You went looking for nur, dear,
Down by the sea
You found some Iittle silver fish
But you didn't find me
I was hiding, dear, hiding all way
I was hiding, dear, hiding all way

You went to the museum
You climbed a spiral stair
You searched for me all among
The knowledgeable air
I was hidden, babe, hiding all away
I was hidden, dear, hiding all away

You entered the cathedral
When you heard the solemn knell
I was not sitting with the gargoyles
I was not swinging from the hell
I was hiding, dear, I was hiding all away
I was hiding, dear, I was hiding all away

You asked an electrician
If he'd seen me round his place
He touched you with his fingers
Sent sparks zapping out your face
I was hidden, dear, hiding all away
I was not there, dear, hiding all away

You went and asked your doctor
To get some advice
He shot you full of Pethidine
And then he billed you twice

But I was hiding, dear, hiding all away
But I was hiding, dear, hiding all away

You approached a high court judge
You thought he'd be on the level
He wrapped a rag around your face
And beat you with his gavel
I was hiding, habe, hiding all away
I was hidden, dem, hiding all away

You asked at the local constabulary
They said, he's up to his same old tricks
They leered at you with their baby blues
And rubbed jelly on their sticks
I had to get out of there, babe, hiding all away
I had to get out of there, dear, hiding all away

You searched through all my poets
From Sappho through to Auden
I saw the book fall from your hands
As you slowly died of boredom
I had been there, dear,
but I was not there anymore
I had been there, now I'm hiding all way

You walked into the ball of fame
And approached my imitators
Some were stuffing their faces with caviar
Some were eating cold potatoes
I was hiding, dear, hiding all away
I was hiding, dear, hiding all away

You asked a famous cook if he'd seen me
He opened his oven wide
He basted you with butter, babe
And made you crawl inside
I was not in there, dear, hiding all away
I was not in there, dear, hiding all away

You asked the butcher
Who lifted up his cleaver
Stuck his fist up your dress
Said he must've been mad to leave you
But I had to get away, dear, hiding all away
I had to get away, dear, I was hidden all away

Some of us we hide away
Some of us we don't
Some will live to love another day
And some of us won't
But we all know there is a law
And that law, it is love
And we all know there's a war coming
Coming from above

There is a war coming
There is a war coming



Lyrics submitted by littleRoom

Track duration: 06:32


Hiding All Away song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Cave's lyrics are as cyptic as ever,but this song strikes me as either a)the search for God or b) the search for meaning in life
    Flag mikmaloton February 07, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think of it as the girl he is talking about is trying to look for the meaning with life but only wanders into some absurd and unexplainable experiences that she can't explain because the meaning/love was hiding for her..
    Flag stefanketon August 27, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm not keen on Cave's mystic stuff, or on this album generally, but I do like this song. It has good, filthy jokes & a great tune & is fun until that clunking line comes along & ruins it: "We all know there is a law & that law it is love". Do we, indeed! The best bit is when that infernal gospel choir finally lose it, collapse giggling & are totally unable to sing. At which point this gospel choir hater says Hallelujah!
    Flag morbid moragon July 25, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm not really familiar with Nick Cave's lyrics, I've never sat down trying to analyze them seriously, but instinctively, this song reminds me of another by Alanis Morissette... "Would Not Come" ("i would go shopping and still
    it would not come
    i'd leave the country and still
    it would not come
    i would scream and rebel still
    it would not come
    i would stuff my face and still
    it would not come"
    Trying to find something that is too elusive to be grasped. In Nick Cave's song, it reaches a mystical dimension, whereas Morissette's song is more on the personal level, to me...
    Flag mustellinaon July 18, 2008   Link

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