Burma-Shave Lyrics

#BURMA SHAVE TOM WAITS
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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 Grainger, 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 only stop in ' here to get some gasoline
I guess i'm going thataway just as long as it's paved
And I guess you'd say i'm on my way
To burma shave
And with her knees up on the glove compartment, took out her barrettes
And her hair spilled out like root beer
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 shotgun 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
The above is solely MY INTERPRETATION of this great song, in a format aimed at learning guitarists.
No attempt has been made to copy or reproduce the artist's or publisher's sheet music for the song,
if such exists.
It can be used for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. To play the song as it should be played, you should
purchase the official sheetmusic for the song. You should also purchase and listen to the song to learn
the rhythm and timing of the song - this is essential if you wish to play the song with any degree of accuracy