Tom Waits

[fox69]

"Lowside Of The Road"

"Lowside Of The Road"


I'm on a black elevator
Goin down
Little Joe from Kokomo
It rattles to the ground
The dice is laughin at the
man that he throwed
Your rollin over to the
Lowside of the road.

The moon is red and your
Dancin real slow
29 miles left to go
The chain momkeys
Help you with your load
You're rollin over to the
Lowside of the road

Jezebel is naked
With an axe
The prosecution tell you
To relax
Your head feels like it's ready
To explode
You're rollin over, you're rollin over

Well the clapper has been ripped
Out of the bell
The flapper has been kicked right
Out of hell
When the horse whips the
Man that he rode
You're rollin over to the Lowside of the road

The dog won't bite if you beat
Him with a bone
She's so shy when she's
Talkin on the phone
The round rises up and starts to groan
You're rollin over to the
Lowside of the road

 

[fox69]

"Lucinda"

"Lucinda"


Well, they call me William the Pleaser
I sold opium, fireworks and lead
Now I'm telling my troubles to strangers
When the shadows get long I'll be dead

Now, her hair was as black as a bucket of tar
Her skin as white as a cuttlefish bone
I left Texas to follow Lucinda
Now I'll never see heaven or home

I made a wish on a sliver of moonlight
A sly grin and a bowl full of stars
Like a kid who captures a firefly
And leaves it only to die in the jar

As I kick at the clouds at my hanging
As I swing out over the crowd
I will search every face for Lucinda's
And she will go off with me down to hell

I thought I'd broke loose of Lucinda
The rain returned and so did the wind
I cast this burden on the god that's within me
And I'll leave this old world and go free

The devil dances inside empty pockets
But she never wanted money or pearls
No, that wasn't enough for Lucinda
She wasn't that kind of girl

Now I've fallen from grace for Lucinda
Whoever thought that hell be'd so low
I did well for an old tin can sailor
But she wanted the bell in my soul

I've spoken the god on the mountain
And I've swam in the Irish sea
I ate fire and drank from the Ganges
And I'll beg there for mercy for me

I thought I'd broke loose from Lucinda
The rain returned and so did the wind
I was standing outside the Whitehorse
Oh but I was afraid to go in

I heard someone pull the trigger
Her breasts heaved in the moonlight again
There was a smear of gold in the window
And then I was the jewel of her sin

They call me William the Pleaser
I sold opium, fireworks and lead
Now I'm telling my troubles to strangers
When the shadows get long I'll be dead

Now her hair was a black as a bucket of tar
Skin as white as a cuttlefish bone
I left Texas to follow Lucinda
I know I'll never see heaven or home
I know I'll never see heaven or home
I know I'll never see heaven or home

 

[fox69]

"Lucky Day"

"Lucky Day"


The prettiest girl
In all the world
Is in a little Spanish town
But I left her for a Bonnie lass
And I told her
I'd see her around
But that Bonnie lass
And her heart of glass
Would not hold a candle

To bumming around
So don't cry for me
For I'm going away
And I'll be back some lucky day

Tell the boys back home
I'm doing just fine
I left my troubles and woe
So sing about me
For I can't come home
I've many more miles to go

Why, there's Miss Kelsey
You taught dance at our school
And old Johnny O'Toole
I'll still beat you at pool
So don't cry for me
For I'm going away
And I'll be back some lucky day

Now when I was a boy
My daddy sat me on his knee
And he told me
He told me many things
And he said sone
There's a lot of things in this world
You're gonna have no use for
And when you get blue
And you've lost all your dreams
There's nothin' like a campfire
And a can of beans

Why, there's Miss Kelsey
She taught dance at our school
And old Johnny O'Toole
I'll still beat you at pool
So don't cry for me
For I'm going away
And I'll be back some lucky day

 

[fox69]

"Lucky Day Overture"

"Lucky Day Overture"


Ladies and gentlemen
Harry's Harbour Bizarre is proud to present
Under the Big Top tonight
Human Oddities

That's right
You'll see the Three Headed Baby
You'll see Hitler's brain
See Lea Graff the German midget who sat in J.F. Morgan's lap

You'll see Priscilla Bajano
The monkey woman
Jo Jo the dog face boy
I'm Milton Malone, the human skeleton

See Grace McDaniel's
The mule faced woman
And she's the homeliest woman in the world

Under the Big Top tonight
Never before seen
And if you have a heart condition, please be warned

Don't forget to visit our snack bar at Charleston Grotto
Al lsales are final
Void where prohibited by law

You'll see Sealo the seal boy who has flippers for arms
You'll see Johnny Eck, the man born without a body
He walks on his hands
He has his own orchestra and is an excellent pianist

See Gerd Bessler, the human pincusion
And don't forget, it's ladies' night at Harvy's Harbour Bizarre
You'll see Ko Ko the bird girl
Mortando, the human fountain

Step a little
A little closer ladies and gentlemen and don't be shy
Dig deep in your pockets

You'll see Radion, the human torso
Deep from the jungles of Africa
Ladies and gentlemen, Harry's Harbour Bizarre
Ladies and gentlemen

 

[fox69]

"Lullaby"

"Lullaby"


Sun is red; moon is cracked
Daddy's never coming back
Nothing's ever yours to keep
Close your eyes, go to sleep
If I die before you wake
Don't you cry, don't you weep

Nothing's ever as it seems
Climb the ladder to you dreams
If I die before you wake
Don't you cry, don't you weep
Nothing's ever yours to keep
Close your eyes; go to sleep

 

[fox69]

"Make It Rain"

"Make It Rain"


She took all my money
And my best friend
You know the story
Here it comes again
I have no pride
I have no shame
You gotta make it rain
Make it rain!

Since you're gone
Deep inside it hurts
I'm just another sad guest
On this dark earth

I want to believe
In the mercy of the world again
Make it rain, make it rain!

The nite's too quiet
Stretched out alone
I need the whip of thunder
And the wind's dark moan

I'm not Able, I'm just Cain
Open up the heavens
Make it rain!

I'm close to heaven
Crushed at the gate
They sharpen their knives
On my mistakes

What she done, you can't give it a name
You gotta make it rain
Make it rain, yeah!

Without her love
Without your kiss
Hell can't burn me
More than this
I'm burning up all this pain
Put out the fire
Make it rain!

I'm born to trouble
I'm born to fate
Inside a promise
I can't escape
It's the same old world
But nothing looks the same
Make it rain! [2x]

Got to make it rain
Make it rain
You got to make it rain
Got to make it rain
You got to...

I stand alone here! [2x]
Sing it...
Make it rain! [2x]

 

[fox69]

"Martha"

"Martha"


Operator, number, please: it's been so many years
Will she remember my old voice while I fight the tears?
Hello, hello there, is this Martha? this is old Tom Frost,
And I am calling long distance, don't worry 'bout the cost.
'Cause it's been forty years or more, now Martha please recall,
Meet me out for coffee, where we'll talk about it all.

And those were the days of roses, poetry and prose
And Martha all I had was you and all you had was me.
There was no tomorrows, we'd packed away our sorrows
And we saved them for a rainy day.

And I feel so much older now, and you're much older too,
How's your husband? and how's the kids? you know that I got married too?
Luck that you found someone to make you feel secure,
'Cause we were all so young and foolish, now we are mature.

And those were the days of roses, poetry and prose
And Martha all I had was you and all you had was me.
There was no tomorrows, we'd packed away our sorrows
And we saved them for a rainy day.

And I was always so impulsive, I guess that I still am,
And all that really mattered then was that I was a man.
I guess that our being together was never meant to be.
And Martha, Martha, I love you can't you see?

And those were the days of roses, poetry and prose
And Martha all I had was you and all you had was me.
There was no tomorrows, we'd packed away our sorrows
And we saved them for a rainy day.

And I remember quiet evenings trembling close to you...

 

[fox69]

"Medley: Jack & Neal / California, Here I Come"

"Medley: Jack & Neal / California, Here I Come"


jack was sittin poker faced with bullets backed with bitches
neal hunched at the wheel puttin everyone in stiches
braggin bout this nurse he screwed while drivin through nebraska
and when she came she honked the horn and neal just barely missed a
truck and then he asked her if she'd like to come like that to californy
see a red head in a uniform will always get you horny
with her hairnet and those white shoes and a name tag and a hat
she drove like andy granatelli and knew how to fix a flat
and jack was almost at the bottom of his md 2020 neal was yellin
out the window tryin to buy some bennies from a lincoln
full of mexicans whose left rear tire blowed and the sonsobitches
prit near almost ran off the road

well the nurse had spilled the manoshevitz all up and down her dress
then she lit the map on fire neal just had to guess
should we try and find a bootleg route or a fillin station open
the nurse was dumpin out her purse lookin for an envelope and
jack was out of cigarettes we crossed the yellow line
the gas pumps looked like tombstones from here
felt lonelier than a parking lot when the last car pulls away
and the moonlight dressed the double breasted foothills
in the mirror weaving outa negligee and a black brassiere
the mercury was runnin hot and almost out of gas
just then florence nightingale dropped her drawers and
stuck her fat ass half way out of the window with a
wilson pickett tune
and shouted get a load of this and gave the finger to the moon

countin one eyed jacks and whistling dixie in the car
neal was doin least a hundred when we saw a fallin star
florence wished that neal would hold her stead of chewin
his cigar jack was noddin out and dreamin he was in a bar
with charlie parker on the bandstand not a worry in the world
and a glass of beer in one hand and his arm around a girl
and neal was singin to the nurse
underneath a harlem moon
and somehow you could just tell we'd be in california soon

 

[fox69]

"Metropolitan Glide"

"Metropolitan Glide"


Are you ready, are you ready
Knocky Parker told Bowlegged Sal
They all know how to kick it in Cal
They're playing this dope and this
Money tune
Dancing baby with a 7 mile broom
Things are bulging out the rafters
Like hell
Dddddown there at the Hush Hotel
They're jumping right out of their
Seats, dancing to the bran' new beat

Do... the Metropolitan Glide [2x]

The floor is polished and you
Momma's gone
You can quake and roll and moan
29 gypsies in a Caddilac stoned
Turn off the ringer on your cellular phone
Whip the air like a Rainbow Trout
Drag your tail pipe till you bottom out

Do... the Metropolitan Glide [4x]

The low bottom of the china moon
The black swan and the way too soon
Ace pocket and teh dog bone gone
The peacock and the mean black swan
The rain shower and high heeled shoe
Bombay money and I know I can do it
The sink hole and the victory dance
Its in the pocket in the real tight pants

Ddddo the Metropolitan Glide [2x]

Show your teeth bray like a falf
You kill me with your machine gun laugh
You make me trouble with the floor
THat's creaking
I"ve been ready to ka boom for a week
Put on your stockings and your powder and blush
Keep it all on the hush, hush, hush

Do... the Metropolitan Glide [2x]

 

[fox69]

"Midnight Lullaby"

"Midnight Lullaby"


Sing a song of sixpence, pocket full of rye
Hush-a bye my baby, no need to be crying.
You can burn the midnight oil with me as long as you will
Stare out at the moon upon the windowsill, and dream...

Sing a song of sixpence, pocket full of rye
Hush-a bye my baby, no need to be crying.
There's dew drops on the window sill, gumdrops in your head
Slipping into dream land, you're nodding your head, so dream...

Dream of West Virginia, or of the British Isles
'Cause when you are dreaming, you see for miles and miles.
When you are much older, remember when we sat
At midnight on the windowsill, and had this little chat
And dream, come on and dream, come on and dream, and dream, and dream...