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 Waitsâs 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 FreischĂźtz" 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 BĂźchner. 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 â 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 â ideally naked and purring on the hood of a new car. I have adamantly and repeatedly refused this dubious honor."
Jesus Gonna Be Here
Tom Waits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's gonna be here soon
He's gonna cover us up with leaves
With a blanket from the moon
With a promise and a vow
And a lullaby for my brow
Jesus gonna be here
Gonna be here soon
Well, I'm not gonna do nothing
I'm gonna wait here
I don't have to shout
I got no reason, yeah
And I got no doubt, yeah
I'm gonna get myself unfurled
From this mortal coiled-up world
Jesus gonna be here
Gonna be here soon
I got to keep my eyes, keep 'em wide open
So I can see my Lord, yeah
I'm gonna watch the horizon
For my brand-new Ford, yeah
Well, I can hear him rolling on down the lane
I said "Hollywood be thy name"
'Cause Jesus gonna be
He gonna be here soon, yeah
Well, I've got to keep myself, got to keep myself faithful
And you know that I've been so good
Except for drinking
But he knew that I would, yeah
And when I'm gonna leave this place better
Than the way I found that it was
And Jesus gonna be here
Gonna be here soon, yeah
I know my Jesus gonna be here
He gonna be here soon, yeah
I know my Jesus gonna be here
He gonna be here soon
The song "Jesus Gonna Be Here" by Tom Waits is a gospel-blues inspired piece that speaks about the second coming of Jesus. The lyrics describe a sense of expectancy and anticipation of the Messiah's arrival, which is expected to bring comfort, peace, and salvation. Waits speaks directly to Jesus throughout the entire song and is expecting to hear Him while demonstrating his faith and loyalty to Him. The lyrics depict the human need for a spiritual connection and reliance on all-powerful beings, especially when experiencing hardships and difficulties.
The opening line, "Well, Jesus gonna be here, He's gonna be here soon," sets the tone for the whole song. Waits emphasizes his belief that the Messiah's return is imminent and tangible. The second line draws imagery from nature, using the metaphor of a leaf blanket from the moon that will cover us up with security and protection. The promise, vow, and lullaby represent the reassurance and comfort that believers expect from their savior. Waits emphasizes his trust in Jesus through the repetition of "I got no reason, yeah, and I got no doubt, yeah." For him, waiting for Jesus' arrival is a moment of spiritual clarity and peace, where he can be "unfurled from this mortal coiled-up world."
The mention of Hollywood plays on the belief that Jesus will return in a star-studded and sensational manner, depicting the heavenly ascent in cinematic grandeur. The reference to the brand-new Ford is also significant as it indicates transformation and renewal, a metaphor of the second coming which will bring in a new order of things. Waits' admission of flaws and imperfections humanizes him while recognizing Jesus' understanding of his weaknesses. The song ends with a powerful affirmation of Waits' faith that Jesus will soon be here and how he will leave this place better than the way he found it.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, Jesus gonna be here
Jesus Christ is soon to arrive
He's gonna be here soon
Jesus Christ's arrival is imminent
He's gonna cover us up with leaves
Jesus Christ will provide us with shelter
With a blanket from the moon
Jesus Christ will protect us with something special and heavenly
With a promise and a vow
Jesus Christ will give us a pledge and a commitment
And a lullaby for my brow
Jesus Christ will sing a soothing song over us
Gonna be here soon
The repeated phrase symbolizes the inevitability of Jesus Christ's coming
I'm not gonna do nothing
I am not going to be idle; I am going to wait patiently
I'm gonna wait here
I will wait for Jesus Christ's arrival
I don't have to shout
I do not have to call out or make a commotion
I got no reason, yeah
I have no cause to behave erratically
And I got no doubt, yeah
I am certain of Jesus Christ's arrival
I'm gonna get myself unfurled
I will release myself from the constraints of this world
From this mortal coiled-up world
I will be freed from this earthly, twisted existence
I got to keep my eyes, keep 'em wide open
I must remain alert and vigilant
So I can see my Lord, yeah
So I can witness the arrival of Jesus Christ
I'm gonna watch the horizon
I will observe the boundary between the sky and the earth
For my brand-new Ford, yeah
The phrase may be a reference to an automobile or symbolize something else that represents a new beginning
Well, I can hear him rolling on down the lane
It is suggested that Jesus Christ is approaching, although it is not certain what the lane represents
I said "Hollywood be thy name"
This line may be a reference to the entertainment industry, or it may represent a desire for a grand and glamorous arrival of Jesus Christ
'Cause Jesus gonna be
The repeated phrase emphasizes that Jesus Christ is soon to arrive
Well, I've got to keep myself, got to keep myself faithful
I need to remain devoted and dedicated to Jesus Christ
And you know that I've been so good
The singer believes that they have been obedient and righteous
Except for drinking
The artist acknowledges their one flaw or weakness
But he knew that I would, yeah
Jesus Christ is all-knowing and understands human frailty
And when I'm gonna leave this place better
The singer intends to make a positive impact on the world before they depart
Than the way I found that it was
The singer wants to improve the world as they leave it
And Jesus gonna be here
Jesus Christ's arrival is still imminent
Gonna be here soon, yeah
This repeated phrase reinforces the idea that Jesus Christ's coming is near
I know my Jesus gonna be here
The singer has faith that Jesus Christ will arrive as promised
He gonna be here soon, yeah
The final utterance emphasizes the idea that Christ is coming soon
Lyrics Š Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: THOMAS ALAN WAITS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tyrondardizian6711
Well, Jesus will be here
Be here soon
He's gonna cover us up with leaves
With a blanket from the moon
With a promise and a vow
And a lullaby for my brow
Jesus gonna be here
Be here soon
Well I'm not gonna do nothing but wait here
I don't have to shout
I got me no reason and
I got no doubt
I'm gonna get myself
Unfurled from this mortal coiled up world
Jesus gonna be here
Gonna be here soon
I got to keep my eyes keep 'em wide open
So I can see my Lord
I'm gonna watch the horizon
For a brand new Ford
I can hear him rolling on down the lane
I said Hollywood be thy name
Jesus gonna be here
Gonna be here soon
Well, I've got to keep myself keep myself faithful
And you know I've been so good
Except for drinking
But he knew that I would
Well I'm gonna leave this place better
Than the way I found that it was
And Jesus gonna be here
He's gonna be here soon
@BluesLantos
Well, Jesus gonna be here
He's gonna be here soon
He's gonna cover us up with leaves
With a blanket from the moon
With a promise and a vow
And a lullaby for my brow
Jesus gonna be here
Gonna be here soon
Well, I'm not gonna do nothing
I'm gonna wait here
I don't have to shout
I got no reason, yeah
And I got no doubt, yeah
I'm gonna get myself unfurled
From this mortal coiled-up world
Jesus gonna be here
Gonna be here soon
I got to keep my eyes, keep 'em wide open
So I can see my Lord, yeah
I'm gonna watch the horizon
For my brand-new Ford, yeah
Well, I can hear him rolling on down the lane
I said "Hollywood be thy name"
'Cause Jesus gonna be
He gonna be here soon, yeah
Well, I've got to keep myself, got to keep myself faithful
And you know that I've been so good
Except for drinking
But he knew that I would, yeah
And when I'm gonna leave this place better
Than the way I found that it was
And Jesus gonna be here
Gonna be here soon, yeah
I know my Jesus gonna be here
He gonna be here soon, yeah
I know my Jesus gonna be here
He gonna be here soon
@mpayson
Well, Jesus will be here
Be here soon
He's gonna cover us up with leaves
With a blanket from the moon
With a promise and a vow
And a lullaby for my brow
Jesus gonna be here
Be here soon
Well I'm just gonna wait here
I don't have to shout
I have no reason and
I have no doubt
I'm gonna get myself
Unfurled from this mortal coiled up world
Because Jesus gonna be here
Be here soon
I got to keep my eyes open
So I can see my Lord
I'm gonna watch the horizon
For a brand new Ford
I can hear him rolling on down the lane
I said Hollywood be thy name
Jesus gonna be
Gonna be here soon
Well, I've been faithful
And I've been so good
Except for drinking
But he knew that I would
I'm gonna leave this place better
Than the way I found it was
And Jesus gonna be here
Be here soon-
@jakethemistakeRulez
"I gotta keep myself faithful and you know I've been so good. Except for drinkin' but he knew that I would."
@MichaelSheffield-ox8yd
My wife never accepts that excuse.
@xoopskillet3072
This hits deep in my bones.
@Janis-kj5qi
Good
@StonefieldJim4
I'm astonished that this is not held in higher esteem by critics and fans alike. It might well be my all-time favourite of Tom's vocal performances. I always recommend it when people say he can't sing well. Are you kidding? This is blues and gospel hollerin' at its best. Brilliant.
@MichaelSheffield-ox8yd
Some of us don't equate hollerin' with singing. This is far from his best vocal.
@AtreVire
i remember Tom Waits saying that Howlin' Wolf was one of his inspirations, but this is the clearest example of that
@BetsyNemes
I saw him perform one of his Mule Variations/Rain Dogs shows in the lates 2000s when i was around 17 or so.
I'll never, ever forget it...2 ticket purchase limit per order so we had 3 laptops set up for the 6 of us. Ticketmaster sold out in a matter of seconds, we had to have our credit card information already entered and ready to purchase as soon as they went on sale!
I had just bought my first car and drove all the way ( 7 or 8 hours ) from NJ to Akron, Ohio. It was between that or Kentucky show as the closest.
Everyone in the crowd was a diehard fan and was crying when he came out on stage, including myself!đ
i felt it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, especially considering his getting up there in age !â¤â¤â¤
@joeyj6808
Lucky you! I'd give a major organ to see the Maestro. I'm glad you got to see him!
@AngieOwlglass
This is the song I wanted to hear today. This is my happy song.