Evil, in a general context, is the absence or opposite of that which is ascribed as being good. Often, evil is used to denote profound immorality. In certain religious contexts, evil has been described as a supernatural force. Definitions of evil vary, as does the analysis of its motives. However, elements that are commonly associated with evil involve unbalanced behavior involving expediency, selfishness, ignorance, or neglect.
In cultures with an Abrahamic religious influence, evil is usually perceived as the dualistic antagonistic opposite of good, in which good should prevail and evil should be defeated. In cultures with Buddhist spiritual influence, both good and evil are perceived as part of an antagonistic duality that itself must be overcome through achieving Śūnyatā meaning emptiness in the sense of recognition of good and evil being two opposing principles but not a reality, emptying the duality of them, and achieving a oneness.
The philosophical question of whether morality is absolute, relative, or illusory leads to questions about the nature of evil, with views falling into one of four opposed camps: moral absolutism, amoralism, moral relativism, and moral universalism.
"Evil" (often stylised as EVIL) is a song by alternative rock band Grinderman, written collectively by Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Martyn P. Casey and Jim Sclavunos. The song was featured as the fifth track on the band's second and final studio album, Grinderman 2 (2010). On Record Store Day 2011, "Evil" was released as a limited edition single, on 12" vinyl with an enclosed CD, with various remixes.
"Evil", sometimes listed as "Evil (Is Going On)", is a Chicago blues standard written by Willie Dixon.Howlin' Wolf recorded the song for Chess Records in 1954. It was included on the 1959 compilation album Moanin' in the Moonlight. When he re-recorded it for The Howlin' Wolf Album in 1969, "Evil" became Wolf's last charting single (#43 Billboard R&B chart).
The 1954 song features sidemen Hubert Sumlin and Jody Williams (guitars), Otis Spann (piano), Willie Dixon (double-bass), and Earl Phillips (drums). Wolf achieves a coarse, emotional performance with his strained singing, lapsing into falsetto. The song, a twelve-bar blues, is punctuated with a syncopated backbeat, brief instrumental improvisations, upper-end piano figures, and intermittent blues harp provided by Wolf. The lyrics caution about the "evil" that takes place in a man's home when he is away, concluding with "you better watch your happy home".
The song has been recorded by numerous artists, including: Luther Allison, Canned Heat, Captain Beefheart, Derek and the Dominos, Gary Moore, Cactus, The Faces, Dee Snider (with Widowmaker), Jake E. Lee, Monster Magnet, and Steve Miller. Koko Taylor's version of the song appeared in the 1987 film Adventures in Babysitting. Tom Jones recorded a version of the song in 2011, produced by Jack White. It includes a snippet of The Doors' "Wild Child". Jace Everett and C. C. Adcock also recorded a version, which was used as the featured song for the third season finale of the HBO series True Blood.
i walk off and see demons in my dreams
seekin for children who be weepin
nothin i can do now that im sleepin
many of them is seepin in blood and fiendin
nobody knows what im thinkin
and nobody knows tha whole meanin
broken shoulders and knees now you believin
god neva seen me even though im an arch angel bleedin
lookin for someone gleamin
killin off the season
4 a phukkin reason
to get you in a cezure and grievin
sorry theres no offer of treason
especially since im succeedin
exceedin as an executioner
wit loose nooses to rip right through
yacked out off allotta booze
seduced by the devils recrcuit
but now i got medusa to excuse you
evil thoughts is what i got
red assassins gun is blastin
evil thoughts put you in a coma
red assassin aint about action
you neva can produce
gangstas to shoot
as lon as they all true
give orders from the leada
then they'll neva see ya
im in the gutta as a gunna
killin #s 1 2 & 3 stunnas
rippin off drug runnas
my one man mission
to give lasts breaths wit death
searchin for the stressed
then phukk the rest
when we blast at your chest
penetrating twice as fast through that vest
just let the lead of my bullet express
then compress your organs
as we're wrapping cords around you neck
eyes clothes his breath lets go
evil thoughts is what i got
let him drop to the floor
see you in hell in a few centuries or so red assassins gun is blastin
evil thoughts put in a coma