This version of Burma Shave was released by Tom Waits in 1977.
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licorice tattoo turned a gun metal blue scrawled across the shoulders
of a dying town the one eyed jacks across the railroad tracks
and the scar on its belly pulled a stranger passing through
he was a juvenile delinquent never learned how to behave
but the cops would never think to look in
burma shave
and the road was like a ribbon and the moon was like a bone
he didn’t seem to be like any guy she’d ever known
he kinda looked like farley granger with his hair slicked back
she says i’m a sucker for a fella in a cowboy hat
how far are you going he said depends on what you mean
he says i’m going thataway just as long as it’s paved
i guess you’d say i’m on my way to
burma shave
and her knees up on the glove compartment
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
and she popped her gum and arched her back
hell marysville ain’t nothing but a wide spot in the road
some night my heart pounds just like thunder
i don’t know why it don’t explode
cause everyone in this stinking town has got one foot in the grave
and i’d rather take my chances out in
burma shave
presley’s what i go by why don’t you change the station
count the grain elevators in the rearview mirror
mister anywhere you point this thing
has got to beat the hell out of the sting
of going to bed with every dream that dies here every mornin
and so drill me a hole with a barber pole
i’m jumping my parole just like a fugitive tonight
why don’t you have another swig
and pass that car if you’re so brave
i wanna get there before the sun comes up in
burma shave
and the spider web crack and the mustang screamed
smoke from the tires and the twisted machine
just a nickel’s worth of dreams and every wishbone that they saved
lie swindled from them on the way to
burma shave
and the sun hit the derrick and cast a bat wing shadow
up against the car door on the shot gun side
and when they pulled her from the wreck you know she
still had on her shades
they say that dreams are growing wild just this side of
burma shave
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About Lyrics and Burma Shave by Tom Waits
The lyrics to Burma Shave are the words, verses and chorus for the song released by Tom Waits in 1977. Elements of the lyrics to Burma Shave are both direct in meaning and also metaphorical with the real meanings of the song only known by Tom Waits and any collaborating writers working on the lyrics for Burma Shave back when it was created. Some people have an interest in the etymology behind words and phrases. You can take apart the lyrics to Burma Shave by Tom Waits in a number of ways.
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- Lonely (1973)
- Martha (1973)
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- Ol’ 55 (1973)
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- (Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night (1974)
- Depot, Depot (1974)
- Diamonds On My Windshield (1974)
- Drunk On The Moon (1974)
- Fumblin’ With The Blues (1974)
- New Coat Of Paint (1974)
- Please Call Me, Baby (1974)
- San Diego Serenade (1974)
- Semi Suite (1974)
- Shiver Me Timbers (1974)
- The Ghosts Of Saturday Night (After Hours At Napoleone’s Pizza House) (1974)
- Better Off Without A Wife (1975)
- Big Joe And Phantom 309 (1975)
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- Warm Beer And Cold Women (1975)
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- Invitation To The Blues (1976)
- Jitterburg Boys (1976)
- Pasties And A G-String (At The Two O’Clock Club) (1976)
- Small Change (Got Rained On With His Own .38) (1976)
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