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THE LAST WAITS PRE-TROMBONES
“Heartattack And Vine” was released in 1980, just two years after the splendid masterpiece “Blue Valentine” of 1978. The artist's music has changed quite a bit from the early albums of the early '70s, which were of a more composed and purely singer-songwriter style, compared to the wild and eccentric tracks we find on this album. However, this was not a sensational news because Waits' style had already changed for a few years and indeed does not differ much from the previous work (“Blue Valentine”).
There is indeed the same metropolitan, dirty, infamous but extremely lively and exciting atmosphere. A world that goes on ignored by the well-to-do society, from which 'old Tom' always manages to find his best compositional inspirations. Compared to the certainly more successful and richer “Blue Valentine”, here the memorable pieces are definitely fewer in number (and partly also in substance), but they are definitely there. (Only) nine tracks.
Some energetic and full of powerful and rudimentary percussions that mark the rhythm (mainly in the first part of the album), others slower and more reflective, masterfully guided by Tom Waits' piano (mainly in the last part of the album). Among those of the first group, the beautiful “'Til The Money Runs Out” and the engaging and hallucinatory journey into the underground bowels of the city in “Downtown”. Among the latter, I must absolutely mention the beautiful, melancholic and romantic closing track “Ruby's Arms” along with my favorite track of the album: “On The Nickel”, a sweet, gentle and soft orchestral music complete with accompanying strings, carrying Waits’ rugged, splendid and gritty voice, here more than ever particularly highlighted.
A few words are also deserved by “Mr. Siegal”, a neighborhood blues marked by guitar riffs and by Waits' piano. Songs of this type will also be composed in the future, with always excellent results, I am talking about “Jin Soaked Boy” from the legendary album “Swordfishtrombones” 1983 and the spectacular “Table Top Joe” from the album “Alice” 2002. The sticky and catchy chorus of “Jersey Girl” made it the most famous track on the album, perhaps not among the best songs on the album, but certainly the one that gets stuck in your head the fastest.
After this album (with the exception of the soundtrack “One From The Heart”), Waits will steer his compositions towards an increasingly distorted and unreal style, increasingly dark and cursed, which seemed to apparently distance him from reality, but which actually dug into it, up to touch its deepest viscera. This will give birth to masterpieces such as “Swordfishtrombones”, “Raindogs” and many more to follow.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Heartattack and Vine (04:50)
Liar liar with your pants on fire
White spades hangin' on the telephone wire
Gamblers reevaluate along the dotted line
You'll never recognize yourself on heartattack and vine
Doctor, lawyer, beggar man thief
Philly Joe remarkable looks on in disbelief
If you want a taste of madness, you'll have to wait in line
You'll probably see someone you know on heartattack and vine
Boney's high on china white, Shorty found a punk
Don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk
Well this stuff will probably kill you, let's do another line
What you say you meet me down on heartattack and vine
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
Your're waitin' for the RTD on heartattack and vine
Boney's high on china white, Shorty found a punk
Don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk
Well this stuff will probably kill you, let's do another line
What you say you meet me down on heartattack and vine
Liar liar with your pants on fire
White spades hangin' on the telephone wire
Gamblers reevaluate along the dotted line
You'll never recognize yourself on heartattack and vine
Doctor, lawyer, beggar man thief
Philly Joe remarkable looks on in disbelief
If you want a taste of madness, you'll have to wait in line
You'll probably see someone you know on heartattack and vine
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
Boney's high on china white, Shorty found a punk
Don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk
Well this stuff will probably kill you, let's do another line
What you say you meet me down on heartattack and vine
07 On the Nickel (06:19)
Sticks and stones will break my bones,
but i always will be true, and when
your mama is dead and gone,
i'll sing this lullabye just for you,
and what becomes of all the little boys,
who never comb their hair,
well they're lined up all around the block,
on the nickel over there.
so you better bring a bucket,
there is a hole in the pail,
and if you don't get my letter,
then you'll know that i'm in jail,
and what becomes of all the little boys,
who never say their prayers,
well they're sleepin' like a baby,
on the nickel over there.
and if you chew tobacco, and wish upon a star,
well you'll find out where the scarecrows sit,
just like punchlines between the cars,
and i know a place where a royal flush,
can never beat a pair, and even thomas jefferson,
is on the nickel over there.
so ring around the rosie, you're sleepin' in the rain,
and you're always late for supper,
and man you let me down again,
i thought i heard a mockingbird, roosevelt knows where,
you can skip the light, with grady tuck,
on the nickel over there.
so what becomes of all the little boys,
who run away from home,
well the world just keeps gettin' bigger,
once you get out on your own,
so here's to all the little boys,
the sandman takes you where,
you'll be sleepin' with a pillowman,
on the nickel over there.
so let's climb up through that button hole,
and we'll fall right up the stairs,
and i'll show you where the short dogs grow,
on the nickel over there.
08 Mr. Siegal (05:14)
I spent all my money in a mexican whorehouse
Across the street from a catholic church
And then I wiped off my revolver
And I buttoned up my burgundy shirt
I shot the morning in the back, with my 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 porchlight on
Well I dropped thirty grand on the nugget slots
I had to sell my ass on Fremont street
And the drummer said there's sanctuary
Over at the Bagdad room
And now it's one for the money
Two for the show
Three to get ready
And go man go, I said
Tell me Mr. Siegal
How do I get out of here
Well Willard's knocked out on a bottle of heat
Drivin' dangerous curves across the dirty sheets
He said man you ought to see her
When her parents are gone
Man, you ought to hear her when the siren's on
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 porchlight on
Don't you know that ain't no broken bottle
That i picked up in my headlights
On the other side of the Nevada line
Where they live hard die young
And have a good lookin' corpse every time
Well the pit-boss said I should keep movin'
This is where you go when you die
And so I shot a black beauty
And I kissed her right between the eyes.
Well Willard's knocked out on a bottle of heat
Drivin' dangerous curves across the dirty sheets
He said man you ought to see her
When her parents are gone
Man, you ought to hear her when the siren's on
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 porchlight on
I spent all my money in a mexican whorehouse
Across the street from a catholic church
And then I wiped off my revolver
And I buttoned up my burgundy shirt
I shot the morning in the back, with my 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
And now it's one for the money
Two for the show
Three to get ready
And go man go, I said
Tell me Mr. Siegal
How do I get out of here
09 Ruby's Arms (05:35)
I will leave behind all of my clothes,
I wore when i was with you,
all I need's my railroad boots
and my leather jacket
as i say goodbye to Ruby's arms
although my heart is breaking,
i will steal away out through your
blinds, for soon you will be waking.
The morning light has washed your face
and everything is turning blue now,
hold on to your pillow case
there's nothing i can do now,
as i say goodbye to Ruby's arms,
you'll find another soldier,
and i swear to god by christmastime,
there'll be someone else to hold you.
The only thing i'm taking is
the scarf off of your clothesline,
i'll hurry past your chest of drawers
and your broken wind chimes,
as i say goodbye
i'll say goodbye,
say goodbye to Ruby's arms.
I will feel my way down the darkened hall,
and out into the morning,
the hobos at the freightyards
have kept their fires burning,
so jesus christ this goddamn rain,
will someone put me on a train,
i'll never kiss your lips again
or break your heart,
as i say goodbye
i'll say goodbye,
say goodbye to Ruby's arms.
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