Saturday 18 June 2016

The Genius Of Nick Cave

#3: Stagger Lee

'Murder Ballads' was equal parts disturbing and hilarious. The video for Stagger Lee illustrates this perfectly. Nick's interpretation of the legend of infamous bad-ass Stagger Lee pulls no punches in its graphic violence and sexual imagery. In the video however, he wears a pink petite Take That t-shirt; the stage has kitsch flashing lights; then there's the rather camp dancers at the front. It's absurd. But wonderfully so.



4 comments:

  1. I love this video. Brilliantly camped up

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  2. I am with Swiss Adam. Brilliant song and brilliant video. Great choice

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  3. I saw him perform a full-on, no holds barred version of this at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 1999. I guess no-one told Nick that it's very much a family friendly festival. I'm not sure who was more traumatised, the children in the audience or their parents.

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  4. It'll be the parents. It always is to hilarious effect.

    Great and funny promo for a great and funny song. Always a live tour de force..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBqePmf2TkE

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjIfrhSQ8Pk



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