Nick Cave shares his thoughts on tracks that get ‘cancelled’

nme.com:

Nick Cave has shared his thoughts on music being ‘cancelled’, saying that he “like[s] the fact that some songs are controversial enough to be outlawed”.In the latest entry to his Red Hand Files Q&A site, the Bad Seeds frontman was asked about his opinion on Tom Jones’ classic track ‘Delilah’ being banned at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff recently.The lyrics of Jones’ ballad are the reason why it has been removed.

In the song, “Delilah” is stabbed after her jealous husband discovers her flirting with another man, and the husband later pleads for forgiveness of her dead corpse.A fan called Tom asked Cave: “As an artist who released a whole album of murder ballads, actually called ‘Murder Ballads’ [1996], just how worried are you about your future cancellation, and what is your view on such censorship?”The singer-songwriter responded by first explaining that he’s not a fan of ‘Delilah’.

However, he said he does like Jones as an artist: “I sang a duet with him (‘Green, Green Grass Of Home’ – a far superior murder balled) at a charity event a few years ago, and I like his version of ‘Weeping Annaleah’ which The Bad Seeds recorded on our ‘Kicking Against The Pricks album.”Cave continued: “As someone who knows a thing or two about murder ballads, for my taste, [‘Delilah’ is] all too waltzy and strident and hammy and mariachi and triumphant.

And the words are ugly – ‘I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more‘. Really? […]“So, I don’t know, Tom, I can’t get too animated by the fact that ‘Delilah’ has been banned.