By 1982, they caught the attention of seminal dancehall producer, Henry "Junjo" Lawes, who recorded their biggest hit, "Diseases" over the then immensely popular "Mad Mad" rhythm. This track was featured on their second, and perhaps best LP, "Downpression". They went on to cut an album for Channel One Records, "Step by Step". The last of their hit records was "Sugar Daddy", pressed on RAS Records, which featured yet another reworking of "Mad Mad". The duo continued to record and make appearances at festivals into the early nineties, yet never again achieved the status of their early eighties career.
Toms Diner
Michigan & Smiley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 the song "Tom" by Michigan & Smiley paint a vivid picture of a person sitting at a diner, waiting for his coffee to be poured. This seemingly mundane situation is transformed into a moment of reflection and contemplation as the person observes the people around him and reflects on his own thoughts and memories.
The opening lines of the song set the scene, as the person sits in the diner, waiting for his coffee, and looking out at the world around him. As the man behind the counter pours his coffee, he is distracted by the arrival of a woman who he greets warmly. Meanwhile, the singer tries to ignore their interaction and instead focuses on the news and the horoscope in the newspaper.
As the person sips his coffee, he becomes aware of a woman outside the diner who is looking in. He wonders if she can see him, but realizes that she is only seeing her own reflection. The scene becomes more surreal as the woman outside starts to adjust her clothing and hair in the rain, and the person observes the bells of the nearby cathedral.
The lyrics of "Tom" are open to interpretation, but they seem to convey a sense of isolation and loneliness, as the person sits in the diner, observing the world around him. The song captures the feeling of being lost in thought, lost in memories, and lost in the passing moments of everyday life.
Line by Line Meaning
I am sitting
The singer is positioned in a diner.
In the morning
It is early in the day.
At the diner
The singer is at a restaurant.
On the corner
The restaurant is located on a street corner.
I am waiting
The artist is patiently expecting something to happen.
At the counter
The singer is situated near the restaurant's serving area.
For the man
The singer is waiting for a male individual.
To pour the coffee
The artist is waiting for a beverage to be served.
And he fills it
The man prepares the beverage for the artist.
Only halfway
The man didn't fill the cup completely.
And before
Prior to the singer being able to react,
I even argue
The artist is stopped from expressing any grievance.
He is looking
The man is staring.
Out the window
The man is gazing through a portal in a wall.
At somebody
The man's attention is drawn to a person.
Coming in
The person is arriving at the restaurant.
"It is always
The man speaks to the person:
Nice to see you"
The man greets the person with pleasantries.
Says the man
The male individual speaks.
Behind the counter
The man is located in the food-serving area.
To the woman
The man is addressing a female.
Who has come in
The woman has arrived at the restaurant.
She is shaking
The woman engages in some physical activity.
Her umbrella
The woman's tool used to keep dry.
And I look
The singer observes what is happening around them.
The other way
The singer diverts their attention from the scene unfolding near them.
As they are kissing
The people are showing affection to each other.
Their hellos
The people are greeting each other.
I'm pretending
The artist is acting in a false manner.
Not to see them
The singer is avoiding acknowledging the couple.
And Instead
The singer alters their actions.
I pour the milk
The artist adjusts the contents of their beverage.
I open
The artist begins reading.
Up the paper
The artist looks at a publication.
There's a story
The publication discusses a topic.
Of an actor
The topic is related to a performer.
Who had died
The performer is now deceased.
While he was drinking
The performer died while consuming a liquid.
He was no one
The singer is not familiar with the performer.
I had heard of
The artist is not acquainted with the performer's work.
And I'm turning
The artist changes their focus.
To the horoscope
The singer looks at the astrological section.
And looking
The singer is searching.
For the funnies
The artist desires to read a humorous article.
When I'm feeling
The artist is experiencing a sensation.
Someone watching me
The artist thinks another individual is observing them.
And so
Thus,
I raise my head
The artist changes their physical posture.
There's a woman
The individual who was looking at the singer is now visible.
On the outside
The individual is not in the restaurant.
Looking inside
The individual is gazing through an aperture in the building.
Does she see me?
The artist wonders if they are visible to the woman.
No she does not
The artist determines that the woman cannot see them.
Really see me
The singer thinks that the woman is not truly seeing them.
Cause she sees
The singer realizes:
Her own reflection
The woman is looking at herself in a mirror or some other reflective object.
And I'm trying
The artist is attempting something.
Not to notice
The artist is avoiding acknowledging something.
That she's hitching
The woman is in the process of making an adjustment.
Up her skirt
The woman is manipulating her clothing to better suit her needs.
And while she's
During the process
Straightening her stockings
The woman is fixing her legwear.
Her hair
The woman's follicles on her scalp.
Is getting wet
The woman's head covering is getting damp.
Oh, this rain
The artist comments on the weather.
It will continue
The weather is not expected to change.
Through the morning
The poor weather will persist throughout the morning.
As I'm listening
The artist is paying attention to something audible.
To the bells
The artist hears the sound of ringing bells.
Of the cathedral
The sound is emanating from a church-like structure.
I am thinking
The singer is reflecting.
Of your voice
The artist pictures their lover's speech patterns in their mind.
And of the midnight picnic
The singer considers an event from the past.
Once upon a time
A phrase commonly used in storytelling to initiate a tale.
Before the rain began
The past event took place before the current inclement weather.
I finish up my coffee
The artist completes their drink.
It's time to catch the train
The artist must depart the restaurant to make their train.
Lyrics © Roba Music Verlag GMBH, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Suzanne Vega
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind