The Piano Has Been Drinking
Tom Waits
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The piano has been drinking, My necktie is asleep And the combo went back to New York, The jukebox has to take a leak And the carpet needs a haircut, And the spotlight looks like a prison break And the telephone's out of cigarettes, And the balcony is on the make And the piano has been drinking, The piano has been drinking And the menus are all freezing, And the light man's blind in one eye And he can't see out of the other And the piano-tuner's got a hearing aid, And he showed up with his mother And the piano has been drinking, The piano has been drinking As the bouncer is a Sumo wrestler Cream puff casper milk toast And the owner is a mental midget With the I.Q. of a fence post 'Cause the piano has been drinking, The piano has been drinking And you can't find your waitress With a Geiger counter And she hates you and your friends and you Just can't get served without her And the box office is drooling, And the bar stools are on fire And the newspapers were fooling, And the ash-trays have retired 'Cause the piano has been drinking, The piano has been drinking The piano has been drinking, Not me, not me, not me, not me, not me
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Written by: Tom Waits
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, JALMA MUSIC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
9 facts about this song
Background"The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)" is a song by American singer-songwriter Tom Waits, released in his 1976 album "Small Change."
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SongwritingThe song, like many of Waits' tracks, features a gravelly, jazz-inspired vocal approach.
- It is known for its wry humour and unconventional subject matter; the "narrator" - a seemingly drunk piano - offers a critique of various people and objects in a bar.
- The song's lyrics are erratic and whimsical, a characteristic of Waits' earlier work.
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TitleThe title of the song implies that the piano is being anthropomorphized, suggesting it's the piano that has been drinking and not the person playing it.
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ProductionTom Waits has been known to use unusual recording methods, which have contributed to his unique sound.
- In this song, he combined a traditional piano tune with a jazzy vocal arrangement, resulting in a distinctive blend of styles.
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Reception and legacyThe song has received positive reviews for its quirky lyrics and unique soundscape.
- It has been performed live by Waits numerous times and has become one of his signature tunes.
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Public PerformancesTom Waits performed the song on The Old Grey Whistle Test, a British television music show in 1977.
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ArtistryThe song, like much of Waits' work, is noted for its fusion of blues, jazz and vaudeville influences, contributing to his image as a disillusioned, down-and-out romantic.
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IntricacyThe tone of the song may seem light-hearted, due to its quirky lyrics, but it effectively communicates the profound depths of despair often associated with alcoholism.
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Album SuccessThe album, "Small Change," where "The Piano Has Been Drinking" was released, was Waits' best-selling album until his 1985 release "Rain Dogs".
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Citation
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"The Piano Has Been Drinking Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/31243246/Tom+Waits/The+Piano+Has+Been+Drinking>.
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