Tender Prey
Encyclopedia
Tender Prey is the fifth album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
, released in 1988 on Mute Records
.
Tender Prey contains Cave's 'signature' tune "The Mercy Seat", which he has subsequently played at almost all of his live performances since 1988, and was covered by Johnny Cash
. "Slowly Goes the Night", "Up Jumped the Devil", "Sugar, Sugar, Sugar", "City of Refuge" and "Lucy" were recorded at Hansa Tonstudio
, Berlin
.
The album is dedicated to Fernando Ramos da Silva
.
The album was remastered and reissued on March 29, 2010 as a collector's edition CD/DVD set. In October 2010, Tender Prey (1988) was listed in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums
with 1997's The Boatman's Call
in the Top 30.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
, released in 1988 on Mute Records
Mute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
.
Tender Prey contains Cave's 'signature' tune "The Mercy Seat", which he has subsequently played at almost all of his live performances since 1988, and was covered by Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
. "Slowly Goes the Night", "Up Jumped the Devil", "Sugar, Sugar, Sugar", "City of Refuge" and "Lucy" were recorded at Hansa Tonstudio
Hansa Tonstudio
Das Hansa Tonstudio is a recording studio located on Köthener Strasse in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin, Germany. Amongst English-performing musical acts it used to be known as 'Hansa Studio By the Wall', 'Hansa by the Wall', or 'The Great Hall by the Wall' in reference to the fact that it was...
, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
The album is dedicated to Fernando Ramos da Silva
Pixote
Pixote: a Lei do Mais Fraco , is a Brazilian drama film directed by Hector Babenco. The screenplay was written by Babenco and Jorge Durán, based on the book A infância dos mortos by José Louzeiro....
.
The album was remastered and reissued on March 29, 2010 as a collector's edition CD/DVD set. In October 2010, Tender Prey (1988) was listed in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums
100 Best Australian Albums
100 Best Australian Albums is a compendium of rock and pop albums of the past 50 years as compiled by music journalists Toby Creswell, Craig Mathieson and John O'Donnell. The book was published on 25 October 2010 by Hardie Grant Books...
with 1997's The Boatman's Call
The Boatman's Call
The Boatman's Call is the tenth studio album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, released in 1997. The album, which is entirely piano-based and a departure from the band's post-punk catalogue, remains one of the most critically acclaimed releases of Nick Cave's career.-Background and...
in the Top 30.
Track listing
- "The Mercy Seat" – 7:17
- Nick CaveNick CaveNicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
– Vocals, Hammond - Blixa BargeldBlixa BargeldBlixa Bargeld is a composer, author, actor, singer, musician, performer and lecturer in a number of artistic fields...
– Slide Guitar - Mick HarveyMick HarveyMichael John Harvey , is an Australian rock musician, composer, arranger and record producer. He is best known for his long-time collaboration with the singer and songwriter Nick Cave...
– Bass Loops, Piano, Guitar, Backing Vocals - Roland WolfRoland Wolf (musician)Roland Wolf was a German musician who played keyboards with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds from 1986 to 1989...
– Guitar - Thomas WydlerThomas WydlerThomas Wydler , is a Swiss musician best known for being a core member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, of which he has been a drummer since 1985. Prior to joining them, he was a member of the experimental German band Die Haut. Wydler has been present on almost every Bad Seeds album, making his...
– Drums - Strings – Gini Ball, Audrey RileyAudrey RileyAudrey Riley is a cellist and string arranger based in the UK. Riley trained at the Guildhall School of Music with Leonard Stehn and was a cellist for Virginia Astley from 1983 to 1986 and a one-time auxiliary member of The Family Cat. She has been a member of the post-minimalist band Icebreaker...
and Chris Tombling
- Nick Cave
- "Up Jumped the Devil" – 5:16
- Nick Cave – Vocals
- Blixa Bargeld – Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Mick Harvey – Bass, Xylophone, Backing Vocals
- Kid Congo PowersKid Congo PowersKid Congo Powers is the stage name of Brian Tristan , an American rock guitarist and singer, best known as a member of The Gun Club, The Cramps and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.-Biography:...
– Guitar - Roland Wolf – Piano
- Thomas Wydler – Drums
- "Deanna" – 3:45
- Nick Cave – Vocals, Hammond
- Blixa Bargeld – Guitar
- Mick Harvey – Drums, Bass, Acoustic Guitar
- Kid Congo Powers – Guitar
- "Watching Alice" – 4:01
- Nick Cave – Vocals, Piano, Harmonica
- Mick Harvey – Bass
- Thomas Wydler – Drums
- Hugo RaceHugo RaceHugo Race is an Australian rock musician and record producer who has been based in Europe since 1989. He was a member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, before forming The Wreckery with Nick Barker and Robin Casinader in the 1980s. He is currently a member of Hugo Race and the True Spirit.Race is...
– Guitar
- "Mercy" – 6:22
- Nick Cave – Vocals, Vibes, Harmonica
- Blixa Bargeld – Slide Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Mick Harvey – Bass, Backing Vocals
- Kid Congo Powers – Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Roland Wolf – Piano
- Thomas Wydler – Drums
- Hugo Race – Backing Vocals
- "City of Refuge" – 4:48
- Nick Cave – Vocals, Hammond, Harmonica
- Blixa Bargeld – Guitar
- Mick Harvey – Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion
- Kid Congo Powers – Guitar
- Roland Wolf – Organ
- Thomas Wydler – Drums
- Backing Vocals – The Bad Seeds & Friends
- "Slowly Goes the Night" – 5:23
- Nick Cave – Vocals, Hammond
- Blixa Bargeld – Guitar
- Mick Harvey – Bass, Xylophone, Backing Vocals
- Roland Wolf – Piano, Organ
- Thomas Wydler – Drums
- Ian Davis – Backing Vocals
- "Sunday's Slave" – 3:40
- Nick Cave – Vocals, Piano
- Blixa Bargeld – Guitar
- Mick Harvey – Acoustic Guitar, Drums, Bass
- "Sugar Sugar Sugar" – 5:01
- Nick Cave – Vocals
- Mick Harvey – Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Percussion
- Kid Congo Powers – Guitar
- Roland Wolf – Piano
- Thomas Wydler – Drums
- "New Morning" – 3:46
- Nick Cave – Vocals, Piano, Harmonica, Tambourine
- Blixa Bargeld – Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Mick Harvey – Acoustic Guitar, Drums, Bass, Organ, Backing Vocals
- "The Mercy Seat" (video mix) – 5:05 (CD only)
Singles
- "The Mercy Seat" (MUTE 52) (May 23, 1988)
- b/w: "New Day"
- "Deanna" (MUTE 86) (September 5, 1988)
- b/w: "The Girl at the Bottom of My Glass"
Writing
- Tracks written by Nick Cave, except where noted.
- Track 1, 9 & 11 (words: Cave, music: Cave / Mick HarveyMick HarveyMichael John Harvey , is an Australian rock musician, composer, arranger and record producer. He is best known for his long-time collaboration with the singer and songwriter Nick Cave...
) - Track 2 (words: Cave, music: Cave / Harvey / Roland WolfRoland Wolf (musician)Roland Wolf was a German musician who played keyboards with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds from 1986 to 1989...
/ Blixa BargeldBlixa BargeldBlixa Bargeld is a composer, author, actor, singer, musician, performer and lecturer in a number of artistic fields...
/ Kid Congo PowersKid Congo PowersKid Congo Powers is the stage name of Brian Tristan , an American rock guitarist and singer, best known as a member of The Gun Club, The Cramps and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.-Biography:...
) - "Deanna" is loosely based on The Edwin Hawkins' Singers version of the hymnHymnA hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
"Oh Happy Day". Subsequently Cave issued an acoustic version of a medley of both songs. Hawkins' version was later issued on Original SeedsOriginal SeedsOriginal Seeds: Songs that inspired Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are two compilation CDs. Volume one was issued in 1998, Volume two in 2004, initially on the Rubber Records label in Australia, but also in the U.K....
Vol. 1. - "City of Refuge" is noted in the credit listing as being inspired by a Blind Willie JohnsonBlind Willie Johnson"Blind" Willie Johnson was an American singer and guitarist, whose music straddled the border between blues and spirituals....
song "I'm Gonna Run to the City of Refuge". This was later issued on Original SeedsOriginal SeedsOriginal Seeds: Songs that inspired Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are two compilation CDs. Volume one was issued in 1998, Volume two in 2004, initially on the Rubber Records label in Australia, but also in the U.K....
Vol. 1.
Personnel
- Nick CaveNick CaveNicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
– Vocals, Hammond, Harmonica, Piano, Tambourine, Vibes - Mick HarveyMick HarveyMichael John Harvey , is an Australian rock musician, composer, arranger and record producer. He is best known for his long-time collaboration with the singer and songwriter Nick Cave...
– Bass, Backing Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Drums, Percussion, Xylophone, Guitar, Bass Loops, Piano, Organ - Blixa BargeldBlixa BargeldBlixa Bargeld is a composer, author, actor, singer, musician, performer and lecturer in a number of artistic fields...
– Guitar, Backing Vocals, Slide Guitar - Roland WolfRoland Wolf (musician)Roland Wolf was a German musician who played keyboards with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds from 1986 to 1989...
– Piano, Organ, Guitar - Kid Congo PowersKid Congo PowersKid Congo Powers is the stage name of Brian Tristan , an American rock guitarist and singer, best known as a member of The Gun Club, The Cramps and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.-Biography:...
– Guitar, Backing Vocals - Thomas WydlerThomas WydlerThomas Wydler , is a Swiss musician best known for being a core member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, of which he has been a drummer since 1985. Prior to joining them, he was a member of the experimental German band Die Haut. Wydler has been present on almost every Bad Seeds album, making his...
– Drums
Guests
- Hugo RaceHugo RaceHugo Race is an Australian rock musician and record producer who has been based in Europe since 1989. He was a member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, before forming The Wreckery with Nick Barker and Robin Casinader in the 1980s. He is currently a member of Hugo Race and the True Spirit.Race is...
– Backing Vocals, Guitar - Gini Ball – Strings
- Audrey RileyAudrey RileyAudrey Riley is a cellist and string arranger based in the UK. Riley trained at the Guildhall School of Music with Leonard Stehn and was a cellist for Virginia Astley from 1983 to 1986 and a one-time auxiliary member of The Family Cat. She has been a member of the post-minimalist band Icebreaker...
– Strings - Chris Tombling – Strings
- Ian Davis – Backing vocals