Red right 10 Oct 2008 Ever wondered why it’s “red states”? Because it’s the “red right”. And as one of my favourite Australian lyricists has it, this is because of the red right hand: Take a little walk to the edge of town, 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 Hey buddy, you know you’re never ever coming back 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 ain’t got no money? He’ll get you some You ain’t got no car? He’ll get you one You ain’t got 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 And 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 Politics
Politics Republican responsibility 13 Aug 2009 This whole thing is teetering on the edge. Someone else is going to die soon. Maybe lots of someone elses. It will be your fault. [From Almost Diamonds] Once upon a time, to be a conservative was to be someone who valued personal responsibility. It’s been a long time since… Read More
Education Science Communication and the Business Model 22 Mar 2009 There are a lot of folk who think they have a handle on how to communicate science to the general public, and a lot of folk, mostly scientists, who think nobody else does. But I was reading Carl Zimmer’s twittering today, about Rebecca Skoot getting a column gig for a… Read More
interesting idea. and good song! but wikipedia sees it differently. in fact, many countries (including canada and the u.k.) follow the opposite scheme. maybe australia’s different? it does seem that some foreign news outlets that closely follow u.s. politics do it american-style….
interesting idea. and good song! but wikipedia sees it differently. in fact, many countries (including canada and the u.k.) follow the opposite scheme. maybe australia’s different? it does seem that some foreign news outlets that closely follow u.s. politics do it american-style….
The first thing I thought of when I read “red hand” was Ulster. Though the lyrics, with some minor modifications, could apply rather well to NuLabor in the UK. Are all his lyrics this interesting? If so I may have to aquire some of his CDs.
The first thing I thought of when I read “red hand” was Ulster. Though the lyrics, with some minor modifications, could apply rather well to NuLabor in the UK. Are all his lyrics this interesting? If so I may have to aquire some of his CDs.
The first thing I thought of when I read “red hand” was Ulster. Though the lyrics, with some minor modifications, could apply rather well to NuLabor in the UK. Are all his lyrics this interesting? If so I may have to aquire some of his CDs.
The first thing I thought of when I read “red hand” was Ulster. Though the lyrics, with some minor modifications, could apply rather well to NuLabor in the UK. Are all his lyrics this interesting? If so I may have to aquire some of his CDs.
That song also makes an appearance in the first Hellboy movie. I really liked the snippet of it I heard but didn’t know who sang the song, know I know so I’m going to have to go find a copy.
That song also makes an appearance in the first Hellboy movie. I really liked the snippet of it I heard but didn’t know who sang the song, know I know so I’m going to have to go find a copy.
The song is used in all the Scream movies, and in Shrek. Most of Nick Caves lyrics are good, a few are excellent, even less are so-so. /soren
The song is used in all the Scream movies, and in Shrek. Most of Nick Caves lyrics are good, a few are excellent, even less are so-so. /soren
The first I heard the Red Right Hand was on the X-Files tv show. It is a neat song. Got to get me some more Nick Cave!!
It was certainly on “Songs in the Key of X”. I had thought of it for so long as a theme for the Marlborough Man I had never considered a political meaning.
It was certainly on “Songs in the Key of X”. I had thought of it for so long as a theme for the Marlborough Man I had never considered a political meaning.
It was certainly on “Songs in the Key of X”. I had thought of it for so long as a theme for the Marlborough Man I had never considered a political meaning.
Yeah, there’s a short snippet in Hellboy – but it’s someone else singing it not Nick Cave. The use of it in Dumb and Dumber is hallarious probably one of the better jokes in the film (and probably sacriliguous to serious Cave fans). I’ve always wondered if there was something/someone specific Nick is refering to, or whether its clever peice of art that allows each admirer to perceive their own meaning. And yeah, most of Nick’s lyrics and songs are like this – dark poetic sketches.