I just wanted to devote a thread to Nick Cave in general.
But also specifically to "The Boatman's Call" which is one
of my all time fav albums.

I recently acquired a disc of outtakes and alternates from
those sessions and it was almost like finding the "Charade"
boot of Parade back in the day.

Tracks like "Opium Tea" and the Japanese release bonus track
"Little Empty Boat" are incredible.

The only slight flaw on the original album might be the
song "Black Hair" which is a bit too repetitive and droning
but for the rest the album is amazing.

Any other Cave fans on this board? And if so, which other
pre-boatman albums can you recommend to me?

I have all his post-boatman songs and think they're great
but from what I gather his earlier stuff is different from
that and more raw and full-band. I'm not sure if I'd like
that. Anyone?

IstenSzek said:

I'm a big big fan of Nick Cave. "Boatman" is his masterpiece. The two albums he's done since have been very lame in comparison.


Pre-Boatman Albums To Get:

Let Love In (features "Red Right Hand" off the "Scream" films)

Tender Prey (1988 album - features "The Mercy Seat", "Deanna")

"Kicking Against The Pricks" (1986 - covers album - superb, trust me)

"Your Funeral, My Trial" (also 1986 - his first great album, a bridge between the early stuff and what would come later)

"The Good Son" (1990 - like an early draft of "Boatman", but with strings)


Those are my recommendations. Others might direct you to "Murder Ballads" (his best-selling album to date, thanks to a duet with Kylie Minogue), but it's not one I like much.

You may want to start with the "Best Of" compilation.

Hope this helps.

Glad you've got those "Boatman" outtakes. Ain't "I've Got Another Woman Dear" funny?

Thanks for the tips Johnny. I was considering getting
"Your funeral, my trial" so I will buy that next.

I agree that his last two albums have been somewhat
a week retreat of Boatman.

However, they do contain very beautiful moments and
songs.

"Hallelujah" is just incredible [except for that darn
line about the brown cow which is so silly]. The way
the song ends with those backingvocalists is perfect.

I like all of the Boatman's Call outtakes, and there
are actually quite a lot of funny things in them.

IstenSzek said:

Happy to help IstenSzek. "Funeral" was originally released as two 12" singles (this when CD was still a luxury rather than the norm). When you get it, you may want to listen to it in the original running order:

Sad Waters
The Carny
Your Funeral, My Trial
Stranger Than Kindness
Jack's Shadow
Hard On For Love
She Fell Away
Long Time Man

(Scum - not on the original album, but given away as a green flexidisc on the 1986 tour; got mine at a New York show)

My favourite tracks (actually, the only ones I listen to) from the last two albums are: "Love Letter", "Darker With The Day" and "Still In Love".

I´m a Nick Cave-Fan, too. My favourite album is "No More Shall We Part". It´s perfect, just perfect. The title song and "God Is In The House", "We Came Along This Road" and "Hallelujah" qare so good. But all the other ones are great, too. "Nocturama", the new one, I don´t like so much, but it´s ok.

By the way, I love "Black Hair". But maybe because that song and the whole "Boatman´s Call"-CD reminds me of a lost love.

i've only got "the best of nick cave and the bad seeds" and it's one of my most played cds... it's beyond me why i haven't delved further into nick cave...


question for those in the know: is "your funeral, my trail" a cover of sonny boy williamson's old blues classic..?

I love the "Murder Ballads" . Great album.

EllisDee said:



No, it's an original song written by Nick. I love his stuff also.Don't forget his original band The Birthday Party.They're a bit more abrasive.
[This message was edited Fri Apr 25 9:13:20 PDT 2003 by PhilG]

I'm a big Cave fan 2.

I also recommend Henry's Dream, great album..

But my favorite one is Boatman's call.

Cave is an incredible artist with a great back up band.

sadly Blixa Bargeld left the band.

Nightcrawler said:

A great loss. Bargeld said recently that he left because he "barely played a note" on any Nick Cave albums after "Murder Ballads".
[This message was edited Sat Apr 26 6:18:42 PDT 2003 by JohnnyTheFox]

Blixa wants to spend more time with his other group: Einstürzende Neubauten (German for: collapsing buildings). They make very original music.