Lyrics of When i first came to town

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(l,m) nick cave
(inspired by the traditional song 'katie cruel')
(p) nick cave & the bad seeds
< nick cave: vocals, harmonica; mick harvey: rhythm guitar;
Blixa bargeld: guitar; conway savage: piano, other vocals;
Martyn casey: bass; thomas wydler: drums;
The bad seeds: backing vocals;
Mick harvey & david blumberg: string arrangements;
Dennis karmazyn: cello; bruce dukov, barbara porter: violins >
( henry's dream (mute, 1992) )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When i first came to town
All the people gathered round
They bought me drinks
Lord, how they quickly changed their tune
When i first came to town
People took me round from end to end
Like someone may take round a friend
O how quickly they changed their tune
Suspicion and dark murmurs surround me
Everywhere i go they confound me
As though the blood on my hands
Is there for every citizen to see
O sweet jesus
There is no turning back
There is always one more town
A little further down the track
And from my window, across the tracks
I watch the juicers burn their fires
And in that light
Their faces leer at me
How i wish they'd just let me be
When i first came to town
Their favours were for free
Now even the doors of the whores of this town
Are closed to me
I search the mirror
And i try to see
Why the people of this town
Have washed their hands of me
O sweet jesus
There is no turning back
There is always one more town
A little further down the track
O lord, every god-damn turn i take
I fear the noose, i fear the stake
For there is no bone
They did not break
In all the towns i've been before
Well those that sin against me are snuffed out
I know from every day that i live
God-damn the day that i was born
The night that forced me from the womb
And god-damn this town
For i am leaving now
But one day i will return
And the people of this town will surely see
Just how quickly the tables turn
O sweet jesus
This really is the end
There is always one more town
A little further round the end
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------