I Can't Wait to Get Off Work
Tom Waits Lyrics
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I've been a cabbie and a stock clerk and a soda-fountain jock-jerk
And a manic mechanic on cars
It's nice work if you can get it, now who the hell said it?
I got money to spend on my gal
But the work never stops, and I'll be busting my chops
Working for Joe and Sal
And I can't wait to get off work and see my baby
She said she'd leave the porch light on for me
I'm disheveled and I'm disdainful and I'm distracted and it's painful
But this job sweeping up here is gainfully employing me tonight
Well Tom, do this and Tom, do that, and Tom, don't do that
Count the cash, clean the oven, dump the trash
Oh your loving is a rare and a copacetic gift
And I'm a moonlight watch manic, it's hard to be romantic
Sweeping up over by the cigarette machine
Sweeping up over by the cigarette machine
I can't wait to get off work and see my baby
She'll be waiting up with a magazine for me
Clean the bathrooms and clean 'em good, oh your loving I wish you would
Come down here and sweep a-me off my feet, this broom'll have to be my baby
If I hurry, I just might get off before the dawn's early light
The song "I Can't Wait to Get Off Work" by Tom Waits is a poignant reflection on the monotony and desperation of working for a living. The singer of the song muses on the various jobs he's held in his life, from being a bartender and a stock clerk to a mechanic and a cab driver. While he acknowledges that it's "nice work if you can get it", he also recognizes that the work never stops and that it can be a grind. He's tired, disheveled, and distracted from the work he's doing, but he soldiers on, knowing that he has a woman waiting for him.
The most striking aspect of the song is the way that Waits juxtaposes his romantic longings with the drudgery of his job. He's eager to leave work and be with his girlfriend, but he also knows that he's going to have to clean the bathrooms and sweep up before he can go home. He dreams of being romantically swept off his feet, but he knows that the only thing he has to hold onto is his broom. The song captures the disillusionment of working-class life, where the promise of a better future is always just out of reach.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't mind working, 'cause I used to be jerking off most of my time in bars,
I don't mind having a job because before this I spent most of my time wasting it away in bars.
I've been a cabbie and a stock clerk and a soda-fountain jock-jerk
And a manic mechanic on cars.
I've had many different jobs, from driving a cab to working in a store to being a mechanic.
It's nice work if you can get it, now who the hell said it?
I got money to spend on my gal,
Having a job is great if you can find one, who said otherwise? I can even afford to treat my girl.
But the work never stops, and I'll be busting my chops
Working for Joe and Sal.
The work is never-ending and I'll be working hard for Joe and Sal.
And I can't wait to get off work and see my baby,
She said she'd leave the porch light on for me.
I'm disheveled and I'm disdainful and I'm distracted and it's painful,
But this job sweeping up here is gainfully employing me tonight.
I can't wait to finish work and see my girl, she said she'll be waiting for me. I feel a mess and I'm not happy, but at least this job pays me for tonight.
Well Tom, do this and Tom, do that, and Tom, don't do that,
Count the cash, clean the oven, dump the trash,
Bosses are always telling me what to do, counting cash and cleaning.
Oh your loving is a rare and a copacetic gift,
And I'm a moonlight watch manic, it's hard to be romantic
Sweeping up over by the cigarette machine,
Your love is a wonderful gift, but working at night makes it hard to be romantic while sweeping up by the cigarette machine.
Sweeping up over by the cigarette machine
I'm still sweeping up by the cigarette machine.
I can't wait to get off work and see my baby
She'll be waiting up with a magazine for me.
I'm excited to finish work and see my girl, she said she'll be waiting for me with a magazine.
Clean the bathrooms and clean 'em good, oh your loving I wish you would
Come down here and sweep a-me off my feet, this broom'll have to be my baby,
If I hurry, I just might get off before the dawn's early light.
Although my job is to clean bathrooms, I wish you could come and sweep me off my feet instead. I'll have to settle with using this broom like a baby. If I hurry, I might finish before dawn.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, JALMA MUSIC
Written by: Thomas Alan Waits
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kevinmcgiffin10
This is a true mans blues artist. Get back to this style of songs , please.
@EwenMcPifter
Soda fountain jock jerk… good old Joe and Sal, givin’ this old Tom some gainful employment. God blessed us all with this guy x
@jodiblackman7838
Not everyone can use a word like copacetic in a lyric and make it work
@grlsmiley1467
Praise for the service industry in Covid times
@beanseff
Tom makes me weep
@pmc1649
Wonderful
@ms-iz9ye
Sweeping up over by the cigarette machine...
@robertadams2365
Sweepin up over by the cigarette machine…
@carlosmatos1142
Este é o 5.º dos 15 temas de uma radionovela que (começou aqui: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc_moGu2dAs; e) prossegue aqui: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovIainaYCIc