Late Victorian Holocaust

Album: Give My Love to London (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This haunting ballad was written by Nick Cave for Marianne Faithfull. The pair also co-wrote the Give My Love to London track "Deep Water." Faithfull previously included three of Cave's tunes on her 2005 album Before the Poison.
  • The song is a slice of junkie mythology, which finds the songstess imagining herself as a ghost wafting along the Golborne road in Notting Hill, London. Faithfull told Mojo magazine. "I have been up the Golbourne road to score. but I didn't realise until I went back there with Rob (Ellis, producer) to the fish and chip shop. It's a fascinating song because its very English. you know the English way, we were never waiting for the man. We were running desperately after the man."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou HarrisSongwriter Interviews

She thinks of herself as a "song interpreter," but back in the '80s another country star convinced Emmylou to take a crack at songwriting.

Wherefore Art Thou Romeo Lyric

Wherefore Art Thou Romeo LyricMusic Quiz

In this quiz, spot the artist who put Romeo into a song lyric.

James Williamson of Iggy & the Stooges

James Williamson of Iggy & the StoogesSongwriter Interviews

The Stooges guitarist (and producer of the Kill City album) talks about those early recordings and what really happened with David Bowie.

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.

Shawn Mullins

Shawn MullinsSongwriter Interviews

"Lullaby" singer Shawn Mullins on "Beautiful Wreck," beating the Devil, and his writing credit on the Zac Brown Band song "Toes."

Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"

Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"They're Playing My Song

"How much does it cost? I'll buy it?" Another songwriter told Jonathan to change these lyrics. Good thing he ignored this advice.