Thread: Nick Cave - Wild Rose

Seeing an AFI track posted led me to thinking of lyricists, and I reckon Nick Cave has to be one of the finest (and underrated) poets of my generation. An example:

Where the Wild Roses Grow

From the first day I saw her I knew she was the one
She stared in my eyes and smiled
For her lips were the colour of the roses
That grew down the river, all bloody and wild

When he knocked on my door and entered the room
My trembling subsided in his sure embrace
He would be my first man, and with a careful hand
He wiped at the tears that ran down my face

On the second day I brought her a flower
She was more beautiful than any woman I'd seen
I said, "Do you know where the wild roses grow
So sweet and scarlet and free?"

On the second day he came with a single red rose
Said: "Will you give me your loss and your sorrow"
I nodded my head, as I lay on the bed
He said, "If I show you the roses, will you follow?"

On the third day he took me to the river
He showed me the roses and we kissed
And the last thing I heard was a muttered word
As he knelt (stood smiling) above me with a rock in his fist

On the last day I took her where the wild roses grow
And she lay on the bank, the wind light as a thief
And I kissed her goodbye, said, "All beauty must die"
And lent down and planted a rose between her teeth

What about the chorus?

Originally Posted by lisajane

What about the chorus?

Ah, you caught me out!

Chorus:

They call me The Wild Rose
But my name was Elisa Day
Why they call me it I do not know
For my name was Elisa Day

I was actually JUST listening to that song a couple of hours ago. For lyrics to the song, I found them really good. Plus, he and kate bush may not be the greatest singers, but the way in which that song was done really translated across the meaning of the lyrics well I think.

Originally Posted by Mike C

Seeing an AFI track posted led me to thinking of lyricists, and I reckon Nick Cave has to be one of the finest (and underrated) poets of my generation. An example:

Where the Wild Roses Grow

From the first day I saw her I knew she was the one
She stared in my eyes and smiled
For her lips were the colour of the roses
That grew down the river, all bloody and wild

When he knocked on my door and entered the room
My trembling subsided in his sure embrace
He would be my first man, and with a careful hand
He wiped at the tears that ran down my face

On the second day I brought her a flower
She was more beautiful than any woman I'd seen
I said, "Do you know where the wild roses grow
So sweet and scarlet and free?"

On the second day he came with a single red rose
Said: "Will you give me your loss and your sorrow"
I nodded my head, as I lay on the bed
He said, "If I show you the roses, will you follow?"

On the third day he took me to the river
He showed me the roses and we kissed
And the last thing I heard was a muttered word
As he knelt (stood smiling) above me with a rock in his fist

On the last day I took her where the wild roses grow
And she lay on the bank, the wind light as a thief
And I kissed her goodbye, said, "All beauty must die"
And lent down and planted a rose between her teeth

Uh...wow, that is stunning.

First time Ive seen it, and have not heard it.
Ill try to download it tonight, thanks.

Originally Posted by temptryst

Plus, he and kate bush may not be the greatest singers...

Not Kate Bush, Kylie Minogue.

Ah well, I got the song from a friend and it was labelled as Kate Bush singing it

There's a collection of international erotica, edited by Maxim Jubokowski, that includes a short story called Where The Wild Roses Grow and it was a prose version of the song, although not penned by Cave.

Originally Posted by Stewart

There's a collection of international erotica, edited by Maxim Jubokowski, that includes a short story called Where The Wild Roses Grow and it was a prose version of the song, although not penned by Cave.

Really? Damn! I always wanted to write that

I love Cave, I think my favourite lyrics by him though have to be '(Are You)The One That I've Been Waiting For?' and 'There She Goes, My Beautiful World' there are some great literary references throughout the latter.

Originally Posted by Mike C

Really? Damn! I always wanted to write that

Yes, I dug it out. The author's name is Mark Timlin. He thanks Cave at the end of the story for allowing him to use it. It's not as good as the song, however. Rather dull, in fact.

Thanks for that, Stewart. I'll see if I can track it down.

Originally Posted by Mike C

Thanks for that, Stewart. I'll see if I can track it down.

It's in here.