Shenandoah

Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you
Look away, you rollin' river
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to see you
Look away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri.

Shenandoah, I love your daughter
Look away, you rollin' river
It was for her I'd cross the raging waters
Look away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri.

For seven long years I courted Sally
Look away, you rollin' river
She broke my heart in this here valley
Look away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri.



(Tom Waits and Keith Richards)

Alice

It's dreamy weather we're on
You wave your crooked wand
Along an icy pond
With a frozen moon
A murder of silhouette crows I saw...
And the tears on my face
And the skates on the pond they spell Alice

I'll disappear in your name
But you must wait for me
Somewhere beneath the sea
There's the wreck of a ship
Your hair is like meadow grass
On the tide And the raindrops on my window
And the ice in my drink
Baby, all that I can think of Is Alice

Arithmetic Arithmetock I turn the hands back on the clock
How does the ocean rock the boat
How did the razor find my throat
The only strings that hold me here
Are tangled up around the pier

And so a secret kiss
Brings madness with the bliss
And I will think of this
When I'm dead in my grave
Set me adrift and I'm lost over there
But I must be insane
To go skating on your name
And by tracing it twice
I fell through the ice Of Alice
There's only Alice

(Tom Waits)

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

(Tom Waits)

Jersey Girl

Got no time for the corner boys
down in the street makin all that noise
don't want no whores on Eighth Avenue
cause tonight I'm gonna be with you

cause tonight I'm gonna take that ride
across the river to the Jersey side
take my baby to the carnival
and I'll take you on all the rides

down the shore everythings all right
you with your baby on a saturday night yeah
don't you know all my dreams come true
when I'm walkin' down the street with you

sing sha la la la la la sha la la la la la la la la
sha la la sha la la la
sha la la la I'm in love with a Jersey girl
sha la la la la la la
sha la la la la la la la la
sha la la sha la la la
sha la la la la la

you know she thrills me with all her charms
when I'm wrapped up in my baby's arms
my little angel gives me everything
I know someday that she'll wear my ring

so don't bother me cause I got no time
I'm on my way to see that girl of mine yeah
nothin else matters in this whole wide world
when you're in love with a Jersey girl

sing sha la la la la la sha la la la la la la la la
sha la la sha la la la
sha la la la I'm in love with a Jersey girl
sha la la la la la la
sha la la la la la la la la
sha la la sha la la la
sha la la la la la

and I call your name
I can't sleep at night

sha la la la la la la la
sha la la la la la la la la
sha la la la la la la la
sha la la la la I'm in love with a Jersey girl
sha la la la la la la yeah
sha la la la la la la la la
sha la la sha la la la
oh I'm in love I'm in love with a Jersey girl
sha la la la la la la yeah
sha la la la la la la la la

(Tom Waits)

Warm Beer And Cold Women

It's warm beer and cold women, no I just don't fit in
Every joint I stumbled into tonight, that's just how its been
All these double-knit strangers with gin and vermouth
And recycled stories, in the naugahyde booths
And the platinum blondes and tobacco brunettes
I'll just be drinking to forget you, I light another cigarette
And the band's playing something by Tammy Wynette
And the drinks are on me tonight

All my conversations now, I'll just be talking about you, baby
I'm boring some sailor as I try to get through
I just want him to listen now I say that's all you have to do
He said I'm better off without you, until I showed him my tattoo
And now the moon's rising, ain't no time to lose
Time to get down to drinking, tell the band to play the blues
And the drinks are on me I'll buy another round
At the last ditch attempt saloon

Warm beer and cold women, no I just don't fit in
Every joint I stumble into tonight, that's just how it's been
All these double-knit strangers with gin and vermouth
Receding hairlines, in the naugahyde booths
And the platinum blondes and tobacco brunettes
I'll just be drinking to forget you, baby, I light a menthol cigarette
And the band's playing something by Johnnie Barnette
At the last ditch attempt saloon

(Tom Waits)

Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis

hey charlie i'm pregnant
and living on the 9th street
right above a dirty bookstore
off euclid avenue
and i stopped takin dope
and i quit drinkin 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 night.

and hey charlie i think about you
everytime i pass a fillin station
om 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
now how do you like that?

hey charlie 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 to minneapolis
this time i think i'm gonna stay.

hey charlie 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 charlie 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 charlie, hey
i'll be eligible for parole
come valentines day

[Tom Waits]

Downtown Train

Outside another yellow moon
Has punched a hole in the nighttime, yes
I climb through the window and down to the street
I'm shining like a new dime
The downtown trains are full with all of those Brooklyn girls
They try so hard to break out of their little worlds

Well you wave your hand and they scatter like crows
They have nothing that will ever capture your heart
They're just thorns without the rose
Be careful of them in the dark
Oh, if I was the one you chose to be your only one
Oh baby can't you hear me now, can't you hear me now

Will I see you tonight on a downtown train
Every night it's just the same, you leave me lonely now

I know your window and I know it's late
I know your stairs and your doorway
I walk down your street and past your gate
I stand by the light at the four-way
You watch them as they fall, oh baby, they all have heart attacks
They stay at the carnival, but they'll never win you back

Will I see you tonight on a downtown train
Where every night, every night it's just the same, oh baby
Will I see you tonight on a downtown train
All of my dreams they fall like rain, oh baby on a downtown train

Will I see you tonight on a downtown train
Where every night, every night it's just the same, oh baby
Will I see you tonight on a downtown train
All of my dreams just fall like rain, all on a downtown train
All on a downtown train, all on a downtown train
All on a downtown train, a downtown train

(Tom Waits)



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