No one mentioned that "Red Right Hand" is from
John Milton's "Paradise Lost".
This is even spelled out on another Nick Cave album "Murder ballads" in "Song of Joy":
"
Quotes John Milton on the walls in the victim's blood.
Police are investigating at tremendous cost.
In my house he wrote 'His red right hand' "
That I am told, is from 'Paradise Lost'
"
Milton wrote:
"
Chained on the burning lake? That sure was worse.
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? What if all
Her stores were opened, and this firmament
Of Hell should spout her cataracts of fire,
Impendent horrors, threatening hideous fall
"
You can see the obvious allure for our pal Nick. All that old trestament wrathful divinity that fills much of his poetry.
The beauty of art is it's ability to become what the viewer sees or even wishes to see. For my money, though, the tall, handsome man in this song might be the brutal God of the Christian tales, indiffrent to man's sense of self-destruction.
Cave is one fo my favourite poets who happens to be an excellent musician.
i love the fact that hell is a she... the true root of all evil
i love the fact that hell is a she... the true root of all evil
it could well be that he's writing about his addiction. who really knows? isn't that the fabulous thing about art? that everyone can interpret it the way they want to, using the filters they've acquired throughout their lives.
it could well be that he's writing about his addiction. who really knows? isn't that the fabulous thing about art? that everyone can interpret it the way they want to, using the filters they've acquired throughout their lives.
& warm phase, you're so right! he's a brilliant poet. glad he made it through all these years, against all odds & continued to churn out one great song after another.
& warm phase, you're so right! he's a brilliant poet. glad he made it through all these years, against all odds & continued to churn out one great song after another.
Cheers to Bentol and others:
No one mentioned that "Red Right Hand" is from John Milton's "Paradise Lost".
This is even spelled out on another Nick Cave album "Murder ballads" in "Song of Joy":
" Quotes John Milton on the walls in the victim's blood. Police are investigating at tremendous cost. In my house he wrote 'His red right hand' " That I am told, is from 'Paradise Lost' "
Milton wrote: " Chained on the burning lake? That sure was worse. 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? What if all Her stores were opened, and this firmament Of Hell should spout her cataracts of fire, Impendent horrors, threatening hideous fall "
You can see the obvious allure for our pal Nick. All that old trestament wrathful divinity that fills much of his poetry.
The beauty of art is it's ability to become what the viewer sees or even wishes to see. For my money, though, the tall, handsome man in this song might be the brutal God of the Christian tales, indiffrent to man's sense of self-destruction.
Cave is one fo my favourite poets who happens to be an excellent musician.
-phase
i love the fact that hell is a she... the true root of all evil
i love the fact that hell is a she... the true root of all evil
it could well be that he's writing about his addiction. who really knows? isn't that the fabulous thing about art? that everyone can interpret it the way they want to, using the filters they've acquired throughout their lives.
it could well be that he's writing about his addiction. who really knows? isn't that the fabulous thing about art? that everyone can interpret it the way they want to, using the filters they've acquired throughout their lives.
& warm phase, you're so right! he's a brilliant poet. glad he made it through all these years, against all odds & continued to churn out one great song after another.
& warm phase, you're so right! he's a brilliant poet. glad he made it through all these years, against all odds & continued to churn out one great song after another.
@warmPhase wrote: "No one mentioned that 'Red Right Hand' is from John Milton's 'Paradise Lost'."
@warmPhase wrote: "No one mentioned that 'Red Right Hand' is from John Milton's 'Paradise Lost'."
Milton got it from some ode by Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus), where it referred to the hand of Jupiter, the king of the Roman pantheon.
Milton got it from some ode by Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus), where it referred to the hand of Jupiter, the king of the Roman pantheon.
The character in the song does seem more like the Roman god than the Christian one.
The character in the song does seem more like the Roman god than the Christian one.