Tom
After One Lyrics
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In the morning
At the diner
On the corner
I am waiting
At the counter
For the man
And he fills it
Only halfway
And before
I even argue
He is looking
Out the window
At somebody
Coming in
"It is always
Nice to see you"
Says the man
Behind the counter
To the woman
Who has come in
She is shaking
Her umbrella
And I look
The other way
As they are kissing
Their hellos
I'm pretending
Not to see them
And Instead
I pour the milk
I open
Up the paper
There's a story
Of an actor
Who had died
While he was drinking
He was no one
I had heard of
And I'm turning
To the horoscope
And looking
For the funnies
When I'm feeling
Someone watching me
And so
I raise my head
There's a woman
On the outside
Looking inside
Does she see me?
No she does not
Really see me
Cause she sees
Her own reflection
And I'm trying
Not to notice
That she's hitching
Up her skirt
And while she's
Straightening her stockings
Her hair
Is getting wet
Oh, this rain
It will continue
Through the morning
As I'm listening
To the bells
Of the cathedral
I am thinking
Of your voice
And of the midnight picnic
Once upon a time
Before the rain began
I finish up my coffee
It's time to catch the train
The lyrics of Tom's Diner Rap by After One are a descriptive account of the scene at a diner on a rainy morning. The singer is sitting at the counter, waiting for the man to pour their coffee. However, the man fills the cup only halfway before turning his gaze to the approaching woman "who has come in shaking her umbrella" and greets her with a customary phrase. Meanwhile, the singer looks away, pretending not to notice the woman and man kissing hello. As they both sit silently, the singer turns to the newspaper, reading about the death of an actor who was a stranger to them but someone who they couldn't help but think of.
As the singer takes a break from the paper to check the horoscope and the funnies, they feel someone looking at them. The woman outside the diner catches their eye as she looks inside, but she sees only her own reflection. They then observe the woman hitching up her skirt and straightening her stockings, getting wet in the rain. The song ends with the singer listening to the bells of the cathedral and thinking of a midnight picnic, before finishing up their coffee and catching a train.
Overall, the lyrics of the song depict the scene at the diner in a way that captures everyday life observations and hints at a sense of introspection. Through the simple interaction between the people in the diner and the singer's thoughts, the song creates a vivid picture of a rainy morning and reflects on the importance of small moments.
Line by Line Meaning
I am sitting
I'm currently seated
In the morning
During the early daytime hours
At the diner
Inside an establishment that serves food
On the corner
Located on a corner street
I am waiting
Existing in anticipation
At the counter
Standing at the counter
For the man
Awaiting the attention of the male worker
To pour the coffee
To fill my cup with coffee
And he fills it
He proceeds to pour
Only halfway
Stops before completely filling it up
And before
Prior to
I even argue
I can voice any complaint
He is looking
The worker is gazing
Out the window
Toward the outside
At somebody
Observing a person
"It is always
"It's customary
Nice to see you"
Pleasure to behold you
Says the man
The male worker states
Behind the counter
Located at the back of the service area
To the woman
Directed toward the female customer
Who has come in
Entered the establishment
She is shaking
Moving quickly
Her umbrella
An object used to shield oneself from rain
And I look
I direct my eyesight to
The other way
In an opposite direction
As they are kissing
While they embrace
Their hellos
Greetings to each other
I'm pretending
I feign
Not to see them
Avoiding witnessing them
And Instead
Rather
I pour the milk
I add milk to my drink
I open
I unfold
Up the paper
The newspaper
There's a story
An article
Of an actor
Concerning a performer
Who had died
Expired
While he was drinking
Consuming a beverage at the time of his passing
He was no one
An unknown individual
I had heard of
I am familiar with
And I'm turning
I pivot
To the horoscope
Looking at the section predicting zodiac signs
And looking
Observing
For the funnies
Seeking the comic strips
When I'm feeling
At the moment I experience
Someone watching me
Being observed
And so
As a result
I raise my head
I lift my cranium
There's a woman
A female individual
On the outside
Positioned outside of the diner
Looking inside
Peering through the window
Does she see me?
Is she perceiving my presence?
No she does not
She is unable to
Really see me
Accurately recognize my form
Cause she sees
Because she is observing
Her own reflection
Her own image
And I'm trying
I am endeavoring
Not to notice
Indubitably ignore
That she's hitching
Elevating her skirt
Up her skirt
Lifting her dress
And while she's
During the time she is
Straightening her stockings
Arranging her hosiery
Her hair
Her tresses
Is getting wet
Is being dampened by precipitation
Oh, this rain
This precipitation
It will continue
It will persist
Through the morning
Throughout the early part of the day
As I'm listening
While I'm hearing
To the bells
The chimes
Of the cathedral
Emanating from the religious edifice
I am thinking
I am contemplating
Of your voice
Remembering how you sound
And of the midnight picnic
Recalling an outing in the middle of the night
Once upon a time
In a former period
Before the rain began
Prior to the commencement of precipitation
I finish up my coffee
I consume my remaining coffee
It's time to catch the train
It's necessary to board the train right now
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Suzanne Vega
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind