Song Of The Lake

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' 'Song Of The Lake' is a hauntingly beautiful exploration of the human condition, focusing on themes of desire, mortality, and the eternal struggle between the two. The song opens with an old man observing a woman bathing in a lake, a scene bathed in golden light that makes the moment feel almost sacred. This imagery sets the stage for a deeper contemplation of life's fleeting beauty and the inevitable passage of time.

The old man is caught in a poignant dilemma: he knows that following the woman into the lake would lead to his dissolution, yet remaining on the shore means he will eventually evaporate. This metaphorical choice between immediate dissolution and gradual evaporation symbolizes the human condition—caught between the desire for transcendence and the reality of mortality. The repeated refrain, 'never mind,' serves as a resigned acceptance of this inescapable fate, highlighting the futility of resisting the natural course of life.

The song also delves into the spiritual realm, juxtaposing the concepts of Heaven and Hell. Despite finding a form of Heaven, the old man still feels the 'drag of Hell' on his mortal soul, suggesting that earthly desires and spiritual aspirations are in constant conflict. The reference to 'all the king's horses and all the king's men' alludes to the nursery rhyme 'Humpty Dumpty,' emphasizing the irreparable nature of human existence. The song concludes with a series of rhetorical questions, 'where do we go now?' and 'what do we do now?'—questions that remain unanswered, leaving the listener to ponder the complexities of life and the inevitability of death.

'Never mind,' repeated throughout the song, becomes a mantra of acceptance, urging us to find peace in the face of life's uncertainties and the ultimate reality of our mortality.