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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Jubilee Street

June 6, 2018 Peter Kimpton
Devilishly messianic: Nick Cave in full flow

Devilishly messianic: Nick Cave in full flow

Following songs about drug-dealer and a relationship by Rodriguez, let's move onto prostitution, guilt and possible murder by the sublime Australian from 2013's Push The Sky Away. Much has been speculated about whether the Jubilee Street of the title is the one in Cave's home when written - Brighton - or another in the Spitalfields area of London, and haunt of Jack The Ripper. The latter is a misconception. Cave was most likely thinking of any such street of downtown sleaze at the time of writing, with tragedy never far from his lyrics or at times, personal life. In fact this song is most likely a different take on the middle-aged lothario character in his own second novel, the darkly humorous and philosophical The Death of Bunny Munro (2009).

Mainly from the point of view of a guilt-ridden punter, it seems that he impregnated, and possibly even killed the hooker named Bea, but there are many layers of its meanings. However the true strength of this tawdry tale in song is how it its uses simple repetitive riffs to build and build into extraordinary intensity, upping the pace towards the end to express a feeling of redemption and transcendence, so powerfully performed by the devilishly messiah-like singer it cannot help but lift us to another place. One of his very best of many, studio and live versions are below:

[Verse 1]
On Jubilee street there was a girl named Bea
She had a history, but she had no past
When they shut her down the Russians moved in
Now I'm too scared, I'm too scared to even walk on past
She used to say:
All those good people down on Jubilee Street
They ought to practice what they preach
Here they ought to practice what they preach
Those good people on Jubilee Street
And here I come up the hill
I’m pushing my own wheel of love
I got love in my tummy and a tiny little pain
And a 10-ton catastrophe on a 60-pound chain
And I’m pushing my wheel of love on Jubilee Street

[Refrain]
Ah
Look at me now

[Verse 2]
The problem was she had a little black book
And my name was written on every page
Well, a girl’s gotta make ends meet
Even down on Jubilee Street
I was out of place and time, and over the hill, and out of my mind
On Jubilee Street
I ought to practice what I preach
These days I go downtown in my tie and tails
I got a fetus on a leash
I am alone now, I am beyond recriminations
The curtains are shut, the furniture is gone
I’m transforming, I’m vibrating, I’m glowing

[Refrain]
I’m flying
Look at me now
I’m flying
Look at me now

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In 2013, indie Tags songs, song of the day, NIck Cave, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, prostitution
← James Carr – The Dark End Of The StreetRodriguez – Sugar Man / To Whom It May Concern →

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