There’s always free cheddar in the mousetrap, baby.
TOM WAITSI’ll tell you all my secrets but I lie about my past.
More Tom Waits Quotes
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I did my time in the jail of your arms.
TOM WAITS -
Don’t plant your bad days. They grow into weeks. The weeks grow into months. Before you know it, you got yourself a bad year. Take it from me – choke those little bad days. Choke ’em down to nothing.
TOM WAITS -
The blues is like a planet. It’s an enormous topic. You can’t ignore the impact that it has had and continues to have on the whole musical culture. It’s a tree that everyone is swinging from. Without it, I don’t know where I would be. It’s indelible and indispensable.
TOM WAITS -
I sold a quart of blood and bought a half a pint of scotch.
TOM WAITS -
There’s no prayer like desire.
TOM WAITS -
The dog won’t bite if you beat Him with a bone.
TOM WAITS -
It’s rather mystifying when you think about writing songs – where they come from, and how they’re born.
TOM WAITS -
I have an audio stigmatism whereby I hear things wrong – I have audio illusions.
TOM WAITS -
The piano has been drinking, not me.
TOM WAITS -
I always liked the idea that America is a big facade. We are all insects crawling across on the shiny hood of a Cadillac. We’re all looking at the wrapping. But we won’t tear the wrapping to see what lies beneath.
TOM WAITS -
I dunno when I started writing really. I was, like, filling out applications and stuff real early. Last name first, first name last, sex. ‘occasionally’ , stuff like that. Then I was writing letters, filling out forms, writing on bathroom walls.
TOM WAITS -
I’ve lost my equilibrium, my car keys, and my pride.
TOM WAITS -
Break windows, smoke cigars, and stay up late. Tell ’em to do that, they’ll find a little pot of gold.
TOM WAITS -
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.
TOM WAITS -
The fact is most of the things that people know about me are made up. My own life is backstage. So what you “know” about me is only what I allowed you to know about me.
TOM WAITS






