Where the Wild Roses Grow
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Nick Cave, Kylie Minogue
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[Chorus:] They call me The Wild Rose But my name was Elisa Day Why they call me it I do not know For my name was Elisa Day From the first day I saw her I knew she was the one As she stared in my eyes and smiled For her lips were the colour of the roses They grew down the river, all bloody and wild When he knocked on my door and entered the room My trembling subsided in his sure embrace He would be my first man, and with a careful hand He wiped the tears that ran down my face [Chorus] On the second day I brought her a flower She was more beautiful than any woman I'd seen I said, 'Do you know where the wild roses grow So sweet and scarlet and free?' On the second day he came with a single rose Said: 'Will you give me your loss and your sorrow?' I nodded my head, as I laid on the bed He said, 'If I show you the roses will you follow?' [Chorus] On the third day he took me to the river He showed me the roses and we kissed And the last thing I heard was a muttered word As he stood smiling above me with a rock in his fist On the last day I took her where the wild roses grow And she lay on the bank, the wind light as a thief As I kissed her goodbye, I said, 'All beauty must die' And lent down and planted a rose between her teeth [Chorus]
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Written by: Nicholas Cave
Lyrics © PREMIERE MUSIC GROUP, BMG Rights Management
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
11 facts about this song
Collaboration Artist"Where the Wild Roses Grow" is a duet by Australian artists Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave, and it is part of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ 1996 album, "Murder Ballads".
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InspirationNick Cave wrote the song and was inspired by the traditional American song "Down in the Willow Garden," a tale that narrates a murder committed by a man courting a woman.
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Music GenreThe song blends various genres such as alternative rock, folk and murder ballads, offering a haunting and melodious tune with a grim storyline.
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Chart Performance"Where the Wild Roses Grow" was a commercial success. It reached number two on the UK Singles Chart, and it was Minogue's first Top Twenty hit in the United Kingdom since 1992.
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Music VideoThe song's video was directed by famed British director Rocky Schenck and precisely portrayed the tragic storyline, with Minogue playing the victim, Elisa Day, and Cave the murderer.
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Awards"Where the Wild Roses Grow" won ARIA Awards for 'Single of the Year' and 'Song of the Year' in 1996 and was certified platinum in Australia.
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Not Kylie's Usual StyleThe song marked a significant departure from Minogue's earlier work, which predominantly consisted of pop and dance tracks. She also wore minimal make-up and sported a different look in the video to suit the tragic character she was playing.
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Breaking the MouldIt allowed Minogue to break free from her 'girl next door' image as she embraced a darker, more sophisticated persona.
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Cover VersionsThe song has been covered by many artists since its release, such as Kamelot, Sarah Brightman, and Ane Brun, highlighting its enduring popularity.
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Cultural Impact"Where the Wild Roses Grow", through its poetic lyrics and gripping storyline, has contributed to the legacy of murder ballads and has been studied and analyzed in university courses and scholarly papers.
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25-Year AnniversaryIn 2021, Minogue and Cave marked the 25th anniversary of this song by performing it again at a benefit concert in London.
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Citation
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"Where the Wild Roses Grow Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 14 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/5409262/Nick+Cave/Where+the+Wild+Roses+Grow>.
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