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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds — Red Right Hand
Album: Let Love In
Avg rating:
7.9

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1421









Released: 1994
Length: 6:07
Plays (last 30 days): 2
Take a little walk to the edge of town
And go across the tracks
Where the viaduct looms,
Like a bird of doom
As it shifts and cracks
Where secrets lie in the border fires,
In the humming wires
Hey man, you know
You're never coming back
Past the square, past the bridge,
Past the mills, past the stacks
On a gathering storm comes
A tall handsome man
In a dusty black coat with
A red right hand

He'll wrap you in his arms,
Tell you that you've been a good boy
He'll rekindle all the dreams
It took you a lifetime to destroy
He'll reach deep into the hole,
Heal your shrinking soul,
But there won't be a single thing
That you can do
He's a god, he's a man,
He's a ghost, he's a guru
They're whispering his name
Through this disappearing land
But hidden in his coat
Is a red right hand

You don't have no money?
He'll get you some
You don't have no car?
He'll get you one
You don't have no self-respect,
You feel like an insect
Well don't you worry buddy,
'cause here he comes
Through the ghettos and the barrio
And the bowery and the slum
A shadow is cast wherever he stands
Stacks of green paper in his
Red right hand

You'll see him in your nightmares,
You'll see him in your dreams
He'll appear out of nowhere but
He ain't what he seems
You'll see him in your head,
On the TV screen
And hey buddy, I'm warning
You to turn it off
He's a ghost, he's a god,
He's a man, he's a guru
You're one microscopic cog
In his catastrophic plan
Designed and directed by
His red right hand
Comments (60)add comment
why am I loving this? - I don't even like Nick Cave very much, but this is brilliantly weird and I don't ever remember hearing it before. Straight in at 8 so I will be hearing it again. Thank you RP & Friday, something new every day
I am re-watching Peaky Blinders now and falling in love with this song all over again. Artic Monkeys' cover of this tune is pretty cool too. Not so in love with PJ Harvey's version though. 
 Clark_Novato wrote:

First time hearing the song.  I feel like I just watched a David Lynch movie.



the video might make you think so, too.

such a great song.
First time hearing the song.  I feel like I just watched a David Lynch movie.
Fed the lyrics into ChatGPT.  It came up with this.
 
The liner notes for Murder Ballads state that the phrase "red right hand" is from a line in John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost that refers to divine vengeance
Would also suit ''Kill Bill'' 
 deniseperry wrote:

If you like Peaky  try : Happy Vally : 



Jake Bugg





Peaky.
One of the most evocative songs ever. I need to make a painting based on this.
 rtrt wrote:

Opening theme to Jack Irish too iirc



Yep - The song was the main theme song for ABC television program Jack Irish, starring Guy Pearce.
Time for some Birthday Party!
Peeky Fooking Blinders!
Ha! Think I first heard this in Dumb & Dumber! 🤣 Then probably Scream 👍
Just moved this from an 8 to a 9. Loved it from the first time I heard it.
It gets better every listen. Mooooody.
Opening theme to Jack Irish too iirc
Love this, especially as the song played for the opening and closing credits of Peaky Blinders!
Tupelo
Had the volume down low.  Bass line sounded familiar. 

We Gotta Get Out of This Place
I'm thinking Tom Waits "Down in the Hole" from the wire.  Strong 8
This is just so awesome! Conjures memories of Stephen King stories...
Thanks to whoever uploaded this one.  I really like it.
Hearing the first note I gotta go 9>>>10
As a devoted disciple of Nick Cave, the constant inclusion of The Bad Seeds in your outstanding musical Bible leaves me speechless. For me.You are eternally alongside The Bad Seeds as my guru for my lifes soundtrack
 cptbuz wrote:
Must play more often by order of the Peaky Blinders!
 

The Peaky Fookin' Blinders
Must play more often by order of the Peaky Blinders!
It's time to play it again - don't wait for Helloween...
Only you two could come up with this much Halloween music! (Or music that could apply!)  It's adding a lot to my night.
 nevar23 wrote:
Wonder if we'll get to hear this this Hallow's Eve? {#Pray}

 
2014—Yes. NC is wonderful.  Always staying enough on track to avoid parody while building his brand as a messenger of gloom.
 lmic wrote:
If anyone deserves near-continous play on RP on Halloween - It's NC!!! Thanks Bill!

 
Yes, scary.
 Giselle62 wrote:
Isn't this a great song? The Halloween music has been wonderful so far...

 
ditto
 
Isn't this a great song? The Halloween music has been wonderful so far...
Wonder if we'll get to hear this this Hallow's Eve? {#Pray}
Gotta admit, NC and TBS is a good Halloween choice. But I saw Bauhaus and The Cramps in Chicago on Halloween in 1983. THAT was a great Halloween show!
If anyone deserves near-continous play on RP on Halloween - It's NC!!! Thanks Bill!
YES!!!!!!! {#High-five}
Krispian wrote:
Nick Cave was meant for Halloween!
absolutely!
Really like to hear from Nick and the Good Seeds!
i absolutely love this song, and i absolutely love his voice.
Vogelfrei wrote:
I struggle with this title. Nick Cave uses the phrase in at least one other song, the "Song of Joy", where he cites his source as Paradise Lost, book 2: That's Belial advising against open warfare on heaven, because even though the Fallen suffer in Hell, God can still exact worse suffering still. I'm just not sure why Cave fixates on it. What does the phrase really represent? Do Cave's serial killers see themselves as exacting divine vengeance?
Most definately. Listen to O'Malley's Bar from Murder Ballads
Jacksonstat wrote:
Wasn't this song in Dumb and Dumber? It sounds like the song that plays when Lloyd leaves his wallet in the "adult" newstand wearing the big foam cowboy hat. Come on fess up, surely someone out here is willing to admit they've seen the movie :) Great song, by the way.
Hey, I guess they're right. Senior citizens, although slow and dangerous behind the wheel, can still serve a purpose. I'll be right back. Don't you go dying on me!
I struggle with this title. Nick Cave uses the phrase in at least one other song, the "Song of Joy", where he cites his source as Paradise Lost, book 2: John Milton wrote:
What if the breath that kindled those grim fires, Awaked, should blow them into sevenfold rage, And plunge us in the flames; or from above Should intermitted vengeance arm again His red right hand to plague us?
That's Belial advising against open warfare on heaven, because even though the Fallen suffer in Hell, God can still exact worse suffering still. I'm just not sure why Cave fixates on it. What does the phrase really represent? Do Cave's serial killers see themselves as exacting divine vengeance?
Caribbeing wrote:
This is a slightly different version than I first heard, which was included on an X-Files CD. This one's a little leaner, quieter, and in my opinion not as good as the original.
As someone already pointed out, this *is* the original. You might be thinking of the Pete Yorn cover, which was also used in Hellboy.
Nick Cave was meant for Halloween! DrLex wrote:
This song downright oozes halloween atmosphere!
Wasn't this song in Dumb and Dumber? It sounds like the song that plays when Lloyd leaves his wallet in the "adult" newstand wearing the big foam cowboy hat. Come on fess up, surely someone out here is willing to admit they've seen the movie :) Great song, by the way.
This song downright oozes halloween atmosphere!
Don't dig it.
Caribbeing wrote:
This is a slightly different version than I first heard, which was included on an X-Files CD. This one's a little leaner, quieter, and in my opinion not as good as the original. Still, it's a great song.
This IS the original. From the "Let Love In" CD. Great song indeed. Love Mr. Cave and his Bad Seeds. RabbitEars wrote:
I saw Nick do this live & it blew the roof off.
A great live act. Although I have not seen them without Blixa. I wonder what his absence entails
I saw Nick do this live & it blew the roof off.
This is a slightly different version than I first heard, which was included on an X-Files CD. This one's a little leaner, quieter, and in my opinion not as good as the original. Still, it's a great song.
Love this song!!!!
This song ROCKS!! What a great and just devishly delightful song! Like Werewolves of London. I heard this song the first time on Songs in the Key of X. An all-around bad album but songs like Red Right Hand and the REM and William Burroughs diddy make it okay. But I digress... Keep up the good haunting songs on Radioparadise. You make work fun. Or at least bearable.
I switched my rating from an 8 to a 9 - Sorry Nick!
Absolutely awesome Holloween set - Bill -you da man! You a SCARY man, but the man nonetheless. :)
LOVE this song! thanks billg!!
WHAT A GREAT SET OF HOLLOWEEN TUNES!
Saint Nick, you twisted soul, I love your work!
I'm rating this a 10 just because the irony is soooo delicious!