The Boatman's Call

Recording for the album began at Sarm West Studios in London, England in mid-1996, with "The Garden Duet", one of the album's outtakes, being the first song recorded. Though the bulk of The Boatman's Call was recorded at Sarm West, further recordings—including overdubs—were later done at Abbey Road Studios.

Musically, the album's tone is considered sombre and minimalist and marks a major departure for Cave and the Bad Seeds. Moving away from full-band arrangements and character-based narratives, the album's music and lyrics move towards the more intimate sound of Cave's solo voice accompanied by piano or a few other instruments. The tempo is also generally slow, reflecting many of the moods of the songs. Many of the lyrics seem to reflect on Cave's personal relationships and spiritual yearnings at the time of writing. Some songs are thought to be directed at either the mother of Cave's oldest son Luke, Viviane Carneiro (in "Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere?") or singer PJ Harvey, with whom he had a brief relationship around that time (as referenced in "West Country Girl", "Black Hair" and "Green Eyes"). "Green Eyes" includes a line from "Sonnet 18" by the French Renaissance poet Louise Labé (Kiss me, rekiss me, & kiss me again).

Cave performed "Into My Arms" at the 1997 funeral of INXS vocalist Michael Hutchence, an old friend from Cave's youth, and requested that the TV cameras be shut off for his performance out of respect for Hutchence. The song "People Ain't No Good" was also featured in the film Shrek 2 (2004). The song "There Is a Kingdom" was featured in the film Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021). In October 2010, the album was listed in the top 30 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums (2010).{{Cite book | title = 100 Best Australian Albums | last1 = O'Donnell | first1 = John | author-link1 = John O'Donnell (music journalist) | last2 = Creswell | first2=Toby | author-link2 = Toby Creswell | last3 = Mathieson | first3 = Craig | author-link3 = Craig Mathieson | publisher = Hardie Grant Books | date = October 2010 | location = Prahran, Vic | isbn = 978-1-74066-955-9 }}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-boatmans-call-mw0000091353 |title=The Boatman's Call – Nick Cave / Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=10 July 2015 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}

| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev2Score = B+{{cite journal |url=http://www.ew.com/article/1997/03/14/boatmans-call |title=The Boatman's Call |journal=Entertainment Weekly |date=14 March 1997 |access-date=27 February 2013 |last=Flaherty |first=Mike |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517101434/https://ew.com/article/1997/03/14/boatmans-call/ |archive-date=17 May 2019 |url-status=dead}}

| rev3 = The Guardian

| rev3Score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite news |title=A religious experience |work=The Guardian |date=7 March 1997 |last=Gray |first=Louise}}

| rev4 = Los Angeles Times

| rev4Score = {{Rating|4|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-03-23-ca-41114-story.html |title=Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: 'The Boatman's Call' (Reprise) |work=Los Angeles Times |date=23 March 1997 |access-date=5 October 2015 |last=Scribner |first=Sara}}

| rev5 = NME

| rev5Score = 8/10{{cite journal |url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000143reviews.html |title=Nick Cave – The Boatman's Call |journal=NME |date=1 March 1997 |access-date=12 November 2015 |last=Oldham |first=James |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001002010937/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000143reviews.html |archive-date=2 October 2000 |url-status=dead}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6Score = 6.6/10 {{small|(1997)}}{{cite web |url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/c/cave_nick/boatmans-call.shtml |title=Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: The Boatman's Call: Pitchfork Review |accessdate=2023-08-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040810054158/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/c/cave_nick/boatmans-call.shtml |archivedate=August 10, 2004 }}
9.3/10 {{small|(2011)}}{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15476-let-love-in-murder-ballads-the-boatmans-call-no-more-shall-we-part/ |title=Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: Let Love In / Murder Ballads / The Boatman's Call / No More Shall We Part |work=Pitchfork |date=25 May 2011 |access-date=8 July 2015 |last=Berman |first=Stuart}}

| rev7 = Q

| rev7Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |title=Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: The Boatman's Call |journal=Q |issue=299 |date=June 2011}}

| rev8 = Rolling Stone

| rev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/nickcave/albums/album/118438/review/5946949/the_boatmans_call |title=Nick Cave: The Boatman's Call |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=20 March 1997 |access-date=27 February 2013 |last=Diehl |first=Matt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071205234856/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/nickcave/albums/album/118438/review/5946949/the_boatmans_call |archive-date=5 December 2007 |url-status=dead}}

| rev9 = Select

| rev9Score = 4/5{{cite journal |title=Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: The Boatman's Call |journal=Select |issue=82 |date=April 1997 |last=Wilkinson |first=Roy |page=110}}

| rev10 = Uncut

| rev10Score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite journal |title=Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: The Boatman's Call |journal=Uncut |issue=70 |date=March 2003 |page=96}}

}}

The Boatman's Call received almost unanimous critical acclaim upon release with many reviewers citing it as Cave's most poignant album. Writing in NME, James Oldham concluded that the album is "a stark look at all that he's been through, recounted with withering bleakness and arid humour", noting "Cave's magnificent lyrics, riddled with comic misanthropy and New Gospel humanity", and "their starkly beautiful accompaniments". The magazine rated it as the 23rd best album of 1997.{{cite web|last1=NME staff|title=Albums and Tracks of the Year for 1997|url=http://www.nme.com/bestalbumsandtracksoftheyear/1997|website=NME|publisher=IPC Media|access-date=22 January 2015}} The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2010).{{cite book|author1=Robert Dimery|author2=Michael Lydon|title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition|date=23 March 2010|publisher=Universe|isbn=978-0-7893-2074-2}}

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Nick Cave.

| total_length = 52:07

| title1 = Into My Arms

| length1 = 4:15

| title2 = Lime Tree Arbour

| length2 = 2:56

| title3 = People Ain't No Good

| length3 = 5:42

| title4 = Brompton Oratory

| length4 = 4:06

| title5 = There Is a Kingdom

| length5 = 4:52

| title6 = (Are You) The One That I've Been Waiting For?

| length6 = 4:05

| title7 = Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere?

| length7 = 5:46

| title8 = West Country Girl

| length8 = 2:45

| title9 = Black Hair

| length9 = 4:14

| title10 = Idiot Prayer

| length10 = 4:21

| title11 = Far from Me

| length11 = 5:33

| title12 = Green Eyes

| length12 = 3:32

}}{{Track listing

| headline = 2011 reissue bonus tracks

| extra_column = Words

| title13 = Little Empty Boat

| music13 = {{hlist|Nick Cave|Blixa Bargeld|Martyn Casey|Mick Harvey}}

| extra13 = Cave

| title14 = Right Now I'm A-Roaming

| music14 = {{hlist|Cave|Casey|Harvey|Conway Savage|Thomas Wydler}}

| extra14 = Cave

| title15 = Black Hair

| note15 = Band version

| title16 = Come Into My Sleep

| title17 = Babe, I Got You Bad

}}

A number of other songs were recorded at The Boatman's Call sessions, some of which were later released as B-sides to the album's two singles and also on Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds 2005 compilation album, B-Sides and Rarities.

• "The Garden Duet"
• "I Do, Dear, I Do"
• "Opium Tea" (released on B-Sides & Rarities)
• "Sheep May Safely Graze" (released on B-Sides & Rarities)
• "Wake Up My Lover"
• "Farewell, Goodbye, So Long"
• "I Got Another Woman Now, Dear"
• "Little Empty Boat" (released as a B-side on "Into My Arms")
• "Right Now I'm A-Roaming" (released as a B-side on "Into My Arms")
• "Come Into My Sleep" (released as a B-side on "(Are You) The One That I've Been Waiting For?")
• "Babe, I Got You Bad" (released as a B-side on "(Are You) The One That I've Been Waiting For?"')

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

• Nick Cave – vocals (1–17), piano (1–3, 8, 11–13, 15), organ (2, 5, 10, 11), keyboards (casio) (4), vibes (3), keyboard (14)
• Mick Harvey – electric guitar (6, 10, 13, 14, 17), acoustic guitar (5, 7, 8, 12), bass (2), organ (6, 13, 14, 16, 17), vibes (3), bass organ (9), backing vocals (14), xylophone (16)
• Blixa Bargeld – electric guitar (4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17), piano treatment (8), backing vocals (13–14)
• Martyn P. Casey – bass (1, 3–8, 10, 11, 13–17), backing vocals (13)
• Conway Savage – piano (5–7, 10, 14, 16, 17), backing vocals (5)
• Warren Ellis – violin (3, 7–8, 10, 11), accordion (9), piano (9), looped violin (13)
• Jim Sclavunos – drums (6), melodica (12), bells (5, 14), percussion (13), organ (15), bongos (16), tambourine (17)
• Thomas Wydler – drums (2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13–17), maracas (4), backing vocals (13)

Technical personnel

• Flood – producer, engineer, mixing
• Chris Scard – co-producer, mixing
• Paul Corkett – engineer
• Paul Hicks – assistant engineer
• Paul Wright – assistant engineer
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – additional production

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Denmark|artist=Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds|title=The Boatman's Call|award=Platinum|certyear=2016|certmonth=10|relyear=1997|id=4650|access-date=6 March 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|artist=Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds|title=The Boatman's Call|award=Gold|certyear=2014|relyear=1997|id=10336-2123-2|note=2011 release|access-date=6 March 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United States|artist=Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds|title=The Boatman's Call|nocert=true|relyear=1997|salesamount=50,000|salesref={{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/78737/nick-cave-the-bad-seeds-return-with-new-look-at-old-themes|title = Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Return with New Look at Old Themes|magazine=Billboard|date=6 April 2001|access-date=6 March 2023}}}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Worldwide|artist=Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds|title=The Boatman's Call|nocert=true|relyear=1997|salesamount=500,000|salesref=}}

{{Certification Table Bottom | noshipments=true | streaming=true}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{discogs master|18393}}

{{Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds}}

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Category:1997 albums

Category:Nick Cave albums

Category:Mute Records albums

Category:Reprise Records albums