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.
Tupelo
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looka yonder
Looka yonder
A big black cloud come
A big black cloud come
Oh, comes to Tupelo
Comes to Tupelo
Yonder on the horizon
Stopped at the mighty river
Stopped at the mighty river and
Sucked the damn thing dry
Sucked the damn thing dry
Tupelo
Oh, Tupelo
In a valley hides a town called Tupelo
Well, distant thunder rumble
Distant thunder rumble
Rumble hungry like the Beast
The Beast it cometh, cometh down
The Beast it cometh, cometh down
The Beast it cometh, cometh down
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Tupelo bound
Tupelo
Yeah, oh, Tupelo
The Beast it cometh, Tupelo bound
Why the hen won't lay no egg
Can't get that cock to crow
The nag is spooked and crazy
Oh God, help Tupelo
Oh God, help Tupelo
Oh God, help Tupelo
Oh God, help Tupelo
Ya can say these streets are rivers
Ya can call these rivers streets
Ya can tell ya self your dreaming buddy
But no sleep runs this deep
No, no sleep runs this deep
No, no sleep runs this deep
Women at their windows
Rain crashing on the pane
Writing in the frost
Tupelo's shame
Tupelo's shame
Tupelo's shame
Tupelo's shame
Oh God, help Tupelo
Oh God, help Tupelo
Oh God, help Tupelo
Oh God, help Tupelo
Oh, go to sleep little children
The sandman's on his way
Oh, go to sleep little children
The sandman's on his way
But the little children know
But the little children know
They listen to the beating of their blood
Listen to the beating of their blood
Listen to the beating of their blood
Listen to the beating of their blood
Sandman's mud
The sandman's mud
The sandman's mud
The sandman's mud
And black rain come down
The black rain come down
The black rain come down
Oh, water, water everywhere
Water, water everywhere
Where no bird can fly, no fish can swim
No bird can fly, no fish can swim
No fish can swim
Until The King is born
Until The King is born (Tupelo)
In Tupelo
'Til The King is born in Tupelo
In a clap-board shack with a roof of tin
Where the rain crashed down and leaked within
A young mother frozen on a concrete floor
And a bottle, and a box, and a cradle of straw
Tupelo
Oh, Tupelo
And a bottle, and a box, and a cradle of straw
Well Saturday gives what Sunday steals
And a child is born on his brothers heels
Sunday morn and the first-born dead
In a shoebox tied with a ribbon of red
Tupelo
Oh, Tupelo
In a shoebox buried with a ribbon of red
Oh mama rock you little one slow
Mama rock your baby
Mama rock your little one slow
God help Tupelo
God help Tupelo
Mama rock your little one slow
Mama rock your little one slow
The little one will walk on Tupelo
The little one will walk on Tupelo
Black rain come down
Black rain come down
Twenty years of litter and a burner phone
Years of litter and a burner phone
What does Nirvana do?
Ripped up, buried, and given away
And the King will walk on Tupelo
The King will walk on Tupelo
And carry the burden of Tupelo (Tupelo)
And carry the burden of Tupelo
And carry the burden of Tupelo
Yeah, carry the burden of Tupelo
Tupelo
Oh, Tupelo
Yeah, The King will walk on Tupelo
Tupelo
Tupelo, Tupelo
Yeah, The King will walk on Tupelo
Tupelo
Oh, Tupelo
Oh, Tupelo
Yeah, The King will walk on Tupelo
Tupelo
Yeah, oh, Tupelo
He carried the burden of Tupelo
Tupelo
Yeah, yeah Tupelo
He carried the burden of Tupelo
Tupelo
Hey, hey, hey Tupelo
He carried the burden of Tupelo
Tupelo
Yeah, yeah, yeah Tupelo
You will reap just what you sow
Oh, oh, yeah
Oh, Tupelo
The song “Tupelo” by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds is about the great Mississippi flood of 1937 that hit the city of Tupelo, Mississippi. The song describes the arrival of a black cloud that sucked the mighty river dry, leaving the area exposed and vulnerable to the Beast that was coming down. This Beast refers to the flood which hit the city with great intensity leaving it in a state of chaos and destruction with the people of Tupelo crying out to God for help. The song also describes the plight of a young mother who gave birth in a clapboard shack during the flood and the struggle to keep her child alive in the midst of water and devastation. In the final verse, the song speaks of the King who will walk on Tupelo and carry the burden of the city on his shoulders.
Line by Line Meaning
Looka yonder
Look over there
A big black cloud come
A massive, dark cloud appeared on the horizon
Comes to Tupelo
The cloud is approaching the town of Tupelo
Stopped at the mighty river
The cloud halted at the river
Sucked the damn thing dry
The cloud drained the river completely
Tupelo
The town of Tupelo
Distant thunder rumble
Faraway thunder could be heard
Rumble hungry like the Beast
The thunder rumbled like a fierce monster
The Beast it cometh, cometh down
The Beast is coming down towards Tupelo
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Expressing alarm or surprise
The Beast it cometh, Tupelo bound
The Beast is headed towards Tupelo and its arrival is imminent
Why the hen won't lay no egg
Asking why the hen doesn't produce eggs
Can't get that cock to crow
Wondering why the rooster isn't crowing
The nag is spooked and crazy
The horse is frightened and agitated
Oh God, help Tupelo
Asking for divine help to save Tupelo
Ya can say these streets are rivers
The roads are so flooded that they resemble rivers
Ya can call these rivers streets
The flooded roads look like rivers
Women at their windows
Women looking out of their windows
Rain crashing on the pane
The sound of rain hitting the windowpanes
Writing in the frost
Words written in frost on a window
Tupelo's shame
The town of Tupelo's misfortune
Oh, go to sleep little children
Encouraging children to go to bed
The sandman's on his way
The imaginary figure who helps children fall asleep is coming
But the little children know
But the children are aware of what's happening
They listen to the beating of their blood
They hear their own heartbeats
Sandman's mud
The foundation of the children's dreams
The black rain come down
The dark rain fell from the sky
Water, water everywhere
Water is everywhere
Where no bird can fly, no fish can swim
The water is so deep that no animals can move in it
Until The King is born (Tupelo)
The town will be in chaos until the birth of a leader (the King) from Tupelo
In a clap-board shack with a roof of tin
In a small, cheap wooden house with a tin roof
Where the rain crashed down and leaked within
Where the rain hit the roof and leaked inside
A young mother frozen on a concrete floor
A young mother lying on a cold concrete floor
And a bottle, and a box, and a cradle of straw
A bottle, a box, and a cradle made out of straw
Saturday gives what Sunday steals
Saturday offers joy while Sunday takes it away
And a child is born on his brothers heels
A new baby follows close on the birth of a sibling
Sunday morn and the first-born dead
On a Sunday morning, the eldest child has passed away
In a shoebox tied with a ribbon of red
The baby's body is contained in a small box with a red ribbon
Mama rock your little one slow
Asking a mother to soothe her baby gently
You will reap just what you sow
You will face the consequences of your actions
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Mute Song Limited
Written by: Barry Adamson, Michael Harvey, Nicholas Cave
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ΑΝΤΙ'
Looka yonder! Looka yonder!
Looka yonder! A big black cloud come!
A big black cloud come!
O comes to Tupelo. Comes to Tupelo
Yonder on the horizon
Yonder on the horizon
Stopped at the mighty river
Stopped at the mighty river and
Sucked the damn thing dry
Tupelo-o-o, O Tupelo
In a valley hides a town called Tupelo
Distant thunder rumble. Distant thunder rumble
Rumble hungry like the Beast
The Beast it cometh, cometh down
The Beast it cometh, cometh down
Wo wo wo-o-o
Tupelo bound. Tupelo-o-o. Yeah Tupelo
The Beast it cometh, Tupelo bound
Why the hen won't lay no egg
Can't get that cock to crow
The nag is spooked and crazy
O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo!
O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo!
Ya can say these streets are rivers
Ya can call these rivers streets
Ya can tell ya self ya dreaming buddy
But no sleep runs this deep
No! No sleep runs this deep
No sleep runs this deep
Women at their windows
Rain crashing on the pane
Writing in the frost
Tupelos' shame. Tupelo's shame
O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo!
O go to sleep lil children
The sandmans on his way
O go to sleep lil children
The sandmans in his way
But the lil children know
They listen to the beating of their blood
listen to the beating of their blood
listen to the beating of their blood
listen to the beating of their blood
They listen to the beating of their blood
The sandman's mud!
The sandman's mud!
And the black rain come down
the black rain come down
the black rain come down
Water water everywhere
Where no bird can fly no fish can swim
Where no bird can fly no fish can swim
No fish can swim
Until The King is born!
Until The King is born!
In Tupelo! Tupelo-o-o!
Til The King is born in Tupelo!
In a clap-board shack with a roof of tin
Where the rain came down and leaked within
A young mother frozen on a concrete floor
With a bottle and a box and a cradle of straw
Tupelo-o-o! O Tupelo!
With a bottle and a box and a cradle of straw
Well Saturday gives what Sunday steals
And a child is born on his brothers heels
Come Sunday morn the first-born dead
In a shoebox tied with a ribbon of red
Tupelo-o-o! Hey Tupelo!
In a shoebox buried with a ribbon of red
O ma-ma rock you lil' one slow
O ma-ma rock your baby
O ma-ma rock your lil' one slow
O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo!
Mama rock your lil' one slow
The lil one will walk on Tupelo
The lil one will walk on Tupelo
Black rain come down, Black rain come down
Tupelo-o-o! Yeah Tupelo!
And carry the burden of Tupelo
Tupelo-o-o! O Tupelo! Yeah!
The King will walk on Tupelo!
Tupelo-o-o! O Tupelo!
He carried the burden outa Tupelo!
Tupelo-o-o! Hey Tupelo!
You will reap just what you sow
Paula Robledo
Looka yonder! Looka yonder!
Looka yonder! A big black cloud come!
Yonder on the horizon. Yonder on the horizon.
Stopped at the mighty river and Sucked the damn thing dry.
Distant thunder rumble. Distant thunder rumble.
Rumble hungry like the Beast.
The Beast it cometh, cometh down.
The Beast it cometh, cometh down.
The Beast it cometh, cometh down.
Wo wo wo-o-o. Tupelo bound
Yeah Tupelo. The Beast it cometh, Tupelo bound.
Why the hen won’t lay no egg.
Can’t get that cock to crow.
The nag is spooked and crazy.
O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo!
Ya can say these streets are rivers.
Ya can call these rivers streets.
Ya can tell ya self ya dreaming buddy.
But no sleep runs this deep.
No! No sleep runs this deep.
O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo!
O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo!
O go to sleep lil children.
The sandmans on his way.
O go to sleep lil children.
The sandmans on his way.
They listen to the beating of their blood.
They listen to the beating of their blood.
The sandman’s mud! The sandman’s mud!
The sandman’s mud! The sandman’s mud!
And the black rain come down. And the black rain come down.
Water water everywhere.
Where no bird can fly no fish can swim. No fish can swim.
Until The King is born!
Until The King is born! In Tupelo!
until The King is born in Tupelo!
In a clap-board shack with a roof of tin.
Where the rain came down and leaked within.
A young mother frozen on a concrete floor.
With a bottle and a box and a cradle of straw.
O Tupelo! With a bundle and a box and a cradle of straw.
Well Saturday gives what Sunday steals.
And a child is born on his brothers heels.
Sunday morn the first-born dead.
In a shoe-box tied with a ribbon of red.
Hey Tupelo! In a shoe-box buried with a ribbon of red.
O ma-ma rock you lil’ one slow.
O ma-ma rock your baby.
O ma-ma rock your lil’ one slow.
O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo!
The lil one will walk on Tupelo.
Tupelo-o-o! Yeah Tupelo!
And carry the burden of Tupelo.
Tupelo-o-o! O Tupelo! Yeah!
The King will walk on Tupelo!
Tupelo-o-o! O Tupelo!
He carried the burden outa Tupelo!
Tupelo-o-o! Hey Tupelo!
You will reap just what you sow.
v_Noct
Looka yonder! Looka yonder! Looka yonder! A big black cloud come! O comes to Tupelo. Comes to Tupelo
Yonder on the horizon. Stopped at the mighty river and. Sucked the damn thing dry. Tupelo-o-o, O Tupelo. In a valley hides a town called Tupelo.
Distant thunder rumble. Rumble hungry like the Beast. The Beast it cometh, cometh down. Wo wo wo-o-o. Tupelo bound. Tupelo-o-o. Yeah Tupelo. The Beast it cometh, Tupelo bound.
Why the hen won’t lay no egg. Can’t get that cock to crow. The nag is spooked and crazy. O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo!
Ya can say these streets are rivers. Ya can call these rivers streets. Ya can tell ya self ya dreaming buddy. But no sleep runs this deep. No! No sleep runs this deep. No sleep runs this deep. Women at their windows. Rain crashing on the pane. Writing in the frost. Tupelos’ shame. Tupelo’s shame. O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo!
O go to sleep lil children. The sandmans on his way. O go to sleep lil children. The sandmans on his way. But the lil children know. They listen to the beating of their blood.
They listen to the beating of their blood. The sandman’s mud! The sandman’s mud! And the black rain come down. Water water everywhere. Where no bird can fly no fish can swim. Where no bird can fly no fish can swim. No fish can swim. Until The King is born! Until The King is born! In Tupelo! Tupelo-o-o! Til The King is born in Tupelo!
In a clap-board shack with a roof of tin. Where the rain came down and leaked within. A young mother frozen on a concrete floor. With a bottle and a box and a cradle of straw. Tupelo-o-o! O Tupelo! With a bundle and a box and a cradle of straw.
Well Saturday gives what Sunday steals. And a child is born on his brothers heels. Come Sunday morn the first-born dead. In a shoe-box tied with a ribbon of red. Tupelo-o-o! Hey Tupelo! In a shoe-box buried with a ribbon of red.
O ma-ma rock you lil’ one slow. O ma-ma rock your baby. O ma-ma rock your lil’ one slow. O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo! Mama rock your lil’ one slow. The lil one will walk on Tupelo. Tupelo-o-o! Yeah Tupelo! And carry the burden of Tupelo. Tupelo-o-o! O Tupelo! Yeah! The King will walk on Tupelo! Tupelo-o-o! O Tupelo! He carried the burden outa Tupelo! Tupelo-o-o! Hey Tupelo! You will reap just what you sow.
Frownland81
This is song is one of my favorites by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. I think it is an absolutely stunning track in terms of its intensity, dramatic vocals, and poetic, story-like lyrics.
Vlimmen Veterinary Services
This song's going to be my exit from this world...stunningly beautiful
Mudd Hutter
Elvis Presley!
Donna Sadler
Mick Harvey makes that bass sound like something otherworldly. Incredible at everything he plays. 💙
Neil Walker
Wow was it Mick not Barry plying? Never knew that
Donna Sadler
@Neil Walker I know Barry and Mick are listed as playing bass on this particular album and I can only see Mick in the video so actually just assumed, not entirely sure. Mick is incredible at everything he plays though, even If he looks like a deer in headlights at most of the Birthday party gigs. Man can he belt on drums.
popetones
Very well said
Mr Toyotaro
Great song to listen to when coming out of a broom closet and covered in blood.
Wretched Slippage
BEST episode of a 30 minute TV show in ages!
Viking Raider
Came here from that episode mr inbetween rocks