Red Right Hand

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Nick Cave

About Red Right Hand

"Red Right Hand" is a song by Australian rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It was released as a single from their eighth studio album, Let Love In (1994), on 24 October 1994. A condensed version was included in the single, while the longer version was included with the album. The title comes from John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost, in which it refers to the vengeful hand of God. The song has become one of Cave's signature songs, being performed at most of his concerts; only "The Mercy Seat" has appeared in more of his live sets since 1984. It has since become best known as the theme song to the British crime drama series Peaky Blinders, which resulted in the song receiving a re-release single in 2014. It has been covered by Arctic Monkeys, PJ Harvey, Iggy Pop, Jarvis Cocker and Snoop Dogg, among others. 


Year:
1994
6:10
2,023 
#8

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Take a little walk to the edge of town
And go across the tracks
Where the viaduct looms
Like a bird of doom
As it shifts and cracks
Where secrets lie in the border fires
In the humming wires
Hey man, you know
You're never coming back

Past the square, past the bridge
Past the mills, past the stacks
On a gathering storm comes
A tall handsome man
In a dusty black coat with
A red right hand

He'll wrap you in his arms,
Tell you that you've been a good boy
He'll rekindle all the dreams
It took you a lifetime to destroy
He'll reach deep into the hole
Heal your shrinking soul
But there won't be a single thing that you can do

He's a god, he's a man
He's a ghost, he's a guru
They're whispering his name
Through this disappearing land
But hidden in his coat
Is a red right hand

You don't have no money?
He'll get you some
You don't have no car?
He'll get you one
You don't have no self-respect
You feel like an insect
Well don't you worry buddy
'Cause 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

You'll see him in your nightmares
You'll see him in your dreams
He'll appear out of nowhere but
He ain't what he seems
You'll see him in your head
On the TV screen
Hey buddy, I'm warning
You to turn it off
He's a ghost, he's a god
He's a man, he's a guru
You're one microscopic cog
In his catastrophic plan
Designed and directed by
His red right hand

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Nick Cave

Nicholas Edward "Nick" Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional film actor. more »

3 fans

Written by: Mick Harvey, Nick Cave, Thomas Wydler

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Background
"Red Right Hand" is a song by Australian rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It was first released as a lead single from the band's 1994 album, "Let Love In".
Lyrics Inspiration
The phrase "red right hand" is a line from John Milton’s epic poem "Paradise Lost". It refers to the vengeful hand of God.
Song Features
The song is notable for its distinctive bass line and minimalistic instrumentation, which features a looping organ part, a sharp, high pitched violin, and a steadily building arrangement.
Use in Popular Media
It has been used extensively in popular media, most notably as the theme song for the television series "Peaky Blinders," as well as in films like "Scream" and "Dumb & Dumber".
Covers and Remixes
Numerous artists have covered the song, including Arctic Monkeys, Snoop Dogg and PJ Harvey. The song has also been remixed numerous times by artists like Iggy Pop and Jarvis Cocker.
Critical Acclaim
"Red Right Hand" is often cited as one of Nick Cave's best songs, praised for its eerie, ominous tone and its evocative lyrics.
Chart Performance
Upon its initial release, the song reached No. 62 in the UK Singles Chart, making it one of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ highest charting songs at that time.
Title
Despite the gory implications of the title and some of the lyrics, Cave himself has stated that the song is not about any specific event or person, but rather is meant to evoke a sense of impending doom.
Concert Tradition
The performance of "Red Right Hand" often acts as an encore or standing piece in most of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ concerts, highlighting its popularity among their fanbase.
Song Length
Though the original song is only 6 minutes and 11 seconds long, numerous extended versions have been produced, including a ten minute-long version used in the opening of the film "Hellboy".

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