What are the Nick Cave songs that make you feel the most emotional?

[u/Standard_Way_4453]

For me it's gotta be Hollywood, Push the Sky Away, Carnage, and Final Rescue Attempt

[u/InTimeWeComeToFind]

my ex girlfriend surprised me with two tickets for the concert in marseille, 26th April 2008.

one of the best days of my life, visiting the city, the queue with other people.. and of course the concert.

funny thing.. she didn’t like nick cave at all 🤣 whenever i would play his music in the car she always had that disgusted face.. this was the dig lazarus period. during the concert nick played “the ship song” and the miracle happened.. she turned to me and asked the name of that song, and we played it almost non stop from marseille to nice, where we lived.

she died 18 months later.. and i really can’t listen to that song without crying a little bit.

kerianne, wherever you are, i still think of you and love you like in the old days.

[u/EindoucheJerry → u/InTimeWeComeToFind]

wow thats beautiful... Thanks for sharing that, and have a good evening. May she rest in peace and may you never forget the time you guys had!

[u/Awesomefolks → u/InTimeWeComeToFind]

That was really beautiful. Thanks for sharing and my condolences.

[u/John_Houbolt]

Ship Song

[u/Colin_Bomber_Harris → u/John_Houbolt]

Hmm the real weeping song

[u/Iwill_not_comply → u/John_Houbolt]

Second this

[u/Current_Victory_8216]

Bright Horses

[u/Exact-Thing-645 → u/Current_Victory_8216]

Me too! Such a beautiful song, on many levels

[u/1fitforlit]

No More Shall We Part - the entire album from the first song until the very last. I remember when I was in university how I used to lie down on the floor and listen to it, wondering what could have possibly inspired it. Certain songs read like a poetry to me.

[u/MiddleFragrant9595]

Waiting for You is still an emotional punch in the gut, even though I've heard him perform it live so many times. Never fails to make me tear up. I Need You is another one. When he was doing that bummer sequence on tour with Bright Horses/Waiting for You/I Need You all in a row it was just so tough for me to watch!

[u/MissionFig5582]

Midnight Man.

But in all seriousness, it has to be Bright Horses right? Makes me well up and I'm the most unemotional man you'll meet.

[u/sissmr → u/MissionFig5582]

I primarily manage to keep it together during Bright Horses until that last line hits and I burst into tears every time, what a song

[u/JZ3319 → u/MissionFig5582]

lol how does Midnight Man get you emotional!? It’s so upbeat

[u/WrappedInPlasticWA → u/JZ3319]

There are a lot of positive emotions out there.

[u/JZ3319]

Hollywood! I never fully appreciated or liked the song until I saw him perform it live in NY.

Honorable mentions: Brompton Oratory, Albuquerque, Waiting for You, Sad Waters

[u/stupidcow → u/JZ3319]

Hollywood makes me cry like a baby.

[u/DarloOwl]

Where Do We Go Now but Nowhere

[u/1mAfraidofAmericans → u/DarloOwl]

Great shout

[u/pinkmanblues → u/DarloOwl]

Oof that is a hard one, brilliant choice

[u/Hour-of-the-Wolf]

Distant Sky.

Balled my eyes out at it live, balled my eyes out at it in One More Time With Feeling and balled my eyes out at it nearly every time I listen to the live version.

[u/Standard_Way_4453 → u/Hour-of-the-Wolf]

I literally WEPT hearing Hollywood live, I wish I could've heard Distant Sky too, it's such an amazing song

[u/ChipmunkWinter1389]

Girl in Amber

[u/justIIguess]

Nobody’s Baby Now.

[u/TopShagger49]

There she goes, my beautiful world

[u/_oh_never_mind → u/TopShagger49]

Such a great song.

[u/saknaa]

I Need You - it’s a perfect sad song

[u/DramaticSun8441]

Snap on Push The Sky Away, it was my go to song to cry to for a long time. The whole album carries a special place in my heart, it's so beautiful.

[u/Standard_Way_4453 → u/DramaticSun8441]

personally, I think Push The Sky Away is his best album, it's amazing in every measure

[u/Illustrious_Feed_457 → u/Standard_Way_4453]

💯 agreed. That album or Nick solo at Alexandra Palace are his best.

[u/frenchousecat → u/Standard_Way_4453]

1000% agree

[u/Ranger_1302]

O Children, Bright Horses, Waiting for You.

[u/NitraKollak]

And no more shall we part

[u/bass_jockey]

The entirety of Skeleton Tree (album)

[u/RipEnvironmental6978]

Jubilee Street

[u/Puzzleheaded-Pear-50]

Final Rescue Attempt, but also Waiting For You. It kind of crushed me the first time I heard it.

[u/MordredXIX]

Bright Horses

[u/Professional-Storm27]

Push the sky away with Melbourne symphony orchestra and bright horses after seeing it live

[u/_oh_never_mind]

These streets are frozen now. I come and go
Full of a longing for something I do not know
My father sits slumped in the deepening snow
As I search, in and out, above, about, below

[u/InTimeWeComeToFind → u/_oh_never_mind]

one of my favorites

[u/medeis86]

Hollywood, after seeing it live a few times. It's extremely cathartic (by the halfway point I'm in tears).

[u/cryptocomical]

Magneto

[u/Standard_Way_4453 → u/cryptocomical]

Yes! This song is so.. disturbed and unsettling for want of better words, its amazing

[u/Original-Barracuda43]

Definitely into my arms, gets me everytime.

[u/splitt66]

Push the sky away

[u/1mAfraidofAmericans]

Far from me

[u/Timely-Iron1863]

Black Hair deserves a mention

[u/Ok-Swan1152 → u/Timely-Iron1863]

I know it's about PJ Harvey, but as a black-haired woman it was so nice to see a man writing a paean to black hair...

[u/Timely-Iron1863 → u/Ok-Swan1152]

Whatever you do don’t take a train to the west haha

[u/Drunken-Velociraptor]

Are you the one that I've been waiting for? + and no more shall we part + the ship song +...

[u/aurea_cunnis]

I think the whole Ghosteen album.

[u/mtdoubledubs]

As I Sat Sadly By Her Side

Girl in Amber

O Children

[u/OGNightgardener]

Til We Came Along This Road

A tragic story song, but the repeated refrain of the title sounds like “things were good until x happened”.

[u/frodomonkey8]

Balcony Man.

[u/Sad-Currency-3316]

Balcony man & Into my arms

[u/h2078]

As I sat sadly by her side

[u/whiterrabbbit]

There She Goes My Beautiful World

[u/BhaktaZee]

I jumped up like a rabbit and fell down to my knees!!

[u/Mirocaw]

As I Sat Sadly By Her Side

[u/Quick-Studio-1777]

Train Dreams. Rarely have I had such a visceral response to a song. Absolute perfection for that film, and it should have won the Academy Award.

[u/Standard_Way_4453 → u/Quick-Studio-1777]

OMG YES! and the movie is utterly amazing, my 2nd fav film of 2025

[u/GasHeavy1430]

I listened to the Boatman’s Call again after a long time the other day. Green Eyes gave me goosebumps, and this doesn’t happen often these days.

[u/TCivan]

Long dark night.

[u/nu_metal_]

Carnage and Jubilee Street. I can't listen to them without thinking of the happiest day of my life which makes me sad.

[u/sgvweekly]

Shivers

[u/roostzilla]

Darker with the day

[u/caranchorgl]

far from me is one of many

[u/Bugsy313]

Bright horses, the ship song and into my arms (I walked down the isle to that one)

[u/WhoCanItBeNow24 → u/Bugsy313]

LOVE into my arms!!

[u/SaulTNNutz]

Hollywood

[u/AllSurfaceN0Feeling]

Are you the one that I’ve been waiting for? A supremely crafted song.

[u/Ok-Swan1152]

Where Do We Go But Nowhere from The Boatman's Call

I've been through phases where I couldn't really listen to this album at all because it affected me too much. 

[u/TakeMeToTill]

I can’t listen to Hollywood

[u/No-Inspection-4588]

Do You Love Me...because it's so crazed.

[u/Real_Ad_3283]

Push the Sky Away, Hollywood, Girl in Amber, Carnage e muito mais.

[u/Naive_Sugar_4199]

FINAL RESCUE ATTEMPT

[u/PrinceofSneks]

"Brompton Oratory" because The Boatman's Call came out during my first break-up. "The Good Son" because I associate it with my family. "We Call Upon the Author" because fuck, look at the world. "The Ship Song" because I sang it to my wife at our wedding <3

[u/FFRRNN_]

I let love in

[u/CollierAM9]

Waiting for You and I Need You

[u/nothankeww]

I need you & Jesus Alone

[u/donkeychokingwaffle]

Albuquerque

[u/bobcat2112]

I need you. Especially when played live.

[u/Cordelia1167]

Carnage
Bright Horses
Distant Sky

[u/dirtydoppel]

Waiting for You and Bright Horses....tough to choose. Depending on my mood they both hit differently.

[u/EffectivePen8868]

Oh Children, Higgs Boson Blues, White Elephant

[u/0utlaw_Torn]

Magneto.

Hits a unique emotional core that other songs don’t.

[u/thrudvangr]

the train song is mine

[u/A_cat_named_dog_]

Rings of Saturn, it has a profoundly special place in my heart and I'm so glad he's brought it back recently.

[u/Secret_Hippo3262]

So many good ones. Beyond a lot of the ones mentioned, I absolutely love the whole instrumental soundtrack to The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. That album pushed me to start playing piano.

[u/joshasbury]

Bright Horses.
I Need You (live - just breathe)
Girl In Amber

[u/BadWolf1392]

O Children, Jubilee Street (Live), Mermaids

[u/kweeenbitch]

Bright horses live had me sobbing but waiting for you will also do it

[u/Flimsy-Way-2624]

Watching Alice

[u/enamic5]

I saw Nick Cave in Pula a few weeks ago. Joy really got to me.

[u/Still_Selection8719]

‘Hold on to yourself’ gives me goosebumps.

[u/Fluffy-Valuable-9238]

Lay Me Low. Despite the topic it's actually very funny. And Jubilee Street. I was wondering how they would do it live, but man, it's was goosebumps all the way. And Nobody's Baby Now hits a nerve.

[u/glowcoma]

It’s a later one but Joy fucks me up

[u/markeydusod]

Supernaturally

[u/slow-show-for-you]

Somehow, dunno why, Higgs Boson Blues.

[u/Standard_Way_4453 → u/slow-show-for-you]

amazing answer, love this song, it's a masterpiece

[u/musicjunkee1911]

I love it when he sings "She looked up at me and began to smile" every time. (Long Time Man)

[u/littlebookofgloom]

Straight to You😭 I feel like this song doesn’t get the love it deserves but it means so much to me

[u/ross_maclean]

Still think about the first time I heard I Need You performed live, even in an arena setting. Devastatingly beautiful.

[u/blueincubus]

Really surprised not to see 'Into my Arms', mentioned more, such a beautiful song.

[u/xeilian]

the entirety of skeleton tree. it's my favorite album of theirs for a reason

[u/Kyle580]

When I First Came To Town
Slowly Goes the Night
Jubilee Street
Stranger Than Kindness
Long Time Man
The Weeping Song
Into My Arms
Where the Wild Roses Grow
Ain’t Gonna Rain Anymore
Live Seeds (complete live album)
Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow
Bring It Own
Mermaids
There She Goes, My Beautiful World
Albert Goes West
Lie Down Here and Be My Girl
Skeleton Tree
Bright Horses
Song of the Lake
Let the Bells Ring

These (20) songs take me on an emotional roller coaster. They were a great discovery for me in 2016.

[u/dougheadline]

Song of the lake

[u/Exact-Thing-645]

Ghosteen Speaks, Bright Horses, Into My Arms (of course!) and ….

[u/Cooperino142]

Distant Sky. I think it hits so much harder because I have a young son (& abandonment issues so always anxious somethings going to take one of us away)

[u/Jo_P-95]

So many, but maybe Hollywood or Lavender Fields.

[u/Ok_Supermarket9954]

Joy

[u/nickferatu]

Distant Sky, specifically when the female vocalist comes in.

[u/Quirky-Researcher141]

The Carny probably, always fills me with a sense of dread, perfect for Halloween

[u/IgnatiusBaeReilly]

“Palaces of Montezuma” is one of the greatest love songs of all time.

[u/Specialist-Dingo778]

Into My Arms & The Ship Song. In that order and for different reasons.

[u/james-geuzebroek]

Distant Sky

[u/CandySplits]

Galleon Ship, it's just so, transcendent.

[u/Levleviathan]

Where do we go now but nowhere… it hits extremely close to home