The whole song is about recovery in a 12 step program/ fellowship. I know, I've been recover for 31 years. "Get of the cross, we could use the wood" me and "stop acting like a martyr; stop wallowing in self-pity; stop playing the victim card and blaming everybody else, take responsibility for your own actions". I've it a hundred times in various 12 step meetings from San Bernardino to Boston and from Milwaukee to Big Spring Texas. And that is true of almost every single lyric in the song.
Tom is a magician. Wraith,spirit with a soul made of glitter, he's a whistle in a graveyard and a shout in an empty room. Tom is a step above, ahead and beyond the test of us mortals aand he did it with a laugh a smoke a coffee and a head full of prophetic energy
Tom Waits was way underrated by many. He is a brilliant musician, songwriter, and storyteller. It is nice to see Tom getting exposure and very positive comments. Hopefully, many will have the opportunity for a wonderful performer.
Your accolades are correct .... he is those three things ... but, He couldn't carry a tune in a wheelbarrow ! There we part ways. I cannot bear it. GBjj
Spans many genres, and sometimes when someone asks what genre one of his songs fall into, the answer is just Tom Waits. Seems like he has tons of songs that don't sound like anything before or since. One of the most unique artists in history.
I get chills every time I hear this song, although I've heard it many, many times because it's one of my favorite Tom Waits songs. It just fills me w/ overwhelming emotion every single time....I feel like laughing, crying or something! To me the message is just "when you feel down and out and you're just having a horrible day/week/month/year....come on up to the house"....to me "the house" is just a metaphor for unloading your troubles somewhere or somehow :) That's how the song makes me feel anyway
One of greatest songwriters. Great theatrics. Gypsy, vaudeville, theater, eastern European, delta blues, folk, Gospel... Much of what he does is "tongue in cheek" humor. Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame. Been in quite a few movies over the years. bram Stoker's Dracula, Ironweed, Cotton Club, The 2 Jakes, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, The Book Of Eli... Nominated for 7 grammys and won 2 "
I was blessed with a very large family. No matter how far a son or daughter or niece or nephew strayed, we always had the seniors who would take us in AT THE HOUSE. Safe haven and support.
I discovered Tom in 77 at 17... Heart Attack and Vine, Pasties and A G-String, Going Out of Business, On the Nickel Over There, The Piano Has Been Drinking 😋 Love Eternal and Gratitude For MUSIC ❣️✌️🤸
Its a simple message of hospitality, seeing someone so very down on their luck, living in the storm, feeling crucified by troubles, and then comes the warm invitation of a well meaning friend inviting you to get down from the cross, come off your mountain of woes, let it all go and just go on up to the house for a little coffee and warm conversation....we all just passing through.
There are about a million Tom Waits songs you'd love, and I can't begin to list my favorites. I want to second "A Foreign Affair" but also "A Little Drop of Poison" and "Invitation to the Blues". His music gets even better with repeated listens.
There's an old gospel song called "This World Is Not My Home," so I believe Waits drew inspiration from that. It's a traditional song.... thanks from Tennessee!
I can't tell you how glad I was to see you cover this song. I think it is an absolutely brilliant, beautiful and totally unique (like so much of Wait's work) look into the soul of a person struggling with suicidal thoughts. It's like the singer is the proverbial devil on the person's shoulder, telling them all the reasons they should just get on with it. I've found solace in the song, knowing that if someone I know ever kills themself, that I at least will have a better understanding of the pain and disappointment they were feeling that made them feel they needed to escape -- lines like "No light in the tunnel, no irons in the fire," "The seas are stormy and you can't find no port," and "You've been whipped by the forces that are inside you." Even the line about "come down off the cross, we can use the wood," while funny, is beautiful. It's as if the devil is saying you need to choose whether you think you're worth saving -- because if you're going to waste your life being sad and tormented, you might as well get on with it. Dark stuff, but weirdly hopeful at the same time. Sorry for the long note. For something completely different, I urge you to listen to "Step Right Up". A brilliant, super funny takedown of marketers everywhere.
I love Tom Waits. Mule Variations is my fav album of his. It came to me at the exact right moment in life (as great albums usually do) would love to see you react to more of his.
Tom Waits IS a fantastic lyricist, indeed. An old favorite is “A Foreign Affair” - the lyrics in that are so great, on multiple levels. But he has so many… Burma Shave, Grapefruit Moon, I Hope That I Don’t Fall In Love With You, Martha, Ol’ 55… these are all early classics.
One of Waits' most unusual efforts is "Chocolate Jesus" sung on the Letterman show -- through a megaphone! I believe it's worthy of your analytical and emotional talents.
Hari, I am of a few TW true fans. Get off the cross is an Ol' AA line. Tom scored the title song to my favorite Stallone and Holiday movie Paradise Alley. Way underrated movie classic. Speaking of TW and Holidays...his Christmas tunes are guaranteed to make you appreciate your lot. Very best to you and your followers! Thanks for showing bravery to do this one here!
All The World Is Green by Tom Waits is a fav of mine . Thanks so much for comparing to Van Morrison ! never thought about it till now , but yes I hear it
It could be religion, but also have heard it discussed as just being about a general support for people in trouble. Might be heaven or wherever desperate people may need to turn.
Tom Waits has been around since the 70's and his music is fantastic. It's not possible to overstate how incredible his songs, lyrics and performances are. This whole album - Mule Variations - is wonderful. I like every song except the one about the hog because I'm a vegetarian. My favourites are Take It With Me When I Go, Georgia Lee, Picture In A Frame...oh hell, every song. Hope you react to them. In this song, "The House" is short for House of the Lord - Church.
What a character, Tom Waits, great storytelling. He was very talented. He was a singer-songwriter and an actor. Not a lot of people get his style of music, but I love it. Here's another artist that I believe you've already reacted to. I think you'll enjoy this one *"Some Humans Ain't Human - John Prine"* another very gifted singer-songwriter and beautiful lyricist.
Such a great songwriter a lot of songs that really move you his early stuff he doesn't sound anything like he does now I've never really researched why his voice changed so much if it was a conscious thing or the cigarettes but it doesn't matter I like his voice and his youth and has it changed throughout the years whatever you want to hear a very different Tom waits listen something early like rocking chair he does a cool rendition of ice cream man in the album you just listen to get behind the mule chocolate Jesus the house where nobody lives great stuff
There is an old hymn from the 1900s that says "This world is not my home. I'm just a passing through". I believe it is titled I Can't Feel At Home In This World Anymore. Oh, and "the house" is an old timey way to say church.
I think it means eventually you got to give it up and let it go and return back to the house (heaven). There is pain in this life and we can play victim (stay on the cross) and we can rake out role in life too seriously (lead soprano in a junkman's choir), but in the end we are just passing through here. This is not our home. We are infinite beings having a finite experience so we should keep that is mind. My take of one of my favorite songs.
BTW, Harri, I chuckle when you say Van Morrison....I can hear it when you mention it, but I always dreamed of Tom and Warren Z having a sit down. P.S. the story behind Ricki Lee's Chuck E. is just a brilliant tie in.
Tom Waits, in my opinion, is one of the greatest American songwriters ever. Only Dylan and Springsteen approach his level. I've never heard this song before, but I'll give my initial reactions. This song is filled archetypes; "the world is not my home, I'm just passing through." Well the immediate response would be a Christian view, as in this earthly "meat" life is just a phase until we get to heavan. The Fathers house. But being an atheist, I can't accept that; so I take it in an almost Gnostic point of view. The "house" is an ideal, an unattainable place. It only really exists in the mind's eye, but people cling to to it to escape the sad veil of tears we find ourselves in. Its an escape that helps us cope with the horrors of reality. Now, is that what he actually meant? I dunno. But that's my take.
I don't believe I've ever heard any of his music I didn't like. They say his voice sounds like whiskey and gravel. I've spent a lot of time down that rabbit hole lol
For sure a gospel tune. When you have been whipped down by the harsh world, there is always an invitation open to the House of healing and love. Sounds pretty corny, but the message is clear. The song itself could have used some trimming perhaps, but I suppose it depends on how you hear it.
Don't think I've seen anyone react to Tom Waits. An artist that might be difficult to appreciate the first time through. There are songs on this album I like way better: House Where Nobody Lives Pony Chocolate Jesus Cold Water Rain Dogs was another great album: Gun Street Girl Blind Love
I'm surprised nobody in the comments has answered Harri's question about what the song's meaning..... "you gotta come on up to the house" was not something a slave or indentured servant wanted to hear, it usually meant punishment. like having to go to the principal's office, but wayyy worse. listen to the song again and ask yourself if it sounds like a good thing to come on up to the house whenever Tom sings it? the cadence of the song is like an old negro spiritual too, repeatable lines that are easy to learn how to sing in harmonies and chorus.
Re the religion, I think it's just a straightforward message of when things are bad, come on up to the house of God. And while Waits isn't really religious, afaik, he does a lot of fairly straight gospel inspired songs such as Jesus Gonna Be Here, or Down in the Hole. Well worth a listen.
Glib and slick lyric so clever does not save this GRAVEL ROAD VOCAL failure .... I never thought he could be less melodic than several years ago when hearing a fairly successful top 40 radio song of his ..... I was wrong. This is not listenable vocally. jj
