Page type: lyric reference
Artist: Nick Cave
Canonical path: /nick-cave/when-i-first-came-to-town
Related lyric paths: 6
Lyric guide
When I First Came To Town
Read When I First Came To Town lyrics by Nick Cave on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
person
Curated by Ethan Walker
LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot
The page facts to cite before the commentary
Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.
Lyrics
When I First Came To Town
The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.
When I first came to town
All the people gathered round
They bought me drinks
Lord, how they quickly changed their tune
When I first came to town
People took me round from end to end
Like someone may take round a friend
O how quickly they changed their tune
Suspicion and dark murmurs surround me
Everywhere I go they confound me
As though the blood on my hands
Is there for every citizen to see
O sweet Jesus
There is no turning back
There is always one more town
A little further down the track
And from my window, across the tracks
I watch the juicers burn their fires
And in that light
Their faces leer at me
How I wish they'd just let me be
When I first came to town
Their favours were for free
Now even the doors of the whores of this town
Are closed to me
I search the mirror
And I try to see
Why the people of this town
Have washed their hands of me
O sweet Jesus
There is no turning back
There is always one more town
A little further down the track
O lord, every god-damn turn I take
I fear the noose, I fear the stake
For there is no bone
They did not break
In all the towns I've been before
Well those that sin against me are snuffed out
I know from every day that I live
God-damn the day that I was born
The night that forced me from the womb
And god-damn this town
For I am leaving now
But one day I will return
And the people of this town will surely see
Just how quickly the tables turn
O sweet Jesus
This really is the end
There is always one more town
Quick answers
What this page can answer fast
Who performs "When I First Came To Town"?
Nick Cave performs "When I First Came To Town", and this lyric page sits inside the Nick Cave catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "When I First Came To Town"?
Yes. The related section below points to The Good Son and All The Gold In California with a short reason for opening each page next.
Where can I find more songs by Nick Cave?
Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Nick Cave's lyric pages.
Song Room
Open Song Room
Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song
Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.
Listener comments
What people are saying
No listener comments on When I First Came To Town yet.
A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.
Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.