Straight to You is the second song to appear here from Nick Cave in the last week. It is my favourite song from his seventh studio album Henry’s Dream and one of the first Bad Seeds tunes that really caught my attention. This tragic-romance has an apocalyptic atmosphere and biblical undertones. It is one of his most anthemic pieces along with his masterpiece The Ship Song from his previous album – The Good Son.
Straight to You unfolds against a backdrop of looming catastrophe – be it spiritual, or global. It was when Cave was going through a Gothic folk and romantic balladry career phase. The lyrics describe a love so consuming that it drives the narrator to defy impending disaster, traversing chaos and destruction to reunite with the beloved. Straight to You seems one of his most accessible and deeply emotional tracks.
Straight to You was released as a single in 1992 (see image inset) and charted at no. 68 in the UK and No 7 in the UK indie chart and no. 96 in Australia. According to Wikipedia it gained both contemporary and retrospective critical acclaim. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds promoted the album Henry’s Dream with an initial tour across Europe, North America, Japan and Australia in 1992; a tour consisted of five legs and fifty-five concerts.
[Verse 1]
All the towers of ivory are crumbling
And the swallows have sharpened their beaks
This is the time of our great undoing
This is the time that I’ll come running
[Chorus 1]
Straight to you, for I am captured
Straight to you, for I am captured
One more time
[Verse 2]
Now the light in our window is fading
The candle gutters on the ledge
Well now, sorrow, it comes a-stealing
And I’ll cry, girl, but I’ll come a-running
[Verse 3]
Gone are the days of rainbows
And gone are the nights of swinging from the stars
For the sea will swallow up the mountains
And the sky will throw thunder-bolts and sparks
[Verse 4]
Now heaven has denied us its kingdom
And the saints, they’re all drunk, howling at the moon
And the chariots of angels are colliding
Well, I’ll run, babe, but I’ll come running
References:
1. Straight to You – Wikipedia
2. Henry’s Dream – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
I didn’t know this band until blogs. In the past year I listened to Murder Ballads and liked it a lot. He is a great songwriter. I like this one… he is a one off…no doubt.
He is very theatrical of the old school. He knows how to sell a song. And a great writer.
Another decent song by Nick Cave. I really like the music and the sound. I hope I get to explore him further.
Lots to like with Nick. Below is his rendition of Cohen’s ‘Suzanne’. I can’t recommend that Cohen music doco more highly.
It’s as though it’s Nick first try at it, but its still pretty good. Haha
Thanks! Even though on the surface it does sound a bit improvised, I think it’s a great rendition. The slight lag between Cave and the female vocalists give it an interesting feel.
Yeh, having heard it multiple times, I’m still not sure what to make from it. The vocalists, as they are the whole concert are fantastic.
I have to send this ‘Anthony’ rendition of Cohen’s concert for you, if you don’t mind my indulgence:
No worries – and, wow, I think I might even prefer that rendition over Cave’s – really powerful!
It’s something isn’t it?
And what poetry! How it applies to ones life at least mine. It’s something to behold.
I love that song.