Nick Cave Songs - 1996

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Henry Lee
Written by: Traditional/Nick Cave
Officially released on: Murder Ballads and on single.
Other released version: Live At The Royal Albert Hall
First known live performance: 15/4/95 Tel Aviv
Live performance history: First played at least once on the May 95 tour of Greece and Israel. With and without PJ Harvey, the song was done on Mark Radcliffe shows on BBC TV and radio in February 1996. Then played twice together with PJ Harvey on the European festival tour of 1996. It was played and sung by Nick on practically all 1997, and some 1998-1999, 2001, 2003 and 2004 shows, then back in 2009. Solo performances from 1999 to 2007, and another performance together with PJ Harvey on 11 October 2009.
Video clip: Rocky Schenck
Other artists' versions: Mark Radcliffe and Lard did a parody of the song, called Franny Lee. The traditional Henry Lee has been played by numerous artists, sometimes with different titles such as Young Hunting. Polish artists did it in 1998 and 1999.
Nick's lyrics borrow from several older versions, one going back to 1929 (Dick Justice). Bob Dylan does a version called Love Henry on his Good As I Been To You album. It would take too far to list all known versions of this song. A specific cover of the Nick Cave version was done by Magic Dirt.

Where The Wild Roses Grow
Written by: Nick Cave
Officially released on: Murder Ballads, on single, as well as on an endless list of compilation albums.
Other released versions: Live performance history: On 4/8/95 in Cork, Ireland, and two days later in Glasgow, Nick and Kylie first performed the song in public during Kylie Minogue concerts. Several TV appearances followed in October 1995, including two Top of The Pops sessions on BBC TV. Then on the Big Day Out tour in Australia, early 1996, Kylie joined three times to perform the song with The Bad Seeds. After this, the song was played about 15 times in 1996, and on all 40 1997 shows and most of the 1998 shows, where the Kylie part was usually sung by Blixa. Incidentally, Kylie still joins them when she has the opportunity.
Video clip: Rocky Schenck
Other artists' versions: The Serenades, Miguel Wiels, Chamber, Pavle Bobek, Gregorian, etc...Mark Radcliffe and Lard , parody, 31/1/96, FM. With at least 16 officially released cover versions, this is certainly the most covered Nick Cave song. None of the following have been officially released, but the following versions are also known: Comments: Nick's first real hit single. The duet with Kylie made a long time dream of Nick come true, and they stayed close friends ever since, as joint live appearances have proved. There's a booklet with the music for Where The Wild Roses: Wise Publications, AM 935583. Nick says The Willow Garden was the song that inspired him to write Where The Wild Roses Grow.
Stagger Lee
Written by: Trad./Cave/bargeld/Casey/Harvey/Savage/Sclavunos/Wydler
Officially released on: Murder Ballads
Other released versions: First known live performance: 19/01/96, Auckland
Live performance history: Played on all 1996 shows, mostly as opening song. Played on Mark Radcliffe's "White Room", and on Nulle Part Ailleurs in February 1996. Regularly played in 1997 as an encore. Also played in 1998 on nearly all shows; as closing song on the US tour, and during the last part of the European Spring tour 2001, then from 2002 to 2009 as regular closing song of numerous shows. Solo performances from 1999 to 2007. About 300 performances in total.
Video clip: by Emma Davis. The T-shirt says "Take That love you"
Other artists' versions: Over 100 known versions. I'm not going to list them, but Bob Dylan and Ed Kuepper are among these. A specific cover of the Nick Cave version was done by Magic Dirt.
O'Malley's Bar
Written by: Nick Cave
Officially released on: Murder Ballads
Other released version: B-sides & Rarities, the full version from the 1996 Mark Radcliffe session.
First known live performance: 13/05/96, Tokyo
Last known live performance: 14/08/96, London (unfinished)
Live performance history: Apart from the excellent session performance mentioned above, which was done in 3 parts, with some alternative lyrics, there were only 4 live performances, of which 3 in Japan, May 1996.
Cover versions: Polish artists in 1998 and 1999.
Comments: Nick's longest song. (Not counting B-Side ;-)
Song Of Joy
Written by: Nick Cave
Officially released on: Murder Ballads
Live performance history: never played
Covered by: Thine, and Polish artists in 1998.
Comments: Yes, the narrator did it. Jessie Bennett remarked that the last Milton quote "The sun to me is dark/And silent as the moon" is not from "Paradise Lost", but from "Samson Agonistes".
Lovely Creature
Written by: Cave/Bargeld/Casey/Harvey/Wydler
Officially released on: Murder Ballads
Live performance history: First performance 12 years after the release in Oporto, 22/04/08, then played as rare encore on the 2008 Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! tour.
Cover versions: Polish artists in 1998.
The Curse Of Milhaven
Written by: Nick Cave
Officially released on: Murder Ballads
Other released version: God Is In The House
Live debut: Stockholm, 17/4/2001
Live performances: During the 2001-2002 tours, this was mostly the closing song. Nick was reading the lyrics and introducing the band during this song.
Cover versions: Kinga Preis in 1998 and 1999 and <Ahab Rex.
The Kindness Of Strangers
Written by: Nick Cave
Officially released on: Murder Ballads
Live performance history: never played
Cover versions: Polish artists in 1998.
Comments: Original title was "The Company of Strangers"
Crow Jane
Written by: Nick Cave/Martyn Casey
Officially released on: Murder Ballads
Live performance history: never played
Other artists' versions: Does Carl Martin's song from 1930 with the same title have any similarity? Polish artists did it in 1998.
Comments: There is also a song called Crow Jane in And the Ass Saw the Angel. Note that the lyrics are in King Ink I, so Nick must have written these about 10 years before this release.
Death Is Not The End
Written by: Bob Dylan
Officially released on: Murder Ballads
Live performance history: Just one session performance: 13/10/95 MTV Most Wanted
Other artists' versions: Bob Dylan, The Waterboys, Gavin Friday
The Ballad Of Robert Moore And Betty Coltrane
Written by: Nick Cave
Officially released on: Where The Wild Roses Grow single
Live performance history: never played
The Willow Garden
Written by: Trad./Nick Cave/Warren Ellis
Officially released on: Where The Wild Roses Grow single
First known live performance: 11/04/95, Eilat, Israel
Last known live performance: 27/11/96, Santiago.
Live performance history: With The Bad Seeds, the song was played in Israel and maybe Greece in April 1995 already. Also played on most 1996 shows, except those in Japan because Warren wasn't there. With The Dirty Three. The song was done in London, 4/5/95.
Other artists' versions: Everly Brothers; Peter Rowan; Rex, and many more...
Comments: Vocals on the official version by Conway Savage. On all live versions Nick sings. This song was Nick's inspiration for Where The Wild Roses Grow.
Knoxville Girl
Written by: Trad./Cave/Johnston
Officially released on: Henry Lee single
Live performance history: never played
Other artists' versions: Louvin Brothers, The Lemonheads
Comments: with James Johnston on guitar
King Kong Kitchee Kitchee Ki-Mi-O
Written by: Trad./Cave
Officially released on: Henry Lee single
Live performance history: never played
Other artists' versions: This song is also known as Froggie Went-A-Courtin', numerous versions exist, including one by Bob Dylan.
All The Pretty Little Horses
Written by: Trad./Current 93
Officially released on: Current 93 album
Comments: A traditional sleeping song
Patripassian
Written by: Blaise Pascal, Thomas Browne, Edmund Burke, David Tibet/Current 93.
Officially released on: Current 93 album
Time Jesum Transeuntum Et Non Riverentum
Written by: Nick Cave and The Dirty Three
Officially released on: Songs In The Key Of X
Live performance history: Played with The Dirty Three in Brisbane on 20/1/96. The song was regularly read by Nick on public sessions from late 1997 to 1999..
Comments: English title is: Dread The Passage Of Jesus For He Will Not Return. This song is a secret track (track 0) on the album.
X-Files Theme
Written by: Mark Snow
Officially released on: Songs In The Key Of X
Other artists' versions: Mark Snow's version on the same album
Comments: This song is a secret track (track 0) on the album.
The Sweetest Embrace
Written by: Nick Cave/Barry Adamson
Officially released on: Barry adamson's Oedipus Schmoedipus
Two Wrongs
Written by: Nick Cave/Tex Perkins
Officially released on: Tex Perkins' Far Be It From Me
Comment: Nick doesn't play on this one, he only co-wrote the song.
To Have And To Hold - The Jungle Of Love - Candlelit Bedroom - Luther - A House In The Jungle - Delirium - The River At Night - Romantic Theme - Snow Vision - Rose - The Clouds - Noah's Funeral - The Fight - Kate Leaves - We're Coming (The Riot) - The Murder - The Red Dress - To Have And To Hold (End Credits)
Written by: Blixa Bargeld/Nick Cave/Mick Harvey
Officially released on: To Have And To Hold
Mourning Song
Written by: Traditional
Officially released on: To Have And To Hold
The Flesh Made Word
Written by: Nick Cave
Live performance history: This great piece about literature and religion in relation to Nick's career which is published in King Ink II was first read in a BBC Radio 3 program on 28/07/96. After that it was read on other occasions in 1996 and 1997.
The Garden Duet
Written by: Nick Cave
Comment: Circulating Boatman's Call outtake. It's a duet sung by Nick doing both voices.
I Do, Dear, I Do
Written by: Nick Cave
Comment: Circulating Boatman's Call outtake.
Opium Tea
Written by: Nick Cave, Conway Savage
Officially released on: B-sides & Rarities
Comment: Boatman's Call outtake, finally released. The lyrics are in King Ink II, page 178.
Sheep May Safely Graze
Written by: Nick Cave
Officially released on: B-sides & Rarities
Covered by: Jim Sclavunos' The Vanity Set.
Comment: Boatman's Call outtake, finally released. Partial lyrics are in King Ink II, page 176.
Wake Up My Lover
Written by: Nick Cave
Comment: Circulating Boatman's Call outtake. Some lyrics of this song later appeared in Come Into My Sleep.
Farewell, Goodbye, So Long
Written by: Nick Cave
Comment: Circulating Boatman's Call outtake.
I Got Another Woman Now, Dear
Written by: Nick Cave
Comment: Circulating Boatman's Call outtake. Shortened quite different version was played in the Loladamusica 1997 special.
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