Where The Wild Roses Grow

Album: Murder Ballads (1996)
Charted: 11
Play Video
  • They call me The Wild Rose
    But my name was Elisa Day
    Why they call me it I do not know
    For my name was Elisa Day

    From the first day I saw her I knew she was the one
    She stared in my eyes and smiled
    For her lips were the colour of the roses
    That grew down the river, all bloody and wild

    When he knocked on my door and entered the room
    My trembling subsided in his sure embrace
    He would be my first man, and with a careful hand
    He wiped at the tears that ran down my face

    They call me The Wild Rose
    But my name was Elisa Day
    Why they call me that I do not know
    For my name was Elisa Day

    On the second day I brought her a flower
    She was more beautiful than any woman I'd seen
    I said, "Do you know where the wild roses grow
    So sweet and scarlet and free?"

    On the second day he came with a single red rose
    He said "Will you give me your loss and your sorrow"
    I nodded my head, as I lay on the bed
    "If I show you the roses, will you follow?"

    They call me The Wild Rose
    But my name was Elisa Day
    Why they call me that I do not know
    For my name was Elisa Day

    On the third day he took me to the river
    He showed me the roses and we kissed
    And the last thing I heard was a muttered word
    As he knelt above me with a rock in his fist

    On the last day I took her where the wild roses grow
    And she lay on the bank, the wind light as a thief
    And I kissed her goodbye, said, "All beauty must die"
    And I lent down and planted a rose 'tween her teeth

    They call me The Wild Rose
    But my name was Elisa Day
    Why they call me that I do not know
    For my name was Elisa Day
    My name was Elisa Day
    For my name was Elisa Day Writer/s: Nicholas Cave
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management, PREMIERE MUSIC GROUP
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 3

  • Andrea from Australia ANOTHER brilliant song that leaves you with goose bumps. Nick and Kylie REALLY make this work; so proud I'm an aussie: )
    The electricity between these two leaves you on the edge of your seat! He also sets off the same vibe with P.J Harvey; Hail to you girls; AMAZING talent. I think if I actually stood next to Nick I'd faint lol
  • Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumI love this song very much. Nick Cave has a wonderful voice and this duo with Kylie Minogue is top.
  • Erika from Vernon, CtI love this song! Nick Cave is one of the few artists who can make something so disturbing so beautiful. "Henry Lee", "Lovely Creature," and "Nobody's Baby Now" have that same feel. A very Gothic/Victorian vibe, actually. His piano playing alone brings tears to my eyes.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Benny Mardones

Benny MardonesSongwriter Interviews

His song "Into The Night" is one of the most-played of all time. For Benny, it took him to hell and back.

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"They're Playing My Song

As a songwriter and producer, Narada had hits with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Starship. But what song does he feel had the greatest impact on his career?

Grammar In Lyrics

Grammar In LyricsMusic Quiz

Lyrics don't always follow the rules of grammar. Can you spot the ones that don't?

Gary Numan

Gary NumanSongwriter Interviews

An Electronic music pioneer with Asperger's Syndrome. This could be interesting.

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New York

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New YorkSong Writing

Our chat with Barney Hoskyns, who covers the wild years of Woodstock - the town, not the festival - in his book Small Town Talk.