Diamonds
Tom Waits Lyrics


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The broken glass
And the rusty nails
Where the violets grow
Say goodbye to the railroad
And the mad dogs of summer
And everything that I know

What some men will do here for diamonds
What some men will do here for gold
Wounded but they just keep on climbin'
Sleep by the side of the road

There's a hole in the ladder
A fence we can climb
Mad as a hatter
You're thin as a dime
Go out to the meadow
The hills are agreen
Sing me a rainbow
Steal me a dream

Small-time Napoleons
Shattered his knees
But he stays in the saddle for Rose
And all his disciples
They shave in the gutter
And gather what's left of his clothers

What some men will do here for diamonds
What some men will do here for gold




Wounded but they just keep on climbin'
They sleep by the side of the road

Overall Meaning

"Diamonds & Gold" by Tom Waits is a haunting song about the raw desperation that drives men to dangerous pursuits. The opening lines set the tone for the song's themes of decay and abandonment, as Waits paints a bleak picture of broken glass, rusty nails, and wilting violets. The scene is one of decay and abandonment, a place where the railroad has been bid farewell and the summer has gone mad. It's a place where everything the singer knows has been uprooted and left to wither in the sun.


Waits uses the lyrics to describe the lengths men will go to chase their dreams of wealth and prosperity. The lines "What some men will do here for diamonds / What some men will do here for gold" are repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the dangerous obsession with material goods that drives men to risk their lives. Despite being wounded, they refuse to give up, climbing ever higher in their pursuit of riches. When they do sleep, it is by the side of the road, as if they have no home or shelter to turn to.


Line by Line Meaning

The broken glass
The shattered pieces of glass lying around


And the rusty nails
The old, decaying nails that have turned rust-coloured


Where the violets grow
Around the area where violets are blooming


Say goodbye to the railroad
Bidding farewell to the train tracks


And the mad dogs of summer
Referring to the heatwaves of summer


And everything that I know
Leaving behind everything that is familiar


There's a hole in the ladder
A gap that exists in the ladder


A fence we can climb
A fence that can be scaled or crossed


Mad as a hatter
Insane or crazy in the head as though the person were a hatter


You're thin as a dime
A person who is as thin as a dime coin


Go out to the meadow
Head out to an open field


The hills are agreen
The hills are rich with a lush greenery


Sing me a rainbow
Sing a colorful and bright song


Steal me a dream
Taking someone's grand ambitions or aspirations


Small-time Napoleons
Individuals of minor importance who behave as if they were great leaders


Shattered his knees
Caused him significant injury, particularly to his knees


But he stays in the saddle for Rose
He continues to ride with a sense of purpose because of Rose


And all his disciples
His followers or devotees


They shave in the gutter
Shaving in the road's low point


And gather what's left of his clothers
Picking up what remains of his clothes


What some men will do here for diamonds
The extreme lengths some individuals will go at this place for diamonds


What some men will do here for gold
The extreme lengths some individuals will go at this place for gold


Wounded but they just keep on climbin'
Despite injuries, the individuals continue to climb


They sleep by the side of the road
They rest at the edge of the highway




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: THOMAS ALAN WAITS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@nicholaskinsey5160

The broken glass
And the rusty nails
Where the violets grow
Say goodbye to the railroad
And the mad dogs of summer
And everything that I know

What some men will do here for diamonds
What some men will do here for gold
Wounded but they just keep on climbin'
Sleep by the side of the road

There's a hole in the ladder
A fence we can climb
Mad as a hatter
You're thin as a dime
Go out to the meadow
The hills are agreen
Sing me a rainbow
Steal me a dream

Small-time Napoleons
Shattered his knees
But he stays in the saddle for Rose
And all his disciples
They shave in the gutter
And gather what's left of his clothers

What some men will do here for diamonds
What some men will do here for gold
Wounded but they just keep on climbin'
They sleep by the side of the road



All comments from YouTube:

@47ejecting2

My wife used to sing this as a lullaby to our daughter, so that version is definitive for me. But this one is good too.

@mikefiftynine

It has the sound of a lullaby. It reminds me of a song in Mary Poppins at times.

@gilthethrill9179

"Rain Dogs" is by far one of Americas top albums of all time.

@JohnnyNowhere

The fact that your comment has only garnered a measly 36 up votes is proof that your observation is nothing short of genius.

And I am not being facetious, I'm fucking serious.

@tortis6342

@Johnny Nowhere those aren’t mutually exclusive

@flanaryclan1

Such great imagery. This will indeed be my daughters first lullaby. Thanks Tom.

@nicholaskinsey5160

The broken glass
And the rusty nails
Where the violets grow
Say goodbye to the railroad
And the mad dogs of summer
And everything that I know

What some men will do here for diamonds
What some men will do here for gold
Wounded but they just keep on climbin'
Sleep by the side of the road

There's a hole in the ladder
A fence we can climb
Mad as a hatter
You're thin as a dime
Go out to the meadow
The hills are agreen
Sing me a rainbow
Steal me a dream

Small-time Napoleons
Shattered his knees
But he stays in the saddle for Rose
And all his disciples
They shave in the gutter
And gather what's left of his clothers

What some men will do here for diamonds
What some men will do here for gold
Wounded but they just keep on climbin'
They sleep by the side of the road

@Caspero68o

Thank you Tom Waits.

@ivyshandle1989

great track

@mr.trollsaur9996

Much love!

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