Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)

Subject: Lyr Req: tom waits-waltzing matilda
From: old salty
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 05:29 AM

Hello you all,
                Has anyone got the words for waltzing matilda by
          Tom Waits.Ive got the recording but we can get all the words
          cheers in advance.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tom waits-waltzing matilda
From: avrosimones
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 05:41 AM

Subject: Lyr Add: TOM TRAUBERT'S BLUES (Tom Waits)
From: avrosimones
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 05:41 AM

TOM TRAUBERT'S BLUES
(Tom Waits 1976)

Wasted and wounded, it ain't what the moon did
Got what I paid for now
See ya tomorrow, hey Frank can I borrow
A couple of bucks from you?
To go waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll go a waltzing Matilda with me

I'm an innocent victim of a blinded alley
And tired of all these soldiers here
No one speaks English and everything's broken
And my Stacys are soaking wet
To go waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll go a waltzing Matilda with me

Now the dogs are barking and the taxi cab's parking
A lot they can do for me
I begged you to stab me, you tore my shirt open
And I'm down on my knees tonight
Old Bushmill's I staggered, you buried the dagger
Your silhouette window light
To go waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll go a waltzing Matilda with me

Now I lost my Saint Christopher now that I've kissed her
And the one-armed bandit knows
And the maverick Chinaman and the cold-blooded signs
And the girls down by the strip-tease shows
Go, waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll go a waltzing Matilda with me

No, I don't want your sympathy
The fugitives say that the streets aren't for dreaming now
Manslaughter dragnets and the ghosts that sell memories
They want a piece of the action anyhow
Go, waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll go a waltzing Matilda with me

And you can ask any sailor and the keys from the jailer
And the old men in wheelchairs know
That Matilda's the defendant, she killed about a hundred
And she follows wherever you may go
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll go a waltzing Matilda with me

And it's a battered old suitcase to a hotel someplace
And a wound that will never heal
No prima donna, the perfume is on
An old shirt that is stained with blood and whiskey
And goodnight to the street sweepers
The night watchman flame keepers and goodnight to Matilda too

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tom waits-waltzing matilda
From: Stu
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 12:05 PM

Ah, what a song.

One of my absolute faves.

Rod Stewart's version isn't half bad either (except he replaces the line "My Staceys are soaking wet" with "My strength is soaking away" for some reason).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tom waits-waltzing matilda
From: GUEST,old salty
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 02:09 PM

Thanks avro.You dont know how long ive been searching.
       youre a STAR!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tom waits-waltzing matilda
From: GUEST,Morris
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 02:45 PM

Wonderful song, stands alone even without music and it's not every song you can say that about. But since you mention it, what are his "stacys" ?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tom waits-waltzing matilda
From: KB in Iowa
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 03:27 PM

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)

This is from tomwaitslibrary.com

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tom waits-waltzing matilda
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 24 Feb 07 - 05:14 AM

Maybe Rod changed the line because he's UK, and 'Staceys' doesn't mean anything here? But I still prefer the original 'Staceys' line!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tom waits-waltzing matilda
From: GUEST,Jay
Date: 02 Dec 07 - 09:55 AM

I like this version best too.
I have heard of 'Staceys' before though, not often, but I still think it was pointless to change the lyrics though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: GUEST,alicia
Date: 06 Dec 07 - 01:37 PM

i also like this song very much, but english is just my second lenguage, and there are some words that i can't completely understand. Maybe you could help me. So, what is the complete meaning of Waltzing, i have some hypothesis that can go with the song, but i would like if you help me with this. Thank You.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: dwditty
Date: 06 Dec 07 - 03:15 PM

A google search (Tom Waits Lyrics) turned up this site:

http://tomwaits.lyrics.info/

Pretty much every Tom Waits lyric through 2004.

dw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: Celtaddict
Date: 06 Dec 07 - 03:57 PM

Welcome, Guest Alicia. The expression 'waltzing Matilda' means to go off and about, wandering as a hobo or a trackman; expression is Australian (and the song 'Waltzing Matilda' by Banjo Patterson is often considered Australia's unofficial national anthem).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 07 Dec 07 - 11:48 AM

Just have to add that to me, Tom Wait's performance of this song is his masterpiece, and one of the finest in any vein I have ever heard. Amazing and wondrous to hear!

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: Art Thieme
Date: 07 Dec 07 - 07:04 PM

Bob, I respect your opinion a lot, butI think I'm missing something here. Reading it, I just find it obscure---with maybe one or two decent noir-ish images.

Maybe it needs the tune?!

What am I not seeing?

Art

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 07:43 AM

Art --

Not seeing, but hearing.

It's not the lyrics, but the performance I meant. If you can hear Tom sing it, I think you'll be, well, at least pleasantly surprised. Strictly for your inner ear.

All the best,

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: rich-joy
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 10:02 PM

hmmmm ...... always loved Maggie Holland's (English Country Blues Band days) version of this one!!

Cheers, R-J

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: GUEST,282RA
Date: 09 Dec 07 - 09:44 PM

It's off the album "Small Change" if anyone's interested. "Small Change" and "Foreign Affairs" are my two most favorite Waits albums. Absolutely brilliant!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Dec 07 - 11:04 AM

Alicia

You can find a lot of information at the www.tomwaitslibrary.com

Here is a link to the entry on Tom Traubert's Blues

Tom Traubert's Blues

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: Rain Dog
Date: 10 Dec 07 - 11:05 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: Rain Dog
Date: 10 Dec 07 - 11:07 AM

Sorry, that post with the link to the TomWaitsLibrary was from me
I had not logged in when I posted it

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: GUEST,Xleb Stjenikov
Date: 12 Nov 08 - 03:58 PM

Hallo all! Guys for whom English is native language! Please maybe you can help me for right comprehension. I'm Russian born and some specific term is real puzzle for me


Stacys - is that kinda fancy shoes?
Old Bushmill's - prison?
Saint Christopher - body cross for sailor's good luck?
maverick Chinaman - who tha f--k is that?

Thanks in advance

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: trevek
Date: 12 Nov 08 - 04:43 PM

Old Bushmill's is a brand of Irish whiskey.
St Christopher is the saint of travellers (sailors too, I suppose), often worn like a cross for good luck, and so to lose it is bad luck for a traveller.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: GUEST,for trevek - thanks
Date: 13 Nov 08 - 05:06 AM

Thank you for your reaction, that's nice info, right, Old Bussmil's is sort of booze! Ha-ha! ))) 'm guess, maverick Chinaman - could be a nickname for some character of streat's shadow dealin'. But Stacys? I'm feel dumb.......(((

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: Stu
Date: 13 Nov 08 - 06:35 AM

Staceys were discussed earlier in the thread. They're a type of shoe that was fashionable some years ago.

Subject: for stigweard
From: GUEST,Xleb
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 02:05 PM

Yea, thanks, i found out it at the almost the same time. Besides that, i found a website Stacy Adams with all stuff. Looks quite funny, a bit reminisence of Al Capone Era in Chicago

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: SteveKinney
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 08:38 AM

Does anyone know what happened to www.tomwaitslibrary.com ?

It isn't active, and the location is being offered for sale. From the sound of some of the bloggers above, it was a great resource for trivia.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits)
From: Rain Dog
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 04:04 AM

The Tom Waits Library is back up since the 4th Jan

Tom Waits Library

It is a great resource for information on all things to do with Tom Waits. If you have never looked at it before you have hours and hours of reading ahead of you.