Lane began singing and writing songs at age 16. She was a classmate with Rowland S. Howard who would later form The Boys Next Door and The Birthday Party with Nick Cave. Lane became Cave's girlfriend and moved to London with the band in 1980. She co-wrote the lyrics of three songs for The Birthday Party ("Dead Joe", "Kiss Me Black" and "A Dead Song") before they imploded in 1983.
Lane is sometimes credited as a founding member of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, which was forged from the debris left behind by The Birthday Party's demise. She had an undeniably strong influence upon Nick Cave and his work, often cited as his "muse", although her only recorded performance with the band is a 'cameo' verse on the Bob Dylan cover "Death Is Not The End" from the album Murder Ballads. She co-wrote the lyrics of the title track to the band's 1984 LP, From Her to Eternity, as well as the lyrics of the song "Stranger Than Kindness" from Your Funeral, My Trial. She also began to perform and record her own songs. She worked with the German band Die Haut before recording Dirty Sings under her own name. She was joined on the record by Nick Cave, and Bad Seeds Barry Adamson, Thomas Wydler, and Mick Harvey, who produced. Lane and Cave split in 1983 but intermittently worked together professionally into the 1990s.
With Harvey, Lane recorded a series of albums that showcased the dichotomy between her baby doll voice and the sexual longing of her lyrics. These include a pair of albums of Serge Gainsbourg's covers, 1995's The Intoxicated Man and 1997's Pink Elephants. Harvey also produced Lane's 1993 debut album, Dirty Pearl, which compiled tracks from Lane's work with Einstürzende Neubauten, Die Haut, as well as exclusive album tracks. Harvey co-wrote several songs, including the UK hit single, "The World's A Girl". Lane's collaboration with Harvey continued with her 2001 album "Sex O' Clock".
The Next Man That I See
Anita Lane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You had a boat rocking to a sad, sad song
Words full of flowers and words full of heart
But there is the divine in all things
In my broken house, my broken plates, my broken fingernails
That's a part of God too
And I think that I'll just make love
And I think that I'll just make love
To the next man that I see, the next man that I see
You're not here, that's my atmosphere
I am the scream tethered to routine
I long to leave my body and stalk your dreams
And go on to my master work
The thinking of you
The creation of you
And who you will be
And how you will complete me
But I am, as I am, as I am, as I am
And I think that I'll just make love
To the next man that I see, the next man that I see
And I think that I'll just make love
To the next man that I see, the next man that I see
All these broken things
They're a part of God too
There is the divine in all that you feel and all that you do
And I think I'll just go and do what I do
And play in your memories
The thinking of you
The creation of you
And who you will be
And how you will complete me
But I am, as I am, as I am, as I am
And I think that I'll just make love
To the next man that I see, the next man that I see
And I think that I'll just make love
To the next man that I see, the next man that I see
Yeah, I think that I'll just make love
And I think that I'll just make love
To the next man that I see, the next man that I see
And I think that I'll just make love
To the next man that I see, the next man that I see
And I think that I'll just make love
To the next man that I see, the next man that I see
And I think that I'll just make love
To the next man that I see, the next man that I see
Yeah, I think that I'll just make love
The song "The Next Man That I See" by Anita Lane is a beautifully crafted piece that delves into various themes, including love, loss, grief, and moving on. The lyrics talk about a woman who has been hurt by somebody she loved and trusted, but instead of dwelling on the pain, she chooses to focus on the positive aspects of life. She acknowledges that everything in life, including the broken things, is a part of the divine, and that includes her broken house, her broken plates, and her broken fingernails.
The woman declares that she will make love to the next man that she sees, emphasizing her desire to move on and start afresh. She mentions that she longs to leave her body and stalk the dreams of her previous lover, emphasizing her struggle to let go completely. She talks about playing in his memories, creating a possible indication that she’s still trying to hold on to the past. However, as the song progresses, it is evident that she is acknowledging her pain, dealing with it, and moving on.
Overall, the song's theme revolves around self-empowerment and healing from toxic relationships. It manages to capture the struggles of moving on, acknowledging pain and choosing to focus on the positive.
Line by Line Meaning
What you did was wrong
The actions you took were incorrect and caused harm
You had a boat rocking to a sad, sad song
You created a situation that was unstable and full of sadness
Words full of flowers and words full of heart
Your language was flowery and emotionally charged
But there is the divine in all things
Everything, even brokenness and imperfection, has a divine quality
In my broken house, my broken plates, my broken fingernails
Even in my own brokenness and flaws, I recognize the divine
That's a part of God too
The divine exists within everything, including imperfections
And I think that I'll just make love
I intend to engage in sexual activity
To the next man that I see, the next man that I see
I will engage in sexual activity with the next man I encounter
You're not here, that's my atmosphere
Your absence creates a feeling or atmosphere for me
I am the scream tethered to routine
I feel trapped in a monotonous existence and am yearning for something more
I long to leave my body and stalk your dreams
I desire to be intimately connected with you, even if it is only in your dreams
And go on to my master work
I will move forward with my personal project or endeavor
All these broken things
All of the imperfections and flaws in the world
They're a part of God too
Even in brokenness and imperfection, the divine exists
There is the divine in all that you feel and all that you do
Everyone and everything has a divine quality, even in their most emotional or mundane moments
And I think I'll just go and do what I do
I intend to continue living my life in the way that I choose
And play in your memories
I will reminisce about past experiences with you, even if they were not all positive
Yeah, I think that I'll just make love
I am certain that I will engage in sexual activity
Contributed by Leah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@diegosanchez-fy2lj
Este es un muy buen álbum , merece más vistas. Encantadora voz
@AnneAndersonFoxiepaws
Rest soundly Anita....love that breathy "Marilyn Munroe" voice...she will be missed!
@angaudlinn
Rest in peace Anita. :´(
@jodiadams8964
Just watched this for the first time after listening to the highly recommended "Almost A Mirror" podcasts, specifically "Zoo Music Girl". A beautiful haunting song from a beautiful talented woman (RIP Anita). From frame one, I knew exactly where this was filmed - namely in the stunningly beautiful Northern Illawarra, north of
Wollongong and 90 mins south from Sydney, Australia. The road is Lawrence Hargrave Drive (named for a pioneer of flight - whose ideas the Wright Brothers were well aware of and utilised - who used to fly box kites in the area known for its winds).
The houses (some of them in Coledale, some in Scarborough, or Wonoona, Clifton and Coalcliff) are very familiar to me, as I lived for many years at 60 Lawrence Hargrave Drive Austinmer just to their south, and at Coalcliff to their north, and used to take long walks and/or bus trips along the pictured beaches and road.
This song and the imagery are now fused in my neurons!
@wewerecamerashy5190
Oh Anita, ahead of your time. Icon.
@ritahorvath8207
Fly high, Anita. 🤍
@TheSixbellschime
All these broken things
They're a part of God too.......
My biggest regret in decades of music writing is never meeting Anita to pay tribute.
She's immortal now
@fmip1036
Rest In peace, beautiful Anita.
@Deedee-ee1sg
Anita R.I.P. She was an Important part of The Birthday Party. What a band!!
@micsmarvelousmusic8686
I can’t it took me this long to listen to more of her music after loving what she’s done with Nick Cave and Mick Harvey
I’ve uploaded a couple of those songs