Jesus Gonna Be Here

This is probably the scariest song Tom Waits has sung.

It's a dying man's death rattle- hallucinating and delirious in his dying breaths.

Very simple song, but it's one of the most visceral and affecting interpretations of death put to record.

Listening to this song makes me think that I ought to like whiskey and smoke more than I do. Because, honestly, there is a difference between being able to hit the right notes and singing. His voice on this make shivers go up my spine, in a very good way.

The song is a commentary on mentality of the uneducated poor who claim and cling to religion like a child clings to the belief of Santa Claus.

"Hollywood be thy name" is making light jest of faux religious scholarship. People quoting and hiding behind scripture with meaning they don't understand.

The performance on Storytellers kicks ass. The narrator sounds a bit crazy out from the lyrics.

I love "Hollywood be thy name" (instead of "hallowed"). Thought I was hearing things the first few times I heard that. This is the track where he starts coughing at the end - some singers would have cut that bit out, but not Tom.

I love that he says "I don't have to shout him" and then immediately shouts the next line of the song louder than the line i just mentioned

oh, also, Tom said in an interview somewhere that the lyrics were inspired by those crazy street preachers you see in urban areas

This is Tom Waits at his best. Not only does he give us an uplifting gospel tune, but he combines it with a poignant snippet of the human condition.

Is he a simple spiritual man doing his best to make the world a better place? Is he an ignorant drunk who uses religion to hide from his weaknesses? Is he just another schmuck trying his best to live his life as best as he can?

BTW I don't see him dying any sooner than the rest of us. Jesus will be here soon enough.