Invitation to the Blues Lyrics

Lyric discussion by writerly 

Cover art for Invitation to the Blues lyrics by Tom Waits

OK, this has been one of my favorite songs for 25+ years, and I just today figured out that I might have been misinterpreting one of the lyrics. When she says, "There ain't nothing back in Jersey but a broken-down jalopy of a man I left behind" I have always assumed she was referring to an actual car. But when I heard the song today I realized it's probably a metaphor; she's referring to her ex- as a "broken-down jalopy of a man". I'm not usually so literal-minded! I can't believe this great little poetic turn of a phrase has tricked and evaded me for all these years.

@writerly I had always heard that line as the protagonist describing himself as a broken down jalopy of a man who left jersey after failing his dreams and crawling inside a bottle. He’s a drifter now and ended up at Shwab’s Drugstore with a bus ticket heading west, until he ‘fell in love’ with the waitress and decided to stay.

@writerly I though it was him describing himself and therefore not having any particular motivation to go back to his life in Jersey... you could be right too of course! :)

@writerly this may help clear up a little the line Bout about a broken down jals him singing not her he left Jersey and you're right it's a metaphor of broken down man and a natyle with the booze

A couple of Impt mistakes in the lyrics fishes I can eat here every night not not need every night