Misheard song lyrics (also called mondegreens) occur when people misunderstand the lyrics in a song. These are NOT intentional rephrasing of lyrics, which is called parody.
This page contains all the misheard lyrics for Tom Waits that have been submitted to this site and the old collection from inthe80s started in 1996.
For more information about the misheard lyrics available on this site, please read our FAQ.
There are 27 misheard song lyrics for Tom Waits on amIright currently.
There are also Tom Waits misheard lyrics stories also available.
"Anywhere I Lay My Head" (MP3)
She's laughing in her sleep, boys,
I can feel it in my bones
She's laughing in her sleeve, boys,
I can feel it in my bones
These lines were used, in translation, in a poem by Dutch poet Hans Kloos in his book of poetry 'de hand boven het hoofd' (1994).
"Cold, Cold Ground" (MP3)
The cattle sleep in the mailbox
The cat'll sleep in the mailbox
"Heartattack and Vine"
If you want to dance with pandas,
you have to wait in line
If you want a taste of madness,
you'll have to wait in line
"Heartattack and Vine"
all the tekken time
on heartattack and vine.
I've been listening to this song for years, I've even got a copy of the CD, but didn't know what it was called. Tom Waits can be really hard to understand and not all his lyrics make sense straight off. Now I know what the real lyrics are however, I still think its a stretch to hear "on heartattack and vine" but at least it makes sense.
"I Don't Wanna Grow Up"
I don't want a Florida room.
I don't wanna float a broom.
"Jersey Girl"
You know whe fills me with artichokes.
You know she thrills me with all her charms.
"Kommienezuspadt"
Come and eat Sue's spit.
Kommienezuspadt
"Kommienezuspadt"
Come and eat some spade.
Kommienezuspadt
"Kommienezuspadt"
Come on into the spot.
Kommienezuspadt
"Kommienezuspadt"
Comeandeatsomespeed
Kommienezuspadt
"Kommienezuspadt"
Communism's bad.
Kommienezuspadt
"Kommienezuspadt"
Como dice usted
Kommienezuspadt
"Kommienezuspadt"
I'm a Kathie Lee.
And we can't be late.
"Kommienezuspadt"
Kommen in zu spät
Kommienezuspadt
"Little Drop of Poison" (MP3)
They all have ways
To make you pee.
They all have ways
To make you pay.
"New Coat of Paint" (MP3)
Les out a new coat of paint
On this lonesome old town
Let’s put a new coat of paint
On this lonesome old town
"New Coat of Paint" (MP3)
Less butter new coat of paint
On this lonesome old town
Let's put a new coat of paint
On this lonesome old town
Drank with old vagina-men,
walked the sewers of Paris
Drank with all the Chinamen,
walked the sewers of Paris
Walked the shores of birth
Walked the sewers of Paris
"Sins Of My Father" (MP3)
I'm gonna take the sins of my brother
Down to the pawn.
I'm gonna take the sins of my brother
Down to the pond.
"Sixteen Shells From A Thirty-Ought-Six"
Gonna wheel you into Canada.
Gonna whittle you into kindling.
"Sixteen Shells from a Thirty-Ought-Six"
Gonna will you into killing
Gonna whittle you into kindling.
"The One That Got Away" (MP3)
And Costello was the champion at the same old Ritz Hotel.
And Costello was the champion at the St. Moritz Hotel.
"The Part You Throw Away"
On the porch, geese salute.
In a Portuguese saloon
"Tom Traubert's Blues" (MP3)
Don't take muh children, don't take muh children.
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
"Tom Traubert's Blues" (MP3)
Tained for the wounded
It ain't what the moon did.
"Tom Traubert's Blues" (MP3)
Won't take Matilda, won't take Matilda,
You won't take Matilda with you
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda,
You'll go waltzing Matilda with me