tom waits • kathleen brennan
I thought I was through with Tom Waits in 1980; after acquiring all his seven Asylum albums and picking up some songs from his "early years" that I still really adore, I was fed up. Asylum turned down his projected new album "Swordfishtrombones", and he went to Island instead. He'd married Kathleen Brennan, whose influence pushed him in an experimental direction I simply disliked. My ears started to sweat when I heard a few cuts, and I forgot about him for 43 years except for the classic songs I'd included in my playlist.
Then one night this song dropped into my YouTube feed for no reason. I SWEAR I've never searched for Waits or anything like him (which really doesn't exist), but there it was. Not a new release, but a pretty new video uploaded. It casted an old bearded bum with a filthy hat walking through a city with burning, sharp eyes : could have been my old late buddy "Børre", and I wondered if he'd finally called me back to present this song.*) The fishnet was dropped, and it caught me and my guitar.
Waits' song catalogue can be strictly divided into three periods: The Asylum years 1971-1982, The Island era 1982-1999 and Anti- [Epitaph] 1999 - ?. He's not officially retired, but hasn't released new material since 2011, and rarely given concerts.
The song is from a kind of trilogy, which were the three first albums for Island: "Swordfishtrombones" (1983), "Rain Dogs" (1985) and "Franks Wild Years" (1987).**) It's hidden in the last of these, co-written by his wife Kathleen, who maybe is main responsible for the melody. It is, writing 2026, covered by 44 rather unknown artists. I would've been #45, if yesterday WAS here ... I dedicate my adapted arrangement to my old late friend, who was the only one ever to enhance my playing with his holy fingers. Seems like he's still around, and bloody You Tube is clairvoyant.
if you want money in your pocket
you want a top hat on your head
a hot meal on your table
and a blanket on your bed
today is grey skies
tomorrow is tears
you'll have to wait till yesterday is here
I'm going to New York City
I'll be leaving on a train
and if you wanna stay behind
till I come back again
today is grey skies
tomorrow is tears
you'll have to wait till yesterday is here
now if you want to go
where the rainbows end
you will have to say goodbye
all our dreams come true baby up ahead
and it's out where your memories lie
and the road is out before me
and the moon is shining bright
what I want you to remember
as I disappear tonight
today is grey skies
tomorrow is tears
you'll have to wait till yesterday is here
*) My song "Buddy Call Later" is a fictional phone call I wrote two days before the funeral, but didn't dare to sing. And you can read about Børre right HERE.
**) "Franks Wild Years" is subtitled "Un Operachi Romantico in Two Acts", because it had a sidekick: a musical play that had its world premiere at the Briar St. Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, on 22nd of June 1986, with songs mainly written by Brennan and Waits, and performed by the Steppenwolf Theatre Company with Waits starring as "Frank".
"I'm so broke I can't even pay attention."
"You have to keep busy, after all, no dog ever pissed on a moving car."
"I don't care who I have to step on on my way down." -waitsisms-
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
Em Cmaj7 if you want money in your pocket Em C you want a top hat on your head Em Cmaj7 a hot meal on your table B11 B7 and a blanket on your bed Em G today is grey skies Asus2 A7 tomorrow is tears Cdim7 B11 B7 Em you'll have to wait till yesterday is here Em Cmaj7 now if you want to go Em C where the rainbows end Em B11 Em you will have to say goodbye Em Cmaj7 Em C all our dreams come true baby up ahead Em B11 B7 and it's out where your memories lie
