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Tom Waits : Frank's Wild Years
1987


  1. Hang On St. Christopher
  2. Straight To The Top
  3. Blow Wind Blow
  4. Temptation
  5. Innocent When You Dream
  6. I'll Be Gone
  7. Yesterday Is Here
  8. Please Wake Me Up
  9. Frank's Theme

  10. More Than Rain
  11. Way Down In The Hole
  12. I'll Take New York
  13. Telephone Call From Istanbul
  14. Cold Cold Ground
  15. Train Song

Hang On St. Christopher

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Dm
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Dm
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Dm
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Dm
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Main riff
E|------------------|
B|-----------6---3--|
G|--5--7--5------2--|
D|---------------0--|
A|------------------|
E|------------------|
Dm
Hang on St Christopher through the smoke and the oil
Dm
Buckle down the rumble seat, let the radiator boil
G7
Got an overhead downshift and a two dollar grill
Dm
Got an 85 cabin on an 85 hill
F/a
F/g
Hang on St. Christopher on the passenger side
Dm
Open it up, tonight the Devil can ride
Hang on St Christopher with a barrelhouse dog Kick me up Mount Baldy, throw me out in the fog Tear a hole in the jack pot, drive a stake through his heart Do a hundred on the grapevine, do a jump on the start Hang on St Christopher, now don't let me go Get me to Reno and bring it in low, yeah Hang on St Christopher with the hammer to the floor Put a hi ball in the crank case, nail a crow to the door Get a bottle for the jockey, gimme a 294 There's a 750 Norton bustin' down January's door Hang on St Christopher on the passenger side Open it up, tonight the Devil can ride Hang on St Christopher and don't let me go Get to me Reno, got to bring it in low Put my baby on the flat car, got to burn down the caboose Get 'em all jacked up on whiskey, then we'll turn the mad dog loose Hang on St Christopher on the passenger side Open it up, tonight the Devil can ride, yeah Oh yeah


Straight To The Top

I'm going straight up to the top, oh yeah Up where the air is fresh and clean I'm going straight up to the top, oh yeah If you know me, you know what I mean I can't let sorrow pull ol' Frankie down Live for tomorrow, I have found you I'm going straight up to the top, oh yeah Up where the air is fresh and clean I know that I will never stop, no, no Until I know I'm wild and free I'm like a champagne bubble, pop, pop, pop I'm like those birdies high up in the tree I can't let sorrow pull ol' Frankie down Live for tomorrow, I have found you I'm going straight up to the top, oh yeah Up where the air is fresh and clean I can't let sorrow pull ol' Frankie down Live for tomorrow, I have found you I'm going straight up to the top, oh yeah Up where the air is Up where the air is Up where the air is Up where the air is Up where the air is fresh and clean


Blow Wind Blow

Fm
Fm
Blow wind blow, wherever you may go Put on your overcoat
Bbm
Take me away
C7
You gotta take me on into the night Take me on into the night
Fm
Blow me away, blow me away
Fm
Mary's on the black top
Fm
There's a husband in the doghouse
Bbm
C7
In the middle of a shakedown
Fm
I got quiet as a church mouse
Fm
Put my Raleigh's on the dashboard
Bbm
Sugar daddy caught a polocar
Fm
C7
There's no solitary tap dance
Fm
Way down here
Fm
Blow wind blow, wherever you may go
Bbm
Put on your overcoat
C7
Take me into the night Take me into the night
Fm
Blow me away
Fm
I ride upon a field mouse
I was dancin' in the slaughterhouse
Bbm
C7
And if you swing along the beltway
Fm
You skid along the all day
Fm
'Cause I went a little crazy
Bbm
And I sat upon a high chair
Fm
C7
And I'm smokin' like a diesel
Fm
Way out here
Fm
And if you'll blow wind blow, wherever you may go Put on your overcoat
Bbm
Take me away
C7
You gotta take me on into the night Well, you take me on into the night
Fm
Blow me away, blow me away You gotta blow me away, blow me away
Yeah


Temptation

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Fm
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C7
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C7
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Fm
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Fm
C7
Rusted brandy in a diamond glass
Fm
Everything is made from dreams
C7
Time is made from honey, slow and sweet
Fm
Only the fools know what it means
Bbm
Fm
Temptation
C7
Fm
Temptation
Bbm
Fm
Temptation
G7
C7
I can't resist
I know that she is made of smoke But I've lost my way She knows that I am broke So that I must play Temptation... Dutch pink and Italian blue She is there waiting for you My will has disappeared Now my confusions oh so clear Temptation... |
Bbm
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Fm
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C7
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Fm
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Innocent When You Dream

F
F
D7/f#
Gm
The bats are in the belfry
C7
F
The dew is on the moor
A7
Dm
Where are the arms that held me
Bb
F
And pledged her love before
Bb
C
F
And pledged her love before
F
D7/f#
Gm
It's such a sad old feeling
C7
F
The fields are soft and green
F
F/eb
Bb
It's memories that I'm stealing
Bbm
F/a
Bb
F/a
But you're innocent when you dream
Bb
F/a
When you dream
F/c
Bb
F/a
You're innocent when you dream
Bb
F/c
When you dream
F/a
Bb
C7
F
You're innocent when you dream
I made a golden promise That we would never part I gave my love a locket And then I broke her heart And then I broke her heart It's such a sad old feeling... Running through the graveyard And we laughed my friends and I We swore we'd be together Until the day we died Until the day we died It's such a sad old feeling...


I'll Be Gone

Am
Tonight I'll shave the mountain
Dm
I'll cut the hearts from pharaohs
E7
I pull the road off of the rise
Tear the memories from my eyes
Am
And in the morning I'll be gone
I drink a thousand shipwrecks Tonight I'll steal your paychecks I paint the sheets across my bed The birds will all fly from my head And in the morning I'll be gone
Am
Dm
Take every dream that's breathing
G
C
Find every boot that's leaving
Am
E7
Shoot all the lights in the cafe
Am
And in the morning I'll be gone
I bet a thousand dollars I have a French companion I tie myself below the deck I pull the rope around my neck And in the morning I'll be gone It takes a life to win her There is a drum of bourbon Eight hundred pounds of nitro His boots are thunder as he plays There is a stone inside it Tonight his bones will ride it I'll need a tent to hide it And in the morning I'll be gone And in the morning I'll be gone And in the morning I'll be gone And in the morning I'll be gone And in the morning I'll be gone


Yesterday Is Here

E7
Am
E
If you want money in your pocket
Am
E7
And a top hat on your head
Am
C
A hot meal on your table
E7
E
And a blanket on your bed
Am
C
Well today's grey skies
Dm7
Am
Tomorrow is tears
F
You'll have to wait till
E
Am
E7
Yesterday is here
Well I'm going to New York City And I'm leaving on a train And if you want to stay behind Wait till I come back again Well today's grey skies Tomorrow is tears You'll have to wait till Yesterday is here
Am
F
If you want to go
Am
F
Where the rainbows end
Am
F
E7
E
You'll have to say goodbye
All our dreams come true Baby up ahead And it's out were your memories lie Well the road is out before me And the moon is shining bright What I want you to remember As I disappear tonight Well today's grey skies Tomorrow is tears You'll have to wait till Yesterday is here You'll have to wait till Yesterday is here You'll have to wait till Yesterday is here


Please Wake Me Up

I put my chips on her shoulder Running in the carnival time She bought the things that I told her Made her eyes sparkle and shine Together we'll ring in the new year I know that she'll be my queen And if I fall asleep in your arms Please wake me up in my dreams Her outfit was all made of vinyl Like nothing I've ever seen When our divorces are final She'll fit right into my scheme Together we'll ring in the new year I know that she'll be my queen And if I fall asleep in your arms Please wake me up in my dreams
Alternative chorus from website:
Next to the pawnshop's a chapel I'll show you just what I mean And if I fall asleep in your arms Please wake me up in my dreams


Frank's Theme

A
D
A
Dream away the tears in your eyes
F#m
B7
E
E7
Dream away your sorrows
A
D
A
Dream away all your goodbyes
F#m
B7
E
Dream away tomorrow
A
A7
D
Cdim
I promise when the sun comes up
A
C#7
D
I promise I'll be true
A
A7
C#7
D
And just like before the band starts to play
B7
E
They always play your favorite tune
And dream away when everyone's gone Dream away your grey skies too Dream away and nothing is wrong Dreams have wishes that are waiting for you And up ahead the road is turning Turning for you and me And just like before the band starts to play Now there's that twinkle in your eye And dream away


More Than Rain

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Fm
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Bbm
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C7
Bbm
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C7
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Fm
Bbm
It's more than rain that falls on our parade tonight
C7
Fm
It's more than thunder, it's more than thunder
And it's more than a bad dream, now that I'm sober Nothing but sad times, nothing but sad times
Bbm
Eb7
None of our pockets, are lined with gold
Ab
Nobody's caught the bouquet
Bbm
C7
And no dead presidents we can fold
Fm
Bbm
C7
Nothing is going our way
And it's more than trouble, I've got myself into It's more than woe-begotten gray skies now
Instrumental verse (both sections)
And it's more than a bad dream, now that I'm sober There's no more dancing, there's no more dancing And it's more than trouble, I've got myself into Nothing but sad times, nothing but sad times None of our pockets are lined with gold Nobody's caught the bouquet And no dead presidents we can fold Nothing is going our way And it's more than goodbye, I have to say to you It's more than woe-begotten gray skies now And it's more than goodbye, I have to say to you It's more than woe-begotten gray skies now
Bbm
C7
And it's more than woe-begotten gray skies now


Way Down In The Hole

Bm
e|----------------|-------------|
B|----------------|-------------|
G|----------------|-------------|
D|----------------|-------------|
A|-2------0---0---|-2---------0-|
E|------2---2---2-|------2------|
Bm
When you walk through the garden, you gotta watch your back
Em
Bm
Well, I beg your pardon, walk the straight and narrow track
Bm
If you walk with Jesus, he's gonna save your soul
Em
Bm
You gotta keep the Devil way down in the hole
He's got the fire and the fury at his command Well, you don't have to worry if you hold on to Jesus' hand We'll all be safe from Satan when the thunder rolls We just got to keep the Devil way down in the hole
Solo
All the angels sing about Jesus' mighty sword And they'll shield you with their wings and keep you close to the Lord Don't pay heed to temptation for his hands are so cold You gotta help me keep the devil way down in the hole


I'll Take New York

I'll tip the newsboy I'll get a shine I'll ride that dream To the end of the line I'm gonna be goin' places I'll get a ride Take me to the Riverside I'm gonna take you, New York I'll make it happen I'm under the moon I'm drinking Manhattans I'll take a splash on the Big Town That's how I will arrive Have you got two tens for a five? You've got to roll out the carpet Strike up the band Break the best Champagne When I land You've got to beat the parade drum Hit all the bars I want the moon and stars I'm gonna take you, New York I'll make it happen I'm on the caboose I'm drinking Manhattans And I know someday They're going to name a street after me Right next door to old Franklin D I'm gonna take you, Big Town Come on, New York Come on, move over, Big Town I'll take New York Come on, Big Town Come on, get happy New York Come on


Telephone Call From Istanbul

Em
All night long on the broken glass
Am
Living in a medicine chest
B7
Mediteromainian hotel back
Em
Sprawled across a roll top desk
The monkey rode the blade on an overhead fan They paint the donkey blue if you pay I got a telephone call from Istanbul... My baby's comin' home today
Am7
Will ya sell me one of those if I shave my head?
D
Get me out of town is what Fireball said
G
Never trust a man in a blue trench coat
G
Never drive a car when you're dead
Am
Saturday's a festival, Friday's a gem
B7
Dye your hair yellow and raise your hem
Em
Follow me to Beulah's on Dry Creek Road
Am
B7
I just got to wear the dress that my baby done sewed
Instrumental verse
Repeat indented section
Take me down to buy a Tux on Red Rose Bear Got to cut a hole in the day I got a telephone call from Istanbul... My baby's comin' home today
Repeat indented section
Instrumental verse


Cold Cold Ground

Capo:
II
C
Am
Crestfallen sidekick in an old cafe
C
Am
Never slept with a dream before he had to go away
C
Am
There's a bell in the tower Uncle Ray's bought a round
F
G
C
Don't worry 'bout the army in the cold cold ground
Am
In the cold cold ground
C
In the cold cold ground
Am
In the cold cold ground
Now don't be a cry baby when there's wood in the shed There's a bird in the chimney and a stone in my bed When the road's washed out they pass the bottle around And wait in the arms of the cold cold ground There's a ribbon in the willow and a tire swing rope And a briar patch of berries takin' over the slope The cat 'll sleep in the mailbox and we'll never go to town 'Til we bury every dream in the cold cold ground Gimme a Winchester rifle and a whole box of shells Blow the roof off the goat barn, let it roll down the hill The piano is firewood, Times Square is a dream I find we'll lay down together in the cold cold ground Call the cops on the Breedloves, bring a bible and a rope And a whole box of rebel and a bar of soap Make a pile of trunk tires and burn 'em all down Bring a dollar with you baby in the cold cold ground Take a weather vane rooster, throw rocks at his head Stop talking to the neighbours 'til we all go dead Beware of my temper and the dog that I've found Break all the windows in the cold cold ground


Train Song

C
F
C
Broke down in East St. Louis
Bb
F
On the Kansas City Line
C
F
Am
Drunk up all my money
D
Bb
That I borrowed every time
G
C
And I fell down at the derby
Bb
F
The night's as black as a crow
C
F
C
Am
It was a train took me away from here
F
G
C
But a train can't bring me home
What made my dreams so hollow Was standing at the depot With a steeple full of swallows That could never ring the bell And I come ten thousand miles away With not one thing to show Well it was a train that took me away from here But a train can't bring me home I remember when I left Without bothering to pack You know I up and left with Just the clothes I had on my back Now I'm sorry for what I've done And I'm out here on my own Well it was a train that took me away from Here but a train can't bring me home