Diamonds on My Windshield
Tom Waits Lyrics

Well these diamonds on my windshield
Tom Waits is seeing rain droplets on his car windshield and noticing how the lights look like diamonds.

And these tears from heaven
He associates the rain on his windshield with tears from heaven, likely meaning that he's had a tough time on the road.

Well I'm pulling into town on the Interstate
Tom Waits is nearing the end of his journey and is about to arrive in town via the interstate.

I got a steel train in the rain
Waits is describing his car as a 'steel train' and the rain is making it feel like he's driving a train through the bad weather.

And the wind bites my cheek through the wing
The wind, combined with the rain, is unpleasant and physically biting Waits in the face as he drives his car.

And it's these late nights and this freeway flying
Waits is reflecting on how he always feels the most alive when he's driving late at night on the open road.

It always makes me sing
Driving on the freeway at night is such a powerful experience that it always fills Waits with a sense of joy and makes him want to sing.

There's a Duster tryin' to change my tune
Another driver in a Duster car is aggressively trying to pass Waits, which is changing the way he's feeling while driving.

He's pulling up fast on the right
The Duster is aggressively trying to pass on the right-hand side of Waits' car.

Rolling restlessly by a twenty-four hour moon
The driver in the Duster is racing impatiently past Waits' car under the light of a 24-hour moon.

And a Wisconsin hiker with a cue-ball head
A man with a shaved head that looks like a cue-ball is hitchhiking in the cold of Wisconsin.

He's wishing he was home in a Wiscosin bed
The hitchhiker is cold and wishes he was at home in bed rather than stuck outside in the Wisconsin snow.

But there's fifteen feet of snow in the East
The amount of snow on the ground in the Eastern United States is so abundant that it's difficult to travel through the region at this time.

Colder then a welldigger's ass
The cold is so intense that it's described as being even colder than the skin of a welldigger's ass, a phrase used to emphasize the extreme coldness.

And it's colder than a welldigger's ass
The cold is so intense that Waits repeats the phrase to emphasize it once again.

Oceanside it ends the ride with San Clemente coming up
Waits is approaching the end of his journey on the California coast, with San Clemente being the next major stopping point.

Those Sunday desperadoes slip by and cruise with a dry back
People out for a Sunday drive pass Waits' car, without having to deal with the rain and wet weather because they're safely cruising with dry backs in their cars.

And the orange drive-in the neon billin'
Waits sees an orange drive-in restaurant with neon billboards that are lit up in the rain.

And the theatre's fillin' to the brim
A nearby theater is full of people despite the rainy weather.

With slave girls and a hot spurn bucket full of sin
The sold-out theater is full of people watching a scandalous movie that involves slave girls and sinful behavior.

Metropolitan area with interchange and connections
Waits is now driving in a more populated, built-up area with a complex system of roads and interchanges.

Fly-by-nights from Riverside
Drivers using the highway system here are described as 'fly-by-nights,' meaning they are reckless or unreliable.

And out of state plates running a little late
Cars with licenses plates from other states are rushing to keep up in the busy traffic and make good time despite being unfamiliar with the area.

But the sailors jockey for the fast lane
Sailors on the road are speeding up and trying to overtake other vehicles by moving into the fast lane.

So 101 don't miss it
Waits reminds himself to look out for exit 101, which he doesn't want to miss.

There's rolling hills and concrete fields
The highway itself and the terrain through which it passes are described as alternating between hills and flat, concrete pavement.

And the broken line's on your mind
Waits is conscious of the broken line on the highway, which serves as a reminder for him to stay in his lane and drive safely.

The eights go east and the fives go north
The highways in California are described according to their designations: Highway 8 goes east and Highway 5 goes north.

And the merging nexus back and forth
The highway system is complex and difficult to navigate, with different roads merging in and out of others.

You see your sign, cross the line, signaling with a blink
Waits is describing how drivers change lanes and turn using their car's blinkers to signal their intentions.

And the radio's gone off the air
Waits' radio signal has faded, so he no longer has any music or news to distract him while he drives in the rain and thinks.

Gives you time to think
Without the distraction of radio, Waits finds he has more time to think and reflect on his life while driving.

And you hear the rumble
Waits hears the deep, low sound of his car's engine as he drives in the rain and thinks.

As you fumble for a cigarette
Waits reaches for a cigarette to smoke while driving and reflecting on his thoughts in the car.

And blazing through this midnight jungle
Waits is still driving fast in the rain, feeling like he's cutting through a 'jungle' of nighttime traffic.

Remember someone that you met
Waits is thinking of someone he met in his past as he drives and smokes a cigarette.

And one more block, the engine talks
Waits' car is approaching his destination, and he can hear the engine changing as it prepares to idle.

Whispers home at last
Waits' car is finally at his destination, and it feels comforting to be home at last.

Whispers home at last
Waits repeats the phrase to emphasize the comfort of having his journey complete and being home safe.

Whispers home at last
Again, Waits repeats the phrase to emphasize the comfort of being home and done with his journey.

Whispers home at last
Finally, Waits repeats the phrase to drive home the point that he's relieved to be home and safe after driving in tough conditions all day.

Whispers home at last
Another repetition to emphasize the relief of being at his destination and out of the rain.

Whispers home at last
The final repetition of the phrase drives home the importance of being safe, comfortable and settled in at home after a long drive in tough weather.

(Hey look here Jack, ok)
This final line is likely a direct voice-over by the recording engineer, meaning that it serves no narrative purpose and TAILOR has left it in the lyrics to retain the sense of the recording's style and vibe.