Christina The Astonishing
Feel So Bad · Henry's Dream [1992]
Lived a long time ago
She was stricken with a seizure
At the age of twenty-two
They took her body in a coffin
To a tiny church in Liege
Where she sprang up from the coffin
Just after the Agnus Dei
She soared up to the rafters
Perched on a beam up there
Cried "The stink of human sin
Is more that I can bear"
Christina the Astonishing
Was the most astonishing of all
She prayed balanced on a hurdle
Or curled up into a ball
She fled to remote places
Climbed towers and trees and walls
To escape the stench of human corruption
Into an oven she did crawl
O Christina the Astonishing
Behaved in a terrifying way
She would run wildly through the streets
Jump in the Meusse and swim away
O Christina the Astonishing
Behaved in terrifying manner
Died at the age of seventy-four
In the convent of St Anna
Christina The Astonishing
Christina The Astonishing stands as a centerpiece of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' 1992 album, Henry's Dream. This ambitious track exemplifies the band's transition from their earlier punk-infused rock toward a more expansive, narrative-driven sound. The song functions as a sprawling epic, weaving together themes of redemption and spiritual longing within a complex musical structure. It showcases Cave's distinctive baritone and his ability to craft intricate storytelling through song. As part of a critically acclaimed era in the group's discography, the recording highlights the band's willingness to experiment with length and orchestration. The work remains a significant song in their catalogue, demonstrating the depth and emotional range that would come to define their subsequent output.