I wonder if [my] fans could help us out by writing in with a 15 song playlist of the Best of Nick Cave, and perhaps you could add your age, just for interest’s sake. I’ll then put some of the playlists up on The Red Hand Files. It would be a lovely act of kindness to Aotearoa, Daphne and Adrian to welcome them and give them some idea of where to start. (from The Red Hand Files #243)

Dear All,

Asking people to list their favourite 15 Bad Seeds songs, in order to initiate Aotearoa, Daphne and Adrian into the world of Nick Cave, may not have been the most practical idea I’ve ever had! Hundreds of you have written in with lists, I’ve read all of them and have been really moved by some of the accounts of why particular songs mean so much.

For various reasons, I have been feeling strange and a little destabilised this week, and so to sit down on Sunday evening and read through your lists and letters was reassuring and a genuine pleasure. As a songwriter, I often wonder if people understand my efforts to do the best by a song, and these lists and beautiful letters showed me that, of course, you do. It has been deeply affecting.

My long-suffering and overworked team have ‘offered’ to aggregate your song lists into a definitive Best of Nick Cave which we will share with you soon. In the meantime, here are two lists which I found particularly interesting, the first was sent in by Dougie from London, who is 18, and the second is from ‘Little old Milada’ from Prague, who is 71 years old.

Many, many thanks to all of you and I hope this is helpful to Aotearoa, Daphne and Adrian and any other subscribers who are new here.

Love, Nick

I’m 18 and have been listening to your music for about three years now! These aren’t ranked in order of preference – just what came to me first.

‘Thirsty Dog’
‘The Curse of Millhaven’
‘Sad Waters’
‘City of Refuge’
‘The Ship Song’
‘Avalanche’
‘Lay Me Low’
‘A Box for Black Paul’
‘Into My Arms’
‘Brompton Oratory’
‘Jubilee Street’ (but the Live in Copenhagen version)
‘The Train Song’
‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’
‘The Mercy Street’
‘Supernaturally’

Dougie, London, UK

*******

Greetings to all new fans!

‘Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow’ (because that was the first song I heard live on 26.5.2001 in Prague and I still love it)
‘And No More Shall We Part’
‘Do You Love Me’
‘Get Ready for Love’
‘Ghosteen Speaks’
‘God Is In The House’
‘Into My Arms’
‘Jubilee Street’
‘Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry’
‘The Mercy Seat’
‘There She Goes, My Beautiful World’
‘The Ship Song’
‘The Weeping Song’
‘Tupelo’
‘White Elephant’

I am 71 years old.

Little old Milada from Prague, Czech Republic (who likes clay and pottery – glaze and colours too)

Ask a Question