The Early Years Volume 1 - Lyrics
1Goin' Down Slow
2Poncho's Lament
3I'm Your Late Night Evening Prostitute
4Had Me A Girl
5Ice Cream Man
6Rockin' Chair
7Virginia Ave.
8Midnight Lullabye
9When You Ain't Got Nobody
10Little Trip To Heaven
11Frank's Song
12Looks Like I'm Up Shit Creek Again
13So Long I'll See Ya

Goin' Down Slow
(Tom Waits 1971)
Well It's a quarter a two
Looking at you
And going down, going down slow
Yeah, It's a quarter a two
I'm looking at you
And going down, going down slow

TV went off about one, we have only begun
I know that the words never come
But I have no intention of going home

Well It's a quarter a three
Digging on me
And going down, going down slow

Could stay here all night
They claim your outta sight
Please get up and turn out the light
There ain't nothing better than the middle of the night

When it's a quarter a four
And begging for more
And we're going down, going down slow
Going down, going down slow
Going down, going down slow
Going down, going down slow
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Poncho's Lament
(Tom Waits 1971)
Well the stairs sound so lonely without you
And I ain't made my bed in a week
Coffee stains on the paper I'm writing
And I'm too choked up inside to speak

And Yes I know our differences pulled us apart
Never spoke a word heart to heart
And I'm glad that you're gone
But I wish to the lord that you'd come home
And I'm glad that you're gone
Got the feeling so strong
And I'm glad that you're gone
But I wish to the lord that you'd come home

Well my guitar still plays your favorite song
though the strings have been outta tune for some time
Every time I strum a chord, I pray out to the Lord
That you'll quit your honkey-tonkin' sing my song
And I'm glad that you're gone
Got the feeling so strong
And I'm glad that you're gone
But I wish to the Lord that you'd come home

So I'll throw another log onto the fire
And I'll admit I'm a lousy liar
As the coals die down and flicker
I hear that guitar picker
Play the song we used to sing so long ago
And I'm glad that you're gone
Got the feeling so strong
Yes I'm glad that you're gone
But I wish to the lord that you'd come home
And I'm glad, damn glad you're gone
Got the feeling so strong
Yes I'm glad that you're gone
But I wish to the lord you'd come home
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I'm Your Late Night Evening Prostitute
(Tom Waits 1971)
Well I got here at eight and I'll be here till two
I'll try my best to entertain you
And please don't mind me if I get a bit crude
I'm your late night evening prostitute

So drink your martinis and stare at the moon
Don't mind me I'll continue to croon
And don't mind me if I get a bit loon
I'm your late night evening prostitute

And dance, have a good time
I'll continue to shine
Yes Dance, have a good time
Don't mind me if I slip upon a rhyme

Well got here at eight and I'll be here till two
I'll try my best to entertain you
And please don't mind me if I get a bit crude
I'm your late night evening prostitute
I'm your late night evening prostitute
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Had Me A Girl
(Tom Waits 1971)
Well I had me a girl in LA
I knew she could not stay
Had me a girl in San Diego
One day she just had to go
And I had me a girl Tallahassee
Boy what a foxy lassie


And my doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin' blue
And my doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin blue
And my doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin blue

And I had me a girl in Mississippi
Oh she sure was kippy
Had me a girl from England
She done split for the mainland
And then I had me a girl from New York
She up and pulled my cork

And my doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin' blue
And my doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin blue
And my doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
The doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin blue

Then I had me a girl from North Dakota
She was just filling her quota
Then I had me a girl from Chula Vista
I was in love with her sister
Then I had me a girl from...

Then my doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin' blue
And my doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin blue
And my doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
Well my doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin blue

Then I had me a girl from France
Just wanted to get in my pants
Then I had me a girl from Toledo
Boy she sure was neato
Then I had me a girl from North Carolina
She's still on my mind

And my doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin' blue
And my doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
Well the doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin blue
And my doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
Well my doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin blue
Well my doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin blue
And my doctor says I'll be alright
My doctor says I'll be alright
Well the doctor says I'll be alright
But I'm feelin blue
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Ice Cream Man
(Tom Waits 1971)
Clickin' by your house about two forty-five
With Sidewalk sundae strawberry surprise
I got a cherry popsicle right on time
I got a big stick mamma, that'll blow your mind

'Cause I'm your ice cream man and I'm a one-man band
And I'm your ice cream man baby, I'll be good to you

If you missed me in the alley baby don't you fret
I'll coming back round and don't forget
When you're tired and you're hungry want something cool
You know I got something better than a swimming pool

'Cause I'm your ice cream man and I'm a one-man band
And I'm your ice cream man, I'll be good to you

Well if you see me coming you ain't got no change
Don't worry baby it can be arranged
Show me you can smile honey just for me
And I'll Fix you with a drumstick, I'll do it for free

'Cause I'm your ice cream man and I'm a one-man band
And I'm your ice cream man and I'll be good to you

'Cause I'm your ice cream man and I'm a one-man band
And I'm your ice cream man and I'll be good to you

I'm your ice cream man, and I'm your ice cream man
And I'm your ice cream man, and I'm your ice cream man
And I'm your ice cream man, and I'm your ice cream man
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RockinChair
(Tom Waits 1971)
Well I'm sittin' right here in my rockin chair
Running my fingers right through my hair
Fire is a flickering with a yellow and gold
Making me quiver in the snowy cold
I Got a lazy old woman screaming about my money, man
She took every cent and she didn't leave me any

Times were never this good, got a fly for food
Got no woman to spend my money
Baby blew it and took all my money

So I'm sittin' right here in my rockin chair
Running my fingers right through my hair
Spider caught the fly in his web
Do believe that he might be dead

Times were never this good, got a fly for food
Got no woman to spend my money
Baby blew it and took all my money

So I'm sittin' and I'm sittin' and I'm sittin' right here
In my rockin chair watching my old dog loosing his hair
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Virginia Ave.
(Tom Waits 1971)
Well, I'm walking down Virginia Avenue
I'm trying to find somebody to tell my troubles to
Harold's club is closing, everyone's going home
What's a poor sailor to do?

I guess I'll get back into my short, make it back to the fort
Sleeping off the crazy lizards inside of my brain
Got to be some place that's better than this
This life I'm leading's driving me insane
And I'm dreaming

And I'm dreaming through the twilight cause this town has got me down
I've seen all of the highlights, I've been walking around
I won't make a fuss, I'll take a Greyhound bus
Carry me away from here, now what have I got to lose?

I'm just a walking down Columbus Avenue
Bars there all closing, 'cause it's quarter a two
Every town I go to's like a lock without a key
The blues I leave behind keep catching up on me
Catching up on me, they're catching up on me
Catching up on me, catching up on me, catching up on me
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Midnight Lullabye
(Tom Waits 1971)
Sing a song a sixpence, pocket full of rye
And hush bye my baby, no need to be cryin'
You can burn the midnight oil with me as long as you wish
Stare out at the moon upon the window sill
And dream

Sing a song a sixpence, pocket full a wry
I tell you another story, tell you no lies
Dew drops on the window sill, gum drops in your hair
Your slippin into dreamland, your nodding your head
So dream

So dream of West Virginia, of the British Isles
When you are dreaming you see for miles and miles
And when you are much older remember when we sat
At midnight on the windowsill and had this little chat
And dream, dream, dream, dream
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When You Ain't Got Nobody
(Tom Waits 1971)
Well when you ain't got nobody anybody looks nice
Don't take much to make you stop and look twice
And it's either feast or famine I've found out that it's true
And I'm hungry as a bull dog, baby how about you?

And when you ain't got no big mama all the mamas look hot
And when loving is you weakness your just bound to get caught
And the story never changes, history tells it so plain
And I'll be your Dick honey if you'll just be my Jane

And when you ain't got nobody anybody looks nice
It don't take much to make you stop and look twice
It's either feast or famine I've found out that it's true
And I'm hungry as a bull dog, baby how about you?
Baby how about you? How about you?
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Little Trip to Heaven
(Tom Waits 1971)
Little trip to heaven on the wings of your love
Banana moon is shining in the sky
I feel like I'm in heaven when your with me
I know that I'm in heaven when you smile
Though we're stuck here on the ground
I got something I've found and it's you

I don't need to take no trip to outer space
All I have to do is look at your face
And before I know it I'm in orbit around you
I Thank my lucky stars that I found you
When I see your constellation your my inspiration and it's you

Your my North Star when I'm lost and feeling blue
Your my sun that's breaking through, it's true
And all the other stars seem dim around you
I thank my lucky stars that I found you
When I see your smilin face
I know nothing gonna take your place
And it's you, and it's you, and it's you
and it's you, and it's you, and it's you
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Frank's Song
(Tom Waits 1971)
That woman will take you, that woman will break you
That woman will make you something you've never seen
That woman's got claws, that woman's got laws
Now look out man, you're gonna loose your mind

I had a friend, his name was Frank
He walked on the water and lord he sank
We used to go stag, now he's got a hag
It looks like Frankies got a new bag

That woman will take you, that woman will break you
That woman will make you something you've never seen
That woman's got claws, that woman's got laws
Now look out Frank, you're gonna loose your mind

What happened to Frank, can happen to you
Just find you a woman and watch what she'll do
That woman will take you, that woman gonna break you
Look out man you're gonna loose, you're gonna loose your mind
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Looks Like I'm Up Shit Creek Again
(Tom Waits 1971)
Well the sun came in my window Wednesday morning
And your love was like the golden rays again
Now I'm lying here on a Thursday, and you're lovin someone new
And it looks like I'm up shit creek again

And I can't help but thinking of your lovin ways
And I've cried a quart of tears since you've been gone
And I can't face the morning by myself love
And it looks like I'm up shit creek again

Since you've been gone I cry all the time
And I cannot stand leaving you behind
So I'll pull myself together and I'll dry away the tears
But the morning light has brought back memories
And I can't face the morning by myself love
And it looks like I'm up shit creek again
So I'm out a walkin on this dusty highway
Cause you've given me no reason for to stay
And I'll walk until I've found someone who loves me not in vain
And it looks like I'm up shit creek again
And it looks like I'm up shit creek again
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So Long I'll See Ya
(Tom Waits 1971)
Mamas in the kitchen, Daddies on the phone
And nobody knows what's going on
But I've got them, so long I'll see you
Cause my Buick's outside waiting blue

Well one for the money, two for the show
And it's three to get ready, Tom's gotta go
He's got them, so long I'll see you
Cause my Buick's outside waiting blue

Well bye-bye-bye, yeah bye-bye-bye
Sing bye-bye Shooby-do-bye-bye
Gotta skeet-skat outta here, skeet-skat outta here

And your mamas in the kitchen and your daddies on the phone
And nobody knows what's going on
But I've got them, so long I'll see you
Cause my Buick's outside waiting blues

Well Tommy's gotta skeet-skat, he's gotta skeet-skat outta here
Skeet-skat right outta here
And one for the money, two for the show
And three to get ready, I gotta go
Cause I've got them, so long I'll see you
Cause my Buick's outside waiting blue
Outside waiting blue
It's outside waiting blue
That Buick's outside waiting blue

And skeet-skat outta here, gonna skeet-skat outta here
Skeet-skat outta here, gonna skeet-skat outta here
Got so long I'll see you cause my Buick's outside waiting blues
And skeet-skat outta here, gonna skeet-skat outta here
Gonna skeet-skat
I got so long I'll see you cause my Buick's outside waiting blues
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