He started his career in the early 1970s as a singer in spit 'n' sawdust bars. Initially, he was deeply influenced by the beat generation, novelists like Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs, and poets like Allen Ginsberg and Charles Bukowski. Waits is often compared to Charles Bukowski, being similar both in content and lifestyle
Waits was unable to make a living from his music in the 70s because his classical bar music, based in pre-rock, and Americana, blues, and Vaudeville styles were not popular. Waits's voice back then was soft, warm and clear.
Waits subsequently developed a devoted cult following and has influenced subsequent songwriters, despite having little radio or music video support. In fact, his songs are perhaps best known to the general public in the form of cover versions of more visible artists, such as the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen and Rod Stewart.
Although Waits’s albums have met with mixed commercial success in his native United States, they have occasionally achieved gold album sales status in other countries.
Lyrically, Waits's songs are known for atmospheric portrayals of seedy characters and places; he sings about the losers on the streets: alcoholics, junkies, prostitutes and social outcasts, although he also includes more conventional and touching ballads in his repertoire.
While opening for Frank Zappa, the audience catcalled and refused to listen to him; he was an unsuitable match with Zappa's avantgarde style.
Countless cigarettes, gallons of alcohol and many all night parties eventually left their trace in his face and voice.
His more recent gravelly voice can be first heard on Small Change. This distinctive voice turned out to be his trademark. It is described by the Music Hound Rock Album Guide 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". Small Change with its sentimental ballads, its bar-jazz attitude and Film Noir-oriented stories turned out to be his biggest commercial success in the 1970s.
Waits subsequently developed a more unique style. His songs have grown more abrasive since then, and the arrangements have turned more surreal and experimental with every new record. His life brings him to new visions, as indicated by the direction taken in his "Alice" release.
While composing the soundtrack for Francis Ford Coppola's One From The Heart Waits met Kathleen Brennan, his bride-to-be. They married in 1980 and she helped him quit drinking and smoking. Since their marriage they have been working together on his albums as co-producers and co-writers. It is hard to say which part belongs to her and which to him, but it's easy to see that they make a perfect team. Additionally, his eldest son Casey can be heard on turntables and percussion on Waits's album "Real Gone".
One of Waits's greatest successes was the album "Swordfishtrombones", released in 1983. It struck with his critics and fans alike. He achieved a new level of song writing and left former conventions (and his earlier career) behind. All songs, whether ballads, jive or jazz are played in a completely different way. It seems that Waits had taken the musical archetypes of these styles and made them his own. All tracks are in the quintessential Waits style. They have a striking rawness and listenability and they set the stage for his success and his future career.
The Bad As Me Songfacts reports that 36 years after the release of Waits' first album, Closing Time in 1973, Bad As Me became Waits's first ever top 10 album in the US when it debuted at #6 with 63,000 sales.
In the late 1980s Waits discovered an outlet for his creativity in composing musicals. His first Musical was named "The Black Rider", and is based on "Der Freischütz" by Carl Maria von Weber. It was co-produced by Robert Wilson and the lyrics come from William S. Burroughs. The story is slightly reminiscent of Kurt Weil's and Berthold Brecht's "Three Penny Opera" and the 1930s. The debut performance of the play was in 1990 at the Thalia Theater, Hamburg and has been played by various theatre groups since then.
Waits was also responsible for two other musicals, which later became albums released simultaneously in 2002. One was the musical "Blood Money," which covers the "Woyczek" theme of Georg Büchner. This one is one of the darkest works from Waits. The other musical is based on Lewis Carroll's classic children's novel, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". "Alice" is very romantic, dreamy and soft, and contains one of Waits most romantic songs. Even though they were released at the same time, the bootlegs of the "Alice" musical were long before traded between fans and were just rearranged and re-mastered for the official release.
Besides many film contributions as composer – the Internet Movie Database imdb.com lists 47 appearances of Waits as composer and 38 soundtracks containing songs by Waits - he also is an actor with a total of 25 appearances, ranging from some mini-roles as a trumpeter in "Heart of Saturday Night" and the R. M. Renfield in "Bram Stoker's Dracula" to the major role of Zack in Jim Jarmusch's "Down by Law". He recently appeared in Roberto Benigni's "The Tiger and the Snow", playing You Can Never Hold Back Spring at Benigni's wedding dream. Even more recently, Waits played Mr.Nick (the Devil) in Terry Gilliam's "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus".
In addition to a number of concert videos, he also appeared in the critically-acclaimed concert feature film "Big Time" (1990).
Waits has always refused to allow the use of his songs in commercials. He has filed several lawsuits against advertisers for using his material without permission. Waits also successfully sued an advertiser for using a work that was stylistically similar to his work, after he had declined to sell them the rights to his song. He has been quoted as saying, "Apparently the highest compliment our culture grants artists nowadays is to be in an ad — ideally naked and purring on the hood of a new car. I have adamantly and repeatedly refused this dubious honor."
Chocolate Jesus
Tom Waits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't get on my knees to pray
Don't memorize the books of the bible
I got my own special way
I know Jesus loves me
Maybe just a little bit more
Fall down on my knees every Sunday
Well, I've got to be a chocolate Jesus
Make me feel good inside
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Keep me satisfied
Well, I don't want no Abba Zabba
Don't want no Almond Joy
There ain't nothing better
Suitable for this boy
Well, it's the only thing that can pick me up
It's better than a cup of gold
See, only a chocolate Jesus
Can satisfy my soul
When the weather gets rough and it's whiskey in the shade
It's best to wrap your savior up in cellophane
He flows like the big muddy but that's okay
Pour him over ice cream for a nice parfait
Well, it's got to be a chocolate Jesus
Good enough for me
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
It's good enough for me
Well, it's got to be a chocolate Jesus
Make me feel so good inside
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Keep me satisfied
In "Chocolate Jesus," Tom Waits expresses his unconventional approach to religion and faith. He explains that he doesn't need to attend church or recite scripture, as he has his own unique way of connecting with God. For him, the key is to find something that feels good inside, something that can keep him satisfied. He reveals this to be his love for chocolate Jesus, which he worships and adores above everything else. The song is a witty and irreverent commentary on the nature of spirituality, suggesting that there may not be a right or wrong way to find meaning in life.
The lyrics are full of clever wordplay and religious imagery that subvert traditional Christian iconography. For instance, the line "Fall down on my knees every Sunday at Zerelda Lee's candy store" twists the idea of kneeling in prayer into a lighthearted expression of devotion to a sweet indulgence. Similarly, the line "When the weather gets rough and it's whiskey in the shade / It's best to wrap your savior up in cellophane" implies that even the most cherished beliefs can be trivialized and packaged for consumer consumption. However, the song is not meant to be blasphemous or disrespectful; rather, it seeks to explore the complexity and nuance of faith in a world that often simplifies it into rigid dogmas and traditions.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I don't go to church on Sunday
I do not follow the typical religious practices that are expected from a person, such as attending church on every Sunday.
Don't get on my knees to pray
I do not engage in the physical act of praying on my knees to show my respect and devotion to God.
Don't memorize the books of the bible
I do not put in the effort to memorize the books of the Bible, which is expected from devout Christians.
I got my own special way
I have my unique method of connecting and maintaining my relationship with God, which is different from the traditional practices.
I know Jesus loves me
I firmly believe that Jesus loves and cares for me, regardless of my unconventional ways of worshiping Him.
Maybe just a little bit more
Perhaps, Jesus loves me more than other people who follow the set religious practices, as I am not swayed by outward rituals.
Fall down on my knees every Sunday
I only kneel down in front of God on Sundays when I visit the Zerelda Lee's candy store, which makes me feel closer to Him.
Well, I've got to be a chocolate Jesus
I desire to be like a Chocolate Jesus, as it will make me feel content and complete from within.
Make me feel good inside
Being like a Chocolate Jesus will give me satisfaction and pleasure on the emotional level, fulfilling my needs.
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
It is a must for me to become like a Chocolate Jesus, as I will not settle for anything less.
Keep me satisfied
Being like a Chocolate Jesus is what will continue to provide me with fulfillment, happiness, and satisfaction.
Well, I don't want no Abba Zabba
I do not desire any other candy, like Abba Zabba, which may be tempting but cannot make me feel complete and content from within.
Don't want no Almond Joy
Even the Almond Joy candy bar does not excite me or make me happy, as it cannot fulfill my innermost needs and desires.
There ain't nothing better
There is nothing else that can satisfy me as effectively and perfectly as being like a Chocolate Jesus can.
Suitable for this boy
Being as unique as I am, a Chocolate Jesus is the most fitting and appropriate option for me to attain internal satisfaction.
Well, it's the only thing that can pick me up
Being like a Chocolate Jesus is the only thing that can fulfill me, lift my spirits up, and make me feel complete and satisfied.
It's better than a cup of gold
As precious as gold is, it cannot give me the emotional fulfillment that the idea of being a Chocolate Jesus gives me.
See, only a chocolate Jesus
It is a fact that nothing else but the idea of being like a Chocolate Jesus can provide me with the satisfaction and happiness that I seek.
Can satisfy my soul
Only being like a Chocolate Jesus can fulfill my deepest desires, make me content, and provide me with spiritual satisfaction.
When the weather gets rough and it's whiskey in the shade
In times of trouble, when everything seems harsh and gloomy, and the future appears uncertain, turning to the idea of being like a Chocolate Jesus makes things easier.
It's best to wrap your savior up in cellophane
In difficult times, it is better to hold onto what makes you feel fulfilled and happy, like the idea of being a Chocolate Jesus, by wrapping it up in cellophane to keep it protected.
He flows like the big muddy but that's okay
Being like a Chocolate Jesus is like flowing through the big muddy, meaning it is unconventional but acceptable, as it makes you content and satisfied.
Pour him over ice cream for a nice parfait
One can enjoy the idea of being like a Chocolate Jesus further by pouring it over ice cream, as it turns out to make a delightful dessert, making one feel even happier and content.
Good enough for me
Being like a Chocolate Jesus is not just desirable for me but is good enough for my complete satisfaction and happiness.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, JALMA MUSIC
Written by: KATHLEEN BRENNAN, THOMAS ALAN WAITS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mateverebi8835
Well, I don't go to church on Sunday
Don't get on my knees to pray
Don't memorize the books of the Bible
I got my own special way
I know Jesus loves me
Maybe just a little bit more
I fall down on my knees every Sunday
At Zerelda Lee's candy store
Well, it's got to be a chocolate Jesus
Make me feel good inside
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Keep me satisfied
Well, I don't want no Abba Zabba
Don't want no Almond Joy
There ain't nothing better
Suitable for this boy
Well, it's the only thing
That can pick me up
He's better than a cup of gold
See, only the chocolate Jesus
Can satisfy my soul
When the weather gets rough
And it's whiskey in the shade
It's best to wrap your savior
Up in cellophane
He flows like the big muddy
But that's ok
Pour him over ice cream
For a nice parfait
Well, it's got to be a chocolate Jesus
Good enough for me
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
It's good enough for me
Well, it's got to be a chocolate Jesus
Make me feel so good inside
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Keep me satisfied
@doramariavassiliou3489
Dont go to church on Sunday
Dont get on my knees to pray
Dont memorize the books of the Bible
I got my own special way
But I know Jesus loves me
Maybe just a little bit more
I fall on my knees every Sunday
At Zerelda Lee's candy store
Well its got to be a chocolate Jesus
Make me feel good inside
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Keep me satisfied
Well I dont want no Abba Zabba
Dont want no Almond Joy
There aint nothing better
Suitable for this boy
Well its the only thing
That can pick me up
Better than a cup of gold
See only a chocolate Jesus
Can satisfy my soul
(solo)
When the weather gets rough
And its whiskey in the shade
Its best to wrap your savior
Up in cellophane
He flows like the Big Muddy
But thats ok
Pour him over ice cream
For a nice parfait
Well its got to be a chocolate Jesus
Good enough for me
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Good enough for me
Well its got to be a chocolate Jesus
Make me feel good inside
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Keep me satisfied
@charlesmusselwhite3022
we recorded at a studio that's on a ranch and when you hear the rooster crowing that rooster was actually crowing at that exact time because Tom put a mic outside to record the sounds of the farm while we were in the studio. Then, when mixing, he'd add some of those farmyard sounds here and there.
@tommy_casual
Suggesting you were there in the studio?
@daiselol
Judging by his youtube name, yeah, he played the blues harp on this song. He's also somewhat of a blues legend, and he's been putting out albums very consistently since the 60s. He has a wikipedia if you want to check.
Thanks for your part on this song, Charles, it's a really great song.
@tommy_casual
Definitely! Extremely cool! As someone who recently picked up the harp (3 years ago) I definitely envy people who can make music. I'll get there someday
@v.mvarga4979
Charlie Musselwhite commenting on youtube? My life is complete
@fasteddylove876
That's Charles Musselwhite saying "I love it" at the beginning of the song. That's also on his wiki page.
@WhatWentWrong22441
This is one of those songs that within a few seconds of hearing Waits' voice you can feel a smile beginning to grow across your face. Its rare, and much appreciated.
@markbunce3405
A selective group we are 👍😑😁🕺
@loucat2779
Ten years later, hope life was kind. could have never said it better.
@Povole
Immaculate Confection