Pay Me Lyrics

Lyric discussion by snorbiferous 

Cover art for Pay Me lyrics by Tom Waits

Can anyone shed some light on this song? One of my favorite on the new album. I feel like there must be a story behind it I am missing -- Disgraced actress turned prostitute leaves town? Are the gallows real or figurative? "The only way down from the gallows is to swing" -- What a line. Waits/Brennan in peak form.