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."
Potter's Field
Tom Waits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'll give you a bargain from the edge of a maniac's dream
That buys a black widow spider with a riddle in his yarn
That's clingin' to the furrow of a blind man's brow
And I'll start talkin' from the brim of a thimble full of whiskey
On a train through the Bronx that will take you just as far
As the empty of a bottle to the highway of a scar
That stretched across the blacktop of my cheek like that
You'll learn why liquor makes a stool pigeon rat on every face
That ever left a shadow down on Saint Mark's place
Hell, I'd double-cross my mother if it was whiskey that they paid
And so an early bird says Nightstick's on the hit parade
And he ain't got a prayer and his days are numbered
And you'll track him down like a dog
But it's a tough customer you're gettin' in this trade
'Cause the Nightstick's heart pumps lemonade
And whiskey keeps a blind man talkin' all right
And I'm the only one who knows just where he stayed last night
He was in a wreckin' yard in a switchblade storm
In a wheelbarrow with nothin' but revenge to keep him warm
And a half a million dollars in unmarked bills
Was the Nightstick's blanket in a February chill
And the buzzards drove a crooked sky beneath a black wing halo
He was dealin' high Chicago in the mud
And stackin' the deck against a dragnet's eye
And the shiverin' Nightstick in a miserable heap
With the siren for a lullaby singin' him to sleep
And bleedin' from a buttonhole, and torn by a slug
Fired from the barrel of a two dollar gun
That scorched a blister on the grip of a punk by now
Is learnin' what you have to pay to be a hero anyhow
He dressed the hole in his gut with a hundred dollar bandage
A king's ransom for a bedspread that don't amount to nothin'
Just cobweb strings on a busted ukulele
And the Nightstick leaned on a black shillelagh
With the poison of a junkie's broken promise on his lip
He staggered in the shadows screamin', I ain't never been afraid'
And he shot out every street light on the promenade
Past the frozen ham-and-eggers at the penny arcade
Throwin' out handfuls of a blood stained salary
They were dead in their tracks at the shootin' gallery
And they fired off a twenty-one gun salute
And from the corner of his eye he caught the alabaster orbs
Of a dime-a-dance-hall girl and stuffed a thousand dollar bill in her blouse
And caught the cruel and unusual punishment of her smile
And the Nightstick winked beneath a rain soaked brim
Ain't no one seen hide nor hair of him since
No one 'cept a spade on Riker's Island and me
So if you're mad enough to listen to a full of whiskey blind man
And you're mad enough to look beyond where the bloodhounds dare to go
And if you want to know where the Nightstick's hidin' out
You be down at the ferry landin', oh let's say 'bout half past a nightmare
When it's twisted on the clock, and you tell 'em Nickel sent you
Whiskey always makes him talk
And you ask for Captain Charon with the mud on his kicks
He's the skipper of the deadline steamer
And she sails from the Bronx across the river Styx
And a riddle's just a ticket for a dreamer
'Cause when the weathervane's sleepin' and the moon turns his back
You crawl on your belly 'long the railroad tracks
And cross your heart and hope to die, and stick a needle in your eye
'Cause he'd cut my bleedin' heart out if he found out that I squealed
'Cause you see a scarecrow is just a hoodlum
Who marked the cards that he dealed
And pulled a gypsy switch
Out on the edge of Potter's Field
The song "Potter's Field" by Tom Waits tells a story of a man named Nightstick, who seems to be a criminal on the run from the law. The lyrics have a very raw and edgy feel to them, and Waits sings them almost like he's speaking them. The song features a lot of references to drinking and whiskey, which seems to be a recurring theme in Waits' work.
The lyrics are quite vivid and create a very visual story. Waits describes Nightstick being found in a wrecking yard, trying to keep warm with nothing but revenge and a half a million dollars in unmarked bills. The Nightstick is elusive and always seems to stay one step ahead of the law. He's a "tough customer" to catch because he's always on the move, dealing "high Chicago in the mud."
Despite the gritty and bleak nature of the lyrics, there's also a sense of poetry to them. Waits is a masterful wordsmith, and the song is filled with clever turns of phrase and evocative imagery. The overall effect is haunting and memorable, and the song stays with you long after it's finished.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, you can buy me a drink and I'll tell you what I've seen
The singer is willing to share their experiences with the listener in exchange for a drink
And I'll give you a bargain from the edge of a maniac's dream
The singer will give the listener a deal on their crazy stories
That buys a black widow spider with a riddle in his yarn
The deal includes purchasing a dangerous and cryptic object
That's clingin' to the furrow of a blind man's brow
The object is being carried by a blind person
And I'll start talkin' from the brim of a thimble full of whiskey
The artist will begin their storytelling while drinking a small amount of whiskey
On a train through the Bronx that will take you just as far
The singer is on a train going through the Bronx and is taking the listener along for the ride
As the empty of a bottle to the highway of a scar
The train ride is as transformative as finishing a bottle of alcohol and experiencing a significant injury
That stretched across the blacktop of my cheek like that
The artist has a visible scar on their face
And then ducks beneath the brim of a fugitive's hat
The scar is noticeable even when covered by a hat worn by someone on the run
You'll learn why liquor makes a stool pigeon rat on every face
The artist will explain why drinking alcohol makes people honest and confess their secrets
That ever left a shadow down on Saint Mark's place
This truth is especially relevant in a particular location in New York City
Hell, I'd double-cross my mother if it was whiskey that they paid
The artist values whiskey so much that they would betray their own mother for it
And so an early bird says Nightstick's on the hit parade
An informant reveals that someone named Nightstick is a target of law enforcement
And he ain't got a prayer and his days are numbered
Nightstick is in grave danger and will likely be caught soon
And you'll track him down like a dog
The authorities will aggressively pursue Nightstick
But it's a tough customer you're gettin' in this trade
Nightstick is a formidable adversary
'Cause the Nightstick's heart pumps lemonade
Nightstick remains surprisingly calm and collected despite the danger they are in
And whiskey keeps a blind man talkin' all right
Nightstick has been drinking whiskey and could be more talkative than usual
And I'm the only one who knows just where he stayed last night
The singer is the only one who has information about Nightstick's whereabouts
He was in a wreckin' yard in a switchblade storm
Nightstick was in a junkyard during a violent conflict
In a wheelbarrow with nothin' but revenge to keep him warm
Nightstick has no shelter or comfort except for their desire for revenge
And a half a million dollars in unmarked bills
Nightstick has a large sum of money in cash that cannot be traced
Was the Nightstick's blanket in a February chill
The money is the only protection Nightstick has against the cold
And the buzzards drove a crooked sky beneath a black wing halo
Vultures are circling above, foreshadowing Nightstick's imminent death
He was dealin' high Chicago in the mud
Nightstick was involved in a corrupt business deal in difficult conditions
And stackin' the deck against a dragnet's eye
Nightstick was trying to cheat the authorities in their investigation
And the shiverin' Nightstick in a miserable heap
Nightstick is cold and in a bad state after being injured
With the siren for a lullaby singin' him to sleep
Nightstick is dying and the sound of a nearby siren is comforting them in their final moments
And bleedin' from a buttonhole, and torn by a slug
Nightstick has been shot and is bleeding
Fired from the barrel of a two dollar gun
The gunshot was from a cheap and unremarkable firearm
That scorched a blister on the grip of a punk by now
The gun was likely owned by a criminal of low status
Is learnin' what you have to pay to be a hero anyhow
The reality of violence and death is the cost of trying to be heroic
He dressed the hole in his gut with a hundred dollar bandage
The wound in Nightstick's stomach was temporarily treated with an expensive medical supply
A king's ransom for a bedspread that don't amount to nothin'
The bandage is extremely costly but ultimately ineffective
Just cobweb strings on a busted ukulele
The bandage is flimsy and cannot keep Nightstick's wound closed
And the Nightstick leaned on a black shillelagh
Even while injured, Nightstick has a sturdy and menacing walking stick
With the poison of a junkie's broken promise on his lip
Nightstick has been taking drugs and may not be honest or reliable
He staggered in the shadows screamin', I ain't never been afraid'
Despite their fatal injury, Nightstick remains proud and defiant
And he shot out every street light on the promenade
Nightstick is causing destruction and chaos as a final act of rebellion
Past the frozen ham-and-eggers at the penny arcade
The violence is happening near a cheap amusement park
Throwin' out handfuls of a blood stained salary
Nightstick is throwing away their money, which is now stained with their own blood
They were dead in their tracks at the shootin' gallery
People at the nearby shooting range were stopped in their activity out of fear
And they fired off a twenty-one gun salute
Nightstick's death was given a martyr's honor by a set number of gunshots
And from the corner of his eye he caught the alabaster orbs
Nightstick saw the eyes of a beautiful woman nearby
Of a dime-a-dance-hall girl and stuffed a thousand dollar bill in her blouse
As an act of bravado and romance, Nightstick gives the woman a large sum of money before dying
And caught the cruel and unusual punishment of her smile
The woman responds to Nightstick's gesture with a sinister and mocking expression
And the Nightstick winked beneath a rain soaked brim
Nightstick dies with confidence and humor, even in the rain
Ain't no one seen hide nor hair of him since
No one knows what happened to Nightstick's body or possessions after his death
No one 'cept a spade on Riker's Island and me
Only two people hold the secret of Nightstick's location
So if you're mad enough to listen to a full of whiskey blind man
The singer acknowledges that their stories may not be entirely trustworthy due to their inebriation and blindness
And you're mad enough to look beyond where the bloodhounds dare to go
The listener must be willing to take risks and find clues outside of standard investigative practices
And if you want to know where the Nightstick's hidin' out
The artist is willing to divulge the location of Nightstick's secret hideout
You be down at the ferry landin', oh let's say 'bout half past a nightmare
To find Nightstick's hideout, the listener must go to a specific location at a very late hour
When it's twisted on the clock, and you tell 'em Nickel sent you
The listener must tell the right person that they were sent by the singer, who goes by the nickname Nickel
Whiskey always makes him talk
The person the listener will speak to is known to divulge information while drinking whiskey
And you ask for Captain Charon with the mud on his kicks
The listener should ask for a man called Captain Charon who has dirt on his shoes
He's the skipper of the deadline steamer
Captain Charon is in charge of a ship that has a strict schedule
And she sails from the Bronx across the river Styx
The ship travels from a specific location in New York City to a place known in Greek mythology as the river that separates the living from the dead
And a riddle's just a ticket for a dreamer
Captain Charon will only give away Nightstick's location if the listener can solve a difficult riddle, appealing to those who love challenges and imagination
'Cause when the weathervane's sleepin' and the moon turns his back
The answer to the riddle can only be found during a specific time and situation
You crawl on your belly 'long the railroad tracks
The listener must move secretly and dangerously to reach their goal
And cross your heart and hope to die, and stick a needle in your eye
The listener must make a solemn oath to keep the secret and cause themselves pain to prove their resolve
'Cause he'd cut my bleedin' heart out if he found out that I squealed
The singer is afraid of Nightstick and the consequences if they are caught sharing the secret
'Cause you see a scarecrow is just a hoodlum
The artist compares Nightstick to a harmless object that is pretending to be more dangerous than they really are
Who marked the cards that he dealed
Nightstick has a history of cheating and taking advantage of others
And pulled a gypsy switch
Nightstick has been involved in deceitful tactics with a person or a group known as gypsies
Out on the edge of Potter's Field
All of these events and characters are located in an non-consecrated cemetery for the indigent, called Potter's Field
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BOB ALCIVAR, TOM WAITS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Smith
My favorite Waits song. The orchestration, the wind, the reeds, the film noir feel. It's everything Waits is. The soundtrack to every 1950's noir movie.
Gerard Stothard
If only tom waits wrote travel guides, imagine the sights you would see and the people you would meet. Off the beaten track wouldn't even come close. Still we can all dream.
Kirke182
The best sounding album of the 70s. They skipped the 24-track tape and went straight to the 2-track stereo master tape which eliminates a lot of tape hiss. So everything is clear and up close. But everything has to be recorded and performed perfectly. No mistakes because you can't fix it. You'd have to record it all over again. Also no overdubbing. Everything must be recorded in real time. The orchestra was right there playing. Everything was perfect. Top notch productoon values thanks to Bones Howe.
Noel Walters
I'm sure I read somewhere that this was recorded in one take straight to 2 track tape. If so it's an absolutely bloody amazing piece of work - not that it isn't anyway. I don't know who did the orchestration but it's absolutely brilliant,. The crescendo when he sings "scorched a blister on the grip of a punk by now" is unsurpassable. It's hard to pick a favorite Tom Waits track let alone a favorite track of all time but this one is right near the top.
And many thanks for the transcription.
Kirke182
Orchestration was done by Bob Alcivar.
Tommy Haynes
@Kirke182 I was gong to say Bones Howe...but I guess he was just the producer
Tommy Haynes
The best music and lyrics ever created. I hang on every word ,every image, his lyrics paint pictures
Kirke182
Excellent visuals--really sets the mood. Thank you for this!
callinstead09
This is incredible stuff here! Rare footage and especially rare talent.
Jacob For Real
This is freaking awesome !!!