B-Sides & Rarities cover

B-Sides & Rarities

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds · 2005

219 min · 56 tracks · alternative rock · post-punk · experimental rock

A haunting collection of eclectic tracks that showcases Nick Cave's lyrical depth and musical versatility.

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Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • eclectic mix for varied moods
  • deep lyrical exploration throughout
  • reflective listening across sessions
  • haunting themes for introspection
  • dynamic pacing keeps engagement

Maybe skip if you want

  • prefer concise, straightforward albums
  • seek constant high-energy tracks

Where this album fits

In the catalog
Deep Cut — A collection of rarities that showcases the band's depth but is not a primary entry point.
Themes
mortality and redemption· dark romanticism
Career context
By the time *B-Sides & Rarities* was released in 2005, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds had solidified their status as influential figures in alternative rock, following albums like *Nocturama* (2003). This compilation arrives after a prolific period, capturing the band's wide-ranging sound from earlier works and reflecting their evolution over nearly two decades. It serves as both a retrospective and a bridge to their future endeavors.
Stylistic neighbors
The Birthday Party· Swans· Tom Waits
If this clicks, go next to
Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! — This album continues the eclectic sound and lyrical depth found in B-Sides & Rarities.
Sounds like this from elsewhere
Boxer by The National — Shares a similar introspective lyricism with dark romantic themes and a brooding atmosphere.
You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen — Explores themes of mortality and redemption with haunting melodies and sparse instrumentation.
Is This Desire? by PJ Harvey — Features experimental rock elements and deep emotional narratives, echoing the gothic undertones found in Cave's work.
New to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds? Find your way in →

Tracklist

New here? Start with "Deanna".

Disc 1

  • 1 Deanna Start here 2:53
  • 2 The Mercy Seat 3:46
  • 3 City of Refuge 2:44
  • 4 The Moon Is in the Gutter 2:35
  • 5 The Six Strings That Drew Blood 4:47
  • 6 Rye Whiskey 3:29
  • 7 Running Scared 2:07
  • 8 Black Betty 2:33
  • 9 Scum 2:54
  • 10 The Girl at the Bottom of My Glass 4:50
  • 11 The Train Song 3:28
  • 12 Cocks ’n’ Asses 5:43
  • 13 Blue Bird 2:47
  • 14 Helpless 3:51
  • 15 God’s Hotel 3:08
  • 16 (I’ll Love You) Till the End of the World 3:59
  • 17 Cassiel’s Song 3:37
  • 18 Tower of Song 5:39
  • 19 What Can I Give You? 3:41

Disc 2

  • 1 What a Wonderful World 3:03
  • 2 Rainy Night in Soho 3:57
  • 3 Lucy (version #2) 2:23
  • 4 Jack the Ripper 4:45
  • 5 Sail Away 4:12
  • 6 There’s No Night Out in the Jail 3:43
  • 7 That’s What Jazz Is to Me 5:04
  • 8 The Willow Garden 3:59
  • 9 The Ballad of Robert Moore and Betty Coltrane 3:34
  • 10 King Kong Kitchee Kitchee Ki-Mi-O 3:09
  • 11 Knoxville Girl 3:36
  • 12 Where the Wild Roses Grow 3:46
  • 13 O’Malley’s Bar, Part 1 5:16
  • 14 O’Malley’s Bar, Part 2 6:38
  • 15 O’Malley’s Bar, Part 3 4:57
  • 16 Time Jesum Transeuntum et Non Riverentum 6:22
  • 17 O’Malley’s Bar (reprise) 1:03
  • 18 Red Right Hand 6:01

Disc 3

  • 1 Little Empty Boat 4:26
  • 2 Right Now I’m A‐Roaming 4:21
  • 3 Come Into My Sleep 3:48
  • 4 Black Hair (band version) 4:14
  • 5 Babe, I Got You Bad 3:50
  • 6 Sheep May Safely Graze 4:14
  • 7 Opium Tea 3:49
  • 8 Grief Came Riding 5:05
  • 9 Bless His Ever Loving Heart 4:02
  • 10 Good Good Day 4:04
  • 11 Little Janey’s Gone 2:58
  • 12 I Feel So Good 1:46
  • 13 Shoot Me Down 3:33
  • 14 Swing Low 5:40
  • 15 Little Ghost Song 3:45
  • 16 Everything Must Converge 3:18
  • 17 Nocturama 4:00
  • 18 She’s Leaving You 4:00
  • 19 Under This Moon 4:04

What to play next

This album is considered a Deep Cut in Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds's catalog. A collection of rarities that showcases the band's depth but is not a primary entry point.

Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Listen next

Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

2008

This album continues the eclectic sound and lyrical depth found in B-Sides & Rarities.
Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
Go back to

Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus

2004

This album sets a darker tone, leading into the varied styles of B-Sides & Rarities.
Full Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds discography Where to start with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Artists like Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
alternative rock experimental rock post-punk

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata