"The Ship Song" is a song written by Nick Cave (lyrics and music), originally performed by the Australian rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds on their sixth studio album The Good Son (1990). It was released by Mute Records as the first single from the album on 12 March 1990, as a CD single, 7" vinyl and a 12" vinyl release. The song reached #84 on the UK Singles Charts. The music video for the song was directed by John Hillcoat. In May 2001 "The Ship Song" was selected by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time.

Critical reception

"The Ship Song" is widely regarded as one of Cave's best songs. In 2020, Far Out ranked the song number seven on their list of the 20 greatest Nick Cave songs, and in 2023, Mojo ranked the song number five on their list of the 30 greatest Nick Cave songs.

Cover versions

The Sydney Opera House, with agency the Monkeys, achieved the collaboration of Neil Finn, Kev Carmody, Sarah Blasko, John Bell, Martha Wainwright, Katie Noonan, Paul Kelly, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, the Temper Trap, Angus & Julia Stone, and Daniel Johns, with Opera Australia, the Australian Ballet, Bangarra Dance Theatre, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, to perform and record a reinterpretation of "The Ship Song" over some months in 2010–2011. Titled "The Ship Song Project", the recording was to promote the Sydney Opera House.

Track listing

The track listing for the single is:

Personnel

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Technical

Releases