Lyrics -

Blood Money (Epitaph/ ANTI, 2002)
Misery Is The River Of The World
Everything Goes To Hell
Coney Island Baby
All The World's Green
God's Away On Business
Another Man's Vine
Lullaby (Aka. Overturned Pot)
Starving In The Belly (Of A Whale)
The Part You Throw Away
Woe
A Good Man Is Hard To Find
Orphans - Bawlers (Anti, 2006)
It's Over
Shiny Things
Orphans - Bastards (Anti, 2006)
Children's Story
Woyzeck (unreleased theatre versions, 2000)
Diamond In Your Mind
It's Just The Way We Are Boys
Shiny Things

Blood Money (Epitaph/ ANTI, 2002)

Misery Is The River Of The World

Misery River

(Woyzeck theatre version, 2000: Carnival Announcer with entire cast in prologue)⁽¹⁾

Carnival Announcer: "Ladies and gentlemen here you see the astronomical horse and the two little canary birds - favorites of all potentates and of all crowned heads, tell the people everything, how old, how many children, what illnesses."

Gentlemen! Gentlemen! Look at this creature, as God made it: nothing, nothing at all.

Misery's the River of the World

Misery's the River of the World

Misery's the River of the World

The higher that the monkey can climb⁽²⁾

The more he shows his tail

Call no man happy 'til he dies⁽³⁾

There's no milk at the bottom of the pail

God builds a church

The devil builds a chapel⁽⁴⁾

Like the thistles that are growing

'round the trunk of a tree

All the good in the world

You can put inside a thimble

And still have room for you and me

If there's one thing you can say

About Mankind

There's nothing kind about man

You can drive out nature with a pitchfork

But it always comes roaring back again

Carnival Announcer: "Gentlemen, now see the effect of art. The monkey is already a soldier - that is not much, it is the lowest level of the human race! The little dummy is musical. Gentlemen this animal that you see here, with a tail on his body, with his four hooves, is a member of all learned societies, professor of our university, with whom the students learn to ride and fight. Man - you are created of dust, sand and dirt. Do you want to be more than dust, sand and dirt? Observe the progress of civilization. Everything progresses: a horse, a monkey, a canary bird. The commencement of the commencement is starting now!"

The higher that the monkey can climb

The more he shows his tail

Call no man happy 'til he dies

There's no milk at the bottom of the pail

God tempers all the winds

for the new shorn lambs⁽⁵⁾

the devil knows the bible

like the back of his hand

All the good in the world

You can put inside a thimble

And still have room for you and me

If there's one thing you can say

About Mankind

There's nothing kind about man

You can drive out nature with a pitchfork

But it always comes roaring back again

For want of a bird

The sky was lost

For want of a nail

A shoe was lost

For want of a life

A knife was lost

For want of a toy

A child was lost⁽⁶⁾

Misery's the River of the World

Everybody Row! Everybody Row!

Misery's the River of the World

Misery's the River of the World

Misery's the River of the World

Everybody Row! Everybody Row!

Everybody Row

As published in the Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Spoken word as published in 2002 tour Woyzeck songbook (English translation by Betty Nansen Teatret)

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Misery River

(Woyzeck theatre version, 2000: Margret closing scene)⁽¹⁾

Misery's the river of the world

Misery's the river of the world

The higher that the monkey can climb⁽²⁾

The more he shows his tail

Call no man happy 'till he dies⁽³⁾

There's no milk at the bottom of the pail

God builds a church

The devil builds a chapel⁽⁴⁾

Like the thistles that are growing

'round the trunk of a tree

All the good in the world

You can put inside a thimble

And still have room for you and me

If there's one thing you can say

About mankind

There's nothing kind about man

You can drive out nature with a pitch fork

But it always comes roaring back again

Misery's the river of the world

Misery's the river of the world

Misery's the river of the world

For want of a bird

The sky was lost

For want of a nail

A shoe was lost

For want of a life

A knife was lost

For want of a toy

A child was lost⁽⁶⁾

Misery's the river of the world

Misery's the river of the world

Everybody row! Everybody row!

Everybody row! Everybody row!

Everybody row!

As published in the Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Misery River

(Blood Money studio version, 2002)

The higher that the monkey can climb⁽²⁾

The more he shows his tail

Call no man happy 'till he dies⁽³⁾

There's no milk at the bottom of the pail

God builds a church

The devil builds a chapel⁽⁴⁾

Like the thistles that are growing

'round the trunk of a tree

All the good in the world

You can put inside a thimble

And still have room for you and me

If there's one thing you can say

About mankind

There's nothing kind about man

You can drive out nature with a pitch fork

But it always comes roaring back again

Misery's the river of the world

Misery's the river of the world

Misery's the river of the world

The higher that the monkey can climb

The more he shows his tail

Call no man happy 'till he dies

There's no milk at the bottom of the pail

God tempers all the ruins for the new shorn lands⁽⁵⁾

The devil knows the bible like the back of his hand

All the good in the world

You can put inside a thimble

And still have room for you and me

If there's one thing you can say

About mankind

There's nothing kind about man

You can drive out nature with a pitch fork

But it always comes roaring back again

For want of a bird

The sky was lost

For want of a nail

A shoe was lost

For want of a life

A knife was lost

For want of a toy

A child was lost⁽⁶⁾

And misery's the river of the world

Misery's the river of the world

Everybody row! Everybody row!

Misery's the river of the world

Misery's the river of the world

Misery's the river of the world

Everybody row! Everybody row!

Everybody row! Everybody row!

Misery's the river of the world

Misery's the river of the world

Everybody row! Everybody row!

Everybody row! Everybody row!

Everybody row!

Misery's the river of the world

Misery's the river of the world

Misery's the river of the world

Misery's the river of the world

Everybody row! Everybody row!

Everybody row!

Written by: Tom Waits and Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Music (ASCAP), � 2000

Official release: Blood Money, Epitaph/ Anti Inc., 2002

Arrangements and lyrics published in "Tom Waits Blood Money" (Amsco Publications, 2002)

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Known covers:

Kazik Staszewski "Piosenki Toma Waitsa". Kazik Staszewski. March, 2003. VIP Production / Luna Music: LUNCD 093-2 (in Polish)

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Misery River (Early theatre version)

- Sung by Carnival Announcer (and entire cast) in prologue. Sung by Margret in closing scene

- Spoken intro by Margret (in 2006 released as Children's Story on Orphans (Bastards)): "Once upon a time there was a poor child, with no father and no mother. Everything was dead... And no one was left in the whole world. Everything was dead... And it went on search, day and night. And since nobody was left on earth, it wanted to go up to the heavens. And the moon was looking at it so friendly. And when it finally got to the moon, the moon was a piece of rotten wood! And then it went to the sun. And when it got there, the sun was a wilted sunflower. And when it got to the stars, they were little golden flies. Stuck up there! And the shrike^(1a) sticks 'em on a blackthorn^(1b). And when it wanted to go back, down to earth, the earth was an overturned piss pot. It was all alone, and it sat down and cried. And there it sits till this day. All alone... Misery's the river of the world... ." (Transcription by "Pieter from Holland" as published on the Tom Waits Library, 2000)

- Shrike or butcher bird, predatory songbird found in most parts of the world except Australia and South America. The plumage of the European and North American species is mostly gray, black, and white; the tail is long and rounded, and the wings are rather short. Some African species are brilliantly colored. The name butcher bird reflects its habit of impaling its prey-small birds and mammals and large insects-on a thorn or sharp twig before tearing it apart with its strong, tip-hooked beak. North American shrikes include the loggerhead, great gray or northern, and California shrikes. (Source: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001)

- Blackthorn: A spreading thorny shrub or small tree (Prunus spinosa), with blackish bark, and bearing little black plums, which are called sloes. Despite their succulent appearance the fruits are far too bitter for human consumption, except as a flavouring in home-made liqueurs

⁽²⁾ The higher that the monkey can climb: might be inspired by or referring to the classic first-wave ska hit "The Higher the Monkey Climb" (aka "Higher the Monkey Climbs") by Justin Hinds & the Dominoes (1966-1967, produced by Duke Reid). Also mentioned in "Tear Down These Walls" by Scottish Gaele band Runrig (Searchlight: Chrysalis, 1989): "The higher the monkey climbs the more he reveals. Tear down these walls. All men were born the same. You came here with nothing. But naked and a name. A name. Tear down these walls. They keep raising for you."

⁽³⁾ Call no man happy 'till he dies

- Thomas Sj�sv�rd (2006): "Ascribed to Solon (ancient Athenian statesman) by Herodotus (the 'father of history'). Herodotus (who probably just relates an older tradition) tells us how Solon, when asked by Croisus who is the happiest man, does not give the answer that Croisus wants. Finally C. asks why he himself doesn't qualify gives a long lecture in which the famous quote. From Herodotus Histories, book 1. chapter XXXII, translated by A. D. Godley: "So, Croesus, man is entirely chance. To me you seem to be very rich and to be king of many people, but I cannot answer your question before I learn that you ended your life well. The very rich man is not more fortunate than the man who has only his daily needs, unless he chances to end his life with all well. Many very rich men are unfortunate, many of moderate means are lucky. The man who is very rich but unfortunate surpasses the lucky man in only two ways, while the lucky surpasses the rich but unfortunate in many. The rich man is more capable of fulfilling his appetites and of bearing a great disaster that falls upon him, and it is in these ways that he surpasses the other. The lucky man is not so able to support disaster or appetite as is the rich man, but his luck keeps these things away from him, and he is free from deformity and disease, has no experience of evils, and has fine children and good looks. If besides all this he ends his life well, then he is the one whom you seek, the one worthy to be called fortunate. But refrain from calling him fortunate before he dies; call him lucky." The part "But refrain from calling him fortunate before he dies" is in the (Ionic (hence k� instead of p�)) Greek: "prin d' an teleut�s�i, epischein, m�de kaleein k� olbion". Even if this phrase could be translated exactly to what Waits sings through the monkey, he does leave the context out, including the part about being lucky (eutuchea). This context is interesting however, as it reminds us of All the world's green: "You turn kings into beggars and beggars into kings", which by the way sounds like another reference (Shakepeare... ?). Sophocles, who is either inspired by Herodotus, or draws from the same sources, has a simpler meaning (closer to Waits') in his play Oedipus Tyrannus (translated by Sir Richard Jebb, 1528-30: "Therefore, while our eyes wait to see the final destined day, we must call no mortal happy until he has crossed life's border free from pain." In the original: "h�ste thn�ton onta kein�n t�n teleutaian idein h�meran episkopounta m�den' olbizein, prin an terma tou biou peras�i m�den algeinon path�n." (Source: message as posted on Tom Waits Library messageboard. December 1, 2006)

⁽⁴⁾ God builds a church The devil builds a chapel

- Where God hath a temple, the Devil will have a chapel. Robert Burton. (1577-1640), Anatomy of Melancholy. Part iii. Sect. 4, Memb. 1, Subsect. 1.

- For where God built a church, there the Devil would also build a chapel.-Martin Luther: Table Talk, lxvii.

- God never had a church but there, men say, The Devil a chapel hath raised by some wyles. William Drummond: Posthumous Poems.

- No sooner is a temple built to God but the Devil builds a chapel hard by.-George Herbert: Jacula Prudentum

- Wherever God erects a house of prayer, The Devil always builds a chapel there. Daniel Defoe: The True-born Englishman, part i. line 1. (Source: John Bartlett (1820-1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.)

⁽⁵⁾ God tempers all the ruins for the new shorn lands

Notice these two different transcripts

A: "God tempers all the winds for the new shorn lambs" as transcribed in Woyzeck 2002 tour songbook (translation by Betty Nansen Teatret)

B: "God tempers all the ruins for the new shorn lands" as transcribed in "Tom Waits - Blood Money" 2002 songbook (Amsco Publications)

- God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb: Not a biblical quotation, but attributed to Lawrence Sterne (1713-1768). "Laurence Sterne (Maria, in the Sentimental Journey). In French, "A brebis tondue Dieu lui mesure le vent; " "Dieu mesure le froid � la brebis tondue. " "Dieu donne le froid selon la robbe." Sheep are shorn when the cold north-east winds have given way to milder weather (Source: The Dictionary Of Phrase And Fable By E. Cobham Brewer from The New And Enlarged Edition of 1894)

⁽⁶⁾ For want of a bird, the sky was lost: This verse is based on the nursery rhyme entitled "For Want Of A Nail" (The Real Mother Goose, 1926) :"For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; For want of the shoe, the horse was lost; For want of the horse, the rider was lost; For want of the rider, the battle was lost; For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost, And all for the want of a horseshoe nail."

Everything Goes To Hell

(Woyzeck theatre version, 2000)⁽¹⁾

Why be sweet, why be careful, why be kind?

A man has only one thing on his mind

Why ask politely, why go lightly, why say please?

They only want to get you on your knees

There are a few things I never could believe

A woman when she weeps

A merchant when he swears

A thief who says he'll pay

A lawyer when he cares

A snake when he is sleeping

A drunkard when he prays

I don't believe you go to heaven when you're good

Everything goes to hell, anyway...

Laissez-faire mi amour, se la vie

Shall I return to shore or swim back out to sea?

The world don't care what a soldier does in town

It's all hanging in the windows by the pound

There are a few things I never could believe...

Chorus

I only want to hear you purr and to hear you moan

There is another man who brings the money home

I don't want dishes in the sink

Please don't tell me what you feel or what you think

There are few things I never could believe...

Chorus

As published in the Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Everything Goes To Hell

(Blood Money studio version, 2002)

Why be sweet, why be careful, why be kind?

A man has only one thing on his mind

Why ask politely, why go lightly, why say please?

They only want to get you on your knees

There's a few things that I never could believe

Laissez-faire mi amour, ce la vie

Shall I return to shore or swim back out to sea?

The world don't care what a sailor does in town

It's all hanging in the windows by the pound

I don't believe you go to heaven when you're good

Everything goes to hell, anyway...

I only want to hear you purr and to hear you moan

You have another man who brings the money home

I don't want dishes in the sink

Don't tell me what you feel or what you think

There's a few things I never could believe...

Everything goes to hell, anyway...

Oh, everything goes to hell, anyway...

Known covers:

None

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Sung by Marie and the Drum Major in act 1, scene 6.

Coney Island Baby

(Woyzeck theatre version, 2000)⁽¹⁾

Every night she comes

To take me out to dreamland

When I'm with her, I'm the richest

Man in the town

She's a rose, she's the pearl

She's the spin on my world

All the stars make their wishes on her eyes

She's my Coney Island Baby

She's my Coney Island Girl

She's a princess in a red dress

She's the moon in the mist to me

She's my Coney Island Baby

She's my Coney Island Girl

As published in the Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Coney Island Baby

(Blood Money studio version, 2002)

Every night she comes

To take me out to dreamland⁽³⁾

When I'm with her, I'm the richest

Man in the town

She's a rose, she's a pearl

She's the spin on my world

All the stars make their wishes on her eyes

She's my Coney Island Baby

She's my Coney Island Girl

She's a princess in a red dress

She's the moon in the mist to me

She's my Coney Island Baby

She's my Coney Island Girl

Every night she comes

To take me out to dreamland

When I'm with her, I'm the richest

Man in the town

She's a rose, she's a pearl

She's the spin on my world

All the stars make their wishes on her eyes

She's my Coney Island Baby

She's my Coney Island Girl

She's a princess in a red dress

She's the moon in the mist to me

She's my Coney Island Baby

She's my Coney Island Girl

She's my Coney Island Baby

She's my Coney Island Girl

Known covers:

None

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Sung twice by Woyzeck throughout the play.

- Tom Waits (2000): "You have to have kind of an innocent bravery because, like for example on this, trying to get started just looking for songs. Kathleen said - well it's a circus story really. You know it starts with the Ferris wheel and the whole thing and this gal Marie is a Coney Island baby, and so we started there. And she had this beautiful melody on the piano, and it was like the way a kid would play the piano and when I heard it I said, god that is just so simple and so beautiful, and I hung onto it and put it onto a tape recorder and I carried around. And now it's the opening melody in the story. It's the first thing you hear, what sounds like a child's piano lesson and it really works" (Source: "Waits/ Wilson Woyzeck Promo Interview", 2000. Audio tape, video tape (Betty Nansen promo video)

⁽²⁾ Coney Island

- American amusement park/ vacation destination in Brooklyn/ New York. Further reading: Coney Island 1; Coney Island 2; Coney Island 3; Coney Island 4; Coney Island 5.

- Also mentioned in: Take it with me, 1999: "Old long since gone, now way back when we lived in Coney Island.", Table Top Joe, 1992/ 2002: "So I went to Coney Island, I was singing this song."

Tom Waits (2002): "I think it's impossible to avoid a romantic experience in Coney Island... I went to a shooting gallery there in February - it was the only place open in the whole park. It was one of those shooting galleries where the rifle shoots a beam of light instead of an actual bullet, and all the creatures in the gallery have these light-sensitive bullseye patches on their chests, so if you hit them their head comes off, a bell goes off or you hear a loud song. And I had a camera - I was taking a photo of my buddies - and I hit the flash on my camera and every animal in the cavalry went mad. And this Puerto Rican guy ran out shaking his fist at me and chasing me away, saying I was going to ruin his business. It's an extraordinary place." (Source: "Lying in Waits". The Age (Australia) by Patrick Donovan. May 10, 2002)

- Coney Island baby: Might refer to, or be inspired by the 1962 song by Vinny Catalano and Peter Alonzo (recorded by The Excellents), and/or the 1945 Les Appleton barbershop song of the same name. It is also the title of an album/ song by Lou Reed, released in 1976.

Excellents version, 1962: "You're my Coney Island baby you mean so much to me. You're my pretty little lady I love you tenderly. You're my lucky star that's what you are You're my Coney Island baby You're so precious so sweet. Since the day I met you my life has been complete. You're my every thing soon you'll wear my ring You're my girl oh-oh-oh-oh-oh. Just the two of us here on the blanket of love. Writing love letters in the sand. As long as there's sand and as long as there's a sea. You'll be my Coney Island Baby. You're my Coney Island baby don't ever let me down You're my pretty little lady feel like I'm wearing a crown. Don't ever leave me don't ever go. You're my Coney Island Baby I love you, I love you so. You're my Coney Island baby I want you, I want you to know You're my Coney Island Baby I love you, I love you so."

⁽³⁾ Dreamland

- One of the Coney Island parks that operated from 1904-1911. It was destroyed by a fire. Further reading: Dreamland by Adam Sandy; Dreamland pictures;

- Also mentioned in: Flower's Grave ("Someday the silver moon and I Will go to Dreamland I will close my eyes And wake up there in Dreamland"), Table Top Joe ("They gave me top billing in the Dreamland show"), Everything You Can Think Of Is True ("We're fighting our way up Dreamland's spine With red flamingos and expensive wine").

- Might be inspired by "Meet Me Tonight In Dreamland", Words by Beth Slater Whitson, music by Leo Friedman, 1909. Popularized by Henry Burr. Performed by Judy Garland in the film, In the Good Old Summertime, 1949.

All The World's Green

(Woyzeck theatre version, 2000)⁽¹⁾

He:

I fell into the ocean

When you became my wife

I risked it all against the sea

To have a better life

Marie you're the wide blue sky

And men do foolish things

You turn kings into beggars

And beggars into kings

Pretend that you owe me nothing

And all the world is green

Let's pretend we can bring back the old days again

And all the world is green

She:

Let me lie about it all

Call back yesterday

We lay down in a shady grove

With the yellow buds of May

Now the shadows are getting longer

Winter's moving in

It is colder than I remember

That it's ever been

Pretend that you owe me nothing

And all the world is green

Let's pretend we can bring back the old days again

And all the world is green

She:

The face forgives the mirror

The worm forgives the plow

The questions begs the answer

Can you forgive me somehow

Maybe when our story's over

We'll go where it's always spring

The band is playing our song again

And all the world is green

Pretend that you owe me nothing

And all the world is green

Let's pretend we can bring back the old days again

And all the world is green

He:

When the moon is yellow silver⁽²⁾

On the things that summer brings

It's a love you'd kill for

And all the world is green

He is balancing a diamond

On a blade of grass⁽³⁾

The dew will settle on our grave

When all the world is green

As published in the Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

All The World's Green

(Blood Money studio version, 2002)

I fell into the ocean

When you became my wife

I risked it all against the sea

To have a better life

Marie you are the wild blue sky

And men do foolish things

You turn kings into beggars

And beggars into kings

Pretend that you owe me nothing

And all the world is green

We can bring back the old days again

But all the world is green

The face forgives the mirror

The worm forgives the plow⁽²⁾

The question begs the answer

Can you forgive me somehow

Maybe when our story's over

We'll go where it's always spring

The band is playing our song again

And all the world is green

Pretend that you owe me nothing

And all the world is green

Pretend we can bring back the old days again

But all the world is green

The moon is yellow silver⁽⁴⁾

On the things that summer brings

It's a love you'd kill for

And all the world is green

He's balancing a diamond

On a blade of grass⁽³⁾

The dew will settle on our grave

And all the world is green

Pretend that you owe me nothing

And all the world is green

We can bring back the old days again

But all the world is green

He's balancing a diamond

On a blade of grass

The dew will settle on our graves

And all the world is green

Known covers:

Vilka Tror Vi Att Vi �r. Bo Kaspers Orkester, 2003. Columbia/Sony (Norway). Allt �r Som F�rut

Something..Old, New, Borrowed, Blue. Ytre Suløens Jass-Ensemble. October 21, 2005. Herman Records (Norway)

The Adventure Through Liquid Space. The Long Holidays. February 11, 2010. Self-released

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Sung as a duet by Woyzeck and Marie in act 3, scene 1

⁽²⁾ The worm forgives the plow: Quoted from William Blake's Proverbs From Hell. Excerpt from "Proverbs of Hell" (William Blake: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, c. 1790): "In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy. Drive your cart and your plough over the bones of the dead. The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom. Prudence is a rich, ugly old maid courted by Incapacity. He who desires but acts not, breeds pestilence. The cut worm forgives the plough. Dip him in the river who loves water. A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees. He whose face gives no light, shall never become a star. Eternity is in love with the productions of time."

⁽³⁾ He is balancing a diamond on a blade of grass: Also mentioned in Bottom Of The World (Orphans, Brawlers, 2006): "Well, God's green hair is where I slept last He balanced a diamond on a blade of grass."

⁽⁴⁾ Silver moon: Notice the same phrase being mentioned in: Drunk On the moon, 1974: "And the moon's a silver slipper, It's pouring champagne stars." The World Keeps Turning, 2001: "The world don't care and yet it clings to me, And the moon is gold and silvery." Flower's Grave, 2002: "Someday the silver moon and I, Will go to Dreamland.

God's Away On Business

(Woyzeck theatre version, 2000)⁽¹⁾

There's a one-eyed man⁽⁷⁾ in the poker pit

They're digging up the dead with a shovel and a pick

The sun went down; the moon wept blood

A bloody jack of Diamonds, a plague and a flood⁽⁶⁾

There's a leak, there's a leak

In the boiler room⁽³⁾, the poor, the lame, the blind⁽⁵⁾

Who are the ones left in charge?

Killers, thieves and whores

There's a leak, there's a leak

In the boiler room, the poor, the lame, the blind

Who are the ones left in charge?

Killers, thieves and whores

God's Away, God's Away, God's Away on Business ...

Bacteria, bacteria⁽⁸⁾ ...

As published in the Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

God's Away On Business

(Blood Money studio version, 2002)

I'd sell your heart to the junkman baby⁽²⁾

For a buck, for a buck

If you're looking for someone to pull you out of that ditch

You're out of luck, you're out of luck.

The ship is sinking

The ship is sinking

The ship is sinking

There's a leak, there's a leak in the boiler room⁽³⁾

The poor, the lame, the blind⁽⁴⁾

Who are the ones that we kept in charge?

Killers, thieves, and lawyers!⁽⁵⁾

God's Away, God's Away

God's away on Business.

Business.

God's Away, God's Away

God's away on Business.

Business.

Digging up the dead with a shovel and a pick

It's a job, it's a job

Bloody moon rising with a plague and a flood⁽⁶⁾

Join the mob, join the mob

It's all over, it's all over.

It's all over.

There's a leak, there's a leak in the boiler room

The poor, the lame, the blind

Who are the ones that we kept in charge?

Killers, thieves, and lawyers!

God's Away, God's Away

God's away on Business.

Business.

God's Away, God's Away

God's away on Business.

Business.

Goddamn there's always such a big temptation

To be good, To be good

There's always free Cheddar in a mousetrap, baby

It's a deal, it's a deal

God's away, God's away, God's away On Business.

Business.

I narrow my eyes like a coin slot baby,

Let her ring, let her ring

God's Away, God's Away

God's away on Business.

Business...

Known covers:

Kazik Staszewski "Piosenki Toma Waitsa". Kazik Staszewski. March, 2003. VIP Production / Luna Music: LUNCD 093-2 (in Polish)

Unplugged. Anne B�renz & Frank Wolff. 2003. B�chergilde (Germany)

Greetings From Hell - The Tom Waits Songbook, Hell Blues Choir. September, 2003. Tylden & Co (Norway)

Music video promoting "God's Away On Business" directed by Jesse Dylan (ANTI, 2002).

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ God's Away On Business (Early theatre version): Sung by The Doctor in act 1, scene 4

- Q (2002): "You've been singing a song about God being away on business. Why is he away? Tom Waits: I don't know, it's hard to say. It's song-logic, you know. I don't know. Perhaps he's away indefinitely. Perhaps he was never here. You know, there are two different schools of thought on that I guess. Q: And you called his office and got a message? TW: (laughs) Yeah, well no. It's just eh, one of those things you say in order to explain the way that you feel in metaphor. I guess eh. It feels sometimes in the world that God is away on business and he's not coming back". (Source: Anti Electronic Press Kit - "We're All Mad Here - A Conversation With Tom Waits": Music industry promo. (P) & � 2002 Epitaph/ Anti Inc)

⁽²⁾ I'd sell your heart to the junkman baby

- Might refer to the song "I Sold My Heart to The Junkman" (by Leon Rene and Otis Rene Jr.). Made famous by Patti Labelle & The Bluebelles (actually sung by the Starlets) in 1962 :"I gave my heart to you, the one that I trusted. You brought it back to me all broken and busted so I sold my heart to the junkman and I'll never fall in love again." Also covered by Bette Midler and Bruce Springsteen.

⁽³⁾ There's a leak in the boiler room: In 1984/ 1985 Waits actually spend some time in a genuine boilerroom:

- Tom Waits (1986): "You see, I think the place that you write stuff usually ends up in the song. I wrote most of Raindogs down on Washington St. It's a kind of rough area, Lower Manhattan between Canal and 14th St., just about a block in from the river. I started sharing a rehearsal space with the Lounge Lizards. I had nights there in this boiler room and a Siamese cat would go by sounding like a crying baby, every night. And there was a drummer down the hall. It was a good place for me to work. Very quiet, except for the water coming through the pipes every now and then. Sort of like being in a vault" (Source: "Waits Happening" Beat magazine 1986, by Pete Silverton).

- During the 1987 tour promoting Frank's Wild Years, Waits would often use this phrase as a nonsense song, asking the crowd to sing along.

⁽⁴⁾ The poor, the lame, the blind: Biblical reference: (Luke 4:16-21 & Luke 14:12-14 and 21): "Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them. So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.", "Then He also said to him who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. "But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. "And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just." (Quoted from The New King James Bible, � 1984 Thomas Nelson Company)

⁽⁵⁾ Killers, thieves, and lawyers!: Note Waits has changed "Killers, thieves and whores" into "Killers, thieves and lawyers" :-)

⁽⁶⁾ Bloody moon rising with a plague and a flood: Biblical reference: could be some endtime bible prophecy with: Noah and the Great Flood/ The Plague of Locusts and "bloody moon" references: "I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places." (North American Standard Bible, Revelation 6:12-14). "Before them the earth quakes, The heavens tremble, The sun and the moon grow dark, And the stars lose their brightness. And I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire, and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes." (Source: North American Standard Bible, Joel 2:10, 30-31)

⁽⁷⁾ One eyed man/ one eyed Jack: 1. adj. [1960s+] (US) in poker, used of a king or jack, esp. as wild cards. [the design of the face depicted in profile on cards] (Source: "Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang". Jonathon Green. Cassel & Co., 1998. ISBN: 0-304-35167-9)

⁽⁸⁾ Bacteria, bacteria

- The "Bacteria story" is originally from 1985. It was later also referred to in Frank's Wild Years the play (1986).

- Tom Waits (1985): 'Rather than tell you what kind of stories I like, I'll tell you a story.' Waits says in his friendly growl. 'These two guys come out of a bar one night. They're not drunk, it goes without saying, and it's not much later than three in the morning. From down the street they hear someone singing. Opera. Now they're both opera fans - naturally - and one says to the other, "That's good. That's Puccini." And the other says, "No, it's better, it's Rossini." So they go closer and the singer's still going at it. It's a guy, and he's wearing a Stetson, and he's big, but not much bigger than a garbage truck, and he's singing at the top of his voice, like Maria Callas in "Figaro" or something "BACT-ER-I-A, BACT-EEEER-IA, BACT-EER-IA."' 'That is what I call a New York story," says Waits. (Source: "Dog Day Afternoon" Time Out magazine (UK), by Richard Rayner. New York, October 3-9, 1985)

Another Man's Vine

(Woyzeck theatre version, 2000)⁽¹⁾

Bougainvillea's⁽²⁾ bloom and wind

Be careful mind the strangle vines

The rose is climbing over blind

'Cause the sun is on the other side

The bees will find their honey

The sweetest every time

Around a Red Rose

I see a red rose, a red rose

Blooming on another man's vine

Golden Willie's gone to war

He left his young wife on the shore

Will she be steadfast everyday?

While Golden Willie is far away

Along the way her letters end

She never reads what Willie sends

Now I see a red rose

I smell a red rose

I'll pick a red rose

Blooming on another man's vine

As published in the Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Another Man's Vine

(Blood Money studio version, 2002)

Bougainvilleas⁽²⁾ bloom and wind

Be careful mind the strangle vines

The rose is climbing over blind

'Cause the sun is on the other side

The bees will find their honey

The sweetest every time

Around a red rose

I see a red rose

A red rose blooming on another man's vine

Golden Willie's gone to war

He left his young wife on the shore

Will she be steadfast everyday?

While Golden Willie is far away

Along the way her letters end

She never reads what Willie sends

I see a red rose

I smell a red rose

A red rose blooming on another man's vine

Known covers:

None

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Another Man's Vine (Early theatre version): Sung by Drum Major in act 1, scene 4

⁽²⁾ Bougainvilleas: "In 1768 when Admiral Louis de Bougainvillea began his long journey to the Pacific Ocean and discovered the vine that now bears his name, it was a botanical highlight of the voyage. Through the ensuing years, this Brazilian beauty has assumed its rightful place as one of the most popular, spectacular and beautiful tropical plants. The modern day hybrids of Bougainvillea spectabilis (B. Brasiliensis) and B. glabra are among the most beautiful of flowering vines. These tropical members of the Nyctaginaceae (Four-O'Clock) family, are very vigorous, evergreen, woody vines with spines... The blooms as we know them are not true flowers, but are 3 large papery bracts that encircle small, white, tubular inconspicuous flowers." (Source: Texas A&M Horticulture program, Aggie Horticulture Network). Further reading: Bougainvillea Info Page

Lullaby (Aka. Overturned Pot)

Lullaby

(Also known as: Overturned Pot)

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 your 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

Known covers:

Mano Que Mece La Luna. Various artists. October 17, 2007. Sello Autor/ Spain (performed by La Chicana)

The Love List. Kaya Brüel. April 21, 2008. Stunt Records

Come On Up. Dieter Weslowski. March 1, 2010. Self-released

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Sung by: Marie in act 1, scene 3 and by Karl the Fool in act 3, scene 2

Starving In The Belly (Of A Whale)

(Woyzeck theatre version, 2000)⁽¹⁾

Your life is whittled

Time's a riddle; man's a fiddle

That it plays on

When the day breaks

And the earth quakes; your life's a mistake

All day long

Who gives a good god damn

You'll never get out alive

There's no meaning; don't go dreaming

A man must test his mettle

In a crooked old world

Starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly of a Whale

As published in the Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Starving In The Belly (Of A Whale)

(Blood Money studio version, 2002)

Life is whittled

Life's a riddle;

Man's a fiddle

That life plays on

When the day breaks

And the earth quakes;

Life's a mistake

All day long

You tell me:

Who gives a good goddamn

You'll never get out alive

Don't go dreaming; don't go scheming

A man must test his mettle

In a crooked old world

Starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly of a Whale

Oh, you're starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly of a Whale

Don't take my word

Just look skyward

They that dance must pay the fiddler⁽²⁾

Sky is darkening

Dogs are barking

But the caravan moves on

You tell me:

Who gives a good goddamn

You'll never get out alive

Don't go dreaming; don't go scheming

A man must test his mettle

In a crooked old world

Starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly of a Whale

Oh, we're starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly of a Whale

As the crow flies

It's there the truth lies

At the bottom of the well

E-o-leven goes to heaven

Bless the dead here as the rain falls

Don't trust a bull's horn

A Doberman's tooth

A runaway horse or me

Don't be greedy, don't be needy

If you live in hope you're

Dancing to a terrible tune

Starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly of a Whale

You're starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly

Starving in the Belly of a Whale

Known covers:

Kazik Staszewski "Piosenki Toma Waitsa". Kazik Staszewski. March, 2003. VIP Production / Luna Music: LUNCD 093-2 (in Polish)

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Starving In The Belly (Early theatre version): Sung by The Captain in act 2, scene 2

⁽²⁾ They that dance must pay the fiddler: American saying attributed to Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

The Part You Throw Away

(Ute Lemper version, 2000)

You dance real slow

And you wreck it down

Walk away and you turn around

What did that old blonde guy say

That's the part you throw away

I want that beggar's eyes

The winning horse

A tidy Mexican divorce

St. Mary's prayers Houdini's⁽¹⁾ hands

And a barman who always understands

Will you loose the flowers

Hold on to the vase?

Will you wipe all those teardrops away from your face?

And I can't help feeling as I close the door

I have done all of this many times before

The bone must go

The wish can stay

A kiss don't know what the lips will say

Forget I ever hurt you

Put stones in our bed

Remember to never mind instead

But all of your letters burned up in the fire

And time is just memory mixed with desire⁽²⁾

That's not the road It's only the map, I say

Gone just like matches from a closed down cabaret

In a Portuguese saloon⁽³⁾

A fly is circling round the room

You'll soon forget the tune that they play

For that's the part you throw away

For that's the part you throw away

Written by: Tom Waits and Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Music (ASCAP), � 2000

Official release: Punishing Kiss - Ute Lemper, 2000 (performed by Ute Lemper)

The Part You Throw Away

(Blood Money studio version, 2002)

You dance real slow

You wreck it down

Then you walk away you turn around

What did that old blonde gal say?

That is the part you throw away

I want that beggar's eyes

a winning horse

A tidy Mexican divorce

St. Mary's prayers, Houdini's⁽¹⁾ hands

And a barman who always...

understands

Will you loose the flowers

Hold on to the vase?

Will you wipe all those teardrops

away from your face?

I can't help feeling as I close the door

I have done all of this...

many times before

But the bone must go

The wish can stay

The kiss don't know what the lips will say

Forget I've hurt you

Put stones in our bed

And remember to never...

mind instead

But all of your letters burned up in the fire

And time is just memory mixed with desire⁽²⁾

That's not the road It is only the map, I say

Gone just like matches...

from a closed down cabaret

In a Portuguese saloon⁽³⁾

A fly is circling around the room

You'll soon forget the tune that you play

Cause that is the part...

you throw away

Oh that is the part...

you throw away

Written by: Tom Waits and Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Music (ASCAP), � 2000

Official release: Blood Money, Epitaph/ Anti Inc., 2002

Known covers:

Punishing Kiss. Ute Lemper. March 2000/ April 4, 2000. Polygram (Japan), Uni/ Decca (USA)

Kazik Staszewski "Piosenki Toma Waitsa". Kazik Staszewski. March, 2003. VIP Production / Luna Music: LUNCD 093-2 (in Polish)

Steve Evans Quartet, 2 Sets. Steve Evans. December 4, 2006. Self-released

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Houdini: Erich Weiss. Born: Appleton, WI, 1874 - Died: Detroit, 1926. American actor/ magician. He became famous for sensational stunts, escaping from: cuffs, ropes, chains, straitjackets and locked suitcases, submerged in water.

- Also mentioned in The One That Got Away (Small Change, 1976): "Someone tipped her off, and she'll be doin' a Houdini now any day."

⁽²⁾ Memory mixed with desire:

- Might be inspired by or referring to "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" (short story by J.D. Salinger first published in the January 31, 1948 issue of The New Yorker, and later collected in 1949's 55 Stories from the New Yorker, as well as his 1953 collection, Nine Stories.): "Sybil immediately stooped and began to dig in the sand. "Let's go in the water," she said. "All right," said the young man. "I think I can work it in." "Next time, push her off," Sybil said. "Push who off?" "Sharon Lipschutz." "Ah, Sharon Lipschutz," said the young man. "How that name comes up. Mixing memory and desire." (Submitted by Zs�fi Szab� as sent to Tom Waits Library. January, 2006)

- Might be inspired by the opening of T.S Eliot's The Wasteland: "... April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain" (Submitted by Silvio Darío, October 2008).

⁽³⁾ In a Portuguese saloon

- Terry Gilliam (2002): I'm looking down at [lyrics I've written] here and I keep seeing things like, "On the porch, geese salute."Is that the way the lyrics go? Tom Waits: Oh no. That's even better. "In a Portuguese saloon." But I like that better. I'm going to write that down. [Terry repeats as Tom writes] (Source: "Grimm's Reapers": Black Book magazine (USA) June, 2002 by Terry Gilliam. Date April 10, 2002)

- Tom Waits (2002): "I like the missing pieces. I don't like things too tidy. (Filmmaker) Terry Gilliam heard the line "in a Portuguese saloon" (from The Part You Throw Away), and he thought I was saying, "On the porch, the geese salute." That's better! I hope more people misunderstand me." (Source: "I hope more people misunderstand me": USA Today (USA), by Edna Gundersen. Date: Published: June 17, 2002)

Woe

(Also known as: Woyzeck's Woe)

The ribbon round your neck

against your skin it's pale as bone

It is my favorite thing you've worn

The band is playing our song

And we won't go home, 'til morn

Written by: Tom Waits and Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Music (ASCAP), � 2000 and Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Official release: Blood Money, Epitaph/ Anti Inc., 2002

Arrangements and lyrics published in "Tom Waits Blood Money" (Amsco Publications, 2002)

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Known covers:

None

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Sung by Woyzeck in act 3, scene 3

A Good Man Is Hard To Find

(Woyzeck theatre version, 2000)⁽²⁾

I lit a wooden match; I let it all burn down

I've broken every rule; I've wrecked it all down

There are no words in the wind, the trees are all bare

Life's mean as a needle; but why should I care?

A good man is hard to find

Only strangers sleep in my bed

My favorite words are good-bye

And my favorite color is red

I always play Russian Roulette in my head

It's seventeen black and twenty-nine red

How far from the gutter; how far from the pew

I'll always remember to forget about you

A good man is hard to find

Only strangers sleep in my bed

My favorite words are good-bye

And my favorite color is red

A long dead soldier looks out from the frame

No one remembers his war; no one remembers his name

Go out to the meadow; scare off all the crows

It does nothing but rain here, and nothing will grow

A good man is hard to find

Only strangers sleep in my bed

My favorite words are good-bye

And my favorite color is red

As published in the Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

A Good Man Is Hard To Find

(Blood Money studio version, 2002)

Well, I always play Russian Roulette in my head

It's seventeen black or twenty-nine red

How far from the gutter; how far from the pew

I will always remember to forget about you

A good man is hard to find

Only strangers sleep in my bed

My favorite words are: good-bye

And my favorite color is red

A long dead soldier looks out from the frame

No one remembers his war; no one remembers his name

Go out to the meadow; scare off all the crows

It does nothing but rain here, and nothing will grow

A good man is hard to find

Only strangers sleep in my bed

And my favorite words are: good-bye

And my favorite color is...

my favorite color is...

my favorite color is red

Written by: Tom Waits and Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Music (ASCAP), � 2000

Official release: Blood Money, Anti, 2002

Arrangement and lyrics published in "Tom Waits - Blood Money" (Amsco Publications, 2002)

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Known covers:

A Little Yearning. Camille O'Sullivan. 2002/ 2003. cat-o-stripes records (hidden track)

The Love List. Kaya Brüel. April 21, 2008. Stunt Records

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ A Good Man Is Hard To Find: One might assume this song is named after "A Good Man Is Hard to Find, and Other Stories (1955)" by Flannery O'Connor (American writer: 1925-1964): "In the title story a grandmother, her son and daughter-in-law and their three children, are on a car journey. They encounter an escaped criminal called the Misfit and his two killers, Hiram and Bobby Lee. The family is casually wiped out by them when the grandmother recognizes the Misfit from his ''Wanted'' poster. The hallucinating grandmother murmurs: "Why you're one of my babies. You're one of my own children!" The Misfit shoots her and says: "She would of been a good woman if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life." (Source: Pegasos, 2000)

⁽²⁾ A Good Man Is Hard To Find (Early theatre version): Sung by Marie in act 2, scene 1

Orphans - Bawlers (Anti, 2006)

It's Over

(Liberty Heights studio version, 1999)

You must have brought the bad weather with you

The sky's the colour of lead

All you've left me is a feather

on an unmade bed

It's always me whenever there's trouble

The world does nothing but turn

And the ring it fell off my finger

I guess I'll never learn

But it's over, it's over, it's over

I'm getting dressed in the dark

Our story ends before it begins

I always confess to everyone's sins

The nail gets hammered down

And it's over, let it go

So don't go and make a big deal out of nothing

Well it's just a storm on a dime

And I've always found there's nothing

that money can't buy

I've already gone to the place I'm going

There's no place left to fall

And there's something to be said

for saying nothing at all

And it's over, it's over, it's over

It's done forgotten and through

No one cares what it's all for

You'll be buried in the clothes

that you've never wore

So keep your suitcase by the door

It's over, let it go

No one cares what it's all for

You'll be buried in the clothes

that you never wore

So keep your suitcase by the door

It's over, let it go

You gotta let it go

Let it go, let it go

Written by: Tom Waits and Kathleen Waits-Brennan⁽¹⁾

Published by: Jalma Music (ASCAP), � 1999

Recorded at Prairie Sun Recording studios. Cotati, CA/ USA, 1998

Official release: Liberty Heights soundtrack album, 1999

It's Over

(Orphans studio version, 2006)

I must have brought the bad weather with me

The sky's the colour of lead

All you've left me was a feather

on an unmade bed

It's always me whenever there's trouble

The world does nothing but turn

And the ring it fell off my finger

I guess I'll never learn

And it's over, it's over, it's over

I'm getting dressed in the dark

Our story ends before it begins

I always confess to everyone's sins

The nail gets hammered down

And it's over, let it go

So don't go and make a big deal out of nothing

It's just a storm on a dime

And I've always found there's nothing

that money can not buy

I've already gone to the place that I'm going

There's no place left to fall

And there's something to be said

about saying nothing at all⁽²⁾

Cause baby then it's over, and it's over

It's done forgotten and through

Story ends before it begins

I always confess to everyone's sins

The nail gets hammered down

And it's over, let it go

You got to let me go

I wanna let it go

I wanna let it go

I wanna let you go

I want to let you go

Written by: Tom Waits and Kathleen Waits-Brennan⁽¹⁾

Published by: Jalma Music (ASCAP), � 1999/ 2006

Official release: Orphans (Bawlers), (P) & � 2006 Anti Inc.

Known covers:

None

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ It's Over: Also included in the play Woyzeck (sung by Margret in act 2, scene 5). Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

⁽²⁾ Extra verse as transcribed in Orphans booklet (from original Woyzeck version, 2000): "And it's over, it's over, it's over. It's done forgotten and through. No one cares what it's all for. You'll be buried in the clothes that you never wore. So keep your suitcase by the door. It's over, let it go."

Shiny Things

(Woyzeck theatre version, 2000)⁽¹⁾

The things a crow puts in his nest

They are always things he finds that shine best

Somehow they'll find a shiny dime, a silver twine

From a Valentine

The crows all bring them shiny things

Leave me alone you big ol' Moon

the light you cast is just a liar

You're like the crows, 'cos if it glows

You're dressed to go, you guessed I know

You'll always cling to shiny things

Well, I'm not dancing here tonight

But things are bound to turn around

Though the only I want that shines is to be king

here in your eyes

To be your only shiny thing

As published in the Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Shiny Things

(Orphans studio version, 2006)

The things a crow puts in his nest

They are always things he finds that shine best

Somehow he'll find

a shiny dime

a silver twine

from a Valentine

The crows all bring

them shiny things

Leave me alone you big ol' moon

the light you cast is just a liar

You're like the crows

'cos if it glows

you're dressed to go

you guessed I know

You'll always bring

them shiny things

Well, I'm not dancing here tonight

But things are bound to turn around

The only thing

I want that shines

is to be king

there in your eyes

To be your only

shiny thing

Written by: Tom Waits and Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Music (ASCAP), � 2000/ 2006

Official release: Orphans (Bawlers), (P) & � 2006 Anti Inc.

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Known covers:

Bangin' On The Table With An Old Tin Cup. Pascal Fricke. April 12, 2007. Self-released (Germany)

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Sung by Karl the fool in act 2, scene 5.

Orphans - Bastards (Anti, 2006)

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⁽¹⁾ sticks 'em on a blackthorn⁽²⁾

And when he wanted to go back, down to earth,

the earth was an overturned piss pot⁽³⁾

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!

Written by: Georg B�chner (Woyzeck, <1837)⁽⁴⁾

Published by: public domain

Official release: Orphans (Bastards), (P) & � 2006 Anti Inc.

Waits version originally from the theatre play Woyzeck (2000) as a spoken intro by Margret for Misery River.

Known covers:

N/A

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Shrike or butcher bird, predatory songbird found in most parts of the world except Australia and South America. The plumage of the European and North American species is mostly gray, black, and white; the tail is long and rounded, and the wings are rather short. Some African species are brilliantly colored. The name butcher bird reflects its habit of impaling its prey-small birds and mammals and large insects-on a thorn or sharp twig before tearing it apart with its strong, tip-hooked beak. North American shrikes include the loggerhead, great gray or northern, and California shrikes. (Source: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001)

⁽²⁾ Blackthorn: A spreading thorny shrub or small tree (Prunus spinosa), with blackish bark, and bearing little black plums, which are called sloes. Despite their succulent appearance the fruits are far too bitter for human consumption, except as a flavouring in home-made liqueurs

⁽³⁾ Overturned piss pot

- Compare story to "Lullaby" (aka "Overturned piss pot") from the Woyzeck play, 2000.

- Q (2006): When you were a kid, what kind of stories were read to you? Nothing about the world being an "upside-down piss pot"? Tom Waits: An "overturned piss pot." I added that line. [Recites] "He is there to this day, all alone." Most children's stories have a dark element. There's the two brothers: One was kinda slow in the head, not very ambitious, and the other one left home early and got lost. They're always sad or frightening. Most of them are cautionary tales. When my kids were young, I would make stories up and say, "Give me the elements, what do you want in there? Okay, a tree, a polar bear and a typewriter. All right." That's how we usually start. Stories kind of tell themselves, especially when you're searching for the next chapter. It's kind of a real condensed version of what you do when you're really writing. When you're writing for kids, you have to come up with stuff on the spot." (Source: "Tom Waits Call And Response", Stop Smiling magazine No. 28 (USA). October 27, 2006)

⁽⁴⁾ Children's story: original German text from Georg Büchner's Woyzeck: "GROSSMUTTER : Kommt, ihr kleinen Krabben! - Es war einmal ein arm Kind und hatt' kein Vater und keine Mutter, war alles tot, und war niemand mehr auf der Welt. Alles tot, und es is hingangen und hat gesucht Tag und Nacht. Und weil auf der Erde niemand mehr war, wollt's in Himmel gehn, und der Mond guckt es so freundlich an; und wie es endlich zum Mond kam, war's ein Stück faul Holz. Und da is es zur Sonn gangen, und wie es zur Sonn kam, war's ein verwelkt Sonneblum. Und wie's zu den Sternen kam, waren's kleine goldne Mücken, die waren angesteckt, wie der Neuntöter sie auf die Schlehen steckt. Und wie's wieder auf die Erde wollt, war die Erde ein umgestürzter Hafen. Und es war ganz allein. Und da hat sich's hingesetzt und geweint, und da sitzt es noch und is ganz allein."

Woyzeck (unreleased theatre versions, 2000)

Diamond In Your Mind

(Woyzeck theatre version, 2000)⁽¹⁾

Always keep a diamond in your mind

Always keep a diamond in your mind

Wherever you may wander

Wherever you may roam

Always keep a diamond in your mind

Zerelda Samuels said she ain't never prayed

'til her right arm was blown off in a Pinkerton raid⁽²⁾

They lashed her to a windmill with '3-fingered Dave'

now she's 102 and drinking juleps⁽³⁾ in the shade

Always keep a diamond in your mind

Always keep a diamond in your mind

Wherever you may wander

Wherever you may roam

Always keep a diamond in your mind

Sissy's hanging laundry down by the brook

Penfield Morgan's taking more than a look

if it weren't for the squawk of the rocker⁽⁴⁾

that's kept out in the rain

There would be nothing to complain about

except for the trains...oh,

Always keep a diamond in your mind

Always keep a diamond in your mind

Wherever you may wander

Wherever you may roam

Always keep a diamond in your mind

As published in the Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Diamond In Your Mind

(Solomon Burke version, 2002)⁽⁵⁾

I shook the hand of the president and the pope in Rome

I've been to parties where I've had to be flown

They said everything was sacred, nothing was profane

And money was something that you throw off the back of trains⁽⁶⁾

Ooh, always keep a diamond in your mind

You gotta always keep a diamond in your mind

Wherever you may wander, wherever you may roam

You gotta always keep a diamond in your mind

Steam of the gravy with little fried pearls

Floating like a necklace on a beautiful girl

Joan says "thanks" for the food and land

And [...?...] on my hands⁽⁷⁾

Ooh, always keep a diamond in your mind

Always keep a diamond in your mind

Wherever you may wander, wherever you may roam

You gotta always keep a diamond in your mind

She's got the milk of human kindness and the fat of the lamb

Scared like a baby, but she drives like a man

She lives outside of Natchez where she operates a crane

She's like a wrecking ball no longer connected to the chain

Ooh, Zerelda Samuels said she almost never prayed

Said she lost her right arm, blown off in a Pinkerton raid⁽²⁾

Then they lashed her to a windmill with old '3-fingered Dave'

Now she's 102, drinking mint juleps⁽³⁾ in the shade

Always keep a diamond in your mind

You gotta always keep a diamond in your mind

Wherever you may wander, wherever you may roam

Your gotta always keep a diamond in your mind

Always keep a diamond in your mind

Always keep a diamond in your mind

Wherever you may wander, wherever you may roam

Your gotta always keep a diamond in your mind

Always keep a diamond in your mind

Always keep a diamond in your mind

Thank you

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Official release: "Don't Give Up On Me. Solomon Burke"

Label: Fat Possum Records, 2002

Known covers:

Don't Give Up On Me. Solomon Burke. July 23, 2002. Fat Possum Records

Propeller. Heather Waters. April 29, 2008. Self-released

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Sung by Woyzeck and Andres in act 1, scene 2

⁽²⁾ Pinkerton: Scottish-born American detective. His agency was notorious for breaking strikes and disrupting labor efforts to unionize (Source: The American Heritage� Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright � 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company)

⁽³⁾ Juleps: A sweet syrupy drink, especially one to which medicine can be added. (Source: The American Heritage� Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright � 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company)

⁽⁴⁾ Squawk of the rocker: Squawk: n. Act/ noise of squawking; a harsh squeak (Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, � 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.)

- Rocker: A chair mounted on rockers; a rocking-chair (Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, � 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.)

⁽⁵⁾ Solomon Burke version:

- Don Waller (2002): "BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! "What's that noise in my earphones?" soul giant Solomon Burke calls into the studio control room from the vocal isolation booth. "That's the kick drum," producer Joe Henry explains. "Sounds like somebody let Sister Jackson in here," Burke chuckles. "Sounds like the Salvation Army band. I like that! OK, let's go to church." And for the next several minutes, the five musicians in Hollywood's Sound Factory studio take Tom Waits' rasping, wheezing demo of the previously unreleased Diamond In Your Mind to a woozy midnight service at a storefront church; Burke tossing an extra shovelful of grit into his customary coffee n' cream vocals as he negotiates the eccentric true-life tales of Waits' relatives that make up the tune's verses. "What's this lady's name here?" Burke asks between takes. "Zazu? Not Sally Sue? 'Cos it says here she's 101 years old. She's been waiting 100 years to hear her name on a record, so I better get it right." And the next take, he does. Henry suggests they try a fourth time, just to see if they can better the performance. Afterwards, the band crowds into the control room to listen to playbacks. Turns out the third time was the charm, and they pop in the next demo." (Source: "Go On Back To Him" by Don Waller, MOJO/ anti.com, June 2 - 2002)

- Jonathan Valania (2002): That song was written by Tom Waits. Have you met him? Solomon Burke: "No. We had one discussion on the phone, and that was the lyric change where he wrote that "she never prayed," and I said, "No, no, no--you have to call him, you have to get him on the phone." I don't care how big of a sinner you are: If someone cuts off your arm, you are going to pray to God. They said, "With all due respect, Dr. Burke, you do not change the words to a Tom Waits song." I told them, "With all due respect, as a man of God, I am telling you this song is religiously incorrect." We stopped the whole session until we got a call back from him, and he said, "Okay.""(Source: "Solomon Burke Brings It Home" by Jonathan Valania. Philadelpia Weekly. July 17, 2002 Volume XXXI, No. 29, � 2003 Review Publishing)

- Solomon Burke (2003): "I want him [Tom Waits] to give me the address to where this lady [in the song] is at. When we starting to change some of Tom's lyrics, Andy came into the studio and said quietly, 'Dr. Burke, no disrespect, but you just don't change Tom Waits' lyrics. That message came from his office; I just wanted to let you know.' They got Tom on the phone, and I don't know what Andy said, but afterwards he came in and said, 'You won't believe this, but Tom said it's okay!'" (Source: "Solomon Burke: Return Of The King" by Gil Kaufman. January 15, 2003. VH1.com, � 2003 MTV Networks)

⁽⁶⁾ And money was something that you throw off the back of trains: same phrase mentioned in Long Way Home (Big Bad Love soundtrack, 2002/ Orphans, 2005): "Money's just something you throw off the back of a train. I got a head full of lightning and a hat full of rain."

⁽⁷⁾ Tom Waits version (Healing The Divide benefit concert: Lincoln Center in New York/ USA September 21, 2003): "And something about god that I just don't understand."

It's Just The Way We Are Boys

(Woyzeck theatre version only)⁽¹⁾

Because it's just the way we are boys

Just the way we are

Don't try to change us

Because it's just the way we are

There was a young soldier named Dice

Who remarked, they say, bigamy's nice

Even two are a bore

I prefer three of four

For the plural of spouse it is spice⁽²⁾

Because it's just the way we are boys

Just the way we are

Don't try to change us

Because it's just the way we are

A damsel seductive and handsome

Got wedged in a sleeping room transom

When she offered much gold

For release she was told

That the view was worth more than the ransom

Because it's just the way we are boys

Just the way we are

Don't try to change us

Because it's just the way we are

As published in the Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Known covers:

None

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Sung by Andres and Woyzeck in act 2, scene 4.

- An early version of "Just The Way We Are" was previously used in the theatre version of "Frank's Wild Years" (Act 1: scene 1, 1986).

⁽²⁾ When the play went on tour in 2001, this song was performed with various alternate (and more risky) limericks, not published in the theatre programs or songbooks. Apparently they changed limericks every show.

There was a young fellow named Cas

Whose bullocks were made out of brass

When they tinkled together

They played 'Stormy Weather'

And lightning shot out of his ass

(Woyzeck 2001 tour)

There was a young fellow named Kent

His dick was so big that it bent

So to save him the trouble

He put it in double

And instead of coming he went

(Woyzeck 2001 tour)

There was a young man from Florida

who liked a friends wife so he borrowed her

once in the bed

he cried God strike me dead

this ain't a cunt it's a corridor

(Woyzeck 2002 tour. Submitted by Dorene LaLonde, December, 2002)

There was a young fellow named Rummy

who delighted in whipping his dummy

he'd play pocket pool

with his happy old tool

'til his pants and his shorts were all cummy

(Woyzeck 2002 tour. Submitted by Dorene LaLonde, December, 2002)

There was a young man from Darjeeling

who's tool reached up to the ceiling

in the electric light socket

he put it and rocked it

my God what a wonderful feeling

(Woyzeck 2002 tour.Submitted by Dorene LaLonde, December, 2002)

Shiny Things

(Woyzeck theatre version, 2000)⁽¹⁾

The things a crow puts in his nest

They are always things he finds that shine best

Somehow they'll find a shiny dime, a silver twine

From a Valentine

The crows all bring them shiny things

Leave me alone you big ol' Moon

the light you cast is just a liar

You're like the crows, 'cos if it glows

You're dressed to go, you guessed I know

You'll always cling to shiny things

Well, I'm not dancing here tonight

But things are bound to turn around

Though the only I want that shines is to be king

here in your eyes

To be your only shiny thing

As published in the Woyzeck songbook (Betty Nansen Teatret, 2000)

Written by: Tom Waits/ Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Publishing (ASCAP), � 2000

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Shiny Things

(Orphans studio version, 2006)

The things a crow puts in his nest

They are always things he finds that shine best

Somehow he'll find

a shiny dime

a silver twine

from a Valentine

The crows all bring

them shiny things

Leave me alone you big ol' moon

the light you cast is just a liar

You're like the crows

'cos if it glows

you're dressed to go

you guessed I know

You'll always bring

them shiny things

Well, I'm not dancing here tonight

But things are bound to turn around

The only thing

I want that shines

is to be king

there in your eyes

To be your only

shiny thing

Written by: Tom Waits and Kathleen Waits-Brennan

Published by: Jalma Music (ASCAP), � 2000/ 2006

Official release: Orphans (Bawlers), (P) & � 2006 Anti Inc.

Further reading: Woyzeck Full Story

Known covers:

Bangin' On The Table With An Old Tin Cup. Pascal Fricke. April 12, 2007. Self-released (Germany)

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Sung by Karl the fool in act 2, scene 5.