I've read through all of these and have only found one member (John Andrew Philpot) who makes mention of what i think is a well crafted metaphore for drugs and addiction.
Take the verse
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
This, to me anyway, points to nothing other than drugs. Coming in through the poorer sections of a city and leaving it's shadow cast on every where it's presence is known. Then, of course, the stacks of money piling up in it's red right hand.
Also, the last verse in the song can explain to anyone who's dealt the addiction (and maybe hasn't) the extent that it can overwhelm every
It's debatable, i know - but Nick's own struggles with addiction put this meaning over the top for me. Also, suggesting that the song is taken at face value as being about some evil, possibly supernatural devil-like figure belies the masterful song writer that is Nick Cave. Would he simply write some scary little tune about a Randal Flagg type persona? i don't believe it's in his character - particularly not on an album that isn't, say "Murder Ballads."
I've read through all of these and have only found one member (John Andrew Philpot) who makes mention of what i think is a well crafted metaphore for drugs and addiction.
Take the verse 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
This, to me anyway, points to nothing other than drugs. Coming in through the poorer sections of a city and leaving it's shadow cast on every where it's presence is known. Then, of course, the stacks of money piling up in it's red right hand.
Also, the last verse in the song can explain to anyone who's dealt the addiction (and maybe hasn't) the extent that it can overwhelm every
It's debatable, i know - but Nick's own struggles with addiction put this meaning over the top for me. Also, suggesting that the song is taken at face value as being about some evil, possibly supernatural devil-like figure belies the masterful song writer that is Nick Cave. Would he simply write some scary little tune about a Randal Flagg type persona? i don't believe it's in his character - particularly not on an album that isn't, say "Murder Ballads."