Tom Waits

[fox69]

"Blue Skies"

"Blue Skies"


Blue skies over my head
Give me another reason to get out of bed
And blue skies shine on my face
Give me another woman to take her place
Ain't got no money, cubards are bare
No cigarettes and the kids got nothing to wear
She walked out without a word
Now the only sound left is the morning bird singing
Blue skies over my head
Give me another reason to get out of bed
And blue skies shine on my face
Give me another woman to take her place
Blue skies over my head
Give me another reason to get out of bed
And blue skies shine on my face
Give me another woman to take her place
Give me another woman to take her place

 

[fox69]

"Books Of Moses"

"Books Of Moses"


Books of Moses, bringing stone news
Wet in the water, weeping in the sun
Books of Moses, got some splinters didn't you
Books of Moses, brought me right here back to you

Flaming heart, ain't it sweet
Lighting the world at your feet
Books of Moses, myth and truth
Books of Moses, bring me back to you

Hero's welcome, there stands your king
Where the serpent shudders and the angels sing
Books of Moses, happening again
Yes he knows us
Well welcome him, your friend

Books of Moses, bringing stone news
Wet is the water, blood covering the sun
Books of Moses, myth and truth
Books of Moses, bring me back to you

 

[fox69]

"Bottom Of The World"

"Bottom Of The World"


My daddy told me, lookin' back
The best friend you'll have is a railroad track
So when I was 13 said, I'm rollin' my own,
And I'm leavin' Missouri and I'm never comin' home

And I'm lost, and I'm lost
I'm lost at the bottom of the world
I'm handcuffed to the bishop and the barbershop liar
I'm lost at the bottom of the world

Satchel Puddin' and Lord God Mose
Sitting by the fire with a busted nose
That fresh egg yeller is too damn rare
But the white part is perfect for slickin' down your hair

And I'm lost, and I'm lost
I'm lost at the bottom of the world
I'm handcuffed to the bishop and the barbershop liar
I'm lost at the bottom of the world

Blackjack Ruby and Nimrod Cain
The moon's the color of a coffee stain
Jesse Frank and Birdy Joe Hoaks
But who is the king of all these folks?

And I'm lost, and I'm lost
I'm lost at the bottom of the world
I'm handcuffed to the bishop and the barbershop liar
I'm lost at the bottom of the world

Well I dined last night with Scarface Ron
On telapia fish cakes and fried black swan
Razorweed onion and peacock squirell
And I dreamed all night about a beautiful girl

And I'm lost, and I'm lost
I'm lost at the bottom of the world
I'm handcuffed to the bishop and the barbershop liar
I'm lost at the bottom of the world

Well, god's green hair is where I slept last
He balanced a diamond on a blade of grass
Now I woke me up with a cardinal bird
And when I wanna talk he hangs on every word

And I'm lost, and I'm lost
I'm lost at the bottom of the world
I'm handcuffed to the bishop and the barbershop liar
I'm lost at the bottom of the world

 

[fox69]

"Burma Shave"

"Burma Shave"


licorice tattoo turned a gun metal blue scrawled across the shoulders
of a dying town the one eyed jacks across the railroad tracks
and the scar on its belly pulled a stranger passing through
he was a juvenile delinquent never learned how to behave
but the cops would never think to look in
burma shave

and the road was like a ribbon and the moon was like a bone
he didn't seem to be like any guy she'd ever known
he kinda looked like farley granger with his hair slicked back
she says i'm a sucker for a fella in a cowboy hat
how far are you going he said depends on what you mean
he says i'm going thataway just as long as it's paved
i guess you'd say i'm on my way to
burma shave

and her knees up on the glove compartment
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
and she popped her gum and arched her back
hell marysville ain't nothing but a wide spot in the road
some night my heart pounds just like thunder
i don't know why it don't explode
cause everyone in this stinking town has got one foot in the grave
and i'd rather take my chances out in
burma shave

presley's what i go by why don't you change the station
count the grain elevators in the rearview mirror
mister anywhere you point this thing
has got to beat the hell out of the sting
of going to bed with every dream that dies here every mornin
and so drill me a hole with a barber pole
i'm jumping my parole just like a fugitive tonight
why don't you have another swig
and pass that car if you're so brave
i wanna get there before the sun comes up in
burma shave

and the spider web crack and the mustang screamed
smoke from the tires and the twisted machine
just a nickel's worth of dreams and every wishbone that they saved
lie swindled from them on the way to
burma shave

and the sun hit the derrick and cast a bat wing shadow
up against the car door on the shot gun side
and when they pulled her from the wreck you know she
still had on her shades
they say that dreams are growing wild just this side of
burma shave

 

[fox69]

"Buzz Fledderjohn"

"Buzz Fledderjohn"


I stood on the roof, stood toward dark
To get a better look at the Fledderjons' lawn
Big sharp pistols, ammo too
Nothing but books about World War II
Rottweiler, Dobermann, a Pinkerton guard
I ain't allowed in Buzz Fledderjon's yard

I ain't allowed
No, I ain't allowed
I said, I ain't allowed in Buzz Fledderjon's yard

I seen a python swallowing a Dobermann whole
Piranhas swimming in a mixing bowl
Buzz Fledderjon

Paper's full of stabbings, the sky's full of crows
She's singing in Italian while she's hanging out her clothes
Carp in the bathtub and it's raining real hard
I ain't allowed in Buzz Fledderjon's yard

I said that I ain't allowed
No, I ain't allowed
No, I ain't allowed in Buzz Fledderjon's yard.

Well, the sailor's ringing doorbells, the sinner's in the pew
Weathervane's squeaking to the west
I seen the cliffs of Dover and the deepest ocean blue
One thing in the world I can't recommend to you

Because I ain't allowed
I said, I ain't allowed
No, I ain't allowed in Buzz Fledderjon's yard

I said, I ain't allowed
No, I ain't allowed
I ain't allowed in Buzz Fledderjon's yard

I ain't allowed
I ain't allowed
I said, I ain't allowed in Buzz Fledderjon's yard

 

[fox69]

"Cemetery Polka"

"Cemetery Polka"


Uncle Vernon
Uncle Vernon
Independent as a
Hog on ice
Hi's a big shot down there
At the slaughterhouse
He plays accordion
For Mr.Weiss

Uncle Biltmore and
Uncle William
Made a
Million during
World War II
But they're tightwads
And they're
Cheap skates
And they'll never
Give a dime to you

Auntie Mame
Has gone
Inside
She lives in
The doorway of an old hotel
And the
Radio's playing opera and
All she ever says
Is go to Hell.

Uncle Violet
Flew as a pilot
He said there
Ain't no pretty
Girls in France
Now he runs a
Tidy little
Bookie joint they say
He never
Keeps it in his pants

Uncle Bill
Will never leave a will
And the tumor is as
Big as an egg
He has a mistress
She's Puerto Rican
And i heard she has
A wooden leg.
Uncle Phil
Can't live without his pills
He has emphysema and
He's almost blind
And we must find out
Where the money is
Get it now
Before he loses his min
Repeat First Verse

 

[fox69]

"Chicago"

"Chicago"


The seeds are planted here
But they won’t grow
We won’t have to say goodbye
If we all go
Maybe things will be better in Chicago
To leave all we’ve ever known
For a place we’ve never seen
Maybe things will be better in Chicago
Well It’s braver to stay
Even braver to go
Wherever she goes I go
Maybe things will be better in Chicago

What we need the lord will give us
All we want we carry with us
You know where I can be found
Where the rainbow hits the ground
I’m not alone
I’m not afraid
This bird has flown from his cage
There’s so much magic we have known
On this sapphire we call home
With my coat and my hat
I say goodbye to all that
Maybe things will be better in Chicago
Maybe things will be better in Chicago

 

[fox69]

"Children's Story"

"Children's Story"


Once upon a time there was a poor child,
with no father and no mother
And everything was dead
And no one was left in the whole world
Everything was dead

And the child went on search, day and night
And since nobody was left on the earth,
he wanted to go up into the heavens
And the moon was looking at him so friendly
And when he finally got to the moon,
the moon was a piece of rotten wood

And then he went to the sun
And when he got there, the sun was a wilted sunflower
And when he got to the stars, they were little golden flies.
Stuck up there, like the shrike sticks 'em on a blackthorn

And when he wanted to go back, down to earth,
the earth was an overturned piss pot
And he was all alone, and he sat down and he cried
And he is there till this day
All alone:

Okay, there's your story!
Night-night!

 

[fox69]

"Chocolate Jesus"

"Chocolate Jesus"


Don't go to church on Sunday
Don't get on my knees to pray
Don't memorize the books of the Bible
I got my own special way
Bit I know Jesus loves me
Maybe just a little bit more

I fall on my knees every Sunday
At Zerelda Lee's candy store

Well it's got to be a chocolate Jesus
Make me feel good inside
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Keep me satisfied

Well I don't want no Anna Zabba
Don't want no Almond Joy
There ain't nothing better
Suitable for this boy
Well it's the only thing
That can pick me up
Better than a cup of gold
See only a chocolate Jesus
Can satisfy my soul

[Solo]
When the weather gets rough
And it's whiskey in the shade
It's best to wrap your savior
Up in cellophane
He flows like the big muddy
But that's ok
Pour him over ice cream
For a nice parfait

Well it's got to be a chocolate Jesus
Good enough for me
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Good enough for me

Well it's got to be a chocolate Jesus
Make me feel good inside
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Keep me satisfied

 

[fox69]

"Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis"

"Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis"


hey Charley I'm pregnant
and living on 9-th street
right above a dirty bookstore
off cuclid avenue
and I stopped taking dope
and I quit drinking whiskey
and my old man plays the trombone
and works out at the track.

and he says that he loves me
even though its not his baby
and he says that he'll raise him up
like he would his own son
and he gave me a ring
that was worn by his mother
and he takes me out dancin
every saturday nite.

and hey Charley I think about you
everytime I pass a fillin' station
on account of all the grease
you used to wear in your hair
and I still have that record
of little anthony & the imperials
but someone stole my record player
how do you like that?

hey Charley I almost went crazy
after mario got busted
so I went back to omaha to
live with my folks
but everyone I used to know
was either dead or in prison
so I came back in minneapolis
this time I think I'm gonna stay.

hey Charley I think I'm happy
for the first time since my accident
and I wish I had all the money
that we used to spend on dope
I'd buy me a used car lot
and I wouldn't sell any of em
I'd just drive a different car
every day dependin on how
I feel.

hey Charley
for chrissakes
do you want to know
the truth of it?
I don't have a husband
he don't play the trombone
and I need to borrow money
to pay this lawyer
and Charley, hey
I'll be eligible for parole
come valentines day.