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Better Off Without a Wife Lyrics
All my friends are married
Every Tom and Dick and Harry
You must be strong
To go it alone
Here's to the bachelors
And the bowery bums
And those who feel that they're the ones
Who are better off without a wife
I like to sleep until the crack of noon
Midnight howlin' at the moon
Goin' out when I wanto, comin' home when I please
I don't have to ask permission
If I want to go out fishing
And I never have to ask for the keys
Never been no Valentino
Had a girl who lived in Reno
Left me for a trumpet player
Didn't get me down
He was wanted for assault
Though he said it weren't his fault
Well the coppers rode him right
Out of town
(chorus) selfish about my privacy
As long as I can be with me
We get along so well I can't believe
I love to chew the fat with folks
And listen to all your dirty jokes
I'm so thankful for these friends
I do receive
(chorus)
Every Tom and Dick and Harry
You must be strong
To go it alone
Here's to the bachelors
And the bowery bums
And those who feel that they're the ones
Who are better off without a wife
I like to sleep until the crack of noon
Midnight howlin' at the moon
Goin' out when I wanto, comin' home when I please
I don't have to ask permission
If I want to go out fishing
And I never have to ask for the keys
Never been no Valentino
Had a girl who lived in Reno
Left me for a trumpet player
Didn't get me down
He was wanted for assault
Though he said it weren't his fault
Well the coppers rode him right
Out of town
(chorus) selfish about my privacy
As long as I can be with me
We get along so well I can't believe
I love to chew the fat with folks
And listen to all your dirty jokes
I'm so thankful for these friends
I do receive
(chorus)
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This song pretty much goes along with my thoughts on marriage, especially the last verse.
You haven't heard this song unless you've listened to the Nighthawks version. It's hilarious and completely shows Tom Waits brillance and comedic timing.
I love this song so much. It's so funny; and it manages to be both life-affirming and a little bit wistful at the same time.
You haven't heard this song unless you've listened to the Nighthawks version. It's hilarious and completely shows Tom Waits brillance and comedic timing.
yeah, Waits talks about pull'n the pud on Nighthawks
what other version is there? it's from Nighthawks at the Diner? Seems like that's the default version to me
It's the San Deigo Folk Festival version that's great. Acoustic, bluesy guitar. First version I heard, definitely caught my ear.
It's the San Deigo Folk Festival version that's great. Acoustic, bluesy guitar. First version I heard, definitely caught my ear.
the happiest song ever
Lovely and funny - makes one wishing to remain or to become a single (I do not recommend listening to the married).
I read this as being about the way we rationalize the places we end up. Was staying single really a principled decision by this character? No, not at all, but it's where he found himself and he's making the best of it, with good humor. Maybe our lives don't work out the way we thought they might, and maybe that gnaws at us a little, and so we spin the fictions that let us live comfortably in our circumstances.
@greensubmarine That's the way I read it, too. And relating to it through humor in the way he does here allows you to just laugh in its face, which can be really freeing. All the gnawing is put aside for a good laugh and a good reality check, to ask yourself if this is what you want. If so I don't see a problem but if it's not what you want then you've just completed the first step toward improving it. And humor allowed you to do so. I think this is a large reason why we enjoy things like...
@greensubmarine That's the way I read it, too. And relating to it through humor in the way he does here allows you to just laugh in its face, which can be really freeing. All the gnawing is put aside for a good laugh and a good reality check, to ask yourself if this is what you want. If so I don't see a problem but if it's not what you want then you've just completed the first step toward improving it. And humor allowed you to do so. I think this is a large reason why we enjoy things like stand-up and sitcoms so much.