Originally, the Australian band was called The Boys Next Door, comprising Cave, Howard, Mick Harvey (guitar, drums, organ, piano), bassist Tracy Pew, and drummer Phill Calvert. After the Door Door album and Hee Haw EP under that name, the band moved to London and switched its name to the deceptively benign Birthday Party. Once they arrived in Britain, their demented, knotty post-punk began to gel. They released their first international album, Prayers On Fire, in 1981, earning critical praise in the U.K. and U.S. While the band was preparing to record the follow-up, Pew was jailed for drunk driving; former Magazine member Barry Adamson, Harry Howard, and Chris Walsh filled in for the absent Pew on 1982's Junkyard.
After the release of Junkyard, Calvert joined Psychedelic Furs and the band moved to Germany, where they began collaborating with such experimental post-punk acts as Lydia Lunch and Einstürzende Neubauten. Harvey left in the summer of 1983. The group briefly continued with drummer Des Heffner, but it soon disbanded after a final concert in Melbourne, Australia. Cave had the most successful solo career, recording a series of albums in the '80s and '90s that maintained his status as a popular cult figure; Harvey joined Cave's band Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Howard joined Crime & The City Solution, which also featured his brother Harry and Harvey. Tracey Pew toured with The Saints before dying of an epileptic seizure in 1986.
--Review from AMG Allmusic Guide
Jennifer's Veil
The Birthday Party Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know, she hides her face behind a veil
I'm warning you Frankie, leave on the next train
Your Jennifer she just isn't the same
Quit waving that thing about! Come back!
Come back and give me a chance to explain
Your baby will never cry again.
And don't let the ship's flag down
Point the figure-head at the storm
And drive her hard upon
Don't stop and don't stop
And don't let the veil drop
(Another ship ready to sail, the rigging is tight
Tight like Jennifer's veil).
She drew the curtain on her face
Ever since they came and burnt the old place down
Why is she searching through the ashes?
Why, only Jennifer knows that now.
And the officer, without a word,
Left all his junk and just moved out.
So don't try to reach out
And don't let the ship's flag down
Point the figure-head at the glass
Smash! Smash! into shards
Don't stop and don't touch!
And don't let the veil drop behind Jennifer's veil
Oh God! Frankie! Is that really you!
Get back! Don't reach out!
Get back, and get that lantern out of my room!
Don't try to reach out
And don't let the ship's flag down
Down, down over her, like a shroud
And let her sail on the sea like a stone.
Don't touch and don't touch
And don't let the veil drop
Another ship ready to dock the rigging comes loose
The Birthday Party’s song Jennifer’s Veil is a haunting tale about a woman named Jennifer who hides behind a veil, and her lover, Frankie, who has come back for her. The singer warns Frankie to leave on the next train, as Jennifer isn’t the same woman he once knew. The singer begs Frankie to give him a chance to explain, promising that his baby will never cry again. However, Frankie ignores the warnings and reaches for Jennifer. In the end, Jennifer rejects him and begs him to leave, almost as if there’s something terribly wrong with her.
The lyrics suggest that Jennifer has been traumatized in some way, perhaps during an attack that also burned down her home. She now hides behind a veil, drawing the curtain on her face to hide her pain. The officer, mentioned in the final verse, may have been sent to investigate the crime and has now abandoned the junk that he collected during his investigation. The ship imagery in the chorus suggests that Jennifer and Frankie’s relationship is like a ship in a storm, and that it’s time for Frankie to let go and let her sail on alone.
Line by Line Meaning
So you've come back for Jennifer
You've returned to see Jennifer
You know, she hides her face behind a veil
Jennifer conceals her face with a veil
I'm warning you Frankie, leave on the next train
Frankie, depart quickly, I caution you
Your Jennifer she just isn't the same
The Jennifer you recall has transformed
Quit waving that thing about! Come back!
Cease brandishing that object! Repeat your approach!
Come back and give me a chance to explain
Please return and permit me to elucidate
Your baby will never cry again.
Rest assured your child will not shed tears
So don't try to reach out
Do not make an effort to contact her
And don't let the ship's flag down
Prevent the ship's flag from being lowered
Point the figure-head at the storm
Aim the ship towards the tempest
And drive her hard upon
And move her forcefully
Don't stop and don't stop
Persist and do not cease
And don't let the veil drop
Make sure Jennifer's veil does not fall
(Another ship ready to sail, the rigging is tight
(Another vessel prepared to depart, the rigging is taut
Tight like Jennifer's veil).
As tight as Jennifer's veil)
She drew the curtain on her face
She covered her face with a drape
Ever since they came and burnt the old place down
Since the structure was destroyed when they arrived
Why is she searching through the ashes?
Why is she inspecting the remains?
Why, only Jennifer knows that now.
At present, Jennifer alone understands
And the officer, without a word,
The officer left silently,
Left all his junk and just moved out.
Deserted and vacated his possessions
So don't try to reach out
Refrain from making contact
And don't let the ship's flag down
Ensure the ship's flag remains aloft
Point the figure-head at the glass
Direct the figure-head at the pane of glass
Smash! Smash! into shards
Shatter it! Shatter it! into pieces
Don't stop and don't touch!
Don't halt and don't make contact!
And don't let the veil drop behind Jennifer's veil
And ensure Jennifer's veil remains intact
Oh God! Frankie! Is that really you!
Oh my God! Frankie! It's truly you!
Get back! Don't reach out!
Retreat! Do not attempt to touch!
Get back, and get that lantern out of my room!
Withdraw, and remove your lamp from my chambers!
Down, down over her, like a shroud
Lower, lower over her, like a burial garment
And let her sail on the sea like a stone.
And allow her to proceed on the sea like a pebble.
Don't touch and don't touch
Stay away and don't come near
And don't let the veil drop
And make certain the veil does not fall
Another ship ready to dock the rigging comes loose
A different ship is approaching, and the rigging is becoming detached
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