-respect
You feel like an insect
Well don't you worry buddy
'Cause here he comes
Through the ghettos and the barrio
And the Bowery and the slum
His shadow is cast wherever he stands
Stacks of green paper in his
Red right hand
You'll see him in your nightmares
You'll see him in your dreams
He'll appear out of nowhere but
He ain't what he seems
You'll see him in your head
On the TV screen
Hey buddy, I'm warning
You to turn it off
He's a ghost, he's a god
He's a man, he's a guru
You're one microscopic cog
In his catastrophic plan
Designed and directed by
His red right hand
@DarkKnight420m
Thomas: Red Right Hand
Arthur: Reid Roight fooking Hand
@Beansmorgan88
I prefer the dude without the cockney stuck in his face. You know nobody talks like that right? it's a fictional accent.
@DarkKnight420m
@@Beansmorgan88 This comment is only for +18 i think you to far to get it
@Iwanttobeastar
Best coment ever 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
@francescaa8331
That gave me a smile.
@keichorn
Yes!
@mrdarkloc1161
Cillian Murphy Nailed Tommy's role man
@albedesigns
Yes! Such an amazing actor. He did amazing in Oppenheimer as well
@captain_inglorious
I’d like to see that prono
@kathleensalazar5222
he's one of my fave actors ! ❤