When I First Came To Town

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(l,m) Nick Cave
(Inspired by the traditional song 'Katie Cruel')
(p) Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
< Nick Cave: vocals, harmonica; Mick Harvey: rhythm guitar;
Blixa Bargeld: guitar; Conway Savage: piano, other vocals;
Martyn Casey: bass; Thomas Wydler: drums;
The Bad Seeds: backing vocals;
Mick Harvey & David Blumberg: string arrangements;
Dennis Karmazyn: cello; Bruce Dukov, Barbara Porter: violins >
( Henry's Dream [Mute, 1992] )
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When I first came to town
All the people gathered round
They bought me drinks
Lord, how they quickly changed their tune
When I first came to town
People took me round from end to end
Like someone may take round a friend
O how quickly they changed their tune
Suspicion and dark murmurs surround me
Everywhere I go they confound me
As though the blood on my hands
Is there for every citizen to see
O sweet Jesus
There is no turning back
There is always one more town
A little further down the track
And from my window, across the tracks
I watch the juicers burn their fires
And in that light
Their faces leer at me
How I wish they'd just let me be
When I first came to town
Their favours were for free
Now even the doors of the whores of this town
Are closed to me
I search the mirror
And I try to see
Why the people of this town
Have washed their hands of me
O sweet Jesus
There is no turning back
There is always one more town
A little further down the track
O lord, every god-damn turn I take
I fear the noose, I fear the stake
For there is no bone
They did not break
In all the towns I've been before
Well those that sin against me are snuffed out
I know from every day that I live
God-damn the day that I was born
The night that forced me from the womb
And god-damn this town
For I am leaving now
But one day I will return
And the people of this town will surely see
Just how quickly the tables turn
O sweet Jesus
This really is the end
There is always one more town
A little further round the end
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