TOM WAITSS NIGHTHAWKS AT THE DINER

Before Waitsian Raindogs, there were... Nighthawks. Nighthawks at the diner of Emma's 49er there's a rendezvous of strangers around the coffee urn tonight... ("Eggs & Sausage", 1975)

Nighthawk n 1: a person who likes to be active late at night [syn: {night owl}, {nightbird}] 2: mainly nocturnal North American goatsucker [syn: {bullbat}, {mosquito hawk}] (Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, WordNet (r) 1.6 (wn) interface) Night-hawk (Heb. tahmas) occurs only in the list of unclean birds (Lev. 11:16; Deut. 14:15). This was supposed to be the night-jar (Caprimulgus), allied to the swifts. The Hebrew word is derived from a root meaning "to scratch or tear the face," and may be best rendered, in accordance with the ancient versions, "an owl" (Strix flammea). The Revised Version renders "night-hawk. (Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)) Though Waits himself never said so, the title and cover art of the album refers to the Edward Hopper's painting: "Nighthawks" (1942.Oil on canvas: 30 x 60 in. The Art Institute of Chicago.) Click here for more info on Hopper. Jay S. Jacobs (2000): "Waits's manager, Herb Cohen, suggested that he do a live album. One that would showcase the compelling Waits stage persona Waits himself had some reservations about embarking on the live album project, but he eventually agreed to do it. Bones Howe was enthusiastic from the outset, and he knew just how the job should be done. I said I didn't want to go into a club. I'd seen Tom live and we could make a much better record if ... we made a recording studio into a club. There was a room at the back of the Record Plant. It's a big recording studio, almost a soundstage. We put a little stage over in the corner. There was a booth with glass, so we didn't need to be in the room." Howe scheduled the Record. Plant shows for the last two days of July 1975, and everyone got to work creating the appropriate ambiance. "We put tables in the room and we had a guest list," says Howe. "We had beer and wine and potato chips on the tables. And we sold out four shows ... two nights in a row. Tom got this stripper named Dwana to be the opening act." Dwana was an old-time burlesque queen whom Tom had met on one of his jaunts to the Hollywood

underworld. She warmed up the crowd - which was largely made up of friends and acquaintances of Waits and crew - and everyone was primed for a drunken voyage into an Edward Hopper painting or a Charles Bukowski poem. Waits didn't plan on disappointing them. Bones had put together a live band from the session musicians who had worked on The Heart of Saturday Night. Mike Melvoin served as bandleader and also covered keyboards. Pete Christlieb blew tenor sax, Jim Hughart hauled the upright bass, and Bill Goodwin played drums. Melvoin recalls the scene: "Candles on the tables ... A room full of people. The show started with a stripper, who was the classic old tassle-twirler. It was wonderful. The ambiance was great. The band was sensational. The interaction between the band and Tom was wonderful - between the band and Tom and the audience. It was great chemistry, and I have to hand it to Bones for putting that together." Later on, says Howe, when the time came to mix the album, he and Tom "just went out and hid in a recording studio. We took the best of each of the four shows, put an album together out of it and then mixed it. We had a really, really good time doing it. The album shows that." The album's working title had been "Nighthawk Postcards from Easy Street," but they shortened it to Nighthawks at the Diner. Listening to the finished product, it's evident that the sessions it documents were a hoot for everyone involved, but, as often happens with live albums, fun in concert didn't quite translate onto vinyl." (1) Dan Daley (2004): "For Waits' and Howe's first collaboration, it seemed logical to move up to the larger track configurations that were quickly becoming popular, and Heart Of Saturday Night and Nighthawks At The Diner, the first two albums they made together, in 1974 and 1975 respectively, were done on the 3M 16track deck at Wally Heider's Studio 3. Nighthawks was an especially interesting project. "We did it as a live recording, which was unusual for an artist so new," says Howe. "Herb Cohen and I both had a sense that we needed to bring out the jazz in Waits more clearly. Tom was a great performer on stage Herb had him out there opening solo with an acoustic guitar for the Mothers Of Invention, so that was a baptism under fire for anyone, having to yell back at the hecklers and do your show. I told Tom that he should use a piano instead, and he says back [and Howe can almost perfectly mimic Waits' trademark growl and inflections], 'There's never one up there!' So we started talking about where we could do an album that would have a live feel to it. We thought about clubs, but the well-known ones like the Troubadour were toilets in those days. "Then I remembered that Barbra Streisand had made a record at the old Record Plant studios, when they were on 3rd Street near Cahuenga Boulevard. It's a mall now. There was a room there that she got an entire orchestra into. Back in those days they would just roll the consoles around to where they needed them. So Herb and I said let's see if we can put tables and chairs in there and get an audience in and record a show. "I got Michael Melvoin on piano, and he was one of the greatest jazz arrangers ever; I had Jim Hughart on [upright] bass, Bill Goodwin

on drums and Pete Christlieb on sax. It was a totally jazz rhythm section. Herb gave out tickets to all his friends, we set up a bar, put potato chips on the tables and we had a sell-out, two nights, two shows a night, July 30 and 31, 1975. I remember that the opening act was a stripper. Her name was Dewana and her husband was a taxi driver. So for her the band played bump-and-grind music and there's no jazz player who has never played a strip joint, so they knew exactly what to do. But it put the room in exactly the right mood. Then Waits came out and sang 'Emotional Weather Report'. Then he turned around to face the band and read the classified section of the paper while they played. It was like Allen Ginsberg with a really, really good band." Howe used a similar microphone setup as for previous sessions, although he had to make a few exchanges based on what Record Plant had available those nights. Electro-voice RE16s replaced the Shures he was used to, and Howe set up a Shure SM57 for Waits's vocal. "It was easy to use as a hand microphone," he says. "I also had a RE16 for him to use if he wanted." Howe ran the 3M 16-track deck at 15ips. "I knew the high end sounded better at 30ips, but I didn't like how it emasculated the overall sound and thinned out the low end. All the jazz records I recorded I did at 15ips. I actually went from 15ips on tape right up to the moment I started working in digital."(2) Bones Howe's original layout diagram for the live recording that would become Nighthawks At The Diner.(2) Tenor sax (Pete Christlieb). Nr.1: Shure SM57 mic Drums (Bill Goodwin). Nr. 2, 3: Shure 546 mic on the kick and hi-hat. Nr. 4, 5, 6: Sony C37 mics(?) Electric piano (Mike Melvoin). Nr. 7: direct Upright bass (Jim Hughart). Nr. 23, 24: direct Piano (Mike Melvoin/ Tom Waits). Nr. 22, 10, 12: Electro-voice RE16 mic (vocals), Shure SM57 mic, Telefunken U87 mic Vocals (Tom Waits). Nr. 8, 9: Shure SM57 mic, Electro-voice RE16 (second mic) Michael Melvoin (1999): "I knew that I was dealing with an extraordinary, different kind of talent. There were a couple of things about it. First of all, the lyrics ... I would describe them as top-rank American poetry. I thought then, and I still believe, that I was dealing with a world-class poet. My degree from school was in English literature, so I felt that I was in the presence of one of the great Beat poets. Tom's work was a counterpoint to that experience. I was amazed by the richness of it. The musical settings that he was using reminded me of certain roots jazz experiences that I thought were very, very appropriate for that."(3) By the way, a Nighthawk is actually a bird. But it probably isn't what you expected it to be...

It's the size of a Robin... Common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) Identification Tips: Very short bill. Blackish upperparts with gray and white patterning. Brown and white patterning on head and chest. Underparts with heavy dark bars. Dark wings with conspicuous pale patch midway out from bend in wing. Dark tail with thin white bars. The common nighthawk is easily recognizable as it flies high over city streets and rooftops, or country areas on summer evenings. A hollow booming sound is produced by the wings as the bird pulls out of a steep dive while in pursuit of flying insects. Nighthawks catch mosquitoes, flying ants, and other insects on the wing. Their enormous mouths, with surrounding bristles, are ideally suited for aerial capture. Nighthawks build no nests. Instead, they lay their eggs on the ground, or, in cities, on flat gravel rooftops. Notes: (1) Source: "Wild Years, The Music and Myth of Tom Waits." Jay S. Jacobs, ECW Press 2000 (2) Source: "Bones Howe & Tom Waits" by Dan Daley, Sound On Sound. January/ February 2004 (3) Source: "Wild Years, The Music and Myth of Tom Waits." Jay S. Jacobs, ECW Press 2000. Telephone conversation. June 25, 1999 Part of the Tom Waits Supplement 1999-2005

Emotional Weather Report(1)

What we're talking about is late night and early morning low clouds with a chance of fog, chance of showers into the afternoon with variable high cloudiness and gusty winds Gusty winds at times around the corner of Sunset and Alvorado(2) Yeah, I know, things are tough all over When the thunder storms start increasing over the Southeast and South Central portions of my apartment, I get upset And a line of thunderstorms was developing in the early morning ahead of a slow moving coldfront, cold blooded with tornado watches issued shortly before noon Sunday for the areas including the western region of my mental health and the northern portions of my ability to deal rationally with my disconcerted precarious emotional situation It's cold out there Colder than a ticket taker's smile at the Ivar Theatre, on a Saturday night Flash flood watches covered the southern portion of my disposition, yeah There was no severe weather well into the afternoon except for kind of a lone gust of wind in the bedroom A high pressure zone covering the eastern portion of a small suburban community with a 1034 millibar high pressure zone and a weak pressure ridge extending from my eyes down to my cheeks cause since you left me baby and put the vice grips on my mental health well, the extended outlook for an indefinite period of time until you come back to me, baby, is high tonight, low tomorrow and precipitation is expected That wraps up the weather for this evening. Now back to the eleven o'clock blues. Doctor George Fishbeck(3) ain't got nothing on me!
Written by: Tom Waits Published by: Fifth Floor Music Inc. (ASCAP ), 1975 Official release: Nighthawks At The Diner, Elektra/ Asylum Records, 1975 (1) Opening intro: "Well... an inebriated good evening to you all.

Welcome to Raphael's Silver Cloud Lounge. Slip me a lil' crimson, Jimson. Gimme the low-down, Brown. Now what's the scoop, Betty Boop? I'm on my way into town. Christ, while we're at it, I want to thank Dawna for opening the program for us. I'm so goddam horny that the

crack of dawn better be careful around me! Yeah... I wanna pull on your coat about somethin' here tonight. Yeah, a little news I'd like to throw in your direction. See, I... I used to know a girl... Yeah, and it was a hubbahubba and ding ding ding, I said baby you got everything. A week later it was a hubba-hubba and ding ding dong, baby it sure didn't last too long. I know, things are tough all over, and they ain't getting any better. I was moved to kinda squib a little bit of kind of an emotional weather forecast for you this evening. What I'm talking about is, well you know, I've been playing night clubs and staying out all night long. Comin' home late. Gone for three months, come back and everything in your refrigerator turns into a science project. So you get designs on a waitress, you know? She got three or four kids. She's sorting out her checks and she's counting out her change. You say, 'Hey baby, heat me up a bear claw on the radar range.' Well, then it gets real cold... (Transcript by Pieter from Holland as published
on the Tom Waits Supplement. August, 2000)

Raphael's Silver Cloud Lounge: Located along I-25 in New Mexico, about 45 miles north of Albuquerque and 15 miles sounth of Santa Fe. A classic road house in the 70's. Lot's of cool (non-stadium level) bands played there. About 500 miles to Phoenix/ Dallas/ Denver. A logical stopover for any band road tour. (Tom Waits Digest, Seth Nielssen) Low-down, lowdown n.: The real truth; confidential or authentic information; relevant facts; little known intimate facts; info; dope (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner). Also mentioned in Barber shop, 1977: "What's the low down Mr. Brown heard you boy's leavin town". Notice the same phrase being mentioned in Barber Shop, 1977: "What's the low down Mr. Brown, heard you boy's leavin' town." Hubba-hubba: excl. [1940s+] (US teen) term of approval, esp. when directed at a passing girl [hubba! hubba!, a college cheer] ("Cassell's
Dictionary Of Slang". Jonathon Green. Cassel & Co., 1998. ISBN: 0-304-351679). Also mentioned in Standing On The Corner, Cleveland version, 1976:

"Im gonna watch em go by. Oh, hubba hubba, man." (2) Sunset and Alvarado: Corner in downtown L.A. (90026) about a mile from Dodger Stadium. A seedy section of West Hollywood: very poor, multi-ethnic, and run-down. Charles Bukowski lived for quite a while in this area and wrote of the whores, drugs, numerous bars and general depravity of the area. (Tom Waits Digest, Seth Nielssen) (3) Doctor George Fishbeck: A well known now retired L.A. news weather caster for ABC (KABC in the 1970s). (Submitted by Adam Jackson
as sent to Tom Waits Supplement. July, 2002)

On A Foggy Night(1)
It was all upon a foggy(2) night, an abandoned road In a twilight mirror mirage With no indication of any kind of service station Or an all-night garage I was misinformed(3), I was misdirected Cause the interchange never intersected Leaving me marooned(4) beneath a bloodshot moon All upon a foggy night, a foggy night All upon a foggy night It was kind of an abandoned road, in a blurred brocade collage Is that a road motel, I cant really tell You gotta tell me, is that a vacancy lodge Theres no consolation, what kind of situation To be aimlessly askew amidst a powder blue(5) No tell tail(6) light clue Spun just like the spell you spin This precarious pandemonium Roslyn, Im stranded, all upon a foggy night Like a sweepstakes ticket for a Broadway arcade Heads you win, tails I lose Im ramblin, Im gamblin All upon a foggy night Foggy night Foggy night Foggy night You got the vice grips on my personality Its all upon a foggy night All upon a foggy night All upon a foggy night On a foggy night All upon a foggy All upon a foggy night
Written by: Tom Waits Published by: Fifth Floor Music Inc. (ASCAP), 1975 Official release: Nighthawks At The Diner, Elektra/ Asylum Records, 1975

(1)Intro from "Nighthawks At The Diner": "Well, I think its about time I

took you on an improvisational adventure into the bowels of the Metropolitan region. Looks like a bona fide high voltage decked out in full regalia Angelino audience, driving in Subarus, Pintos, Malibus, Oldsmobiles. A small suburban community. This is kinda bout two thirty in the morning. You been standing on the corner of 5th and Vermouth, and you climb into the helm of a 1958 monkey-shit brown Buick Super, and youre on your way home. A luxury automobile, bought at Dollar Bills Easy Autos for next to nothin. Youre cruisin along, everythings goin fine. Put a little smooth music on the stereo. Light up an Old Gold, save the coupon! Gotta think in terms of that patio furniture and that Toro mower, man. Yeah. Youre on the Santa Monica freeway headed in an easterly direction, you just passed the La Cienega good turn-off, and you run into a cold fogbank... " (Transcript by Pieter from Holland as published on
the Tom Waits Supplement. August, 2000)

Bonified/ Bona fide: adv. [20C] (US black) competent, qualified, the right man for the job [? Fr. bon, good + sfx, -ified or pron. of Lat. bona fide, genuine, lit. 'in good faith'] (Cassel's Dictionary of Slang. Jonathon Green
1998. Cassel & Co., 2000)

Old Gold: American cigarette brandname. Produced by Lorillard Inc. "During the 1950s Old Gold Cigarettes sponsored quiz show commercials that featured models dressed in oversized replicas of Old Gold cigarette boxes. Called "The Dancing Butts," they danced across the stage during commercial spots Unseen but for their gorgeous legs, the models in these classic TV ad spots included Gloria Vestoff as "Regular," Dixie Dunbar as "King Size" and Whitey as the "Little Matchbox." The cover for Small Change shows a pack of Old Golds lying on the table

Intro to On A Foggy Night (Folkscene, 1974): "This is the soundtrack for a film - the soundtrack was written quite a bit later than the film - the film came out about 1947 and I wrote it just a couple of weeks ago and it's about a foggy night on one of those "triangle" films that you see on The Late Show and this is just about the eternal triangle - like George Raft and Fred McMurray and Rosalind Russell - and somebody has to go and it's going to be George Raft in this case and Fred McMurray's got this old Plymouth and he's on this foggy road with McMurray in the trunk, a little bit of his lapel sticking out the back of the trunk and this song comes on the radio ...." (Folkscene 1974, with Howard and Roz Larman (KPFK-FM 90.7)
Source: audio tape. Date: Los Angeles/ USA. July 23, 1974 (June 10?))

Intro to On A Foggy Night (Folkscene, 1975) "There's a stretch of highway from Blythe to San Diego - I drove all night from Nogalis and I got to Blythe and I hadn't washed my windshield. Driving through Blythe at about 3 o'clock in the morning I sort of imagined all these Eucalyptus trees hanging over the highway and these big radio towers which weren't really there. I was just driving a long time. And I've talked to truck drivers that say that same stretch of highway they imagined being in a forest - if you've been driving for a long time but there's something about coming into town on highway 8 that's exciting. But when we were going out there was a fog bank up around Hecumba(?) and - God, a mysterious wet fog was hanging over the highway and so we're coming down and this is about driving on a foggy night on an abandoned road late at night ..."
(Source: Folkscene 1975, with Howard and Roz Larman (KPFK-FM 90.7) Source: audio tape. Date: Los Angeles/ USA. January 12 (February 13?), 1975) (2) Foggy adj.: Confused; confusing, perplexing; unrealized, not specific enough (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (3) I was misinformed: This might be quoting from 'Casablanca': Louis:

And what in heaven's name brought you to Casablanca? Rick Blaine: My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters. Louis: The waters? What waters? We're in the desert. Rick Blaine: I was misinformed. (4) Maroon v. adj.: 1. To put ashore on a desolate island or coast and leave to one's fate 2. To place or leave in isolation or without hope of ready escape (Merriam - Webster collegiate dictionary) (5) Powder blue: n. A moderate to pale blue or purplish blue. Etymology: From the color of powdered smalt (Source: The American Heritage
Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company) Notice the same phrase being used in Barber

Shop, 1977: "I just bought myself a struggle buggy suckers powder blue." Downtown, 1980: "Just another dead soldier in a powder blue night."
(6) No tell tail light clue: tell tail/ tell tale. A motor vehicle's indicator light

(it shows where one/ the car is)

Eggs & Sausage(1)

(In a Cadillac with Susan Michelson) Nighthawks at the diner(2) of Emmas 49er Theres a rendezvous of strangers around the coffee urn tonight All the gypsy hacks and the insomniacs(3) Now the papers been read, now the waitress said

Eggs and sausage and a side of toast Coffee and a roll, hash browns(4) over easy Chile in a bowl with burgers and fries What kind of pie? Yeah... Its a graveyard(5) charade, its a late shift masquerade And its two for a quarter, dime for a dance Woolworth(6) rhinestone diamond earrings and a sideways glance Now the register rings, now the waitress sings Eggs and sausage and a side of toast Coffee and a roll, hash browns over easy Chile in a bowl with burgers and fries What kind of pie? Yeah Now well, the classified section offers no direction Its a cold caffeine in a nicotine cloud Now the touch of your fingers lingers burning in my memory Ive been 86ed(7) from your scheme Now Im in a melodramatic nocturnal scene Now Im a refugee from a disconcerted affair Now the lead pipe morning falls, now the waitress calls Eggs and sausage, another side of toast Coffee and a roll, hash browns over easy Chile in a bowl with burgers and fries Now what kind of pie? A la mode if you will(8) Just come in and join the crowd Had some time to kill, yeah You see, I just come in to join the crowd Had some time to kill Just come in to join the crowd Cause I had some time to kill
Written by: Tom Waits Published by: Fifth Floor Music Inc. (ASCAP), 1975 Official release:"Nighthawks At The Diner", Elektra/ Asylum Records, 1975 & "Bounced Checks", WEA/ Asylum Records, 1981 Arrangements and lyrics published in "Tom Waits - Anthology" (Amsco Publications, 1988/ Nuova Carisch, 2000) (1) Intro: "I was always eh... kinda wanted like to consider myself kind of

a pioneer of the palate. A restaurateur if you will. Ive wined, dined, sipped

and supped in some of the most demonstrably demi-epitomable bistros in the Los Angeles metropolitan region. Eh-he-he-he... Yeah, Ive had strange looking pattie melts at Norms. Ive had dangerous veal cutlets at the Copper Penny. Well, what you get is a breaded Salisbury steak and a ShakenBake, and topped with a provocative sauce of Velveeta and halfand-half..., eh-he-he-he. Smothered with Campbells tomato soup. He-hehe-he... You see, I had kind of a eh... well, I ordered my veal cutlet, Christ it left the plate and it walked down to the end of the counter. (...?...) waitress (...?...), boy shes wearing those rhinestone glasses with the little pearl thing clipped on her sweater. The veal cutlet come down trying to beat the shit out of my cup of coffee but... Coffee just wasnt strong enough to defend itself. Eh-he-he-he..." (Transcript by Pieter from Holland
as published on the Tom Waits Supplement. August, 2000)

Pattie melt n.: A rissole (the pattie) with melted swiss cheese (the melt, q.v.) on top, served on a piece of rye bread soaked with melted butter and grilled (s.a. foods). (American - Australian slang dictionary, O'Shea) Shake 'n Bake: Brandname of a popular US instant food. Introduced in 1965 by Kraft Foods/ General Foods Company (SHAKE 'N BAKE coating mix in two versions, chicken and fish) Velveeta: Brandname of a US soft processed-cheese spread. Introduced in 1928 by Kraft Foods/ General Foods Company (VELVEETA) Half-and-Half: 1. Coffee creamer, semi-skimmed milk 2. A blend of dark and medium roast coffee beans 3. A cup of half coffee and half milk. Campbell: Brand of soup in the typical red-and-white can. Made famous by the graphic work of Andy Warhol in 1968.

L) Warhol's famous interpretation. R) The original Campbell logo

Intro to Eggs & Sausage (WAMU Radio, 1975): TW: "This is new, I don't know what the hell to do with it really yet, but after you hang around enough diners, it seems a place you always go when you're feeling like a refugee from a disconcerted love affair - you end up at a 24 hour place, in LA we got a place called Norm's - all the losers are there and the waitresses are all good looking." (Source: WAMU Radio Interview Source:
audio tape. Date: Washington, DC. April 18, 1975) (2) Nighthawks At The Diner: 1. Refers to Edward Hopper's famous

painting: "Nighthawks", 1942. Oil on canvas: 30 x 60 in. The Art Institute of Chicago 2. DL: "Cars, in fact, are one of Waits' real passions. He sports an elaborate tattoo on his arm emblazoned with the word 'Nighthawk', which was the name of a 'car-club' he belonged to as a teenager and he can readily run off a list of the wheels he's owned, including his current emerald green '64 T-bird." (Source: "Tom Waits: A

Sobering Experience", Sounds magazine, by Dave Lewis. Date: August 4, 1979) (3) Insomniac adj: Experiencing or accompanied by sleeplessness;

"insomniac old people"; "insomniac nights"; "lay sleepless all night"; "twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights"- Shakespeare [syn: sleepless, watchful] n : someone who cannot sleep [syn: sleepless person] (WordNet
1.6, 1997 Princeton University) (4) Hash browns, Hash-brown potatoes: Finely chopped, cooked

potatoes that are fried (often in bacon fat) until well browned. The mixture is usually pressed down into a flat cake in the pan and browned on one side, then turned and browned on the other. It's sometimes only browned on one side. Other ingredients such as chopped onion and green pepper are often added for flavor excitement (Epicurious food dictionary, CondNet Inc.). Notice "Hash browns" also being mentioned in The Ghosts Of Saturday Night, 1974: "Hash browns, hash browns, you know I can't be late." (5) Graveyard shift n.: A working shift that begins at midnight or 2:00 A.M. to 8:00 A.M. It refers, of course, to the ghostlike hour of employment
(Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (6) Woolworth: Frank Winfield Woolworth (1852-1919 ). U.S. merchant,

born in Rodman, N.Y.; from profits of his chain of five-and-ten-cent stores built the Woolworth Building, New York City. The Woolworth Building is located at 233 Broadway and was completed in 1913, it was the tallest building in the world from 1913-1930. It was financed by Frank Woolworth and often called the "Cathedral of Commerce." So - "Woolworth rhinestone diamond earrings" would be really cheap earrings (7) Eighty-six v.t.: 1. Lit. and fig., to reject or disqualify a person; to ignore, insult, or tease someone; to eject someone from a place or group esp. from a bar, against his will. Common lunch-counter use; used by the cook to inform waiters that there is no more of a specific dish 2. A person who is not to be served, as at a lunch counter, because he is thought to be undesirable or unable to pay; a person who is not to be served liquor, as at a bar, because he is or will become drunk and/ or disorderly. All uses because the term rhymes with "nix." Used by waiters, bartenders, etc. so that customers will not understand (Dictionary Of American Slang,
Wentworth/ Flexner) (8) A la mode if you will: originally transcribed as: "Have a bowl if you will." A la mode: adj. Served with ice cream: apple pie la mode. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.)

Better Off Without A Wife(1)

All my friends are married Every Tom and Dick and Harry(2) You must be strong if youre to go it alone Heres to the bachelors and the Bowery(3) bums(4) Those who feel that theyre the ones That are better off without a wife Cause I like to sleep until the crack of noon Midnight howlin at the moon Goin out when I want to, And Im comin home when I please Dont have to ask permission If I wanna go out fishin Never have to ask for the keys Ive never been no Valentino(5) But I had a girl who lived in Reno(6) Left me for a trumpet player Well, it didnt get me down He was wanted for assault And though he said it werent his fault You know the coppers(7) rode him right out of town(8) Ill be sleeping until the crack of noon Midnight howlin at the moon And Ill be goin out when I want to Comin home when I please Dont have to ask permission If I wanna go out fishin Never have to ask for the keys Yeah, you see Im kinda selfish about my privacy Now as long as I can be with me We get along so well I cant even believe it I love to chew the fat(9) with folks Ill be listening to all your dirty jokes Im so thankful for these friends I do receive Ill be sleeping until the crack of noon Midnight howlin at the moon And Ill be goin out when I want to Comin home when I please Dont have to ask permission

If I wanna go out fishin Never have to ask for the keys, no Hey, I got this girl I know, man, and I just... Shes been married several times and... I dont wanna end up like her. I mean, shes been married so many times shes got rice-marks all over her face. Yeah, you know the kind...
Written by: Tom Waits Published by: Fifth Floor Music Inc. (ASCAP), 1975 Official release: Nighthawks At The Diner, Elektra/ Asylum Records, 1975(10) Known covers: The Piano Has Been Drinking. The Piano Has been Drinking. April, 1990. Chlodwig/ BMG Germany (in German/ Klsch) Step Right Up (The Songs Of Tom Waits). Various artists. November, 1995. Manifesto Records. Performed by Pete Shelley (1) Intro from "Nighthawks At The Diner": "For all the bachelors out

there tonight. Yeah, for anybody whos ever whistled this song (plays the wedding march). Or maybe youve whistled it but youve lost the sheet music. Eh-heh-heh-heh. This is eh.... Well, actually, I dont mind going to weddings or anything. As long as its not my own, I show up. But, eh... Ive always kind of been partial to calling myself up on the phone and asking myself out. You know... (whoops from the audience). Oh yeah, you call yourself up too, huh? Yeah... Well, one thing about it, youre always around! Yeah, I know. Yeah, you ask yourself out, you know. Some class joint somewhere. The Burrito King or something. You know... Well, I aint cheap, you know. Take yourself out for a couple of drinks maybe, you know. Then youll be... some provocative conversation on the way home. And park in front of the house, you know, and you... Oh yeah, youre smooth with it... you know, you put a little nice music on. Maybe you put on like... you know... like shopping music, something thats not too interruptive, you know. And then, you know, and eh... slide over real nice, you know, say, Oh, I think you have something in your eye. Eh-heh-heh. Well, maybe its not that romantic with you, but Christ, I... you know! It aint... you know... Take myself up to the porch, and take myself inside. Oh, maybe... I make a little something, a brandy snifter or something. Would you like to listen to some of my back records. I got something here... Well, usually about 2.30 in the morning youve ended up taking advantage of yourself and... there aint no way around that, you know. Yeah, making the scene with a magazine, there aint no way around... Ill confess, you know, Im no different, you know. Im not weird about it or anything. I dont tie myself up first, I just... you know. I just kind of... spend

a little time with myself. So this is kind of a little anthem here..." (Submitted
by Ulf Berggren as sent to Raindogs Listserv Discussionlist, October 31, 1999)

Make the scene with the magazine, to: phr. [1900s] to masturbate, [joc. use of make the scene + assonance, with ref. to the 'men's magazines' used for stimulation] ("Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang". Jonathon Green. Cassel
& Co., 1998. ISBN: 0-304-35167-9)

Tom Waits (Intro from Coffee Break radio show, 1975): "Well here's one about eh... matrimony... Eh, it's kind of an old song I kept working around eh... I used to do it like a blues and it ended up like a little ballad, like a little anthem. But this is kind of a eh... Well I don't have any personal vendetta against the constipation of holy matrimony, but this is just kind of a... " (Source: Coffee Break Concert Interview: The Coffee Break Concert radio
show on WMMS-FM (Cleveland/ USA). Conducted by Kid Leo (Lawrence James Travagliante). December 3, 1975) (2) Every Tom and Dick and Harry: 1a. Fig., just any youth or man

(men) regardless of worth; a nobody. Usu. in the expression "every Tom, Dick and Harry." (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner ) 1b. A set of nobodies; persons of no note; persons unworthy notice. Jones, Brown, and Robinson are far other men: they are the vulgar rich, especially abroad, who give themselves airs, and look with scorn on all foreign ways which differ from their own. ("The First Hypertext Edition of The
Dictionary of Phrase and Fable", E. Cobham Brewer. 1997-99 Bibliomania.com Ltd) (3) Bowery, The: America's most famous Skid Row (New York City). The

Bowery gets it name from boweryij, the Dutch word for farm, because it was part of a farming area north of the city during the late 17th century. As the city grew northward, the Bowery grew in elegance and prominence, Philanthropist Peter Cooper and songwriter Stephen Foster were among those who called the street home. The Great Bowery Theatre opened in 1826 as the largest auditorium on the continent and came to play a major role in the theatrical life of the city. After the Civil War, much of the commercial and residential bustle of the city shifted to Broadway and Fifth Avenue. Elevated trains above the Bowery spewed oil and hot coals on the sidewalks below, making the street undesirable for pedestrians. Cheap entertainment and cheap lodging replaced homes and businesses, drawing visiting sailors and a steady crowd of vagrants. The Bowery's seedy reputation earned it a prominent place in the culture of the times. The Luc Sante novel Low Life focused on the neighborhood. And the work of painter Reginald Marsch was linked with the street life of New York, including the Bowery. From the 1930s to the 1950s, the Bowery was featured prominently in films including the popular Bowery Boys series. More recently, the famous street received mentions in the Broadway musicals Guys and Dolls and The Will Rogers Follies. ("The

Bowery Mission" at http://bowery.org/. Copyright 1997-2000 Christian Herald, Site Designed and Maintained by Admatha) (4) Bum n.: 1. Generally, a beggar, tramp, hobo, vagrant, or loafer; also,

any jobless man or youth having little or no income; a poor, poorly dressed, and unkempt frequenter of saloons; a down-and-outer; sometimes , a hoodlum 2. A drifter; a grifter 3. Any male without a professional occupation, goal in life, or social prestige; any disreputable or disliked youth (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner). Also mentioned in "Barber Shop" (Well, if I had a million dollars, what would I do? Id probably be a barber, not a bum like you), "Mr. Henry/ Tie Undone" (That the no good bum is at it again. After shes given him all the best years of her life) (5) Valentino: Cliche expression meaning: a passionate lover. From American actor Rudolph Valentino. Born: 1985 Rodolpho Guglielmi di Valentina D'Antonguolla in Castellaneto Italy. Died: New York 1926. Became the stereotype Latin-lover (6) Reno: also mentioned in: Wrong side of the road, 1978: "And we'll drive all the way to Reno on the wrong side of the road.", Hang on St. Christopher, 1987: "Hang on St. Christopher now don't let me go, get me to Reno and bring it in low." (7) Copper n.: A policeman; esp., a tough policeman or one who is intent on enforcing the law to its fullest (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/
Flexner) (8) Town, out of: In prison. Some underworld use. (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (9) Chew the fat: 1. To talk; to gossip; to chat at lenght, esp. about trivial

matters. 2. A visit, esp. for the purpose of discussing "old times." Orig. British Army sl., W.W.I. (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner)
(10) Song could be inspired by: "Doin' What I Please". Fats Waller, Andy

Razaf. Transcribed from Don Redman and His orchestra, vocals by Don Redman; recorded October 6, 1932: "I'm staying single, Conscience at ease, I'm free to mingle, I do what I please! When I'm out late nights, No one has my keys, Yeah, I keep my dates nights Doin' what I please. You know, I don't have no starved waters, (?) Because they keep you on the shelf, And I ain't takin' orders, So I just go along enjoyin' myself. Should I go sailing 'Cross the seven seas? No one can stop me, Doin' what I please! You know I have romances, Just like a dog has fleas, And I take in all the dances, That's because I do what I please. I blow in at these parties, Just like a reckless breeze; I outsmart all these other smarties, Because I do just what I please. You know, where there's no action, You'll find that there's blues about, And I get my satisfaction Only when I'm steppin' out. And whenever I get tipsy Out at one of these jamborees, No one can stop me, 'Cause I do what I please!"

Nighthawk Postcards(1)
(From Easy Street)(2) Yeah, you check out the street and it looks like theres kind of a... Kind of a blur drizzle down the plate glass And as a neon swizzle stick(3) is stirrin up the sultry night air Looks like a yellow biscuit of a buttery cue ball moon Rollin maverick across an obsidian sky And as the buses go groanin and wheezin Down on the corner Im freezin On a restless boulevard at a midnight road Im across town from Easy Street(2) With the tight knots of moviegoers and out-of-towners(4) on the stroll(5) The buildings towerin high above lit like dominoes or black dice Used car salesmen dressed up in Purina checkerboard slacks(6) and FosterGrant(7) wrap-arounds Pacing in front of Rainbow, Earl Scheib(8), $39.95 merchandise. Like barkers at a shootin gallery They throw out a Texas Guinan(9) routine: Hello sucker, we like your money, just as well as anybody elses here Come on over here now... Let me put the cut back in your strut and the glide back in your stride Now climb aboard a customs Oldsmobile, let me take you for a ride Or they give you the P. T. Barnum(10) bit: Theres a sucker born every minute!' 'You just happened to be comin along at the right time, you know Come over here now And you know, all the harlequin sailors are on the stroll In search of: "LIKE NEW", "NEW PAINT" and decent factory air and AM-FM dreams. Yeah, and all the piss yellow gypsy cabs(11) Theyre stacked up in the taxi zones And theyre waitin like pinball machines to be ticking off a joy ride to a magical place Like "Truckers Welcome" diners with dirt lots full of Peterbilts and Kenworths and Jimmys(12) and the like Theyre hi-ballin(13) with bankrupt brakes Man, theyre overdriven and theyre underpaid Theyre overfed, and theyre a day late and a dollar short But Christ, I got my lips around a bottle

and I got my foot on the throttle and Im standin on the corner Standin on the corner like a just got in town jasper(14) Im on a street corner with a gasper(15) Lookin for some kind of a Cheshire billboard grin(16) Stroking a goateed chin Using parking meters as walking sticks on the inebriated stroll With my eyelids propped open at half mast But you know, over at "Chubbs Pool and Snooker" Well, it was a nickel after two, yeah, it was a nickel after two(17) And in the cobalt steel blue dream smoke Why, it was the radio that groaned out the hit parade And the chalk squeaked and the floorboards creaked And an Olympia sign(18) winked through a torn yellow shade Old Jack Chance himself leanin up against a Wurlitzer Man, he was eyeballin(19) out a five ball combination shot Impossible you say? Hard to believe? Perhaps out of the realm of possibility? Naaaah! Cause he be stretchin out long tawny fingers out across a cool green felt in a provocative golden gate He got a full table railshot thats no sweat And I leaned up against my bannister I wandered over to the Wurlitzer and I punched A2 I was lookin for maybe Wine Wine Wine by the Night Caps starring Chuck E. Weiss(20 Or maybe... maybe a little somethin called High Blood Pressure by George "Cryin in the Streets" Perkins(21), no dice(22) Cause thats Life, thats what all the people say Youre ridin high in April, youre seriously shot down in May(23) I know Im gonna change that tune(24) When Im standing underneath a buttery moon thats all melted off to one side Okay It was just about that time that the sun came crawlin yellow out of a manhole(25) at the foot of 23rd Street(26) And a Dracula moon in a black disguise was making its way back to its pre-paid room at the St. Moritz Hotel(27) And the El train(28) tumbled across the trestles And it sounded like the ghost of Gene Krupa(29) With an overhead cam and glasspacks(30)

And the whispering brushes of wet radials on wet pavement Shhhhhhhhhhhhsh.... With a traffic jam session(31) on Belmont tonight And the rhapsody of the pending evening I leaned up against my bannister And Ive been looking for some kind of an emotional investment With romantic dividends Yeah, kind of a physical negotiation is underway As I attempt to consolidate all my missed weekly rendezvous into one low monthly payment, through the nose(32) With romantic residuals and legs akimbo(33) But the chances are that more than likely Standin underneath a moon holdin water I'll probably be held over for another smashed weekend! Thank you...
Written by: Tom Waits Published by: Fifth Floor Music Inc. (ASCAP), 1975 Official release: Nighthawks At The Diner, Elektra/ Asylum Records, 1975 (1) Intro from "Nighthawks At The Diner": "[upright bass solo]

Goodness gracious, my bass player should be chained up somewhere. Mongrel... canine... growl. I wanna take you on kind of an inebriational travelogue here Yeah, aint got no spare, you aint got no jack You dont give a shit, you aint never comin back. Maybe youre standin on the corner of 17th and Wazee Streets. Out in front of the Terminal Bar Theres a Thunderbird movin in a muscatel sky... He-he. Youve been drinkin cleanin products all night... Open for suggestions... Eh-he-he-he. Its kinda bout... well its kinda bout goin down to the corner. Say, Well, Im just goin down to the corner to get a pack of cigarettes, Ill be back in a minute " (Transcription by Ulf Berggren, 2000) Terminal Bar: A sleezly little bar 2 blocks straight up from the train station in Denver, Colorado where Waits hung out long ago. It is at 17th and Wazee streets - or it was. Back when Waits hung out their it was a very sleezy part of Denver. Now however, with the baseball stadium (Coors Field) being built 3 blocks away, the area has been revitialized into the hippest part of Denver (called 'LODO'). Alas the terminal bar just succombed to property value pressures and sold out in the Fall of 1996 (it is being severely remodeled into a yuppie resturant). (Tom Waits Digest,
Seth Nielssen)

TW (WAMU Radio, 1975): "I'll tell you a story, I did this last night at the Cellar Door, a friend of mine, John Heard (Hurt?), accompanied me on piano, a great piano player, he sounds like George Shearing or early Dave Brubeck, Steve Allen, he's a great piano player - it's called

Nighthawk Postcards From Easy Street which is going to be the title of my next forthcoming album and it'll be out in October some time, a little narrative piece, I started writing it on the corner of 12th & Wazee St in downtown Denver, Colorado, out in front of a place called the Terminal Bar, now that's about a half a block from the Santa Fe Freight Depot there and originally the name they gave to the bar had to do with the fact that it was so close to the Santa Fe Freight but now 20 years later every terminal case in town beats the pavement to get there. I started writing it in Denver, I finished it up on 23rd St in New York City - so this is kind of an improvisational adventure into the bowels of the metropolitan region, kind of a travelogue piece - when the highway is a wet slick anaconda of a 2 lane and you're motivating and negotiating a hairpin turn behind the wheel of a serious powder blue Ford Fairlane, with the whispering brushes of wet radials on wet pavement .." (Source: WAMU Radio Interview
Source: audio tape. Date: Washington, DC. April 18, 1975)

TW (Coffee Break radio show, 1975): "Let's see eh... Well I could do you a kind of a [snaps fingers] Vroooooooom... vroooooomm... vrooooooom... You know eh, it's kind of a little inebriational travelogue here eh.. about eh... It was kinda like say: Well, hey look baby, I'll be right back, I'm just going down the corner and get myself a pack of cigarettes see... And you know, you get down and you hit the bricks and you notice there's kind of a Thunderbird move rolling across a muscatel sky... You see... You're standing there down there on the corner of 5th and Vermouth, it's a block away from the corner of Baby Why Did You Leave Me and Why Don't You Please Come Back Home..." (Source: Coffee Break Concert Interview: The
Coffee Break Concert radio show on WMMS-FM (Cleveland/ USA). Conducted by Kid Leo (Lawrence James Travagliante). December 3, 1975) (2) Easy street:1. Financial independence 2. A way of life characterized

by wealth and luxury; a pleasant and successful life; successful business dealings (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (3) Swizzle stick n.: A stick used to stir mixed drinks (Merriam - Webster collegiate dictionary). Also mentioned in "Putnam County" (And swizzle stick legs jackknifed over naugahyde stools) (4) Out-of-towner n.: A visitor or transient from out of town (Dictionary Of
American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (5) Stroll n.: A road, highway, or street. c1935 jive use; some Negro use (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner). Also mentioned in

"Drunk On The Moon" (Tight-slack clad girls on the graveyard shift, 'Neath the cement stroll, catch the midnight drift), "Shore Leave" (Well, with buck shot eyes and a purple heart I rolled down the national stroll) (6) Purina Checkerboard Slacks: 1a. The small, red and white checkered square used as the logo for the Purina corporation (specializes in dog and cat food). So in this case: red checkered slacks (Submitted by
Cheryl Dillis. August, 2000).

Slacks: Trousers for casual wear. The word was used in the early 19th century as a coloquialism to describe trousers in general and, later, trousers worn by soldiers (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner). 1b. Ralston Purinas famous "checkerboard" logo was a marketing decision by Danforth (company's founder), based on his childhood memories of a family in which the mother dressed all of her children in clothing made from the same bolt of cloth. One year, her choice of material was the checkerboard design, and Danforth never forgot the distinctive red-and-white pattern. Today, more than a century after its founding, Ralston Purina is the worlds largest producer of dry dog and dry and soft-moist cat foods, which are marketed under the Purina brand name (Ralston Purina Company official website)
(7) Foster Grant: At the time a very famous brand of sunglasses in the

US. Promoting their brand with the slogan: "Who's that behind those Foster Grants?". You can buy your own pair at: The Foster Grant Homepage.

L) Louis Jordan M) Peter Sellers R) Terence Stamp (8) Earl Scheib: Earl Scheib, founded in 1937, is USA leader in low-cost

auto-painting. They call themselves: "The world's largest company-owned and operated production auto-painting and body repair shop ". In the 60's their slogan was: "I'll paint any car any color for $ 29.95 ". The "any "color was not literal (mostly very simple primary colors ). Their logo was decorated with a colourful rainbow.

1999 Internet advertising (9) Guinan, Texas: In the 20's Guinan owned several gin mills in New

York City. Her trademark welcome was "Hello, Suckers!" She began her career as an actress, and was one of the original silent movie cowgirls. Legend has it that the joint was raided one night when the Prince of Wales was there. She popped an apron on him and hid him in the kitchen, washing dishes. Q: How much of your audience do you think is hip to all the slang terminology you use? It seems you've made an exhaustive study of American pop culture, especially the underside of it. There are terms I know that I'm sure most people don't, things like Thunderbird, Stacy Adams, names like Texas Guinan.... Tom Waits: Yeah. Kerouac made a record back in '59 on Hanover Records with Steve Allen and he talked

about her. Her famous line was, "Hello sucker." (Source: "Bitin' The Green
Shiboda With Tom Waits" Down Beat magazine (USA), by Marv Hohman. Date: Victoria restaurant/ Chicago. June 17, 1976)

(10) Barnum, P.T.: Flamboyant 19th century American entrepreneur

Phineas Taylor Barnum. Born: 1810 - died: 1891. The first and perhaps greatest showman of the US. In 1842 he opened his "American Museum of Curiosities" in NY city, in which he displayed all kinds of real but also fake curiosities and freaks. In 1871 he opened his circus "The greatest show on earth" in Brooklyn. The original circus was called simply the P. T. Barnum Circus. He then merged with his competitor and formed the Barnum & Bailey Circus. When Barnum died, Bailey ran the circus. When Bailey died, the Ringling Brothers bought them out. That's how we get the incredibly long Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He obtained a considerable wealth through his malafide, commercial approach. Notorious swindler. The quote: "There's a sucker born every minute" typifies his cynical view of life. Check out this article by R.J. Brown claiming he never said it... TW: "... Waits: Yeah, right. Barnum & Bailey had Sarah Bernhardt's leg on display for a couple of years. They had it in formaldehyde. There was a certain point where Sarah Bernhardt's leg was making more money than she was 'cause she was doing Shakespeare in bars. I don't know how that ties in, but help me." ("Tom Waits '99, Coverstory ATN". Addicted to
Noise: Gil Kaufman and Michael Goldberg. April, 1999).

TW: "... But I was trying to imagine what it would be like for a person [Eyeball kid ]with an enormous eyeball for a head to be in show business. If Barnum & Bailey were still around, I imagine he would have thrown in with them." ("The Man Who Howled Wolf". Magnet: Jonathan Valania.
June/July, 1999)

(11) Gypsy n.: A taxicab operating without a taxi license (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (12) Jimmy, Jimmie n.: A car or engine built by GMC (General Motors

Corp. ). From pronouncing the initials GMC rapidly. Hot-rod use since c1955 (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (13) Highball, Hiball v.: To move ahead at full speed (The American
Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Houghton Mifflin - Third Edition)
(14) Jasper

n.: An exceptionally pious or meek person. A rube. A fellow; a

guy (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (15) Gasper n.: A cigarette, esp. marijuana cigarette. Much more common in Eng. than in U.S.; now archaic in both countries (Dictionary Of American
Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner)

(16) Cheshire grin: He grins like a Cheshire cat. Cheese was formerly

sold in Cheshire moulded like a cat. The allusion is to the grinning cheese-cat, but is applied to persons who show their teeth and gums when they laugh. ("The First Hypertext Edition of The Dictionary of Phrase and Fable", E. Cobham Brewer. 1997-99 Bibliomania.com Ltd ). Also quoted in "Small Change": "And the naked mannequins with their Cheshire grins." (17) A nickel after two: meaning five minutes past two. Nickel: n. [1970s+] (US) the number five [nickel, a 5-cent coin] ("Cassell's Dictionary
Of Slang". Jonathon Green. Cassel & Co., 1998. ISBN: 0-304-35167-9) (18) Olympia: Brand name of a beer brewed in Washington. Popular in

the NW part of USA. Olympia's attempts to go nationwide like Coors have not done well as far as I can tell (Submitted by Gary Duncan. Raindogs
Listserv discussionlist. September, 2000) (19) Eyeball v.: To eye; look at; look around a place. Harlem Negro use. Teenage and synthetic hipster use since c1950 (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (20 Weiss, Chuck E.: Further reading: Chuck E. Weiss (21) George Perkins: Referring to "Cryin' In The Streets (Part 1)" by

George Perkins & The Silver Stars (Silver Fox Records)

(22) No dice, no-dice: 1. No; without success; being refused or refused permission (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) 2. phr.

[1930s+] (orig. US) impossible, out of the question, on no account [the refusal of a gambling-house proprietor to allow a player to start or continue playing] ("Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang". Jonathon Green. Cassel &
Co., 1998. ISBN: 0-304-35167-9) (23) Riding high v.: 1. Feeling very good. Occasionally meaning snobbish

or egotistical. ("He was riding high after he got into the college he wanted."). (The Online Slang Dictionary, Walter Rader ) Quoting: That's Life. Writers: Kay, Gordon. Recorded by: Frank Sinatra

That's Life
That's life, that's what people say. You're riding' high in April, Shot down in May. But I know I'm gonna change that tune, When I'm back on top in June That's life, funny as it seems. Some people get their kicks, Steppin' on dreams; But I don't let it get me down,

'Cause this ol' word keeps getting around I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, A poet, a pawn and a king. I've been up and down and over and out And I know one thing: Each time I find myself flat on my face, I pick myself up and get back in the race That's life, I can't deny it, I thought of quitting, But my heart just won't buy it. If I didn't think it was worth a try, I'd roll myself up in a big ball and die (24) Change that tune: To speak or act in a different manner; to assume a different attitude. Dates back 600 years. First seen in John Gower's Confessio Amantis (1390):"O thou, which hast desesed the Court of France be thi wrong Now schalt thou singe an other song." (Submitted by
Cheryl Dillis, Tom Waits eGroups discussionlist. October, 2000. From "2,107 Curious Word Origins, Sayings and Expressions" by Charles Earle).

Change one's tune: phr. [late 16C+] to alter one's opinions or statements, esp. to go back on what one has previously said [musical imagery] ("Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang". Jonathon Green. Cassel & Co.,
1998. ISBN: 0-304-35167-9) (25) Manhole: n. [1970s] (US Black) a bar, a saloon, a club etc. esp. for men only ("Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang". Jonathon Green. Cassel & Co., 1998. ISBN: 0-304-35167-9) (26) 23rd Street: New York City (Chelsea Hotel). TW: "This is a story

here, takes place on 23rd Street, New York City, it is a place eh called Chelsea Hotel" (Intro to "Small Change", Cold Beer version), 1979) (27) St. Moritz Hotel: Also mentioned in The One That Got Away, 1976: "Costello was the champion at the St. Moritz Hotel." Also mentioned in original intro by George Duke for Tom Waits at the Orpheum Theatre, Boston, November 9, 1974: George Duke: "Ladies and gentlemen, direct from the St. Moritz Hotel on the Sunset Strip, a friend of ours from Los Angeles, Mister Tom Waits! Sodden and wistful as he might be. How are you doing, buddy? Your beards getting very good. He holds the distinction of being the only person at the St. Moritz Hotel in Los Angeles able to room next to Ray Collins for longer than three weeks at a time." (Transcription by Ulf
Berggren as sent to Tom Waits eGroups discussionlist, 2000)

St. Moritz Hotel, Los Angeles. Photo credit: Dorene LaLonde (28) El (train): n. [late 19C+] (US) the elevated railway, usu. that of New

York, but also in other cities, e.g. Chicago, where such transport systems existed ("Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang". Jonathon Green. Cassel & Co., 1998.
ISBN: 0-304-35167-9) (29) Krupa, Gene: Born Eugene Bertram Krupa, January 15, 1909, in

Chicago, IL; Died of heart failure, October 16, 1973, in Yonkers, NY. Drummer and swing band leader. Studied drums and performed with local Chicago groups in the 20's. Free-lanced with the bands of Bix Beiderbecke, Benny Goodman, and saxophonist Adrian Rollini. He joined Goodman's band and played on NBC-Radio's Let's Dance in 1934. Left Goodman to form Gene Krupa Orchestra four years later. He appeared at the last reunion of original Goodman Orchestra in 1973. In 1944 Krupa was voted: best drummer, Down Beat Readers' Poll.

(30) Glasspacks n.: A type of muffler which gives a nice throaty and loud sound. (Tom Waits Digest, Seth Nielssen) (31) Jam session n. : Orig. an informal gathering of jazz musicians to

play for their own pleasure, usu. in free and lengthy improvisations on well-known themes; later a term applied commercially to public jazz performances (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (32) Pay through the nose: 1. To pay excessively (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) 2. To pay reluctantly or to pay an exorbitant price. (Submitted by Cheryl Dillis, Tom Waits eGroups discussionlist. October,
2000. From "2,107 Curious Word Origins, Sayings and Expressions" by Charles Earle) Lyrics might also refer to using cocaine. Also mentioned in The

Wages Of Love, 1982: "You see, love has a graveyard nurtured for those, that fell on their sabers and paid through the nose." (33) Leg akimbo: Leg bowed outward (Webster's II New Riverside
Dictionary, submitted by Cheryl Dillis. August, 2000)

Warm Beer And Cold Women(1)

Its warm beer and cold women, no I just dont fit in Every joint I stumbled into tonight, thats just how its been All these double-knit strangers with gin and vermouth And recycled stories, in the naugahyde(2) booths And the platinum blondes and tobacco brunettes Ill just be drinkin to forget you, I light another cigarette

And the bands playin somethin by Tammy Wynette(3) And the drinks are on me tonight All my conversations now, Ill just be talkin about you, baby Im borin some sailor as I try to get through I just want him to listen now, I say thats all you have to do He said Im better off without you, until I showed him my tattoo And now the moons risin, aint no time to lose Time to get down to drinkin, tell the band to play the blues And the drinks are on me, Ill buy another round At the last ditch attempt saloon Warm beer and cold women, no I just dont fit in Every joint I stumbled into tonight, thats just how its been All these double-knit strangers with gin and vermouth Receding hairlines, in the naugahyde booths And the platinum blondes and tobacco brunettes Ill just be drinkin to forget you, baby, I light a menthol cigarette And the bands playin somethin by (4)Johnnie Barnette At the last ditch attempt saloon
Written by: Tom Waits Published by: Fifth Floor Music Inc. (ASCAP), 1975 Official release: Nighthawks At The Diner, Elektra/ Asylum Records, 1975 Known covers: The Piano Has Been Drinking. The Piano Has been Drinking. April, 1990. Chlodwig/ BMG Germany (in German/ Klsch) (1) Warm Beer And Cold Women intro's:

Live intro from "Nighthawks At The Diner: "Hey, how are ya? This is about a... well, Id kinda reached the end of an emotional cul-de-sac one particular evening. It was a strange sort of evening. I ended up at a little vino place called The Three Little Pigs. Well, I was starin at the beer nuts, and the swizzle sticks, and the three little pigs... I was gettin a lot of visual and verbal insubordination from a double-knit character in the corner, and... One of those nights... " Live intro from "The Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, December 3, 1976": "Well, Im all disoriented here! Wed like to do a... The ensemble here is completely nerve-ridden Well, were gonna do a little song here... Its about a... I started out with bad directions to a party one night. You know how that is. The guy didnt speak English. Told us to get on 32 and run it all the way out. Ended up in a small little bar. And Ive been into a lot of bars and... this was one of them. This (?) little place originally was a

mens room, and they decided to knock out a wall and build on. A livin, breathin example of urban renewal, extensive renovations, under new management, please pay when served, and... well..." (2) Naugahyde: American trademark used for vinyl-coated fabrics
(Merriam - Webster collegiate dictionary) (3) Wynette, Tammy: Tammy Wynette, born Virginia Wynette Pugh in

Itawamba/Mpi May 5 1942. Two of her biggest hits were "Stand by Your Man" and "DIVORCE." Her 1969 album, Tammy's Greatest Hits, sold more copies than any female country recording artist ever had and crossed over to the Top 40 pop lists. Wynette married her third husband, country superstar George ("No Show") Jones, in 1968, and the couple became known as "Mr. & Mrs. Country Music." They were also frequent fodder for the tabloids, due to Jones' fondness of the bottle. Jones was a violent drunk, however, and Wynette finally left him in 1975 ( this is when Mr.Waits recorded Warm beer ). Stress-related hospitalizations; the torching of her tour bus and fifteen-bathroom house; and a 1978 kidnapping, during which she was held at gunpoint, strangled, and beaten severely by her abductor. She came honestly by her nickname, "The Heroine of Heartache." The nineties witnessed one of the most unusual collaborations in musical history: Wynette teamed with British dance band K.L.F. for the strange single, "Justified and Ancient," The First Lady of Country Music died in her sleep in April of 1998. She was fifty-five. (4) Jonnie Barnett: Jonnie Barnett, co-writer of the Clay Walker hit, "The Chain Of Love," died August 18, 2002 at Baptist Hospital in Nashville. According to information provided the Tennessean newspaper, Barnett was 56 and died of a stroke. In addition to "Chain," a 2001 BMI awardwinner, Barnett also co-wrote "One Foot In The Blues," which was recorded by Johnny Adams and nominated in 1997 at the W. C. Handy Blues Awards for blues song of the year. Born Jonathan Barnett Kaye in Sumpter, SC, Barnett broke into the entertainment business as a performer, sharing the bill with such acts as Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, Cheech & Chong, Howlin' Wolf, Eric Burdon and Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry. However, he was primarily a songwriter for the last 20 years of his life. Among those who recorded his songs were Hank Williams Jr., Etta James, the Holmes Brothers, Joe Simon, Eric Burdon, Irma Thomas and his sometimes co-writer Dan Penn. Occasionally doubling as a movie actor, Barnett had small parts in Robert Altman's Nashville (1975) and Cheech & Chong's Next Movie (1980). Barnett and his co-writer, Rory Lee, wrote a short-story version of "The Chain of Love" that appeared in the inspirational book Chicken Soup For The Country Soul before Walker released it in song form. (Traditional Country Hall Of Fame, 2002 -Edward
Morris, CMT)

Tom Waits (1975): "I've played audiences that hate me, that'd love to do damage to my physical person. Interviewer - what do you do? Well, you think up a lot of insults before you go on stage, I learned a lot of 'em from

Jonnie Barnett." (Source: WAMU Radio Interview. Date: Washington, DC. April
18, 1975)

Putnam County(1)
I guess things were always kinda quiet around Putnam County Kinda shy and sleepy as it clung to the skirts of the 2-lane That was stretched out just like an asphalt dance floor Where all the old-timers in bib jeans and store bought boots Were hunkerin(2) down in the dirt To lie about their lives and the places that theyd been And theyd suck on Coca Colas, yeah, and be spittin Day's Work Until the moon was a stray dog on the ridge and... And the taverns would be swollen until the naked eye of 2 a.m. And the Stratocasters slung over the Burgermeister beer guts And swizzle stick legs(3) jackknifed over naugahyde(4) stools... yeah And the witch hazel spread out over the linoleum floors And pedal pushers(5) stretched out over a midriff bulge And the coiffed brunette curls over Maybelline eyes Wearing Prince Machiavelli, or something... yeah Estee Lauder, smells so sweet And I elbowed up(6) at the counter with mixed feelings over mixed drinks As Bubba and the Roadmasters moaned in pool hall concentration and... And knit their brows(7) to cover the entire Hank Williams(8) songbook Whether you like it or not And the old National register was singin to the tune of $57.57... yeah And then its last call, one more game of eightball Bernieced be puttin the chairs on the tables And someone come in and say, Hey man, anyone got any jumper cables? Is that a 6 or a 12 volt, man? I dont know... Yeah, and all the studs in town would toss em down And claim to fame as they stomped their feet Yeah, boastin about bein able to get more ass than a toilet seat(9) And the GMCs(10) and the Straight-8 Fords were coughin and wheezin And they percolated(11) as they tossed the gravel underneath the fenders To weave home a wet slick anaconda of a 2-lane With tire irons and crowbars a-rattlin With a tool box and a pony saddle Youre grindin gears and youre shiftin into first Yeah, and that goddam Trannys just gettin worse, man With the melody of see-ya-laters and screwdrivers on carburetors

Talkin shop about money to loan And Palominos and strawberry roans(12)... yeah See ya tomorrow, hello to the Missus! With money to borrow and goodnight kisses As the radio spit out Charlie Rich(13), man, and he sure can sing that son of a bitch And you weave home, yeah, weavin home Leavin the little joint winkin in the dark warm narcotic American night Beneath a pin cushion sky And its home to toast and honey, gotta start up the Ford, man Yeah, and your lunch moneys right over there on the drainin board And the toilets runnin! Christ, shake the handle! And the telephones ringin, its Mrs. Randal And where the hell are my goddam sandals? What you mean, the dog chewed up my left foot? With the porcelain poodles and the glass swans Staring down from the knickknack shelf... yeah And the parent permission slips for the kids field trips Yeah, and a pair of Muckalucks(14) scraping across the shag carpet... yeah And the impending squint of first light And it lurked behind a weepin marquee in downtown Putnam Yeah, and itd be pullin up any minute now Just like a bastard amber Velveta yellow cab on a rainy corner And be blowin its horn in every window in town
Written by: Tom Waits Published by: Fifth Floor Music Inc. (ASCAP), 1975 Official release: Nighthawks At The Diner, Elektra/ Asylum Records, 1975 (1) Intro from "Nighthawks At The Diner": I wanna tell you a story here.

Its about a place called Putnam County. Yeah... Hows the service here? Yeah, its all right? I mean, I gave you a beer and everything. Dont gotta pay or nothin. Well, they hit you up at the door on your way out... Patrick Humphries quotes an unidentified Sound Magazine interview from 1976 by Mike Flood Page: "I used to listen to a lot of records by a guy called Lou Short. He made a lotta albums in the forties and nobody knew who he was. He used to pay to have them made. But everybody in Baxter, Putnam County knew who he was. And he was the town hypochondriac. I mean, there's a breeze coming up and he's got a little sniffle... Anyway, the town hypochondriac finally upped and died, and on his tombstone... it said 'Lou Short Died' and on the bottom it said 'I told you I was sick!'" (Source: "Small Change, A life of Tom Waits". Patrick
Humphries, 1989. Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-312-04582-4).

Baxter is in Putnam County Tennessee.(Merriam - Webster collegiate dictionary) It's East of Nashville, more or less near the town of Murfreesboro (Pony: Mule Variations, 1999)

TW (introducing Putnam County, Coffee Break radio show, 1975): "Why don't I tell a story? I could do this piece called "Putnam County". This is about a place in Tennessee eh... It's a real town, a small town. It's one of those towns where... It's so small that the main drag is a transvestite... and eh... " (Source: Coffee Break Concert Interview: The Coffee Break Concert
radio show on WMMS-FM (Cleveland/ USA). Conducted by Kid Leo (Lawrence James Travagliante). December 3, 1975)

TW (1976): "Those guys [country rockers like the Eagles] grew up in L.A. and they don't have cow-shit on their boots - they just got dog shit from Laurel Canyon. They wouldn't last two minutes in Putnam County, that's for sure. If somebody gets shot and killed there on a Saturday night, the Sunday papers say he just died of natural causes!" (Source: "Tom Waits:
Would You Say This Man Was Attempting To Convey An Impression Of Sordid Bohemianism" New Musical Express (UK), by Fred Dellar. Date: June 5, 1976) (2) Hunker: "It sounds like the most typically American of phrases, but it

seems originally to have been Scots, first recorded in the eighteenth century. Nobody seems to know exactly what its origin is, though it has been suggested its linked to the Old Norse huka, to squat; that would make it a close cousin of the modern Dutch huiken and German hocken, meaning to squat or crouch, which makes sense. Thats certainly whats meant by the word in American English, in phrases like hunker down or on your hunkers. The Oxford English Dictionary has a fine description of how to hunker: squat, with the haunches, knees, and ankles acutely bent, so as to bring the hams near the heels, and throw the whole weight upon the fore part of the feet. The advantage of this position is that youre not only crouched close to the ground, so presenting a small target for whatever the universe chooses to throw at you, but youre also ready to move at a moments notice. Hunker down has also taken on the sense of to hide, hide out, or take shelter, whatever position you choose to do it in. This was a south-western US dialect form that was popularised by President Johnson in the mid 1960s. Despite its Scots ancestry, hunker is rare in standard British English." (Source: World Wide Words is copyright
Michael Quinion, 19962004. All rights reserved) (3) Swizzle stick n.: A stick used to stir mixed drinks (Merriam - Webster collegiate dictionary). Also mentioned in "Nighthawk Postcards" (And as a

neon swizzle stick is stirrin up the sultry night air)

(4) Naugahyde: American trademark used for vinyl-coated fabrics (Merriam - Webster collegiate dictionary) (5) Pedal pushers: A style of pants in which the pant leg ends right at the calf; three-quarter length trousers (Submitted by Cheryl Dillis. August, 2000).

Also mentioned in "Heartattack And Vine" (See that little Jersey girl in the see-thru top. With the pedal pushers, suckin on a soda pop) (6) Elbow one's way in: To push one's way through a crowd; to get a place by hook or crook. ("The First Hypertext Edition of The Dictionary of
Phrase and Fable", E. Cobham Brewer. 1997-99 Bibliomania.com Ltd) (7) Knit the/one's brows: To frown; to scowl. To bend the brow (Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.). Also

mentioned in "Gin Soaked Boy": "The dogs are barking out back, and you're knittin' your brow" (8) Williams, Hank: The father of contemporary country music. Williams was a superstar by the age of 25; he was dead at the age of 29. In those four short years, he established the rules for all the country performers that followed him. He lived a life as troubled and reckless as that depicted in his songs. Born in Mount Olive, Alabama, on September 17, 1923. "Move It On Over," released in 1947, became Hank Williams's first single for MGM. It was an immediate hit. In 1950 Williams began recording a series of spiritual records under the name Luke the Drifter. Williams continued to rack up hits in 1951, beginning with the Top Ten hit "Dear John" and its number one flip-side, "Cold Cold Heart." Hank had several other hits in 1951, including the number one "Hey, Good Lookin'" and "Howlin' at the Moon," "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)," Though his professional career was soaring, Hank Williams's personal life was beginning to spin out of control, he began to drink frequently. Hank turned completely reckless in 1952, spending nearly all of his waking hours drunk and taking drugs, while he was frequently destroying property and playing with guns. Williams continued to play a large number of concerts, but he was always drunk during the show, or he missed the gig altogether. The Grand Ole Opry fired him for that very reason. He was told that he could return once he was sober. Instead of heeding the Opry's warning, he just sank deeper into his self-destructive behaviour. Hank Williams was scheduled to play a concert on January 1, 1953. Before he and his chauffeur left Ohio, Williams was injected with two shots of the vitamin B-12 and morphine by a doctor. The driver was stopped for speeding when the policeman noticed that Williams looked like a dead man. Williams was taken to a hospital and he was officially declared dead at on January 1, 1953. Hank Williams had died in the back of the Cadillac, on his way to a concert. The last single released in his lifetime was "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive."

(9) To get more ass than a toilet seat: Have more arse than a toilet

seat, to phr. [1960s+] of a man, to have an active, even excessive, sex live (Cassel's Dictionary of Slang. Jonathon Green 1998. Cassel & Co., 2000) (10) GMC: A car or engine built by GMC (General Motors Corp.). Hot-rod use since c1955 (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (11) Percolate v.i.: 1. To become hot and boil over, said of early automobile engines. c1915-c1925. 2. To run smoothly and easily, said of automobiles and motors. Some use since c1920 (Dictionary Of American
Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (12) Palominos and Strawberry Roans: 1. Light golden color and

auburn color horses. Roan actually means chestnut-colored. Roy Rogers's horse was Trigger, a beautiful palimino which made that color very popular (Submitted by Gary Duncan. Raindogs Listserv discussionlist. September, 2000) 2. They're in a parking lot in that part of the song, chatting away while leaving for home. I thought they were talking about upholstery. Palomino leather and strawberry roan leather (Submitted by Ulf
Berggren. Raindogs Listserv discussionlist. September, 2000) (13) Rich, Charlie: Born in Forrest City on December 14, 1934, to a poor

Arkansas family. Rich was a multi talented artist, bridging Jazz, Blues, and Rock, in a more versatile way than many other artists. "I didn't dig country" Rich would say. As he struggled to find his musical niche, the bluesy "Don't Put No Headstone On My Grave" brought Rich underground fame. Rich with his famous grey streak of hair, recorded "Big Boss Man", and "Behind Closed Doors" in 1973. After making over $2 million in 1975 alone (the time Nighthawks was recorded), Rich settled into a quiet Memphis suburb. An interesting moment came when Charlie was presenting the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year Award. As Rich opened the envelope, he discovered to his horror that John Denver had won. Rich set fire to the award on stage, in a rage of fury and disbelief, later attributed to a painkiller reaction. Like Jerry Lee Lewis, Rich is haunted by a deeply religious upbringing which is at odds with his Rock n' Roll profession. Charlie's son Alan is an outstanding keyboard session man for major Rock bands today. Personal quote: "I really don't like happy music. I don't think it says anything." It is said Waits has opened shows for Rich in the early 70's. TW (1976): "I played at Max's, Kansas City and opened a show for Charlie Rich." (Source: WNEW FM: Vin Scelsa's Idiot's Delight Date:
Recorded MediaSound Studios NYC. December 14, 1976. Aired December 18, 1976 on WNEW-FM. Rebroadcast March 24, 1996 WNEW-FM.)

(14) Muckalucks: TW: "Muckalucks are carpet slippers, a Peterbilt is a truck and Stacey Adams once were a very prestigious shoe..." (Source: "Tom Waits: Would You Say This Man Was Attempting To Convey An

Impression Of Sordid Bohemianism" New Musical Express (UK), by Fred Dellar. Date: June 5, 1976)

Spare Parts 1
(A Nocturnal Emission) Well, the dawn cracked hard just like a bullwhip Cause it wasnt takin no lip from the night before And it shook out the streets, as the stew bums(1) showed up Like bounced checks(2), rubbin their necks And the sky turned the color of Pepto-Bismol(3) Yeah, and the parking lots growled My old sport coat full of promissory notes And a receipt from a late night motel The hawk(4) had his whole family out there in the wind And he got a message for you to beware Kickin your ass in, in a cold-blooded fashion And dishin out more than a good man can bear And I got shoes untied, my shirttails out Aint got a ghost of a chance(5) with this old romance Just an apartment for rent down the block Ivar Theater(6) with live burlesque Man, the managers scowlin, with his feet on the desk Boom boom against the curtain, youre still hurtin, ay-ay And then push came to shove(7), and shove came to biff Girls like that just lay you out stiff Maybe Ill go to Cleveland and, you know, get me a tattoo or somethin My brother-in-law lives there And its a skid mark tattoo on the asphalt blue Was that a Malibu? Vroooooom, vroooooom Yeah, its Liz Taylor(8) and Montgomery Clift(9) Coming on to the broads with the same ol riff, yeah Hey baby, why dont you come up to my place? Well listen to some smooth music on the stereo eh-he-he No thank you, she said, eh-he-he, you got any Stan Getz(10 records? No man, I got eh... Smothers Brothers(11)

So I combed back my Detroit(12), jacked up my pegs(13) I wiped my Stacy Adams(14) and I jackknifed my legs Yeah, I got designs on a movin violation Yeah baby, you put me on hold and Im out in the wind And its gettin mighty cold Its colder than a gut-shot bitch wolf dog with nine suckin pups pullin a number 4 trap up a hill in the dead of winter in the middle of a snowstorm with a mouth full of porcupine quills Well, I dont need you, baby You see, its a well known fact, you know Im four sheets to the wind(15), Im glad youre gone Im glad youre gone, cause Im finally alone Glad youre gone, but I wish youd come home Yeah, and I struggled out of bed Cause the dawn was crackin hard just like a bullwhip And it wasnt takin no lip from the night before Yeah, as it shook out the streets and the stew bums showed up Just like bounced checks, rubbin their necks And the sky turned the color of Pepto-Bismol(3) And my old sport coat full of promissory notes And the hawk had his whole family out there in the wind He got a message for you to beware Kickin your ass in, in a cold blooded fashion Hell be dishin out more than a good man can bear Well, lets take it to Bakersfield, get a little apartment somewhere
Written by: Tom Waits and Chuck E. Weiss Published by: Fifth Floor Music Inc. (ASCAP), 1975 Official release: Nighthawks At The Diner, Elektra/ Asylum Records, 1975 (1) Stewbum 1. n.: An unemployed, homeless street beggar, or hobo,

who has reached this lowly position through alcoholism. Orig. any beggar or hobo, as one who lives on stew; but the association has changed to one who is, or has too often been, stewed (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) 2. Stew bum: n. [1900s-30s] a down-and-out alcoholic, the most deprived of vagrants ("Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang".
Jonathon Green. Cassel & Co., 1998. ISBN: 0-304-35167-9) (2) Bounced check n.: A check that is returned for lack of funds = "rubber check" (New dictionary of American slang, Chapman) (3) Pepto-Bismol: A bright pink medicine that helps soothe your stomach.

Sickly sweet to the taste. Anyone who grew up with it never forgets it...
(Submitted by Andy and Jodi, September, 2000) (4) Hawk: Person with agressive stance in life. In politics: advocate of

active warfare.

(5) Ghost of a chance: phr. [mid-19C+] no chance whatsoever ("Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang". Jonathon Green. Cassel & Co., 1998. ISBN: 0-304-351679) (6) Ivar Theater: Further reading: Ivar Theatre (7) Push came to shove: phr. [1950s+] (orig. US) in the final assesment,

when all other alternatives have been exhausted [SE push is seen as less aggressive as shove] ("Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang". Jonathon Green.
Cassel & Co., 1998. ISBN: 0-304-35167-9) (8) Taylor, Liz: Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born in London, England

on February 27, 1932. Her parents were art dealers from St. Louis, Missouri. She lived in London for the first seven years of her life before the family left when the dark clouds of war began brewing in 1939. Liz was a close friend of Montgomery Clift until his death in 1966. They met for the first time when Paramount decided that she had to accompany him to the premiere of "The Heiress (1949) " because they were both to star in the upcoming "A Place in the Sun (1951) ". They liked each other right away. Clift used to call her "Bessie Mae". When he had the road accident a few years later that disfigured him, he came from a party at Liz's house. And it was she that found him first, got into the wreck and removed some teeth from his throat that threatened to choke him
(9) Clift, Montgomery: Edward Montgomery Clift born: 17 October 1920

Omaha, Nebraska. Died: 23 July New York. The release of "Red River" (1948) made Clift an overnight sensation and instant star. He embodied a new type of man on screen, the beautiful, sensual and vulnerable man that seemed to appeal to women and men alike. He was also by that time exclusively homosexual, though he maintained a number of close friendships with theatre women (heavily promoted by studio publicists). He was troubled with allergies and, along with pill problems he was alcoholic. After "A Place in the Sun" (1951) came out he was Hollywood's hottest male star and adored by millions. Clift's mental problems prevented him from staying at the top as his drinking and drug problem began to affect his acting and bankability. In 1956 during filming of "Raintree County" (1957) he ran his car into a tree after leaving a party at Elizabeth Taylor's; it was she who saved him from choking by pulling out two teeth lodged in his throat. What followed could be described as the longest suicide in show-business history. The accident left him with the left side of his face almost paralysed and with a small scar on his upper lip. The recurring pain in the rest of his body would remain for the rest of his life, only serving to increase his dependence on alcohol and prescription drugs. He never looked the same again and to a man who had greatly valued his looks, that was a blow. Producers and directors avoided him because of the problems he caused on set. But Elizabeth Taylor remained a loyal friend. It was Elizabeth Taylor who came to the rescue, using her position to win him a role in "Reflections in a Golden Eye" as her husband. On July 23 1966 his companion Lorenzo James found him lying nude on top of his bed, dead from what the autopsy called

"occlusive coronary artery disease". Check out: The Montgomery Clift Shrine

(10) Stan Getz: Stanley Gayetzky. Born: Philadelphia, Penns., February 2

1927. American bandleader and jazz saxofonist. Worked with Astrid Gilberto amongst others. Is regarded as representative of Cool Jazz and West Coast Jazz (11) Smothers Brothers: In the early 60s, Dick and Tom Smothers became famous for hilarious parodies of folksongs and recorded many wide-selling albums. They used this style of comedy for cutting social satire as well. Eventually they were given a CBS TV show in 1967 and it proved popular, introducing the public to a wide range of folk musicians and comedians, but it was seen as too controversial and eventually canceled. In 1975 Tom and Dick made a come-back on NBC (this is when Spare parts was recorded). Mr. Waits appeared on on their TV show in 1982 singing "Old boyfriends ". The brothers are still doing shows. To engage them go to: The Smothers Brothers Homepage (12)D etroit n.: A type of men's haircut in which the hair on the top of the head is cut short and the hair on the sides long. Detroit cut, crew on top, normal trim on sides. (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (13) Peg n. pl.: The legs; trousers. Jive use (Dictionary Of American Slang,
Wentworth/ Flexner) (14) Adams, Stacy: Slang expression: Born from Stacy Adams which is a

fancy dress shoe. Also see: Stacy. To buy your own Stacys check out this site. Also mentioned in Tom Traubert's Blues, 1976: "No one speaks English, and everythings broken And my Stacys are soaking wet." TW (1976): "Stacey Adams once were a very prestigious shoe... if you had them on then nobody messed with you and you could go anywhere. Stacey's stayed ahead of current affairs and were considered extremely hip." (Source: "Tom Waits: Would You Say This Man Was Attempting To
Convey An Impression Of Sordid Bohemianism" New Musical Express (UK), by Fred Dellar. Date: June 5, 1976) (15) Four sheets to the wind:

A1) Drunk. Synonymous with the phrase "Three Sheets to the Wind"
(Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner)

A2) Unsteady from over-drinking, as a ship when its sheets are in the wind. The sail of a ship is fastened at one of the bottom corners by a rope called a tack; the other corner is left more or less free as the rope called a sheet is disposed; if quite free, the sheet is said to be in the wind,

and the sail flaps and flutters without restraint. If all the three sails were so loosened, the ship would reel and stagger like a drunken man. Captain Cuttle looking, candle in hand, at Bunsby more attentively, perceived that he was three sheets in the wind, or, in plain words, drunk.Dickens; Dombey and Son. ("The First Hypertext Edition of The Dictionary of
Phrase and Fable", E. Cobham Brewer. 1997-99 Bibliomania.com Ltd).

B) "Its a sailors expression, from the days of sailing ships. The terminology of sailing ships is excessively complicated and every time I refer to it people write in to say Ive got it wrong, usually contradicting each other. So treat what follows as a broad-brush treatment, open to dispute on fine points. We ignorant landlubbers might think that a sheet is a sail, but in traditional sailing-ship days, a sheet was actually a rope, particularly one attached to the bottom corner of a sail (it actually comes from an Old English term for the corner of a sail). The sheets were vital, since they trimmed the sail to the wind. If they ran loose, the sail would flutter about in the wind and the ship would wallow off its course out of control. Extend this idea to sailors on shore leave, staggering back to the ship after a good night on the town, well tanked up. The irregular and uncertain locomotion of these jolly tars must have reminded onlookers of the way a ship moved in which the sheets were loose. Perhaps one loose sheet might not have been enough to get the image across, so the speakers borrowed the idea of a three-masted sailing ship with three sheets loose, so the saying became three sheets in the wind. Our first written example comes from that recorder of low life, Pierce Egan, in his Real life in London of 1821. But it must surely be much older. The version you give, incidentally, is comparatively recent, since the older one (the only one given in the big Oxford English Dictionary) is three sheets in the wind. However, online searches show that your version is now about ten times as common as the one containing in, so it may be that some day soon it will be the only one around. The version with to seems to be gaining ground because so many people think a sheet is a sail" (Source:
World Wide Words is copyright Michael Quinion, 19962004. All rights reserved)

C) Also mentioned in Tom Traubert's Blues (sub title), 1976: "Four sheets to the wind in Copenhagen"

Nobody
(Live album version)

Nobody, nobody Will ever love you the way I could love you Cause nobody, nobody is that strong Loves bitter sweet And lifes treasures deep And no one can keep a love thats gone wrong Nobody, nobody Will love you the way that I could Cause nobody, nobodys that strong Cause nobody is that strong Nobody, nobody Will ever love you the way I can love you Cause nobody, nobodys that strong Youve had many lovers Youll have many others But theyll only just break your poor heart in two Nobody, nobody Will love you the way that I could Cause nobody, nobodys that strong Cause nobody is that strong

Big Joe And Phantom 309(1)

See, I just happened to be back on the East coast a few years back I was tryin' to make me a buck like everybody else I'll be damned if times didn't get hard, and Christ I got down on my luck And I got tired of just roamin' and bummin'(2) around So I started thumbin' (3)my way back to my old hometown And you know, I made quite a few miles in the first couple of days You know, I figured I'd be home in a week if my luck held out this way You know, it was the third night, oh and I got stranded And it was out at a cold lonely crossroads(4) And as the rain came pouring down, man I was hungry

Yeah, I was hungry, tired and freezin', caught myself a chill But it was just about that time Yeah, it was just about that time that the lights of an ol' semi topped the hill You should've seen me smile when I heard them air brakes come on Yeah, and I climbed up into that cab where I knew it'd be warm At the wheel... well, at the wheel sat a big man And I'd have to say he must've weighed two ten As he stuck out a big hand and he said with a grin 'Big Joe's the name, and this here rig's called Phantom 309' Well, I asked him why he called his rig such a name And you know, he turned to me and said ' Why son, don't you know this here rig'll be puttin' 'em all to shame Nah, there ain't a driver No, there ain't a driver on this or any other line for that matter that... That's seen nothin' but the taillights of Big Joe and Phantom 309' So we rode and we talked the better part of the night And I told my stories and Joe told his And I smoked up all his Viceroys as we rolled along Pushed her ahead with 10 forward gears Man, that dashboard was lit like the old Madam La Rue pinball Serious semi truck Till almost mysteriously... Well, it was the lights of a truck stop that rolled into sight Joe turned to me, said 'I'm sorry son, but I'm afraid this is just as far as you go, you see... You see, I kinda gotta be makin' a turn just up the road a piece' I'll be damned if he didn't toss me a dime as he threw her in low and said 'Go on in there son, and get yourself a hot cup of coffee on Big Joe' I mean to tell you, when Joe and his rig pulled off into the night Man, in nothing flat they was clean outta sight So I walked into this stop, well I ordered me up a cup of mud(5), sayin' 'Big Joe's settin' this dude up', but it got so deadly quiet in that place Yeah, it got so deadly quiet in that place, you could've heard a pin drop And as the waiter's face turned kinda pale I said, 'What's the matter, did I say somethin' wrong?' I kinda said with a half way grin He said, 'No son, you see it'll kinda happen every now and then Cause every driver in here knows Big Joe, son, but...

But let me tell you what happened just 10 years ago out there Yeah, it was 10 years ago, out there at that cold lonely crossroads(4) And there was a whole bus load of kids And then they were just comin' from school And they were right in the middle when Joe topped the hill and... They could've been slaughtered except Joe turned his wheels And he jacknifed, yeah he jacknifed, and he went into a skid And you know, folks around here, well... They say he gave his life to save that bunch of kids And out there at that cold lonely crossroads Well, they're saying it was the end of the line for Big Joe and Phantom 309 'But it's funny you know, cause... cause every now and then Yeah, every now and then when the moon's holdin' the water Well, they say that old Joe'll stop and give you a ride It seems, just like you, some hitchhiker'll be comin' by' 'So here, son,' he said to me, 'you get yourself another cup of coffee It's on the house, I kind of want you to hang on to that dime Yeah, I kind of want you to hang on to that dime as a souvenir I want you to keep that dime as a souvenir of Big Joe Of Big Joe and Phantom Big Joe and Phantom 309'
Written by: Tommy Faile(6) Published by: Fort Knox Music (BMI), 1967 Official release: "Nighthawks At The Diner", Elektra/ Asylum Records, 1975 (1) Intro to Big Joe & Phantom 309 (1973): "I don't know who wrote this, I

don't know anybody who'd know who wrote this, in fact if somebody does know, maybe you could call and tell me. I first heard Ray Burrough do it, another San Diego musician. This is the first real folk song that just knocked me out. I heard Ray do it - it gave me chills up and down my back." (Source: Folkscene 1973, with Howard and Roz Larman (KPFK-FM
90.7). Date: Los Angeles/ USA. August 12, 1973)

Live intro from "Nighthawks At The Diner": "Well now, it's story time again. I'm gonna tell you a story 'bout a truck driver. This story was written by a guy named Red Sovine, and it's called the Ballad of Big Joe and Phantom 309." Sovine, Red: Actually this song was written by Tommy Faile. Sovine made it famous. Sovine, born: Woodrow Wilson Sovine, July 17, 1918 in Charleston, West Virginia. Died: April 4, 1980, Nashville, Tennessee. From 1954 Sovine was a regular at the Grand Ole Opry and, in all, he had 31 US country chart entries. Sovine acquired the nickname of 'The Old Syrup Sopper' following the sponsorship by Johnny Fair Syrup of

some radio shows, and the title is apt for such narration's as 'Daddy's Girl'. He was particularly successful with maudlin narrations about truckdrivers and his hits include 'Giddyup Go' (a US country number 1 about a truck-driver being reunited with his son), 'Phantom 309' (a truck-driving ghost story!) and his million-selling saga of a crippled boy and his CB radio, 'Teddy Bear' (1976). Red Sovine's country music owed nothing to contemporary trends but his sentimentality was popular in country clubs around the world. He had no big-time image. In 1980 Sovine died of a heart attack at the wheel of his car in Nashville.

(2) Bum around: To loaf; to wander idly; to do nothing (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner). Also mentioned in "Lucky Day" (But

that Bonnie lass and her heart of glass Could not hold a candle to bummin around) (3) Thumb v.: To hitch-hike (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/
Flexner) (4) Crossroads: 1. The term turns up in blues quite a bit, especially in the

songs of Johnson, Robert. The crossroads were a place of mysticism, and the saying was that anybody who could play as well as Johnson must have sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads in return for talent. According to the Funk & Wagnall's Dictionary of Folklore, crossroads have had superstituous connotations in most cultures - Europe, Asian, North American Indian, etc. Murderers and suicides were buried there, and it was the rendezvous point for witches - "anything could happen there." (The Folk File, Bill Markwick) 2. All (except suicides) who were excluded from holy rites were piously buried at the foot of the cross erected on the public road, as the place next in sanctity to consecrated ground. Suicides were ignominiously buried on the highway, with a stake driven through their body. ("The First Hypertext Edition of The Dictionary of
Phrase and Fable", E. Cobham Brewer. 1997-99 Bibliomania.com Ltd) (5) Mud n.: Coffee prepared to drink. Orig. hobo use. Some lunch counter use and army use. Universally known (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) (6) Tommy Faile: Tommy Faile had a number of hit songs, and topped

the country charts with a version of Scotty Wiseman's "Brown Mountain Lights." He was also a member of Arthur Smith's Crackerjacks, where he, among other things, played the part of "Cousin Phudd" in a comedy routine. (Submitted by Ulf Berggren. Listserv Raindogs discussionlist.
November, 1999)

Covering: Big Joe And Phantom 309. Written by: Tommy Faile. Published by: Fort Knox Music (BMI), 1967

Big Joe And Phantom 309

I was out on the west coast tryin' to make a buck,

And things didn't work out; I was down on my luck. Got tired o' roamin' and bummin' around So I started thumbin' back East, toward my hometown Made a lotta miles the first two days And I figured I'd be home in a week if my luck held out this way. But the third night I got stranded way outta town At a cold lonely crossroads; rain was pourin' down I was hungry and freezin' and done caught a chill When the lights of a big semi topped the hill. Lord, I sure was glad to hear them airbrakes come on, And I climbed in that cab, where I knew it'd be warm At the wheel set [= sat] a big man; he weighed about 210. He stuck out his hand and said with a grin, "Big Joe's the name," and I told him mine. And he said, "The name o' my rig is Phantom 309." I asked him why he called his rig such a name. He said, "Son, this old Mac can put 'em all to shame. There ain't a driver or a rig a-runnin' any line That's seen nothin' but taillights from Phantom 309." Well, we rode and talked the better part o' the night, When the lights of a truck stop came in sight. He said, "I'm sorry, son, this is far as you go 'Cause I gotta make a turn just on up the road." Well, he tossed me a dime as he pulled 'er in low And said, "Have yourself a hot cup on ol' Big Joe." When Joe an' his rig roared out into the night In nothin' flat he was clean outta sight Well, I went inside and ordered me a cup; Told the waiter Big Joe was settin' me up. Oh, you coulda heard a pin drop; it got deathly quiet, And the waiter's face turned kinda white "Well, did I say somethin' wrong?" I said with a halfway grin. He said, "No, this happens every now and then. Every driver in here knows Big Joe, But, son, let me tell ya what happened about ten years ago

"At the crossroads tonight, where you flagged 'im down, There was a busload o' kids a-comin' from town, And they were right in the middle when Big Joe topped the hill. It could've been slaughter, but he turned his wheels "Well, Joe lost control, went into a skid, And gave his life to save that bunch o' kids. And there at that crossroads was the end of the line For Big Joe and Phantom 309 "But every now and then some hiker'll come by And, like you, Big Joe'll give 'im a ride. Here, have another cup, and forget about the dime; Keep it as a souvenir from Big Joe and Phantom 309."

Spare Parts 2
I wanna thank you all very much for comin this evening. It really made my night. It would have been real strange here if nobody would have showed up. Id like to introduce my group this evening and... its been a real pressure and... A pressure and a pliviledge to work with these gentlemen. Id like to introduce... Please give a warm round of applause for Michael Melvoin(1) on piano! On saxophone, Pete Christlieb!(2) On bass, Jim Hughart!(3) And on drums, Bill Goodwin!(4) Yeah... They all come from good families, but... over the years they just kinda individually developed some ways about them that just arent right, you know. I was real pleased... I noticed everybody coming in this evening, youre all decked out in full regalia and everything and... appreciate you gettin dressed up for an affair such as this. You know, I think its something that Ive always tried to be as concerned about as possible and... Somebody said to me one day, Christ, Waits! You look so goddam raggedy, why dont you get yourself something to wear, you know? I said, Yeah well, not a bad idea. Maybe a serious seersucker Saturday

evening cranberry accoutrement ensemble would be nice. So I went down to Seider & Seider(?) and I said, 'I want something sharp!' I said, 'Im kinda in the market, in the neighborhood of something like... maybe some green gabardines with boneroo britches. And a leviticously duteronomous sort of catastrophic lunch-box Stetson, you know. Id like to get some Danger High Voltage slacks, with high top, mid noon, brushed suede penny loafers, so I can be passing out wolf tickets(5) regardless of where I go.' Walk into the 20 Grand Club... And the Soul & Inspirations are playin. Yeah, and youre cuttin a rug and pullin on a coat and emotin. Band is kickin into some long version of Harlem Nocturne or somethin. You get designs on a girl in the corner. You say, Say baby... live around here? Yeah... I think Im gonna plant(6) you now and Im gonna dig you later. Make like a bakery truck and haul buns. Make like a(7) hockey player and get the puck out of here. I gotta go see a man about a dog(8), Ill see you later. Thank you very much for comin this evening!
Written by: Tom Waits and Chuck E. Weiss Published by: Fifth Floor Music Inc. (ASCAP), 1975 Official release: Nighthawks At The Diner, Elektra/ Asylum Records, 1975 (Transcribed by Ulf Berggren as sent to: Tom Waits eGroups discussionlist, 2000) (1) Michael Melvoin. Born: Oshkosh/Wisc. May 10 1937. Orchestral

arrangement and direction on: The heart of Saturday night. Piano on: Nighthawks at the diner. He is based in Los Angeles and has worked extensively in the studios. Has not yet gained the fame that he deserves for his impressive technique and strong jazz improvising talents. He began playing piano when he was three but graduated from Dartmouth in 1959 with a degree in English. However, Melvoin soon chose to become a professional musician. He moved to Los Angeles in 1961 and worked with many top West Coast players and performers including Frank Rosolino, Leroy Vinnegar, Gerald Wilson, Paul Horn, Terry Gibbs, Joe Williams, Peggy Lee, Gabor Szabo and off course Jim Hughart. Played for Phil Spector's "Wrecking Crew ". Although busy in the studios, he recorded for Concord in the mid-'70s. Has worked occasionally in L.A. area clubs and often teams up with singer Bill Henderson. He led two albums for Liberty in 1966 and one for Discwasher in 1979 Michael Melvoin on studio recordings with Waits in 1974: "I knew that I was dealing with an extraordinary, different kind of talent. There were a

couple of things about it. First of all, the lyrics ... I would describe them as top-rank American poetry. I thought then, and I still believe, that I was dealing with a world-class poet. My degree from school was in English literature, so I felt that I was in the presence of one of the great Beat poets. Tom's work was "a counterpoint to that experience. I was amazed by the richness of it. The musical settings that he was using reminded me of certain roots jazz experiences that I thought were very, very appropriate for that." (Source: "Wild Years, The Music and Myth of Tom
Waits". Jay S. Jacobs, ECW Press 2000. Telephone conversation. June 25, 1999) (2) Pete Christlieb: Born: Los Angeles, CA, 16-02-1945. American jazz-

clarinetist, flutist and saxophonist. He also played on the 1976 "Mainstreet" album
(3) Jim Hughart: James David Hughart. Born: Minneapolis, MI, July 28

1936. American jazz bass player. Played together with Waits from 1975 till 1980. Also played with Ella Fitzgerald amongst others
(4)B ill Goodwin: William Richard Goodwin. Born: Los Angeles, Ca.,

January 8 1942. American percussionist. Played on the "Mainstreet" album of 1976. In 1995 he played on the Bellingham Festival of Music (5) Wolf tickets: A) TW: "Another one I like is wolf tickets, which means bad news, as in someone who is bad news or generally insubordinate. In a sentence, you'd say, "Don't fuck with me, I'm passing out wolf tickets." Think it's either Baltimore Negro or turn-of-the-century railroad use." (Tom Waits 20
questions. Playboy magazine: Steve Oney. -- March 1988)

B) Sell a woof/ wolf ticket, to: phr. [1960s+] (US Black) 2a. To boast, to brag. 2b. to talk nonsense, to lie [trash talk] 2c. to threaten, to intimidate (buy a woof ticket) ("Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang". Jonathon Green. Cassel &
Co., 1998. ISBN: 0-304-35167-9)

C) "As early as 1985, Clarence Page of The Chicago Tribune defined selling woof tickets as "an invitation to fight." In 1996, Jane Kennedy of The San Francisco Examiner called it "telling lies." In The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Betty Parham and Gerrie Ferris wrote in 1992, "Although its origin is uncertain, 'woof ticket' is a somewhat dated phrase that refers to an outrageous or exaggerated boast meant to intimidate or impress the listener." Woof is a Black English pronunciation of "wolf." According to Geneva Smitherman's 1994 "Black Talk," a woof ticket is "a verbal threat, which one sells to somebody; may or may not be real. Often used as a strategy to make another person back down and surrender to what that person perceives as a superior power." Tom McIntyre,

professor of special education at Hunter College in New York, noted nearly a decade ago: "Woofing is especially effective against those who are unfamiliar with it and don't realize that it is most often 'all show and no go.' . . . The menacing behavior can usually be defused and eliminated by informed, tactful action." He advised teachers to "look secure and selfassured while you withdraw." In the context of the basketball star Howard's remarks, woof tickets are not to be bought; on the contrary, he uses the phrase to show that performance, and not intimidating attitude, is needed to "get it together." ( "On Language by William Safire, Crying
Woof!". Copyright 2000 The New York Times Company. Submitted by Monika Kottenhahn, eGroups Tom Waits discussionlist. October, 2000)

D) Also mentioned in Trouble's Braids, 1983: "Passin out wolf tickets, downwind from the bloodhounds."
(6) Plant, to: v. [early 19C] to abandon, to leave ("Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang". Jonathon Green. Cassel & Co., 1998. ISBN: 0-304-35167-9) (7) Make like a...: v. [1950s+] (US) as part of a number of phrs. all of

which mean 'go away', 'get lost', e.g. make like a fart and blow away, ... dragster and lay rubber, ... drum and beat it, ... banana and splitt, ... cow pat and hit the trail, ... paper doll and cut out, ... tree and leave, ... rubber and roll on. ("Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang". Jonathon Green. Cassel & Co.,
1998. ISBN: 0-304-35167-9) (8) See a man about a dog, have to:

A) The traditional and jocular excuse to leave a person, group, or room. Thus = excuse me, I have to leave, c1920 usu. used to excuse oneself to go out and buy bootleg liquor. c1940 usu. used as an excuse to go to the bathroom (Dictionary Of American Slang, Wentworth/ Flexner) B1) phr. [mid-19C+] a euph. used to disguise one's need or desire to visit the lavatory. B2) [mid-19C+] an excuse to absent oneself from home in order to visit one's mistress or to go out for a drink ("Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang".
Jonathon Green. Cassel & Co., 1998. ISBN: 0-304-35167-9)

C) "This has been a useful (and usefully vague) excuse for absenting oneself from company for about 150 years, though the real reason for slipping away has not always been the same. Like a lot of such colloquial sayings, it is very badly recorded. However, an example turned up in 1940 in a book called Americas Lost Plays, which proved that it was already in use in the US in 1866, in a work by a prolific Irish-born playwright of the period named Dion Boucicault, The Flying Scud or a Four-legged Fortune. This play, about an eccentric and superannuated

old jockey, may have been, as a snooty reviewer of the period remarked, a drama which in motive and story has nothing to commend it, but it does include our first known appearance of the phrase: Excuse me Mr. Quail, I cant stop; Ive got to see a man about a dog. I dont have access to the text of the play itself, so cant say why the speaker had to absent himself. From other references at the time there were three possibilities: 1) he needed to visit the loo (read WC, toilet, or bathroom if you prefer); 2) he was in urgent need of a restorative drink, presumed alcoholic; or 3) he had a similarly urgent need to visit his mistress. Of these reasons which, you may feel, encompass a significant part of what it meant to be male in nineteenth-century Americathe second became the most common sense during the Prohibition period. Now that societys conventions have shifted to the point where none of these reasons need cause much remark, the utility of the phrase is greatly diminished and it is most often used in a facetious sense, if at all." (Source: World Wide Words
is copyright Michael Quinion, 19962004. All rights reserved)