Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds began in 1983, formed by Australian singer Nick Cave after the breakup of his earlier band, The Birthday Party. The group quickly built a strong following with music that mixed rock, blues, and gothic themes.

Over the decades, the group released many albums with shifting lineups. Despite changes, its music kept a dark tone and emotional depth. Its work often includes themes of love, death, and religion.

Nick Cave has also written novels and film scores, showing his range beyond music. Still, it’s with the Bad Seeds that his voice and vision have made the biggest impact.

About the Song

Red Right Hand is about a mysterious and powerful figure who controls fate and brings fear. This character is part god, part demon, offering both help and danger.

The song expresses the themes of ideas of power, vengeance, and the dark side of human nature. It reveals the unseen forces that shape our lives.

The phrase Red Right Hand comes from John Milton’s Paradise Lost and symbolizes divine punishment or justice.

Red Right Hand Lyrics by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

Verse 1

Take a little walk to the edge of town and 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

Verse 2

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

Verse 3

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 slums
A shadow is cast wherever he stands
Stacks of green paper in his red right hand

Instrumental Break

Verse 4

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
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

Instrumental Outro

Similar Songs Like Red Right Hand

Here are other tracks from Let Love In that share a similar dark mood or lyrical style:

• Ain’t Gonna Rain Anymore: A slow, somber track that blends soft piano with thoughtful lyrics about loss and time.
• Loverman: This song uses repetition and Cave’s voice to build an almost threatening tone.
• Lay Me Low: It’s a dramatic, funeral-style song where the narrator imagines his death and how others will react. It mixes irony with sadness.

Similar Artists Like Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Fans of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds may also appreciate music from these other artists.

• Tom Waits
  Genre: Experimental Rock/blues
  Top Album: Rain Dogs
• Leonard Cohen
  Genre: Folk/rock; Top Album
  Songs of Leonard Cohen
• Swans
  Genre: Experimental/post-Punk
  Top Album: The Seer
• Pj Harvey
  Genre: Alternative Rock
  Top Album: Stories from The City, Stories from The Sea
• The Birthday Party
  Genre: Post-Punk (Nick Cave’s Earlier Band)
  Top Album: Junkyard

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Red Right Hand Nick Cave’s Most Famous Song?

It’s one of his most recognized and widely used songs, especially in Film and TV.

Who Played on The Track Red Right Hand?

Key members included Nick Cave (vocals), Mick Harvey (multi-instrumentalist), and Thomas Wydler (drums).

Where has the Song Red Right Hand been Used?

TV shows like Peaky Blinders and Movies such as Scream and Hellboy.