Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads

Murder Ballads is the ninth studio album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, released in 1996 on Mute Records. As its title suggests, the album consists of new and traditional murder ballads, a genre of songs that relays the details (and often consequences) of crimes of passion.

"Where the Wild Roses Grow," a duet featuring Cave singing with Kylie Minogue, was a hit single and received two ARIA Awards in 1996. Other prominent guest musicians on the album include PJ Harvey and Shane MacGowan.

Murder Ballads is the band's biggest commercial success to date, most likely helped by the unexpected repeated airplay of the "Where the Wild Roses Grow" video on MTV. MTV even nominated Cave for their "best male artist" award of that year, though this nomination was later withdrawn at Cave's request.[2]


Written by Nick Cave, except where noted.

"Song of Joy" – 6:47
"Stagger Lee" – 5:15 (trad./Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds)
"Henry Lee" (featuring PJ Harvey) – 3:58 (trad./Cave)
"Lovely Creature" – 4:13 (Blixa Bargeld/Martyn P. Casey/Nick Cave/Mick Harvey/Thomas Wydler)
"Where the Wild Roses Grow" (featuring Kylie Minogue) – 3:57
"The Curse of Millhaven" – 6:55
"The Kindness of Strangers" – 4:39
"Crow Jane" – 4:14 (Martyn P. Casey/Nick Cave)
"O'Malley's Bar" – 14:28
"Death Is Not the End" – 4:26 (Bob Dylan)