Difficult Music

My favourite song right now is "Nature Boy" by Nick Cave off Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus. It rocks gently and evenly—one of his more uptempo tunes overall. Although it doesn't sound like a showstopping centrepiece, it struck me the first time I heard it as a perfect song. The verse is just three chords, with a little vamp thrown in at the end of the progression. The words (fine, fine words) kind of ramble casually over the top, but the phrasing never falters. Neat trick to sound so nonchalant yet be bang on with each line. The chorus is just three more chords—it might even use one of the chords from the verses; I haven't tried it out on guitar yet—with another lilt added to the last one. Those three chords are, again, perfect. Hearing them, you realize they couldn't be any other three chords.

This song also makes me think of fancylady and what a belter she is. It's her birthday today!