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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! We Call Upon The Author

Contributors

  • ISRC:GBAJH0700742
  • Recorded:2007 State of the Ark - London, ENG
  •  ©2008 Mute Records Limited Under Exclusive License To Anti Inc.
  • Vocals:Nick Cave
  • Bass:Martyn P. Casey
  • Viola, Fender Mondocaster, Tenor Guitar:Warren Ellis
  • Electric & Acoustic Guitar:Mick Harvey
  • Drums, Percussion:Jim Sclavunos

Lyrics

what we once thought we had we didnt

& what we have now will never be that way again

so WE CALL UPON THE AUTHOR TO EXPLAIN!!!

doop doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc

our myxomatoid kids spraddle the streets

weve shunned them from the greasy-grind

(the poor little things)
they look so sad & old

as they mount us from behind

I ask them to desist
& to
REFRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

then WE CALL UPON THE AUTHOR TO EXPLAIN!!!

doop doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc

(rosary clutched in his h&
he died w/ tubes up his nose
& a cabal of angels w/ finger cymbals
chanted his name in code)

we shook our fists at the punishing rain

& WE CALLED UPON THE AUTHOR TO EXPLAIN!!!!!

doop doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc

he said --- everything is messed up round here / everything is banal
and jejune / there is a planetary conspiracy / against the likes of you
& me / in this idiot
constituency of the moon---

(well, he knew exactly who to blame!!!!)

& WE CALL UPON THE AUTHOR TO EXPLAIN!!!!!

doop doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc

PROLIX!!!!
PROLIX!!!!
NOTHING A PAIR OF SCISSORS CAN’T FIX!!!!

doop doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc
doop doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc

I go guruing down the street
young people gather round my feet
ask me things - but I don’t know where to start

they ignite the powder-trail sssssstraight to my father’s heart!!!!!

& once again

I CALL UPON THE AUTHOR TO EXPLAIN!!!!!!!

doop doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc

(we call upon the author to explain)

who is this great burdensome slavering dog-thing that

mediocres my every thought???

I feel like a VACUUM CLEANER!!! A COMPLETE SUCKER!!!!

(it’s fucked up & he is a fucker!)

but what an enormous & encyclopaedic brain!!!!!!!!!!

I CALL UPON THE AUTHOR TO EXPLAIN!!!!!!
doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc
(mmm yeah)
doop doop doop doop doop &tc
(we call upon the author to explain)

o rampant discrimination/ mass poverty/ third world debt/ infectious
disease/ global inequality and deepening socio-economic divisions---
(it does in your brain!!!)

WE CALL UPON THE AUTHOR TO EXPLAIN!!!!!!!

doop doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc

now hang on!!! my friend Doug is tapping on the window
(hey Doug, how you been????????????????????)
brings me a book on holocaust poetry
-----complete with pictures-----

then tells me to get ready for the rain

and WE CALL UPON THE AUTHOR TO EXPLAIN!!!!!!!

doop doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc

PROLIX!!!!
PROLIX!!!!
SOMETHING A PAIR OF SCISSORS CAN FIX!!!!!!!!

Bukowski was a jerk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Berryman was best!!!!!!!!!!!!

he wrote like wet papier mache/ went the Hemming-way/ weirdly

on wings & with MAXIMUM PAIN!!!

WE CALL UPON THE AUTHOR TO EXPLAIN!!!!!

doop doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc

(I call upon the author to explain!)

down in my bolthole I see they’ve published
another volume of unreconstructed rubbish
“the waves, the waves were soldiers moving”
thank you! thank you! thank you! & again!

I CALL UPON THE AUTHOR TO EXPLAIN!!!!!

doop doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc

WE CALL UPON THE AUTHOR TO EXPLAIN!!!

doop doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc

WE CALL UPON THE AUTHOR TO EXPLAIN!!!!

doop doop doop doop doop doop doop &tc

PROLIX!!!!

PROLIX!!!!

NOTHING A PAIR OF SCISSORS CAN’T FIX!!!!!!!!