On The Road
Primus (feat. Tom Waits) Lyrics
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Little Joe from Kokomo, it rattles to the ground
The dice is laughin' at the man that it throwed
I'm rollin' over to the lowside of the road
The moon is red and you're dancin' real slow
Twenty-nine miles left to go
The chain monkeys help you with your load
Jezebel is naked with an axe
The prosecution tells you to relax
Your head feels like it's ready to explode
And you're rollin' over, you're rollin' over
Well, the clapper has been ripped out of the bell
The flapper has been kicked right out of hell
When the horse whips the man that he rode
You're rollin' over to the lowside of the road
The dog won't bite if you beat him with a bone
And she's so shy when she's talkin' on the phone
And then the ground rises up and starts to groan
And rollin' over to the lowside of the road
Unto the lowside of the road
Unto the lowside of the road
The lyrics to "On the Road" by Primus (feat. Tom Waits) present a surreal journey that oscillates between the literal and the metaphorical. The song begins with the image of the singer descending on a black elevator, possibly alluding to the underworld or the abyss. The song's language is rich with enigmatic phrases and mythical references that create a surreal and haunting atmosphere. While the singer seems disoriented and confused about his current situation, he describes the scenery around him without attempting to rationalize it. He mentions a moon that is red, and a woman named Jezebel who is naked with an axe, both of which evoke eerie and unsettling feelings.
The song's chorus, "I'm rollin' over to the lowside of the road" seems to imply a sense of surrender or acceptance of fate, as if the singer is willingly submitting to whatever destiny awaits him. The lyrics also feature several cryptic lines, including "The dice is laughing at the man that it threw" or "The flapper has been kicked right out of hell," which suggest themes of chance, fate, and rebirth. The song concludes with the singer rolling over onto the "lowside of the road", a phrase that could either signify the end of the journey or the beginning of a new one.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm on a black elevator goin' down
I'm descending quickly, perhaps to an unfamiliar and ominous place.
Little Joe from Kokomo, it rattles to the ground
Even though the elevator shakes and rattles, it does eventually reach the ground.
The dice is laughin' at the man that it throwed
Someone lost at gambling and the dice seemed to mock them.
I'm rollin' over to the lowside of the road
I am moving quickly and uncontrollably towards a less desirable path or situation.
The moon is red and you're dancin' real slow
Perhaps a danger or ominous sign lurks in the dark while someone dances slowly under a strange moon.
Twenty-nine miles left to go
A long journey still awaits, and there's no telling what could happen.
The chain monkeys help you with your load
Despite difficult circumstances, there are always people around who can offer assistance.
Jezebel is naked with an axe
This line could represent a femme fatale or danger lurking in the shadows.
The prosecution tells you to relax
Perhaps someone is attempting to calm or manipulate the situation.
Your head feels like it's ready to explode
Someone may be feeling overwhelmed or under significant stress.
And you're rollin' over, you're rollin' over
The person feels out of control and is also emphasizing that they are still headed towards the lowside of the road.
Well, the clapper has been ripped out of the bell
Something significant is broken, and the situation may be chaotic because of it.
The flapper has been kicked right out of hell
Someone or something has been forcefully ejected from a dangerous situation.
When the horse whips the man that he rode
Perhaps someone or something that was once under control is now taking revenge on its former master.
You're rollin' over to the lowside of the road
The person is reemphasizing their loss of control and trajectory towards danger.
The dog won't bite if you beat him with a bone
Sometimes the solution to a problem is counterintuitive or requires a different approach.
And she's so shy when she's talkin' on the phone
There may be more going on than meets the eye, and someone could be hiding something beneath a shy exterior.
And then the ground rises up and starts to groan
Some sort of dangerous or seismic event interrupts the situation and creates more chaos.
And rollin' over to the lowside of the road
Once again, the person is highlighting their loss of control and danger ahead.
Unto the lowside of the road
The person finally arrives at their dangerous and undesirable destination.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KATHLEEN BRENNAN, THOMAS ALAN WAITS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lawrencekniser8555
I met Tom on the set of cold feet in my hometown of Livingston Montana when I was 13.he was surprised that I knew who he was.
@ffsf739
Vocals by Tom, lyrics by Kerouac: nothing short of fantastic!
@DooRstoper
I can see dogman tony and slim and josh and john now. Long gone . Thank you jack flash and david e. Jack I was happy to ride out of dunsmuir with you in 04 .
@EvanFowler
The album that this originally came from (not the three disk Waits comp) is actually really great, too. It's a whole album of Kerouac singing airy, far away sounding jazz songs with a long reading from On the Road in the middle. It's kind of magical to listen to in the car at night (especially when you're alone on a long drive). Pretty sure that it's just called "Jack Kerouac Reads On the Road". It begins with Keroac singing this song with just an acoustic guitar (I think) and ends with the badass Waits/Primus cover of it. I lost my copy a while back and am still bummed about it. Gotta track down another. Anyways, just wanted to throw that out there. If you dig Keroac, I'd definitely recommend hunting one down for yourself. It's really special.
@innocentmaps
Whoa! Sounds outstanding. I really appreciate the info and am definitely gonna track that down. Thanks man!
@jeffschick1669
Of all the CDs I've stupidly sold off, I miss that one the most. Love Jack's original tape, even with the overlay. Sue Evans! Ain't we got fun?
@benjaminchristianson2584
You know what, one thing I love about youtube is how much I learn about tom waits's songs from everyone. Listening to the albums I only know so much, but I find this song on youtube and find out this song was actually recorded with primus. Never knew that.
@OlymPigs2010
"Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car!"
@fatfox6706
OlymPigs2010 that's pretty good! I heard he sounded like a crocodile in a cement mixxer!
@xtortugaviejox
I like the "sad" version of this song better but this one's still rad. It always gets stick in my head.