Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Released: June 3, 1985

Songwriter: Bob Dylan

Producer: Flood

I'm a wanted man, wanted man...
I'm wanted, I'm a wanted man...
Oh yeah...
Yeah...
Ah honey, I'm a wanted man

I'm a wanted man in California
I'm a wanted man in Buffalo
I'm a wanted man in Kansas City
I'm a wanted man in Ohio
I'm a wanted man in Mississippi
They want me in old Cheyenne
Wherever you may look tonight
You will see this wanted man

I might be in Colorado or Georgia by the sea
Working for some man who may not know at all who I might be
If you ever see me comin' and you know just a who I am
Don't breathe a word to no one buddy, cause I'm a wanted man

Wanted man in Albuquerque
Wanted man in Syracuse
Wanted man in Tallahassee
Wanted man in Baton Rouge
Wanted man in Arizona
Wanted man in Galveston
Wanted man in El Dorado
This wanted man's in great demand

If you ever catch me sleepin'
Just see the price flashin' 'bove my head
Well take look again my friend
That's a gun pointed at your head

Wanted man by Lucy Watson
Wanted man by Jesse Brown
Wanted man by Nellie Johnson
Wanted man in this next town

Wanted man by the Boller Sisters
Wanted man by Kid Callahan
Hey Darlin' don't you tell me you don't want me
Cause I'm a wanted man

A wanted man who's lost his will to live
A wanted man who won't lay down
There's a woman kneelin' on my grave
Pushin' daisies in the ground

Wanted man in the Windy City
Wanted man in Tennessee
Wanted man in Broken Arrow
Wanted man in Wounded Knee
Wanted man in Jackson Town
Wanted man in El Paso
I got bounties on my head in towns
I wouldn't ever think to go

Wanted Man in Arizona
Wanted man in Louisville
Wanted man deep in Death Valley
Wanted man up in the Hollywood Hill

If the Devil comes collectin'
Cause he doesn't know I'm a wanted man
He'd better wear a six gun on his hip
And hold another in his hand

If you love the wanted man
You best hold him while you can
Cause you're gonna wake up one mornin'
And find the man you wanted, he is gone

Wanted man in New York City
Wanted man in San Anton'
Wanted man down in Lorado
Wanted man in Tupelo
Wanted man in the state of Texas
Wanted man in the state of Maine
This wanted man's in the state of leavin' ya baby
Jumpin' on a midnight train

Wanted man in every cat house
Wanted man in a many saloons
Wanted man is a ghost in hundred homes
A shadow in a thousand rooms

Wanted man down in St. Louis
Wanted man in New Orleans
Wanted man in Mussel Bay
Wanted man in Cripple Creek
Wanted man in Detroit City
Wanted man in San Anton'
But there's one place I'm not wanted lord
It's the place that I call home

Wanted man...
Wanted man...
If the devil comes collectin'
He better hold a six gun in his hand

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds were formed in Melbourne, Australia. For the first 6 months of their existence they went by ‘Nick Cave and the Cavemen’, but that moniker was replaced after the dissolution of their previous project The Birthday Party (originally called ‘The Boys Next Door’) whose last EP was titled The Bad Seed. The original lineup featured Nick Cave on vocals, multi-instrumentalist Mick Harvey (left the band in 2009), and guitarist Blixa Bargeld (left the band in 2003). Since then they’ve expanded their repertoire and now consist of virtuoso Warren Ellis, Martyn P. Casey on bass, Barry Adamson on keyboards, guitarist George Vjestica, and drummers Thomas Wydler and Jim Sclavunos.

Between 1983 and 1985, Record producer Flood worked on From Her To Eternity and The Firstborn Is Dead. During the creation of the latter the band was living in Germany, slightly vexing considering the complete infusion of gothic Southern Americana and blues.

1986-1988 saw two of their darkest works—Your Funeral My Trial and Tender Prey. Their first taste of fame coming from the ‘condemned man’ narrative in Tender Prey’s “The Mercy Seat”, an album Cave has described as “one long cry for help”.

From the album

The Firstborn Is Dead (1985)

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds popular songs

Wanted ManNick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds