The Cave & Ellis collaboration began in earnest with the soundtrack for "The Proposition", much as the film itself sprang from director John Hillcoat's conviction that Nick could score a mean Western if he could only find the right script. Once the idea took hold, he supposed Nick might write the script too. Nick supposed, in turn, that Warren would recognise the note of impossible longing he sought for his story. Warren heard it alright: he heard the buzzing heat haze of the Australian outback as well, the tolling horizon and the tinkling presence of dread. His heat-shimmer samples and harsh, windblown, crow-lonely violin gave the images a searing immediacy: they give the story a timeless ring.
Film's prescriptive method, writing to order - although Cave and Ellis use loops rather than cues - cleared a new creative space.
In 2006, they began work on the soundtrack for Andrew Dominik's adaptation of Ron Hansen's The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Although wide landscapes and brutal violence once again play a part in the drama, the main action is interior and almost entirely unspoken. Jesse is keenly aware of the danger foretold in the title but keeps his irksome enemy close. The music expresses his various awareness, his carelessness and his cruelty, his isolation and morbid sense of destiny. On Song for Jesse, a jingle bell rings like a fire alarm, a celeste plods wearily and a raindrop piano nags. Song for Bob is grievous with cello and violin but the strings' measured tread mourns neither Bob nor Jesse so much as the ageless weakness of men, their rage and their treachery.
By the time Dominik's film was released, Hillcoat was preparing his adaptation of The Road, Cormac McCarthy's story of a decrepit father and his guileless son struggling through the ruined landscape of global catastrophe. Cave and Ellis composed and recorded the score at the end of 2008 and the film is currently due for release later in 2009.
Cave & Ellis have also lent resonant dimension to a couple of startling documentaries. In 2007, they scored Geoffrey Smith's harrowing film The English Surgeon which traces Dr Henry Marsh's DIY struggle to bring modern neurosurgery to the confusion of post-Soviet Ukraine. The soundtrack amplifies the enterprising doctor's frustrations and anxieties, his practical genius and ethical dread. It implies cognitive dislocation, chemical imbalance and institutional apathy. It sighs and whines like the surgical instruments Dr Marsh shanghais from the NHS: 'Dandy Brain Cannula', 'Rat's Tooth Forceps' and 'Kerrison's Punch'. It inspires the film, even after the fact.
The Girls of Phnom Penh (2009) is Matthew Watson's second film about the consequences of Cambodia's "virginity trade". It describes the sorority of three young sex workers, Srey Leak, Me Nea and Cheata, as they struggle with their degradation and poverty. Humid loops, serrated cymbals and geysering steam stress the urgency of the girls' plight while, elsewhere, Nick's piano brims with compassion and Warren's soothing flutes curl with species regret.
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The House
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We've split the wood and stoked the fires
We've lit our town so there is no
Place for crime to hide
Our little church is painted white
And in the safety of the night
We all go quiet as a mouse
For the word is out
God is in the house
God is in the house
No cause for worry now
God is in the house
Moral sneaks in the White House
Computer geeks in the school house
Drug freaks in the crack house
We don't have that stuff here
We have a tiny little force
Yeah, but we need them of course
For the kittens in the trees
And at night we are on our knees
As quiet as a mouse
For God is in the house
God is in the house
God is in the house
And no one's left in doubt
God is in the house
Homos roaming the streets in packs
Queer bashers with tyre-jacks
Lesbian counter-attacks
That stuff is for the big cities
Our town is very pretty
We have a pretty little square
We have a woman for a mayor
Our policy is firm but fair
Now that God is in the house
God is in the house
God is in the house
Any day now He'll come out
God is in the house
Well-meaning little therapists
Goose-stepping twelve-stepping Teatotalitarianists
The tipsy, the reeling and the drop down pissed
We got no time for that stuff here
Zero crime and no fear
We've bred all our kittens white
So that you can see them in the night
And at night we're on our knees
As quiet as a mouse
Since the word got out
From the North down to the South
For no-one's left in doubt
There's no fear about
If we all hold hands and very quietly shout
Hallelujah
God is in the house
Oh I wish He would come out
God is in the house
The song "God Is in the House" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is a commentary on small-town idealism and how it can be misguided and sometimes even dangerous. The song describes a small town that is free of crime, drugs, and many of the social ills that plague larger cities. The townspeople take pride in their cleanliness and their moral superiority, trumpeting their achievements such as laying cables, painting the church white, and breeding white kittens. They are also proud of their religious devotion, claiming that God is in their midst and that they feel safe and secure as a result.
However, the song also reveals the dark side of this self-righteous attitude. The town's inhabitants view themselves as superior to those in other places, mocking and excluding those who don't fit into their narrow ideals. They refuse to acknowledge the complexities and difficulties of the wider world, insisting that their "policy is firm but fair." In the end, the song hints that this kind of insular thinking can be dangerous, as it leads to a lack of empathy and understanding. As Cave sings in the final lines of the song, "Oh I wish He would come out /God is in the house," there is a longing for a true spiritual connection that transcends these narrow-minded attitudes.
Overall, "God Is in the House" is a critique of the conformist and complacent mentality of small-town America, and a warning against the dangers of narrow-minded thinking.
Line by Line Meaning
We've laid the cables and the wires
We have created and connected all the necessary infrastructure in our town.
We've split the wood and stoked the fires
We have gathered and prepared all the resources we need to keep our community running.
We've lit our town so there is no
Place for crime to hide
We have illuminated our town, leaving no dark corners for criminals to take refuge.
Our little church is painted white
Our church, although small, is a beacon of purity and goodness.
And in the safety of the night
During the darkness, our community is secure and protected.
We all go quiet as a mouse
We remain silent and still, not wanting to disturb the sense of peace and security that surrounds us.
For the word is out
The message has been spread throughout the community.
That God is in the house
We believe that God is present among us.
No cause for worry now
We don't need to worry because God is protecting us.
Moral sneaks in the White House
There are dishonest and hypocritical politicians in positions of power in our country's government.
Computer geeks in the school house
There are skilled technology experts in our schools.
Drug freaks in the crack house
There are drug addicts living in the poorer parts of our town.
We don't have that stuff here
Those problems exist in other, less wholesome places.
We have a tiny little force
Our law enforcement team is small, but still necessary.
Yeah, but we need them of course
It's important to have law enforcement to maintain order and protect us.
For the kittens in the trees
They are there to protect the town's animals and keep them safe.
And at night we are on our knees
At night, we pray to God for protection and guidance.
As quiet as a mouse
We remain silent and peaceful during this time of prayer.
For God is in the house
We believe that God is present among us.
Homos roaming the streets in packs
There are groups of homosexual people walking around the city.
Queer bashers with tyre-jacks
There are individuals who are intolerant and violent towards homosexuals.
Lesbian counter-attacks
Lesbians are defending themselves from those who would harm them.
That stuff is for the big cities
Those issues seem to be mainly present in larger, more diverse cities.
Our town is very pretty
Despite the problems of the world around us, our town is peaceful and beautiful.
We have a pretty little square
Our town has a lovely public space where people can gather.
We have a woman for a mayor
Our town has a female leader who is strong and capable.
Our policy is firm but fair
Our town has clear and just rules and regulations.
Now that God is in the house
We believe that God's presence in our community makes everything better.
Any day now He'll come out
The community is eagerly awaiting God's intervention in their lives.
Well-meaning little therapists
There are individuals who want to help others overcome emotional issues but may not have the expertise to do so.
Goose-stepping twelve-stepping Teatotalitarianists
These are individuals who adhere strictly to certain beliefs or programs, leaving little room for personal choice or individuality.
The tipsy, the reeling and the drop down pissed
There are individuals who are drunk and unstable, making them a danger to themselves or others.
We got no time for that stuff here
Our town doesn't have the luxury of dealing with those kinds of issues.
Zero crime and no fear
Our community is practically crime-free and residents feel very safe.
We've bred all our kittens white
We have selectively bred our animals to be pure and free from blemish.
So that you can see them in the night
Our community is so safe that we don't need to worry about the color of our pets, which can be seen clearly in the darkness.
And at night we're on our knees
Again, we pray for safety and guidance at night.
Since the word got out
After our message of God's presence in our community was widely spread.
From the North down to the South
This message has been embraced by people throughout the country, from all regions.
For no-one's left in doubt
Everyone is now convinced that God is present in our town.
There's no fear about
People feel confident and secure in the knowledge that God is in the house.
If we all hold hands and very quietly shout
If we come together as a community and express our belief in God, we can do so peacefully and respectfully.
Hallelujah
We praise God for his presence among us.
God is in the house
We cannot emphasize enough that we truly believe God is present in our community.
Oh I wish He would come out
We eagerly await God's influence and presence in our daily lives.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Nicholas Cave
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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