There was a plan. Sydney Opera House broke it.
I spent the morning, the morning with which I was going to do very many productive things, hunting down and obsessively listening to every cover of Nick Cave's 'The Ship Song' I could find. Sydney Opera House and their gloriously demented promotions people have an awful lot to answer for. I suspect they're also hoarding good-looking young men in eyeliner.
But seriously, watch this. Watch it fullscreen. Then watch all the other bits and marvel at these people and their amazing building.
I've been madly in love with Nick Cave's songs since I found them, way back before I had pocket money to buy CDs. I'm slightly more careful about throwing on an album at random these days, because detailed descriptions of horrible murders aren't really good for working to. The fact I had Murder Ballads on constantly for a significant proportion of my PhD is something that should probably not be thought about too hard. The thing about the murder songs though, is, they're really good. Both the trad ones and the ones Cave & company put together themsleves. If you don't listen to the words, they sound beautiful.
The ones that are genuinely heartstoppingly gorgeous are the ones from the same stable as The Ship Song. The ones where Cave, or Cave and the band, planted themselves down and figured out exactly how to turn complicated twisty lyrics into complicated twistly love songs. Or not-love songs. Or songs about the end of the world. Or an achingly simple agnostic's love song.
The Ship Song is still my favourite.
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you come around
We talk about it all night long
We define our moral ground
And when crawl into your arms
Everything it comes tumbling down
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Your face is fallen sad now
For you know the time is nigh
When I must remove your wings
And you, you must try to fly
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you come around
But seriously, watch this. Watch it fullscreen. Then watch all the other bits and marvel at these people and their amazing building.
Click to viewI've been madly in love with Nick Cave's songs since I found them, way back before I had pocket money to buy CDs. I'm slightly more careful about throwing on an album at random these days, because detailed descriptions of horrible murders aren't really good for working to. The fact I had Murder Ballads on constantly for a significant proportion of my PhD is something that should probably not be thought about too hard. The thing about the murder songs though, is, they're really good. Both the trad ones and the ones Cave & company put together themsleves. If you don't listen to the words, they sound beautiful.
The ones that are genuinely heartstoppingly gorgeous are the ones from the same stable as The Ship Song. The ones where Cave, or Cave and the band, planted themselves down and figured out exactly how to turn complicated twisty lyrics into complicated twistly love songs. Or not-love songs. Or songs about the end of the world. Or an achingly simple agnostic's love song.
The Ship Song is still my favourite.
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you come around
We talk about it all night long
We define our moral ground
And when crawl into your arms
Everything it comes tumbling down
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Your face is fallen sad now
For you know the time is nigh
When I must remove your wings
And you, you must try to fly
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you come around