Nick Cave shared a new video of a recorded performance featuring his song “Earthlings.” The live version served as both part of Cave’s Ghosteen album sessions from 2018, along with being filmed (and directed) by Blonde‘s Andrew Dominik for Cave’s film with Warren Ellis — This Much I Know To Be True. Despite this, the “Earthlings” live performance wasn’t included in the final take and remained in the archives (until today).
“‘Earthlings’ is the missing link that binds ‘Ghosteen’ together,” Cave told NME. “A lovely song that just got away. Yet another entry into the mighty and mysterious work ‘The Secret Life Of Children’.”
Cave and Ellis first wrote the song together during the Ghosteen album sessions. According to Louder Sound, “Earthlings” was originally called “Krishna” — before it appeared and was changed for 2021’s B-Sides & Rarities Part II.
In addition to the new video, Cave also listed a picture disc vinyl of “Earthlings” on his store. “The Earthlings picture disc is a collectors’ piece capturing the ghostly little song that never quite made it,” the website reads. It features a found photo as the vinyl disc art, referencing Cave’s secretive “The Secret Life Of Children” project.
Watch Cave perform “Earthlings” above.
