Wikipedia

Where the Wild Roses Grow

For the film, seeWhere the Wild Roses Grow(film).

"Where the Wild Roses Grow"is amurder ballad[2]by AustralianrockbandNick Cave and the Bad SeedsandpopsingerKylie Minogue.Released in October 1995, it is the fifth song and lead single from the band's ninth studio album,Murder Ballads(1996), released onMute Records.It was written by the band's frontman,Nick Caveand produced byTony CohenandVictor Van Vugt.The accompanying music video was directed byRocky Schenck.

"Where the Wild Roses Grow"
Single cover
SinglebyNick Cave and the Bad SeedsandKylie Minogue
from the albumMurder Ballads
B-side
Released2 October 1995(1995-10-02)[1]
Length3:57
LabelMute
Songwriter(s)Nick Cave
Producer(s)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seedssingles chronology
"Red Right Hand"
(1994) 		"Where the Wild Roses Grow"
(1995) 		"Henry Lee"
(1996)
Kylie Minoguesingles chronology
"Where Is the Feeling?"
(1995) 		"Where the Wild Roses Grow"
(1995) 		"Some Kind of Bliss"
(1997)
Music video
"Where the Wild Roses Grow"onYouTube

The song received a positive reception from music critics and became the band's most successful single worldwide, reaching No. 3 in Norway, the top five in Australia, and the top twenty in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and New Zealand. It also received a limited promotional release in the United States. The song was certified gold in Germany in 1996 for 250,000 copies sold,[3]despite never reaching the top ten in that country. It charted again at the bottom of the German Top 100 in 2008 because of digital downloads after it was used in a soap opera. "Where the Wild Roses Grow" was also certified gold in Australia for selling 50,000 copies.

Cave was inspired to write "Where the Wild Roses Grow" after listening to the traditional song "Down in the Willow Garden",a tale of a man courting a woman and killing her while they are out together. Cave arranged this tale as the second of twoB-sides,"The Ballad of Robert Moore & Betty Coltrane" / "The Willow Garden", released on the CD-Maxi single version.

Although the song does not feature on aMinogue studio album,it can be found on her compilationsHits+,Greatest Hits 1987–1999,Ultimate Kylie,The Abbey Road SessionsandStep Back in Time: The Definitive Collection.Minogue performed a chorus of the song during herShowgirl: The Greatest HitsandShowgirl: The Homecomingtours.

It reached number eight inTriple J's Hottest 100in 1995. In 2012,NMElisted the song in their 100 Best Songs of the 1990s list at number 35,[4]while in 2014,NMEplaced it at number 378 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.[2]

Background

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Cave described writing the song:

"Where The Wild Roses Grow" was written very much with Kylie in mind. I'd wanted to write a song for Kylie for many years. I had a quiet obsession with her for about six years. I wrote several songs for her, none of which I felt was appropriate to give her. It was only when I wrote this song, which is a dialogue between a killer and his victim, that I thought finally I'd written the right song for Kylie to sing. I sent the song to her and she replied the next day.[5]

— Nick Cave, quoted inMolly Meldrum presents 50 Years of Rock in Australia(2007)

A CD of the track—which hadBlixa Bargeldsinging Minogue's lines—was sent to Minogue's parents' house (as she was staying there at the time) prior to her recording the song.[6]This Bargeld duet track was featured on Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds B Sides and Rarities on disc 2, track 12, released in 2005.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Kylie Minogue first performed the song publicly on 4 August 1995 inCork,Republic of Ireland.[7]

Composition

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According to the sheet music edition published by SheetMusicNow.com, "Where The Wild Roses Grow" is written in thecompound time signatureof 6/8 and is set in the key signature ofG minorat a tempo of 56 beats per minute.[8]

Critical reception

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Larry FlickfromBillboardwrote, "This is not a joke. Not sinceDebbie Gibsoncontributed backing vocals on theCircle Jerks's cover of theSoft Boys' "I Wanna Destroy You" has there been such an odd collaboration of musical talent. Australia's queen ofbubble-gum popmeets the undergroundart rockof Nick Cave on this moody track. Forget "Loco-Motion":Minogue carries her own as Cave catapults his vocals into a moody pit of musical melancholy and lyrical despair. Brilliant."[9]AnotherBillboardeditor, Paul Verna, complimented it as a "ghostly beautiful duet".[10]James MastertonforDotmusicdescribed the song as "a gorgeous, mellow1940s-soundingballad."[11]Simon PricefromMelody Makernamed it Single of the Week, writing, "Cave and Kylie isn't actually that strange. After all, Minogue, who, judging by her vocals, may possibly own a copy of this year'sMercury Awardswinner, has nothing to lose. [...] You know exactly what this sounds like.Morricone,Leone,Peckinpah,blah blah. Cut to the final reel, though, and even I'm shocked. Down by the river, "He" kneels above "Her" with a rock in his fist, and calmy batters her brains out, whispering...all beauty must die..."[12]

Pan-European magazineMusic & Mediacommented, "Written especially for Minogue, the diminutive singer forms an unlikely but stunning combination with Cave. It is a brooding and haunting song that finds Cave in a sombre,Leonard Cohen-type mood against Minogue's declaring diction. The tension gradually builds up as each tells their version of a tale of murder. "[13]A reviewer fromMusic Weekgave it four out of five, adding, "Nick croons while Kylie purrs in thisfolksyforetaste of the album of murder ballads ".[14]Sylvia PattersonfromNMEdeclared it as a "riverside melodrama duet of violin wobbles and breathy husks". She wrote, "Croaky, in a very real sense. A tense, ghostly,Grimm's fairytale wherein the midget fights gamely to keep her voice tied to the whispering reeds while the nutter secures his to the coal bunker at the core of the earth. And, possibly because they're both undeniably unhinged, it's... quite good. "[15]In December 1995,NMEranked "Where the Wild Roses Grow" number 27 in their list of "NMEWriters' Top 50 Singles of 1995 ".[16]

In her show on GermanARDnational public television, German comedianCarolin Kebekuscriticized the song as inappropriately romanticizingfemicide.[17]

Music video

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The paintingOpheliabyJohn Everett Millaisinspired scenes within the music video.

The music video for "Where the Wild Roses Grow", commissioned by Emma Davies for Mute Records, shot by American photographer and music video directorRocky Schenckand produced by Nick Verden for Atlas Films, shows Kylie Minogue in character, apparently having been murdered by Nick Cave's character. We see her in ghost-like form and also in a river in a pose reminiscent ofMillais' paintingOphelia(1851–52). The video ends with Cave's character putting a rose in Minogue's mouth and closing her eyelids.[18]

Live performances

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Cave and Minogue performed the song together live on stage inLondonon 3 June 2018 when Kylie made a surprise appearance during the Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds set atAll Points Eastfestival.[19]

Minogue performed the song on the following concert tours:

Minogue appeared as a surprise guest atColdplay'sEnmore Theatreshow inSydney,Australia, on 19 June 2014, where they performed the song as a duet.[20]Cave and Minogue performed the song at theGlastonbury Festival 2019.[21]

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds did live performances of this song featuring a duet between Nick Cave and Blixa Bargeld from the mid to late 90s. Many of the occasions were captured on video by fans and can be seen on video media websites.

Sample of "Where the Wild Roses Grow"
Problems playing this file? Seemedia help.

Other version

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A guide track with the Bad Seeds guitarist, Blixa Bargeld, singing Kylie Minogue's vocal part was released on the compilationB-Sides & Rarities.

Awards

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Formats and track listings

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  • Australian CD and cassette single; UK CD single(D1188; C 1188; CDMUTE 185)[23][24][25]
  1. "Where the Wild Roses Grow" (Cave) – 3:58
  2. "The Ballad of Robert Moore & Betty Coltrane" (Cave) – 3:34
  3. "The Willow Garden" (traditional) – 3:57
  • UK 7-inch and cassette single(MUTE 185; CMUTE 185)[26][27]
  1. "Where the Wild Roses Grow" (Cave) – 3:58
  2. "The Ballad of Robert Moore & Betty Coltrane" (Cave) – 3:34

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[58] Gold 35,000^
Germany (BVMI)[59] Gold 250,000^

^Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^"New Releases: Singles".Music Week.30 September 1995. p. 61.
  2. ^abBarker, Emily (31 January 2014)."The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time – 400-301".NME.Retrieved20 August2020.
  3. ^"Gold-/Platin-Datenbank ('Where the Wild Roses Grow') "(in German).Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  4. ^"100 Best Songs of the 1990s (40-31)".NME.Retrieved21 May2012.
  5. ^Jenkins, Jeff;Meldrum, Ian(2007).Molly Meldrum presents 50 Years of Rock in Australia.Melbourne, Vic: Wilkinson Publishing. p. 227.ISBN978-1-921332-11-1.Retrieved23 October2009.
  6. ^Hann, Michael (26 April 2018)."Kylie on how ageing, breast cancer and Nick Cave all influenced her greatest hits".The Guardian.Retrieved26 April2018.
  7. ^Maes, Maurice."Nick Cave Songs – 1996".Home.vianetworks.nl.Archived fromthe originalon 24 July 2011.Retrieved23 October2009.
  8. ^"Where the Wild Roses Grow Sheet Music by Nick Cave".SheetMusicNow.com.Retrieved17 December2019.
  9. ^Flick, Larry(9 March 1996)."Rewievs & Previews: Singles"(PDF).Billboard.p. 76.Retrieved23 November2022.
  10. ^Verna, Paul(9 March 1996)."Reviews & Previews: Albums"(PDF).Billboard.p. 75.Retrieved23 November2022.
  11. ^Masterton, James(8 October 1995)."Week Ending October 14th 1995".Chart Watch UK.Retrieved28 September2021.
  12. ^Price, Simon(23 September 1995)."Singles".Melody Maker.p. 34.Retrieved11 March2024.
  13. ^"New Releases > Singles"(PDF).Music & Media.Vol. 12, no. 41. 14 October 1995. p. 12.Retrieved19 May2021.
  14. ^"Reviews: Singles"(PDF).Music Week.23 September 1995. p. 28.Retrieved12 May2021.
  15. ^Patterson, Sylvia(30 September 1995)."Singles".NME.p. 50.Retrieved13 March2024.
  16. ^"One Cup: NME Writers' Top 50 Singles".NME.23 December 1995. p. 25.Retrieved9 May2024.
  17. ^"Wir müssen über Femizide reden. (in German)".ARD.17 November 2022.Retrieved21 May2024– viaYouTube.
  18. ^"Where the Wild Roses Grow".EMI Music.12 March 2010.Retrieved10 June2014– viaYouTube.
  19. ^"Kylie reunites with Cave for festival duet".BBC News Online.4 June 2018.Retrieved5 June2018.
  20. ^Shedden, Iain (26 June 2014)."Kylie, Coldplay duet".The Australian.Retrieved26 June2014.
  21. ^D'Albiac, Stephen (30 June 2019)."Kylie Minogue joined by Nick Cave at Glastonbury 2019, sending the Pyramid Stage wild".Somerset Live.Retrieved6 July2019.
  22. ^"Winners by Year – 1996: 10th Annual ARIA Awards".Australian Recording Industry Association.Archived fromthe originalon 26 September 2007.Retrieved10 June2014.
  23. ^Where the Wild Roses Grow(Australian CD single liner notes).Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds,Kylie Minogue.Liberation Records. 1995. D1188.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^Where the Wild Roses Grow(Australian cassette single sleeve). Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Kylie Minogue. Liberation Records. 1995. C 1188.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. ^Where the Wild Roses Grow(UK CD single liner notes). Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Kylie Minogue.Mute Records.1995. CDMUTE 185.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. ^Where the Wild Roses Grow(UK 7-inch single sleeve). Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Kylie Minogue. Mute Records. 1995. MUTE 185.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ^Where the Wild Roses Grow(UK cassette single sleeve). Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Kylie Minogue. Mute Records. 1995. CMUTE 185.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ^"Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds %2B Kylie Minogue – Where The Wild Roses Grow ".ARIA Top 50 Singles.Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  29. ^"Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds %2B Kylie Minogue – Where The Wild Roses Grow "(in German).Ö3 Austria Top 40.Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  30. ^"Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds %2B Kylie Minogue – Where The Wild Roses Grow "(in Dutch).Ultratop 50.Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  31. ^"Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds %2B Kylie Minogue – Where The Wild Roses Grow "(in French).Ultratop 50.Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  32. ^"Hits of the World".Billboard.Vol. 107, no. 50. 16 December 1995. p. 85.ISSN0006-2510.
  33. ^"Hits of the World".Billboard.Vol. 108, no. 2. 13 January 1996. p. 47.ISSN0006-2510.
  34. ^"Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds %2B Kylie Minogue: Where The Wild Roses Grow "(in Finnish).Musiikkituottajat.Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  35. ^"Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds %2B Kylie Minogue – Where The Wild Roses Grow "(in French).Les classement single.Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  36. ^"Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds + Kylie Minogue – Where The Wild Roses Grow "(in German).GfK Entertainment charts.Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  37. ^"Íslenski Listinn Nr. 148: Vikuna 16.12 '95 – 22.12 '95"(PDF).Dagblaðið Vísir.16 December 1995. p. 58.Retrieved4 April2018.
  38. ^"The Irish Charts – Search Results – Where the Wild Roses Grow ".Irish Singles Chart.Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  39. ^"Nederlandse Top 40 – week 46, 1995"(in Dutch).Dutch Top 40.Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  40. ^"Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds %2B Kylie Minogue – Where The Wild Roses Grow "(in Dutch).Single Top 100.Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  41. ^"Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds %2B Kylie Minogue – Where The Wild Roses Grow ".Top 40 Singles.Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  42. ^"Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds %2B Kylie Minogue – Where The Wild Roses Grow ".VG-lista.Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  43. ^"Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  44. ^"Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds %2B Kylie Minogue – Where The Wild Roses Grow ".Singles Top 100.Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  45. ^"Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds %2B Kylie Minogue – Where The Wild Roses Grow ".Swiss Singles Chart.Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  46. ^"Official Singles Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  47. ^"ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 50 Singles 1995".ARIA Charts.ARIA.Retrieved10 June2014.
  48. ^"Jaaroverzichten 1995"(in Dutch).Ultratop.Hung Medien.Retrieved10 June2014.
  49. ^"Rapports annuels 1995"(in French).Ultratop.Hung Medien.Retrieved10 June2014.
  50. ^"Year-End Sales Charts > Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1995"(PDF).Music & Media.Vol. 12, no. 51/52. 23 December 1995. p. 14.Retrieved2 December2019.
  51. ^"Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1995"(in Dutch).Dutch Top 40.Retrieved10 June2014.
  52. ^"Jaaroverzichten – Single 1995"(in Dutch).Single Top 100.Hung Medien.Retrieved10 June2014.
  53. ^"Årslista Singlar – År 1995".Hitlistan.se.Archived fromthe originalon 3 April 2015.
  54. ^"Jahreshitparade 1996"(in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien.Retrieved10 June2014.
  55. ^"Year End Sales Charts > Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1996"(PDF).Music & Media.Vol. 13, no. 51/52. 21 December 1996. p. 12.Retrieved4 February2020.
  56. ^"Jahrescharts – 1996"(in German). Offiziellecharts.de. GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived fromthe originalon 9 May 2015.
  57. ^"Árslistinn 1996".Dagblaðið Vísir(in Icelandic). 2 January 1997. p. 25.Retrieved30 May2020.
  58. ^Ryan, Gavin (2011).Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010(PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 53.
  59. ^"Gold-/Platin-Datenbank ('Where the Wild Roses Grow') "(in German).Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
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