 Alice (2002) [ larger cover art ] |
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It's dreamy weather we're on
You waved your crooked wand
Along an icy pond with a frozen moon
A murder of silhouette crows I saw
And the tears on my face
And the skates on the pond
They spell Alice
I disappear in your name
But you must wait for me
Somewhere across the sea
There's a wreck of a ship
Your hair is like meadow grass on the tide
And the raindrops on my window
And the ice in my drink
Baby all I can think of is Alice
Arithmetic arithmetock
Turn the hands back on the clock
How does the ocean rock the boat?
How did the razor find my throat?
The only strings that hold me here
Are tangled up around the pier
And so a secret kiss
Brings madness with the bliss
And I will think of this
When I'm dead in my grave
Set me adrift and I'm lost over there
And I must be insane
To go skating on your name
And by tracing it twice
I fell through the ice
Of Alice
And so a secret kiss
Brings madness with the bliss
And I will think of this
When I'm dead in my grave
Set me adrift and I'm lost over there
And I must be insane
To go skating on your name
And by tracing it twice
I fell through the ice
Of Alice
There's only Alice
You waved your crooked wand
Along an icy pond with a frozen moon
A murder of silhouette crows I saw
And the tears on my face
And the skates on the pond
They spell Alice
I disappear in your name
But you must wait for me
Somewhere across the sea
There's a wreck of a ship
Your hair is like meadow grass on the tide
And the raindrops on my window
And the ice in my drink
Baby all I can think of is Alice
Arithmetic arithmetock
Turn the hands back on the clock
How does the ocean rock the boat?
How did the razor find my throat?
The only strings that hold me here
Are tangled up around the pier
And so a secret kiss
Brings madness with the bliss
And I will think of this
When I'm dead in my grave
Set me adrift and I'm lost over there
And I must be insane
To go skating on your name
And by tracing it twice
I fell through the ice
Of Alice
And so a secret kiss
Brings madness with the bliss
And I will think of this
When I'm dead in my grave
Set me adrift and I'm lost over there
And I must be insane
To go skating on your name
And by tracing it twice
I fell through the ice
Of Alice
There's only Alice
| hayduke2 (Southampton, NY) | Posted: Mar 30, 2013 - 07:26 St. Tom Look up the review in today's NYTimes of Marisa Mulder doing TW music Poetry |
| rdo (DC) | Posted: Jan 26, 2013 - 13:14 What is this, like cabaret? |
| fredriley (Nottingham, UK) | Posted: Dec 26, 2012 - 05:04 gypsyman wrote: TerryS wrote:Tom Waits is the Laphroaig of balladeers.  Nice to stumble across a few other lovers of Laphroaig. The best Scotch I've ever tasted. Period. Try some of the other Islay malts. All, with the exception of the luscious Bunnahabhain, are intensely peaty, but vary considerably in style within that peatiness. Ardbeg has already been mentioned, but my favourite is Lagavulin. A tour of Islay malts is a stimulating experience, but bad for the head and the wallet. Don't ever call malt whiskeys "Scotch" in the hearing of a Scots person, though - that label is only used for blended whiskeys, if at all. Tom Waits as Laphroaig is a good analogy. Peaty, smoky, rough on the throat, fantastic if you're in the mood for it, rough as a scabby dog's arse if you're not. A great street poet but a voice that is an 'acquired taste', to put it mildly. Worth acquiring but you have to work at it. |
| sirdroseph (Yes) | Posted: Oct 24, 2012 - 12:13 If you really listen to this song carefully, it's pretty damn controversial. Still great though. 10 |
| Jure | Posted: Oct 24, 2012 - 12:12 Oh my. It's a cold october night. There's fog outside. Feels like Tom Waits is made from the world outside. |
| bachbeet | Posted: Sep 22, 2012 - 23:54 Love that sax. |
| LizK (Houston, Texas) | Posted: May 19, 2012 - 19:21 Why does Tom Waits always make me think of that big black guy (Michael Duncan??) in The Green Mile? A YAS Boss kind of voice. |
| On_The_Beach (The Blue Planet) | Posted: Mar 17, 2012 - 11:18 gypsyman wrote: Nice to stumble across a few other lovers of Laphroaig. The best Scotch I've ever tasted. Period. Just picked up a bottle of Ardbeg 10-yr; it's pretty damn tasty. |
| dyharenas (Cerro Apoquindo) | Posted: Feb 14, 2012 - 14:53 rtkmusic wrote: I dare Bill to follow this up with some Coltrane/Hartman!!! Well, some four odd years later he did it with the Bird man... |
| gypsyman (just passing through....) | Posted: Jan 13, 2012 - 20:31 TerryS wrote:Tom Waits is the Laphroaig of balladeers. On_The_Beach wrote: Too true. Smokey and complex. Intoxicating. For those with refined taste. Not for the timid. Nice to stumble across a few other lovers of Laphroaig. The best Scotch I've ever tasted. Period. |
| russteaches (Lovely Detroit) | Posted: Jan 13, 2012 - 20:31 johnjconn wrote: This reminds me, I'm running low on Bourbon Sipping a glass right now. Tom does create a mood, doesn't he? |
| Eray (Benicia CA) | Posted: Sep 09, 2011 - 08:49 Some of the best Waits ever to lick my inner ear. |
| johnjconn (chicago land) | Posted: Sep 09, 2011 - 08:45 This reminds me, I'm running low on Bourbon |
| Rotterdam | Posted: Jul 07, 2010 - 06:01 oldslabsides wrote: the man is a genius. Albert1967 wrote: Dunno 'bout that, but he's a fine musician. For me, also, Tom Waits is a genius. If I look at his entire career, he has used his talents in a number of unique and meaningful ways. I think he is wonderful. |
| Albert1967 (Leusden, the Netherlands) | Posted: Jul 07, 2010 - 05:57 oldslabsides wrote: the man is a genius. Dunno 'bout that, but he's a fine musician. |
| Red_Dragon | Posted: May 04, 2010 - 16:39 the man is a genius. |
| On_The_Beach (Vancouver BC, Bud) | Posted: Jan 29, 2010 - 22:10 TerryS wrote: Tom Waits is the Laphroaig of balladeers. Too true. Smokey and complex. Intoxicating. For those with refined taste. Not for the timid. |
| ambrebalte (Beijing) | Posted: Jan 29, 2010 - 22:09 SweTex wrote:  TEN.Isn't it night yet? Longing for it (2 something pm here) Edit I am a Laphroaig drinker |
| Stefen (West Hollywood, CA) | Posted: Dec 29, 2009 - 11:38 This song doesn't due justice to his raspy voice. |
| Leetzy | Posted: Dec 29, 2009 - 11:36 Boozy and dreamy as only he can. |
| peter_james_bond (Lunenburg, NS) | Posted: Oct 27, 2009 - 17:10 martinc wrote: I just never get TW. he has written some good tunes but I find his performance just deadly. Still adds to the variety of RP. For many of us Tom is the definition of 'Cool'. Like RP, he's eclectic, he's got a great sense of humour, he does his own thing and he's talented. I do have a hard time getting past that croaky voice but I respect the man's artistry. |
| SweTex (Swede living in Texas) | Posted: Aug 25, 2009 - 15:00 TEN. |
| rdo (DC) | Posted: Aug 25, 2009 - 14:59 martinc wrote: I just never get TW. he has written some good tunes but I find his performance just deadly. Still adds to the variety of RP. It's among the Californians, some real greaseball shit. |
| martinc (Ottawa Canada) | Posted: Jun 23, 2009 - 06:52 I just never get TW. he has written some good tunes but I find his performance just deadly. Still adds to the variety of RP. |
| Laptopdog (Overcrowded, Overpriced & Overrated L.A.) | Posted: Aug 04, 2008 - 18:20 Tom Waits released this CD simultaneously with another CD - Blood Money - and being the huge TW fan that I am, I bought them both. I never got into the Alice CD as much as Blood Money, because Blood Money had all the upbeat and offbeat music that I'm more a fan of. However, after listening to this track, I think I'm gonna dig up that Alice CD and give it another go. ktnsb wrote: He's actually from San Diego. I saw him sitting in LAX one day after I'd seen him play the Troubador (RIP)in LA. He was on his way home. I was only in high school and I asked him for his autograph and told him I really liked his show. He was picking out a magazine to read, I found a scrap of paper in my wallet and a pen by the cash register, and he wrote "Inebreationally yours, and may all your ups and downs be in between the sheets." It's the only time in my life I asked someone for their autograph. I met Tom Wait waaaay back in the 80s on the set of Rumble Fish, which I was an extra on. A super-nice and unassuming guy. I barely knew anything about his music at the time, but after meeting him, I started getting into his music. Being a huge fan of his music now for some 20+ years; if I met him again, I'd probably geek out and scare him off. |
| The_Enemy (The Sewer) | Posted: Aug 04, 2008 - 18:15 Cambot wrote: I used to write this guy off. To me he sounded like he swallowed an operating ice auger, but Im warming up to his stylized voice, nowadays.
20 years ago, I used to have roommates in an apt that, once you exited, you had to go through an alley to get to the street. One evening, I'm in my room listening to Waits on the stereo when one of them appears in my door and she yells "IT'S YOU?!?!?" "I've been afraid to go outside because I thought there was a wino in the alley! And all this time it's you listening to this shit?!?!?" |
| DoctorHooey (/etc) | Posted: Aug 04, 2008 - 18:08 I'm meydele wrote: One of my favorite movies for a long time was The Fisher King, and Waits is bizarre in his homeless dude role. But memorable
 . "See, I'm what you call kind of a "moral traffic light", really. I'm like sayin', "RED! Go no further! Boooo-ee boooo-ee boooo-ee...” |
| jjbix (san diego) | Posted: Jun 02, 2008 - 16:52 Tom Waits is nothing if not unique. But as I understand the word, unique doesn't mean good, but this song is alright. |
| steeler (Staring, blankly, into the abyss) | Posted: May 02, 2008 - 06:08 Darkmatter wrote: a murder of silhouette crows I saw...
how did the razor find my throat... and I will think of this, when I am dead in my grave... I swear, Tom Waits has a way with words that precious few others have. Truly evocative words, which paint vivid pictures in my imagination. An Artist with a capital A, indeed.  He takes us places; sometimes places we could not even imagine; sometimes places we need to go; sometimes places we fear to go. He sets us free in our own minds, and entices us to embark upon journeys to the depths of our souls. Yes, this is Art. |
| Tailypoe (In the basement of Otto's Barouque Musick behing the boxes of pickle jars) | Posted: Jan 28, 2008 - 19:31 For Me Tom = God of musical Oh-My-Gosh-I-Cant-Listen-to-this-song-with-others-in-the-room-turn-it-off-ness. |
| Darkmatter (Sweden) | Posted: Jan 13, 2008 - 02:21 a murder of silhouette crows I saw... how did the razor find my throat... and I will think of this, when I am dead in my grave... I swear, Tom Waits has a way with words that precious few others have. Truly evocative words, which paint vivid pictures in my imagination. An Artist with a capital A, indeed. |
| DrGonzo | Posted: Dec 28, 2007 - 09:13 it's actually quite hard to make a comment on music such as this... words just don't suffice 
so moody, so great |
| onyxover | Posted: Dec 28, 2007 - 09:13 I'm not worthy. 10 |
| Cambot (Never mind where I am now - I'm from Chicago) | Posted: Dec 28, 2007 - 09:11 I used to write this guy off. To me he sounded like he swallowed an operating ice auger, but Im warming up to his stylized voice, nowadays. |
| sfearll (Monrovia, CA) | Posted: Dec 12, 2007 - 16:24 almost anything from Tom Waits is a very good thing!  |
| poopypants (Porkland, OR) | Posted: Oct 26, 2007 - 13:48 Do It Bill!!!! |
| rtkmusic (SoCal) | Posted: Oct 26, 2007 - 13:47 I dare Bill to follow this up with some Coltrane/Hartman!!! |
| poopypants (Porkland, OR) | Posted: Oct 26, 2007 - 13:46 ktnsb wrote: He's actually from San Diego. I saw him sitting in LAX one day after I'd seen him play the Troubador (RIP)in LA. He was on his way home. I was only in high school and I asked him for his autograph and told him I really liked his show. He was picking out a magazine to read, I found a scrap of paper in my wallet and a pen by the cash register, and he wrote "Inebreationally yours, and may all your ups and downs be in between the sheets." It's the only time in my life I asked someone for their autograph. That's great. Classic Tom! |
| ktnsb (Kinsey's Colgate) | Posted: Aug 24, 2007 - 23:03 TerryS wrote: Tom Waits is the Laphroaig of balladeers.
Perfect: ashes & whiskey |
| TerryS (The other SW) | Posted: Aug 24, 2007 - 19:09 Tom Waits is the Laphroaig of balladeers. |
| meurglys3 (England's legendary England) | Posted: Jul 24, 2007 - 07:50 Sublime. The whole album is magical, as is most of Tom's work. A taste definitely worth acquiring is Tom. |
| meydele (Par la mer) | Posted: Jul 24, 2007 - 07:42 laskaguy wrote: It's always a great surprise to be wathcing a movie and realize that Waits has some ecclectic role in it. One of my favorite movies for a long time was The Fisher King, and Waits is bizarre in his homeless dude role. But memorable . |
| meydele (Par la mer) | Posted: Jul 24, 2007 - 07:32 The more I hear, the more I love. Love him, I do. |
| laskaguy (Frozen North, land of long days and dark winters) | Posted: May 22, 2007 - 12:14 SDMatteo wrote: tom waits is genius! a southern california music and hidden film god.
Yeah, I agree. It's always a great surprise to be wathcing a movie and realize that Waits has some ecclectic role in it. His song Kmmienequspadt also shows how far off the norm he is willing to go. All his music makes me want to go to a seedy little bar at 10 in the morning and drink whiskey in a smokey atmosphere (and I hate smoke). |
| meydele (By the sea) | Posted: May 22, 2007 - 12:01 ktnsb wrote: ... I found a scrap of paper in my wallet and a pen by the cash register, and he wrote "Inebreationally yours, and may all your ups and downs be in between the sheets." It's the only time in my life I asked someone for their autograph. That's a great story. And the quote sounds like him. |
| gabbadar | Posted: May 22, 2007 - 12:00 I dreamed I met a woman last night. She was quiet, almost aloof. She, I, and two friends of hers were in a diner eating when she told me they were in the Tom Waits band. Strange.  |
| steeler (Riding The Bus to Canton) | Posted: Mar 20, 2007 - 15:28 coloradojohn wrote: If a song could be poured stirred lovingly chilled swirled and served well this would be the one and Tom
well Tom just drunks it all up so nicely don't ya think? Yes, I do! |
| ktnsb (Kinsey's Colgate) | Posted: Mar 04, 2007 - 22:22 stet wrote: genius, sure, but he lives in northern california He's actually from San Diego. I saw him sitting in LAX one day after I'd seen him play the Troubador (RIP)in LA. He was on his way home. I was only in high school and I asked him for his autograph and told him I really liked his show. He was picking out a magazine to read, I found a scrap of paper in my wallet and a pen by the cash register, and he wrote "Inebreationally yours, and may all your ups and downs be in between the sheets." It's the only time in my life I asked someone for their autograph. |
| coloradojohn (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan -- 15 min. west of Shinjuku, center of the freaking Universe) | Posted: Mar 04, 2007 - 22:20 If a song could be poured stirred lovingly chilled swirled and served well this would be the one and Tom well Tom just drunks it all up so nicely don't ya think? |
| Krispian (Vancouver, BC) | Posted: Aug 27, 2006 - 22:06 Arithmetic, arithmetock... clever! |