Peaky Blinders: What is the deeper meaning of the Red Right Hand song? Explained in depth

It’s impossible to hear the words “He’s a man, he’s a ghost, he’s a god, he’s a guru” and not immediately picture Tommy Shelby lighting a cigarette in the shadows of Birmingham’s industrial chaos. For Peaky Blinders fans, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ brooding anthem Red Right Hand is more than a theme song—it’s the sonic soul of the show. But what lies beneath its eerie lyrics and sinister tone?

Although many assume the track was composed specifically for the BBC drama, the truth is far stranger. The song was first released in 1994, two decades before Peaky Blinders hit screens. Its inclusion wasn’t about trend—it was about tone. And it just so happened to mirror the psyche of a crime boss wrapped in war trauma and ambition.

But there’s more to Red Right Hand than haunting vibes. The song has a literary lineage, spiritual undertones, and symbolic weight that reflect the darkness in Tommy Shelby—and maybe even in the viewers themselves. Let’s peel back the layers.

Milton, mystery & menace: Where the phrase actually comes from

The term “red right hand” is not Cave's own creation. It originates from John Milton's 17th-century epic poem Paradise Lost, which used to describe God’s hand of vengeance, dripping with the blood of the enemies destined to be slain. Yes, the same phrase that now sounds like street brawls and Shelby showdowns was once theological firepower.

Cave incorporated it into his contemporary legend building, but its meaning he chose to remain obscure. The lyrics sketch a figure who’s powerful, manipulative, and everywhere—almost supernatural in reach. This is no ordinary villain. He’s both savior and saboteur, someone who gives with one hand and takes with the other.

And crucially, he never fully appears. That ambiguity is the magic. It lets the listener (or viewer) cast anyone into the role: a god, a gangster, a politician, or, as Peaky Blinders suggests, a war-scarred kingpin trying to outrun hell.

Tommy Shelby as the walking, talking 'Right Hand' in Peaky Blinders

While Cave never confirmed who the man in the song truly is, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight ran with the mystery—and aimed it straight at his leading man. The “tall handsome man” with the shadowy motives? That could be Tommy Shelby.

Knight even admitted the song became central because of how well it reflected the show's themes—control, violence, power, and the cost of leadership. Throughout the series, the song isn’t just background noise. It comments on the action.

Whether it's a handshake between enemies or a moment of betrayal, Red Right Hand becomes a warning siren—like the music knows something the characters don’t. It turns Tommy into more than just a gangster. He becomes a force, a myth, a man who is the hand, dishing out retribution with terrifying precision.

The song that outlived the show

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What’s wild is how far the song’s influence stretches. Long before the Shelbys were plotting in smoky pubs, Red Right Hand had already made its rounds in pop culture—featured in The X-Files, the Scream trilogy, and even Dumb and Dumber (yes, seriously). And yet, it’s Peaky Blinders that gave it a new identity, turning it into a chilling anthem for the morally conflicted.

During the streaming era, Nick Cave did not profit greatly from the usage of his work in the show. In fact, streaming payments pale in comparison to television royalties. However, what he did achieve was something arguably more lasting—a new wave of admirers captivated by the track's poetic and dark allure, like Tommy Shelby’s empire, this kind of value is beyond measure, even if it does come with some expenses.

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