Here Comes Your Man

Atomic bombs? Geez, somebody's overthinking it. Here's what the songwriter says (NME via Wikipedia):

In an interview with NME, Francis commented on the meaning of the song: “It's about winos and hobos traveling on the trains, who die in the California Earthquake. Before earthquakes, everything gets very calm–animals stop talking and birds stop chirping and there's no wind. It's very ominous.

I've been through a few earthquakes, actually, 'cause I grew up in California. I was only in one big one, in 1971. I was very young and I slept through it. I've been awake through lots of small ones at school and at home. It's very exciting actually–a very comical thing. It's like the earth is shaking, and what can you do? Nothing.”

The word "boxcar" was apparently a starting point for the song's lyrics, and Francis has suggested that this was in part inspired by the song "Carnival of Sorts (Box Car)" by R.E.M.: "I probably liked the word 'boxcar' because I heard it on the R.E.M. song, from their first record."

Yeah, comical how people are like "but the atomic bomb thing fits so well!" No, it doesn't.

Let's analyze it line by line:

Outside there's a box car waiting - hobos travel by train in boxcars Outside the family stew - hobos eat at soup kitchens Out by the fire breathing - hobos stand out by burning trashcans to warm themselves Outside we wait 'til face turns blue - hobos are homeless, they are outside by the fire freezing and when you're freezing, your face turns blue There is a wait so long You'll never wait so long - hobos' entire lives could be seen as "waiting"... you're waiting for something, anything, whatever just to survive until finally you're just waiting for death

Here comes your man - a reference to the Velvet Underground song about waiting for your man to give you your fix. The earthquake is "the man" these people who've been waiting their whole lives for (death).

I know the nervous walking - hobos are nervous I know the dirty beard hangs - hobos have dirty long beards Out by the box car waiting - just waiting for death Take me away to nowhere plains - death

There is a wait so long You'll never wait so long Here comes your man Here comes your man Here comes your man Here comes your man ...

(makes perfect sense now, doesn't it?)

Check out this part from an old interview from NME with Black Francis himself about "Here Comes Your Man":

"This is a pre-Pixies song that I wrote when I was about 15. It's about winos and hobos travelling on the trains who die in the California Earthquake. Before earthquakes everything gets very calm, animals stop talking and birds stop chirping and there's no wind. It's very ominous. I've been through a few earthquakes actually cos I grew up in California. I was only in one big one in 1971. I was very young and I slept through it. I've been awake through lots of small ones at school and at home. It's very exciting actually, a very comical thing. It's like the earth is shaking, and what can you do? Nothing."

That would explain why the lyric is "there's a box car waiting" instead of "there's a bockscar waiting".

i think its about when lou reed's drug dealer finally shows up

Sander, the line....

"There is a wait so long, you 'll never wait so long"

is probably put in there because of when Kim repeats it after FB, it sounds like she's saying "so long" in a goodbye-type of way. Like, "So long everybody", because the hobo's are dying from the earthquake.

Look at the lyrics with the hobo idea instead of the atomic bomb thing and everything makes more sense. They're all waiting outside of their boxcars and probably hovering over a fire, hence "out by the fire breathing, outside we wait 'til face turns blue".

thank you lactosefreeman.

i always thought it was about hobos going to california during the winter (CA being "the land thats falling down") and they are waiting outside the family store. he always knew the homeless people (dirty beards) hung out by the trains but he never tried to spot one..

BTW they lifted some of the starting melody (probably subconsciously) from "Never My Love" by the Association. Both great songs.

i think frank black said one time that the title was an "homage" to the velvet undergorunds' "waiting for my man" which had been a big influence to young frank

Back in the old days bodies were transported by train, when the train was arriving at the station with someone's dead loved one they used to say "Here comes your man" Read the lyrics, it all adds up and if you've ever heard any interviews with Black Francis you'll understand that it isn't really out of his nature do bring stuff luke this up in his songs.

I always thought the 'box car' referred to a hearse waiting outside a house. The 'family stew' being the relatives waiting for a funeral....but who knows? The Pixies lyrics are so cryptic it could be about practically anything...possibly even nothing. But I also like the atomic explosian/earthquake theory!