They Call Me The Wild Rose is a verse from the song Where the Wild Roses Grow sung by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds & Kylie Minogue. The lyrics of the song are written by Nick Cave.
They Call Me The Wild Rose Lyrics
[Chorus: Kylie Minogue & Nick Cave]
They call me The Wild Rose
But my name was Elisa Day
Why they call me it, I do not know
For my name was Elisa Day
[Verse 1: Nick Cave]
From the first day I saw her, I knew she was the one
She stared in my eyes and smiled
For her lips were the colour of the roses
That grew down the river, all bloody and wild
[Verse 2: Kylie Minogue]
When he knocked on my door and entered the room
My trembling subsided in his sure embrace
He would be my first man, and with a careful hand
He wiped at the tears that ran down my face
[Chorus: Kylie Minogue & Nick Cave]
They call me The Wild Rose
But my name was Elisa Day
Why they call me it, I do not know
For my name was Elisa Day
[Verse 3: Nick Cave]
On the second day, I brought her a flower
She was more beautiful than any woman I’ve seen
I said, “Do you know where the wild roses grow
So sweet and scarlet and free?”
[Verse 4: Kylie Minogue]
On the second day, he came with a single red rose
He said, “Give me your loss and your sorrow”
I nodded my head as I lay on the bed
If I show you the roses, will you follow?
[Chorus: Kylie Minogue & Nick Cave]
They call me The Wild Rose
But my name was Elisa Day
Why they call me it, I do not know
For my name was Elisa Day
[Verse 5: Kylie Minogue]
On the third day, he took me to the river
He showed me the roses and we kissed
And the last thing I heard was a muttered word
As he knelt above me with a rock in his fist
[Verse 6: Nick Cave]
On the last day I took her where the wild roses grow
She lay on the bank, the wind light as a thief
And I kissed her goodbye, said, “All beauty must die”
And leant down and planted a rose ‘tween her teeth
[Chorus: Kylie Minogue & Nick Cave]
They call me The Wild Rose
But my name was Elisa Day
Why they call me it, I do not know
For my name was Elisa Day
[Outro: Kylie Minogue]
My name was Elisa Day
For my name was Elisa Day
Music Video
Song Credits
| Song | Where the Wild Roses Grow |
| Artist | Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds & Kylie Minogue |
| Album | Murder Ballads |
| Writer | Nick Cave |
| Producer | Tony Cohen, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds & Victor Van Vugt |
About the Song
“Where the Wild Roses Grow” is a poetic ballad song sung as a duet, telling a tragic story inspired by traditional murder ballads. Released in 1995 from the album Murder Ballads, it unfolds two perspectives of a man named Elijah and a woman named Eliza Day. The song starts with a chilled narrative and ends with betrayal and death, after which wild roses grow.
The song focuses on a dark theme, which is still praised for storytelling, emotional impact, and unique collaboration. The song has become a mainstream hit, reaching a wider audience as one of the most iconic songs in music history. The lines of the song describe the story of the beautiful transformation of a tragic tale into art.
What makes “Where the Wild Roses Grow” special is the contrast between the disturbing storyline and the gentle melody of the song. The contrast theme makes it haunting and revealing, describing the calmness of the story. The cinematic music video, Victorian imagery, and poetic storytelling have made this one of the most famous works of Nick Cave and are remembered for ages, where user remembers the song for how beautifully it turns a tragic tale into art.