Definitions by frank rider
Heartattack
A term coined by Tom Waits. It's quite obviously just heart attack without a space, but it is taken to mean a life and death of shit and revelry. The word was used in the title for his 1980 album, Heartattack and Vine, which had a song of the same name.
An excerpt from Heartattack And Vine
From the album Heartattack And Vine
by Tom Waits,
"See that little Jersey girl in the see-through top
With the peddle pushers sucking on a soda pop
Well I bet she's still a virgin but it's only twenty-five 'til nine
You can see a million of 'em on heartattack and vine
Better off in Iowa against your scrambled eggs
Than crawling down Cahuenga on a broken pair of legs
You'll find your ignorance is blissful every goddamn time
You're waitin' for the RTD on heartattack and vine"
From the album Heartattack And Vine
by Tom Waits,
"See that little Jersey girl in the see-through top
With the peddle pushers sucking on a soda pop
Well I bet she's still a virgin but it's only twenty-five 'til nine
You can see a million of 'em on heartattack and vine
Better off in Iowa against your scrambled eggs
Than crawling down Cahuenga on a broken pair of legs
You'll find your ignorance is blissful every goddamn time
You're waitin' for the RTD on heartattack and vine"
Heartattack by Frank Rider August 23, 2009
Heartattack And Vine
Tom Waits' sixth album, from 1980, had nine tracks and lasted for forty-five glorious minutes. As soon as it starts playing you get a smooth blast of drum, and a jagged slice of guitar. Half of the album's songs are jumpy and dangerous, while the other half are slow and beautiful. Some high points are Jersey Girl - a love song, and 'Til The Money Runs Out, a loud-mouth fighting song.
An excerpt from Heartattack and Vine's-
Mr. Siegal
I shot the morning in the back
With m' red wings on
I told the sun he'd better go back down
And if I can find a book of matches
I'm goin' to burn this hotel down
You got to tell me brave captain
Why are the wicked so strong
How do the angels get to sleep
When the devil leaves the porch-light on
Mr. Siegal
I shot the morning in the back
With m' red wings on
I told the sun he'd better go back down
And if I can find a book of matches
I'm goin' to burn this hotel down
You got to tell me brave captain
Why are the wicked so strong
How do the angels get to sleep
When the devil leaves the porch-light on
Heartattack And Vine by Frank Rider August 23, 2009
It's a free country
A phrase that is used by Americans. Sadly it is no longer true, but to this day the Government forces people believe it is.
Sincerely Signed,
Your Friendly Neighborhood Conspiracy Theorist
Sincerely Signed,
Your Friendly Neighborhood Conspiracy Theorist
"It's a free country!" Johnny to the Government
"No it's not!" The Government to Johnny
"I'll think what I want" Johnny
"You'll think what I tell you." Government
"Ok." Americans to Government
"No it's not!" The Government to Johnny
"I'll think what I want" Johnny
"You'll think what I tell you." Government
"Ok." Americans to Government
It's a free country by Frank Rider August 23, 2009
Swordfishtrombones
Album number seven from artist-in-the-shadows, Tom Waits. Released in 1983, it was a forty minute, thirteen track, carnival mad house of wicked instrumentals and monologues. The album's title track is a story of a demented soldier returning home, hell bent on giving a show. The second track, Shore Leave, is a squeaky love ballad from a sailor to the land and his girl.
An excerpt from Swordfishtrombones'
Gin Soaked Boy
I got a belly full of you and that Leavenworth stuff
Now I'm gonna get out and I'm gonna get tough
You been lying to me, how could you crawl so low
With some gin-soaked boy that you don't know
I come home last night full a filth of Old Crow
You said you going to your ma's but where the hell did you go?
You went and slipped out nights, you didn't think that I'd know
With some gin-soaked boy that you don't know
Gin Soaked Boy
I got a belly full of you and that Leavenworth stuff
Now I'm gonna get out and I'm gonna get tough
You been lying to me, how could you crawl so low
With some gin-soaked boy that you don't know
I come home last night full a filth of Old Crow
You said you going to your ma's but where the hell did you go?
You went and slipped out nights, you didn't think that I'd know
With some gin-soaked boy that you don't know
Swordfishtrombones by Frank Rider August 23, 2009
Vine
In a sense taken from the music of Tom Waits, a vine is a man's life, and more specifically, his love life.
If one were to listen to the song Another Man's Vine, a song of envy and infidelity, you would hear that a man's lover is a rose on his vine, and when she is unfaithful...Another man picks that rose.
If one were to listen to the song Another Man's Vine, a song of envy and infidelity, you would hear that a man's lover is a rose on his vine, and when she is unfaithful...Another man picks that rose.
An excerpt from Another Man's Vine,
From the album Blood Money,
By Tom Waits-
"Golden Willie's gone to war
He left his young wife on the shore
Will she be steadfast everyday?
While Golden Willie's far away
Along the way her letters end
She never reads what Willie sends
I see a red rose
I smell a red rose
Red rose blooming
On another man's vine"
From the album Blood Money,
By Tom Waits-
"Golden Willie's gone to war
He left his young wife on the shore
Will she be steadfast everyday?
While Golden Willie's far away
Along the way her letters end
She never reads what Willie sends
I see a red rose
I smell a red rose
Red rose blooming
On another man's vine"
Vine by Frank Rider August 23, 2009
Rain Dogs
Rain Dogs was released in 1985, becoming the eighth in Tom Waits' expanding discography. He had reverted back to his old self a little, in songs like Blind Love and Time. His voice had smoothed over a bit, but he still grasped his dark side, presenting evil little gems like Clap Hands and Jockey Full Of Bourbon. The title track is about being a person of the street, forgoing umbrellas and taxis for the rain and freedom.
An excerpt from Rain Dogs'
Diamonds & Gold
Some men will do it for diamonds
Some men will do it for gold
Wounded but they just keep on climbing
Sleep by the side of the road
There's a hole in the ladder, a fence we can climb
Mad as a hatter, you're thin as a dime
Go out to the meadow, the hills are a-green
Sing me a rainbow, steal me a dream
Diamonds & Gold
Some men will do it for diamonds
Some men will do it for gold
Wounded but they just keep on climbing
Sleep by the side of the road
There's a hole in the ladder, a fence we can climb
Mad as a hatter, you're thin as a dime
Go out to the meadow, the hills are a-green
Sing me a rainbow, steal me a dream
Rain Dogs by Frank Rider August 23, 2009
The Black Rider
This album was the studio version of the music from Tom Waits, Robert Wilson, and William S. Burroughs play; The Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets. And, it was Waits' twelfth album. It's quite beautiful, and also quite varying. It has some songs that are exciting; like The Black Rider, some that are depressing; like The Last Rose Of Summer, and some that are absolutely weird; like Oily Night. It's guaranteed to give you nightmares and steal your soul, but sorry - no money back.
An excerpt from The Black Rider's-
November
With my hair slicked back
With carrion shellac
With the blood from a pheasant
And the bone from a hare
Tied to the branches
Of a roebuck stag
Left to wave in the timber
Like a buck shot flag
November
With my hair slicked back
With carrion shellac
With the blood from a pheasant
And the bone from a hare
Tied to the branches
Of a roebuck stag
Left to wave in the timber
Like a buck shot flag
The Black Rider by Frank Rider August 23, 2009