Master Of Disaster
John Hiatt Lyrics
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Choking in clean underwear
Bleeding tongue
Eight ball pounding in my lungs
Ship to shore
I can't see the coastline anymore
I shouldn't be here
I thought I made that loud and clear
But the master of disaster
Gets tangled in his telecaster
He can't play it any faster
When he plays the blues
When he had the heart to ask her
And every note just shook the plaster
Now he's just a mean old bastard
When he plays the blues
China town
Chasing that old dragon down
Madam Wong's
We play the blues with the curtains drawn
Sidewalks of white
While the LA sun beat out the night
Pounding brain
My last transmission down the drain
And the master of disaster
Gets tangled in his telecaster
He can't play it any faster
When he plays the blues
When he had the heart to ask her
And every note just shook the plaster
Now he's just a mean old bastard
When he plays the blues
There's a debt I owe
I'll never pay before I go
So I sing the blues
Hand me down my walking shoes
You're in my heart
Though we may be miles apart
There's my point
I'll see you in another joint
When the master of disaster
Gets tangled in his telecaster
He can't play it any faster
When he plays the blues
When he had the heart to ask her
And every note just shook the plaster
Now he's just a mean old bastard
When he plays the blues
In John Hiatt's "Master of Disaster," the singer laments about a life addiction to drugs and being lost in the world. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who is struggling to breathe, dealing with a severed tongue and substance abuse. The singer’s life is a constant search for drugs and he's reminiscing on his many drug trips to Chinatown and Madam Wong's. He speaks of a lost love and the regret that he carries. He also acknowledges the fact that he's straying from his passion, music. The lines, "But the master of disaster gets tangled in his telecaster" illustrate the singer's inability to play the blues the way he used to because drugs and addiction muddled his talent.
The song expresses the feeling of being trapped in your own addiction and losing all holds on normal life. The constant references to drugs and the physical toll it’s taking on his life show the singer's desperation. The song also highlights the destruction of natural talent through addiction. It's a reminder that addiction can steal the beauty and purity of life and rob one of the chance to live a fulfilling life.
Line by Line Meaning
Close-some air
I am choking and there is no fresh air to breathe
Choking in clean underwear
I am choking while wearing clean clothes
Bleeding tongue
My tongue is bleeding
Eight ball pounding in my lungs
It feels like an eight ball is pounding in my lungs
Ship to shore
I am on a boat and can no longer see the coastline
I can't see the coastline anymore
The coastline is no longer visible to me
I shouldn't be here
I realize that I should never have come here
I thought I made that loud and clear
I believed that I communicated this clearly earlier
But the master of disaster
Despite my troubles, I am the master of disaster
Gets tangled in his telecaster
I sometimes get caught up in my own problems
He can't play it any faster
I cannot go any faster than I already am
When he plays the blues
My music is the blues
When he had the heart to ask her
When I had the courage to confess my love to her
And every note just shook the plaster
The emotion in my music used to move people completely
Now he's just a mean old bastard
Now that life has beaten me down, I am just an angry person
China town
I am chasing a high in Chinatown
Chasing that old dragon down
I am chasing drugs
Madam Wong's
I perform at a small bar named Madam Wong's
We play the blues with the curtains drawn
We play music alone and away from the rest of the world
Sidewalks of white
The pavement is light-colored in Los Angeles
While the LA sun beat out the night
The Los Angeles sun shines brightly
Pounding brain
My head hurts
My last transmission down the drain
My most recent communication was ignored or dismissed
There's a debt I owe
I have an outstanding obligation
I'll never pay before I go
I will die before I am able to fully pay off my debt
So I sing the blues
I continue to make music despite my hardships
Hand me down my walking shoes
I am ready to leave this place
You're in my heart
The person I love is always in my thoughts
Though we may be miles apart
Even if we are not physically together
There's my point
That's what I am trying to say
I'll see you in another joint
I will see you somewhere else
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN HIATT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@richardbarrett9111
I jammed on this song with some friends but had never heard it before. We killed it.
@johncarey6963
Hiatt’s battle with drug addiction in the 80s is well documented. This overflowing with drug references, even though he had several years sobriety under his belt, when he wrote it. As a fellow traveler who no longer travels those roads, sometimes it good to remind yourself how much damage you did. Both a defense against falling back, and a reminder there’s still work to do. Sometimes our minds tend to “romanticize” the experience.
@arbitrary4850
Well written and I agree.
@eddiebazan6411
I have very much been that “men old bastard”. Getting low was as much the game as getting high.I lost plenty there.☮️💪🏼
@fezzparka8289
It ain't about drugs. It's about his life.
@eddiebazan6411
@@fezzparka8289 I haven’t talked to Hyatt personally but I suspect hard vice lifestyles entwined in the song.sadly or not.I’ll bet a nickel.
@SeanLawlorNelson
"I shouldn't be here; I thought I made this loud and clear." - John Hiatt
@SeanLawlorNelson
"Hadn't had the time to choose a way to lose." - Nick Drake
@CyberKidXtra
Spotify and it's recommended algorithm really paid of with this one. I love this guy.
@osprey46
now, THAT is what a sax is for! make me feel the loss...