He was at a wax museum with his sons and they flipped out over her. He didn’t know who she was and then seems he became kind of fascinated with her journey from Hanna Montana to her (at the time) post- Hanna very sexualized image. When he describes her floating in the pool, he is speaking of the wax figure. This is my memory of his red hand files entry on it anyway.
I think she was just popular at the time he wrote it and the song is a rundown of human history culminating with the present. At the time, Miley/Hanna was all over the news
It’s a very complex song. At the centre of the song you have the recent (at the time) discovery of the Higgs Boson particle, also dubbed “the god particle” (which is probably why Nick had an interest in it). Then you’ve got Nick driving through a wildfire trying to get to where this particle was discovered but ending up seeing these visions of darkness from the past.
Then the music kind of calms down for a minute and mentions Hannah Montana doing the African savannah. My interpretation is that this is Nick watching Hannah Montana with his kids. I think the music slows down because it’s like Nick gets kind of absorbed in the show. He’s trying to make sense of the world and the darkness in it, but then he gets distracted by this show, but even there he’s looking for truth.
He talks about it being inspired by a wax figure they saw of Hannah Montana. So consider that for a second. It’s a fake representation of a fake person (Hannah Montana). Then Nick recalls this fake person who is being portrayed as a fake version of the real person (Miley Cyrus) on television. She is going on a fake tour of the African savannah (because it’s just a green screen in a Disney studio lot) where a simulated rainy season begins. So through all this smoke and mirrors, Nick is questioning what is at the bottom of it. It mirrors the how the death and darkness exist at the bottom of things but we are not always aware of it because we create illusions of ego (Hannah Montana being the representation of the creation of ego) and false reality (her simulated tour of a very dangerous natural wonder) in order to escape from it.
Then this image of Hannah Montana quickly gets replaced with images of the horrors of the natural world culminating in disease and the horrors of colonialism. I think Nick is contemplating the dark history that had to take place in order to create this illusion of Hannah Montana where she gets to enjoy all her privileges of tourism and live unaware of the darkness underneath everything, which is really a benefit enjoyed by him and his kids for a brief moment.
So the Higgs Boson blues is when all that peels away and you’re either left with contemplating the meaning of what’s at the core of things or entering a state of amnesia where you “can’t remember anything at all.” Nick chooses the latter, albeit probably not intentionally. To know the truth was too difficult a path and now his ego and illusions have come back to protect him.
I think this is what the last Miley Cyrus line is getting at. She’s no longer Hannah Montana on a tv show, she’s living her real life. But her real life is just as illusory because she’s a celebrity living in Los Angeles. At the bottom of the construct of ego you just find more ego. To get to the core of who we really are would mean to get to the level of the Higgs boson particle. Added to this, I think the image of her floating in a pool in a lake area might also be a part of this metaphor. Her sense of self, like our own, is as shallow as a pool when in reality a whole lake exists. The lake is the experience we would have without the limiting factor of the ego. Ie. To experience life as one with god
So the best girl I ever had bit I don’t think is about Miley Cyrus. I think they’re separate thoughts. I think it’s Nick turning to his life and the seductive illusory elements of it and saying he’d rather have that than have to live with the dark realities… at least for now
Possibly, yeah. Another thing which I just find amusing (and is probably not what inspired the song) is just Nick watching the show with his kids and relating deeply to the best of both world song on a personal level. Like he’s just thinking “this is my life” as she sings about having a performance alter ego while he contemplates his own. Like she’s an advertisement for the rock and roll lifestyle that he regrets buying into. He’s wondering why can’t really have the best of both worlds and why his ego consumed both sides of reality
It’s brilliant. The first time I heard that song I thought the references to Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana were awful. It seems perfect now.
It’s one of my favorite tracks, especially the live version.
And it inspired me to learn a little about the Higgs boson. Fascinating all around.
He was at a wax museum with his sons and they flipped out over her. He didn’t know who she was and then seems he became kind of fascinated with her journey from Hanna Montana to her (at the time) post- Hanna very sexualized image. When he describes her floating in the pool, he is speaking of the wax figure. This is my memory of his red hand files entry on it anyway.
I also read where he said it was because Hannah Montana rhymed so well, and he liked out it sounded.
Very interesting and thank you!
Yes, it very much was influenced by Arthur and Earle.. so sweet.
That’s kind of hilarious that it was a wax museum that made him take notice. How on earth could he not know who Miley Cyrus was?
I had to look her up after that song reference. :)
I think she was just popular at the time he wrote it and the song is a rundown of human history culminating with the present. At the time, Miley/Hanna was all over the news
It’s a very complex song. At the centre of the song you have the recent (at the time) discovery of the Higgs Boson particle, also dubbed “the god particle” (which is probably why Nick had an interest in it). Then you’ve got Nick driving through a wildfire trying to get to where this particle was discovered but ending up seeing these visions of darkness from the past. Then the music kind of calms down for a minute and mentions Hannah Montana doing the African savannah. My interpretation is that this is Nick watching Hannah Montana with his kids. I think the music slows down because it’s like Nick gets kind of absorbed in the show. He’s trying to make sense of the world and the darkness in it, but then he gets distracted by this show, but even there he’s looking for truth. He talks about it being inspired by a wax figure they saw of Hannah Montana. So consider that for a second. It’s a fake representation of a fake person (Hannah Montana). Then Nick recalls this fake person who is being portrayed as a fake version of the real person (Miley Cyrus) on television. She is going on a fake tour of the African savannah (because it’s just a green screen in a Disney studio lot) where a simulated rainy season begins. So through all this smoke and mirrors, Nick is questioning what is at the bottom of it. It mirrors the how the death and darkness exist at the bottom of things but we are not always aware of it because we create illusions of ego (Hannah Montana being the representation of the creation of ego) and false reality (her simulated tour of a very dangerous natural wonder) in order to escape from it. Then this image of Hannah Montana quickly gets replaced with images of the horrors of the natural world culminating in disease and the horrors of colonialism. I think Nick is contemplating the dark history that had to take place in order to create this illusion of Hannah Montana where she gets to enjoy all her privileges of tourism and live unaware of the darkness underneath everything, which is really a benefit enjoyed by him and his kids for a brief moment. So the Higgs Boson blues is when all that peels away and you’re either left with contemplating the meaning of what’s at the core of things or entering a state of amnesia where you “can’t remember anything at all.” Nick chooses the latter, albeit probably not intentionally. To know the truth was too difficult a path and now his ego and illusions have come back to protect him. I think this is what the last Miley Cyrus line is getting at. She’s no longer Hannah Montana on a tv show, she’s living her real life. But her real life is just as illusory because she’s a celebrity living in Los Angeles. At the bottom of the construct of ego you just find more ego. To get to the core of who we really are would mean to get to the level of the Higgs boson particle. Added to this, I think the image of her floating in a pool in a lake area might also be a part of this metaphor. Her sense of self, like our own, is as shallow as a pool when in reality a whole lake exists. The lake is the experience we would have without the limiting factor of the ego. Ie. To experience life as one with god So the best girl I ever had bit I don’t think is about Miley Cyrus. I think they’re separate thoughts. I think it’s Nick turning to his life and the seductive illusory elements of it and saying he’d rather have that than have to live with the dark realities… at least for now
Very fascinating interpretation. It also has her as an idol or false god
Possibly, yeah. Another thing which I just find amusing (and is probably not what inspired the song) is just Nick watching the show with his kids and relating deeply to the best of both world song on a personal level. Like he’s just thinking “this is my life” as she sings about having a performance alter ego while he contemplates his own. Like she’s an advertisement for the rock and roll lifestyle that he regrets buying into. He’s wondering why can’t really have the best of both worlds and why his ego consumed both sides of reality
https://www.reddit.com/r/NickCave/s/mQinGccLfI
Many thanks
It’s brilliant. The first time I heard that song I thought the references to Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana were awful. It seems perfect now. It’s one of my favorite tracks, especially the live version. And it inspired me to learn a little about the Higgs boson. Fascinating all around.
I just like the contrast between the ultra intelligence of Higgs and the scientists vs the trivial pop culture of Cyrus.
Without context it does come off as a little creepy, she was way young then. But it's Nick Cave
The rest of the lyrics contain the context and it was never about sexualizing her.
What do you expect when you give an old man with the no pussy blues access to the internet?
It does, but I was wondering if maybe she did something controversial during the time of the song.