Red Right Hand – English Lyrics

• By: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
• Album: Let Love In

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the chilling narrative and rich symbolism of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' 'Red Right Hand.' Delve into the dark, literary references and explore how this song has become a cultural touchstone, offering insights into themes of power, manipulation, and the human psyche. Perfect for English language learners interested in exploring complex themes through music.

[English]

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

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

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

...