I'm a recovering alcoholic, but I still get the urge to drink from time to time. I listen to this song of a stranger in a strange land, totally drunk, and lost. It brings me back and the urge to drink passes. My Doctors tell me that if I were to continue to waltz with Matilda that it will kill me way, way before my time. I listened to them, got sober, and I'm due for a liver transplant in a year or so. I would've been dead a long time ago if it weren't for this song. Thank you, Tom Waits, for helping me stay sober.
Music has a wonderful ability to heal, in unexpected ways! If it helps at all, "waltzing matilda" refers to being carefree and rootless - wandering along with nothing more than your meagre belongings tied inside a cloth (a "matlida") that's attached to a stick over your shoulder and swinging ("waltzing") as you walk. Best of luck with your health. I love how Tom Waits and other writers like him can create art that so many people can interpret to mean something personal.
Very best wishes to you, Michael, for your liver transplant and for the rest of your life. Thank you for helping me realise what this song is really about.
I saw Tom in 2008 at the Edinburgh Playhouse.He only played two nights and nowhere else in the UK. I was lucky enough to get a ticket, the atmosphere was fantastic and i knew I'd probably never get a chance to see him again. When he sat down at the piano you could hear a pin drop as he played the opening notes of Tom Traubert's Blues and I thought... this is one of the best moments of my life!
This is a piece of real art. I cant hold my tears when fever I hear it. It makes me feel sad, empathic, good and I wish I could share my feelings with everybody. I cant help of thinking my mother who passed away two years ago. The sweetest person on earth. Loved by many.
I don't regret much in life....but....My mate came to visit me around 2000. I had Asylum Years playing and he was immediately smitten for life. He then asked me to go to the Playhouse gigs and for reasons unknown to me now, I chose not to go. He then seen Tom in Dublin, Paris, Berlin (I think) and Vegas. I've been a big fan since 1980 and never saw him live. Possibly the worst decisions of my life.
I heard the Rod Stewart version and thought it was pretty good. And then I heard Tom's original. I'm nearly 70 and been listening to music all my life (well nearly). This stopped me in my tracks (poor pun). I just burst into tears, as I have each time since. This is beautiful/tragic/emotionally shattering but makes me feel human. You're never as in touch with your emotions as when you cry and Tom can make you laugh and cry and sometimes at the same time. Thank you Tom.
+Alec Alexander Very moved by your comments. There are no words, just the tears and the joy. Have wept to this so many times since I first heard it in 1981 (I'm 52 now). Life affirming indeed - and a Desert Island Disc. Should I ever be asked!
Alec Alexander The very first time I heard this song I, too, froze in my tracks. And like you, I cried my eyes out. This song kicks you in the gut and anyone who doesn't feel it is a mighty hard-hearted person.
I got this wonderful gift. I read an article that mentioned Tom Waits so I looked him up and fell in love with his emotional and lovely music. I am only sorry it took me until I was 70.
I bought the Eagles 'On The Border' album when it came out(1975). Of course I liked 'Already Gone' & 'Best of My Love' but I also liked 'Ol '55', and I saw that the song was written by a guy name Tom Waits. He's brilliant.
this song will forever remind me of saying goodbye to someone who i loved very very much at a crowded airport. There were so many people surrounding us in that moment, but it felt in that moment that he and i were the only ones there. I'd heard this song a few days prior and as i walked away from him, looking back occasionally, waving and crying and smiling, this tune played in my ears
I’ve been a fan of Tom for a few years now. I’m only 34. I’ve seen a lot of the world in my short time here. I’ve been a commercial sailor and a soldier. Nowadays I find myself drinking away the bad memories and reliving good times. I feel it’s too soon for me to be wasting away. Tom’s songs help me stay grounded and makes me think about my future and how I want it to be. I don’t want to be sitting alone in a bar with nothing but a drink and wasted opportunities.
I believe I drank away several years of my life . Drank a gallon of Vodka a day. I’m 5ft 6in blonde hair to my waist and couldn’t even get drunk anymore! Ended up in the Hospital with DT’s the real ones where you think they’re trying to poison you and I ripped out my IV (thought it was a snake crawling in my arm)! Tom says everything just as it is and that kind of honesty and his one of a kind voice is what makes him great❤ I unfortunately went from booze to Opiates, weighing in at 98lbs I knew sobriety was not far off! Thank you AA and to the people who pinpointed the Gene that addiction is a hereditary disease. I went back to College and became one of the best ICCU RN’s in the Heart Transplant Unit. Thank You Tom for giving meaningful insights to different problems life throws you! Like “Hell Broke Luce” and many others! Love you, you’re never going to stop--Please!!!!!
I completely get it. Though I've listened to music all my life (I'm nearly 40), I've never felt the emotional connection with it that many others seem to enjoy, and I always thought that the idea of music as meaningful poetry was pretentious nonsense. But over the last few years I've discovered Tom Waits, and never before have I felt that a piece of music could so articulate what I felt was exclusively being felt by me. His work is beautiful and touching, and it is very reassuring to see that others feel the same way.
Met him in 1974 when he was playing the Border House in San Francisco- his gift words and music left me spinning and I continue to love him in my 70’s.
Wasted and wounded, it ain't what the moon did Got what I paid for now See ya tomorrow, hey Frank can I borrow A couple of bucks from you? To go waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda You'll go a-waltzing Mathilda with me I'm an innocent victim of a blinded alley And tired of all these soldiers here No one speaks English and everything's broken And my Stacys are soaking wet To go waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda You'll go a-waltzing Mathilda with me Now the dogs are barking and the taxi cab's parking A lot they can do for me I begged you to stab me, you tore my shirt open And I'm down on my knees tonight Old Bushmill's I staggered, you buried the dagger Your silhouette window light To go waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda You'll go a-waltzing Mathilda with me Now I lost my Saint Christopher now that I've kissed her And the one-armed bandit knows And the maverick Chinaman and the cold-blooded signs And the girls down by the strip-tease shows Go, waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda You'll go a-waltzing Mathilda with me No, I don't want your sympathy The fugitives say that the streets aren't for dreaming now Manslaughter dragnets and the ghosts that sell memories They want a piece of the action anyhow Go, waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda You'll go a-waltzing Mathilda with me And you can ask any sailor and the keys from the jailor And the old men in wheelchairs know That Mathilda's the defendant, she killed about a hundred And she follows wherever you may go Waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda You'll go a-waltzing Mathilda with me And it's a battered old suitcase to a hotel someplace And a wound that will never heal No prima donna, the perfume is on An old shirt that is stained with blood and whiskey And goodnight to the street sweepers The night watchman flame keepers and goodnight, Mathilda too
I haven't thought about Tom forever and I randomly heard somebody mention his name. I loved his music but life happens and I haven't heard him in over 23years. I remember that time perfectly we were hitchhiking from Vancouver to Toronto and 2days after we made it to Toronto 9/11 happened. That 23years has me in a dramatically different place than I was back then. The second I heard his voice I got all choked up. Music is the best for the way it triggers memories. Actually I don't remember much from back them but I feel the vibe. I got caught off guard buy a hardcore vibe🇨🇦🇺🇲
One of the five greatest songs for me. I cried the first time I heard it. And now, twenty years afters, my eyes are wet. Art in superb expression. Long live Tom. The best.
For me "Matilda" represents loneliness... I went through a severe period of loneliness in the late 90s and I would listen to this and cry. This song got me through it. Gotta love Tom Waits 👍
One of my favorite songs of all time of any music, and I like many types. My wife passed away on the 18th of Dec. and her father followed Jan 2, on what would be her 49th birthday. I listened to his tonight, the live version and this the original is my favorite. What a comfort for me tonight. Some might think this is crazy. But for me it is wonderful.
Sorry to hear that man about your wife and father in law. Its amazing how music can help one heal, mentaly and physically. Be strong and keep that head high! My thoughts are with ya
Nobody thinks this is crazy. We have all lost people and can all relate to what you say. We all find comfort by coming here, and places like it. The reason why we post here is to share our pain and share comfort. That is why great people like Tom write these songs for us in the first place. You have friends here. You re not alone. You will never be alone. None of us will.
Been listening to Tom since the 70's... I love seeing how positively he is received today by people who have yet to hit 20 years of age. Tom is timeless... truthsome in lyrics will do that.
I am 23 years old. I heard Tom the first time when I was 5, while my mum sung me "Ol' 55" or "Long Way Home" . 10 years later I bought her the Closing Time album. At this date I have more than 10 albums. Blue Valentine, Mule Variations, Bawlers Remastered, Heart of saturday night, Bone Machine, Nighthawks at the dinner, Closing Time, Bounced Checks... And i am used to be called "freak", "old soul" and sfuff like that by people my age who listens modern music. I just don't care. Tom saved my life. His music saved my life. And you know what? Fuck modern music. Its empty. No message. No feeling. No magic. Nothing.
Saw him in '74 at a little bar called Ebbets Field in Denver. Bar held around 200 people....damn that was an awesome. Had the pleasure to see him in on his last tour....it is one of the best concerts I have ever seen. Fantastic artist.
@@ferrancabo2971 I don't mean to critique your comment, because that is a beautiful way to get into Tom Waits as any, but I'm guessing by your age that you were in either 1995 or 1996. If that's the case, then where did your mom hear the song "Long Way Home"? Cause when you were five it must have been 2000 or 2001, and Orphans wasn't released until 2006.
@@indiemovie4life427 My memories from those years are very foggy, they come like flashback images and I can remember her singing Long way home. As i mentioned those 2, I could also say 10 more. But those got stuck in my head. Maybe it was in 2006, when i was 10, it's been a long time since that happenned, so sorry if its not accurate. She got me into Tom through all my childhood, not only 1 year! Cheers
the mother who raised me, who was more than a stepmother, this was her favorite waits song. To those who are no longer, you are missed and thought of. cheers
"I begged you to stab me you tore my shirt open and I'm down on my knees tonight"....Gives me chills every single time. Tom has such a great voice and brings out emotions that melt the soul.
Whenever I think of Waltzing Matilda, I think of this song's melody, to the point that I can't remember the original song's melody at all. This is one of the greatest songs ever written.
Mon frere avait trouve mort il y a deux semaines, le 08 decembre 2023. Avant son mort il avait preparait ses obseques. Dans l'eglise a le fin de ceremonie ce chanson etait déclenche. Tom Waites avait presente un miroir de la vie de mon frere avec Waltzing Matilda. Bravo et tellement triste.
AN AMAZING ARTIST. THANK YOU TOM WAITS. I LOVE YOUR BALLAD "HOPE I DON'T FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU". YOU ARE RIGHT UP THERE WITH DYLAN AND PAUL SIMON AND SOME OTHERS WITH YOUR GORGEOUS LYRICS THAT EVOKE EMOTION FROM EVERY SIDE OF EACH RECORDING .... LYRICS THAT REACH THE VERY DEPTHS OF OUR HEARTS AND SOULS..... AND YOUR MUSIC RUNS PARALLEL TO SAID LYRICS. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. BLESSINGS.............. FOR KEEPIN' IT REAL.
I'm Schizoid. I have difficulty with emotions and rarely feel anything at all, be it positive or negative. I am locked in my own world, in my head, safe from the world, BUT this song always moves me to tears and that's saying something. I don't feel joy, anticipation, sadness, in fact pretty much anything except when I listen to this.
Feeling for the best is certainly better than having to feel for all sorts of shit these days. We all have our dysfunctions to some extent. I'm autistic and schizo, and we are nothing special until we know beauty few can see. Anyone can get there, however hard in this world.
Take a listen to “Jesus blood never failed me “ by Tom and a \london tramp an English sound recordist was taping London tramps sayings and voice for posterity when one misfortunate lad on his last legs sung this hymn .tom heard the tape and the rest is a hauntingly beautiful lament .......get the tissues ready ....hope this reaches you ,inside xx
No matter how many times I listen to this I just sit and marvel at its majesty and when it's done I gasp and say "Wow", totally emotionally drained,drowning in a beautiful and wondrous sea of melancholy xxxx
Thank you is My favorite song during My life ! Follow me wherever i go ! Now i am sponsorer 65 years old and all of THE Good guys are dying + but i hope Neil Young and van Morrison can make it !0
Beautiful. The gravel voice paired with beautiful piano and string lines is what makes this guys work stand out. Melancholy, Nostalgic and his lyrics always tell a great story. Great song.
Hi Paul. Just have to admit to loving this song of Tom Waits and to say that I think he is a very real person to be reckoned with. Not only are his songs so moving/touching, his sense of humour and story telling are also hilarious. In particular "Send In The Glutens". If that doesn't make you curl up with laughter uncontrollably, well what can I say. His story telling I'm sure, is in fact many true facts of his life which he very cleverly and artistically is able to keep us entertained with. Tom Waits, a writer, a singer (like no other) and true entertainer. We thank you for your talents. Anne🙏🌵👍
He isn't hard to understand,well most of the time,the lyrics are straightforward,but so much emotional depth and meaning from the simplest line is special.I lost my way for a time,but still remember the first time I heard him sing.Later on I was in a carpark and playing some of his music, probably too loud,when I saw someone next to me crying,and listening so intently.So few people can do this.
Just sitting here crying listening to this song. I was 8 when it was released but I was lucky enough to be turned on to Waits' music via NPR in the 1980s.
Perfect. I love how when he was on tour in Australia in the late 1970s he would tell the audience "I've borrowed your (unofficial) national anthem - I'll give it back some day....." or something like that. As an Australian myself, I grew up loving this song but Waits, like all great songwriters, has turned it into something even more special.
He was just being polite to you aussies, the song has nothing to do with australia or your waltzing Matilda. He sings Mathilde and people must be deff or aussies if they can't hear it. Four sheets to the wind in Copenhagen and NOT outback aus! Mathilde received the first copy of the album in Europe from Toms record company with a note from the the boss that it was from Tom to her and that there was no letter with it because This song was the letter From Tom to her.
"Nothing to do with Australia"?????? Are you serious? Then why does Tom in an interview delve into the possible meanings of Waltzing Matilda (Tom's theory is that it was Aussie slang for a backpack) and why does he talk specifically about the fact that it was an Australian song? And you do know that songs can be more than one particular thing, right? Waits is an artist who has LAYERS and layers to his songs, as does Dylan. Even if the lyrics are about Copenhagen or 'throwing up in a foreign country' (which is what Tom said once in a concert) the fact remains that the chorus of the song IS Waltzing Matilda (in a modern context). Nuff said.
@@matthewmclaughlin4787 why, hmm Maybe because he was a drunk for most of his life and you can find 223 different interviews where he tells a hundred different stories about the song in some of them he ask what story they want to hear. But that doesn't change the fact that he met a woman named Mathilde Bondo fell madly in love asked her to come back to the states with him, she said no he got drunk with a broken heart and six months later she got the first copy of the song outside the states and a call from the big record company boss saying that the song was his letter for her about their time together in Copenhagen.
I started listening to Tom in 1974 on a PBS special on which he recorded "NightHawks at the Diner" The day he moves on will be a day which I will not move but listen to my collected works of his,,, all 34 CDs
Thanks for your consistent care, love and support towards me on my page I really appreciate you and can’t thank you enough. Write me with the address above so we can have more positive conversations about my music and life in general
I watched him sing this in Knoxville, TN in 1977. It is a timeless song. I guess it is time to go back to the bar for another shot before closing time.
I'm a recovering alcoholic, but I still get the urge to drink from time to time. I listen to this song of a stranger in a strange land, totally drunk, and lost. It brings me back and the urge to drink passes. My Doctors tell me that if I were to continue to waltz with Matilda that it will kill me way, way before my time. I listened to them, got sober, and I'm due for a liver transplant in a year or so. I would've been dead a long time ago if it weren't for this song. Thank you, Tom Waits, for helping me stay sober.
Music has a wonderful ability to heal, in unexpected ways! If it helps at all, "waltzing matilda" refers to being carefree and rootless - wandering along with nothing more than your meagre belongings tied inside a cloth (a "matlida") that's attached to a stick over your shoulder and swinging ("waltzing") as you walk. Best of luck with your health. I love how Tom Waits and other writers like him can create art that so many people can interpret to mean something personal.
@@Boppo101 I think it was Kierkegaard who said that poets make their pain sound beautiful.
@@BillyWetherington Was it? I'll need to look out his work! Cheers!
@@Boppo101 It sure does mate!
Very best wishes to you, Michael, for your liver transplant and for the rest of your life. Thank you for helping me realise what this song is really about.
Can’t listen to this song without shedding tears.
I saw Tom in 2008 at the Edinburgh Playhouse.He only played two nights and nowhere else in the UK. I was lucky enough to get a ticket, the atmosphere was fantastic and i knew I'd probably never get a chance to see him again. When he sat down at the piano you could hear a pin drop as he played the opening notes of Tom Traubert's Blues and I thought... this is one of the best moments of my life!
Am listening to "Traubert's Blues" now, parked in my car . There's good musicians, and there's Waits- different class!
This is a piece of real art. I cant hold my tears when fever I hear it. It makes me feel sad, empathic, good and I wish I could share my feelings with everybody. I cant help of thinking my mother who passed away two years ago. The sweetest person on earth. Loved by many.
I don't regret much in life....but....My mate came to visit me around 2000. I had Asylum Years playing and he was immediately smitten for life. He then asked me to go to the Playhouse gigs and for reasons unknown to me now, I chose not to go. He then seen Tom in Dublin, Paris, Berlin (I think) and Vegas. I've been a big fan since 1980 and never saw him live. Possibly the worst decisions of my life.
I heard the Rod Stewart version and thought it was pretty good. And then I heard Tom's original. I'm nearly 70 and been listening to music all my life (well nearly). This stopped me in my tracks (poor pun). I just burst into tears, as I have each time since. This is beautiful/tragic/emotionally shattering but makes me feel human. You're never as in touch with your emotions as when you cry and Tom can make you laugh and cry and sometimes at the same time. Thank you Tom.
+Alec Alexander It's the violins and keyboard doing what they've done for hundred of years.
+Alec Alexander Couldn't agree more! Much as I love Rod Stewart, he completely massacred this. And Downtown Train...
+Alec Alexander
Very moved by your comments. There are no words, just the tears and the joy. Have wept to this so many times since I first heard it in 1981 (I'm 52 now). Life affirming indeed - and a Desert Island Disc. Should I ever be asked!
Alec Alexander... I know no one touches the heart and soul like Tom Waits......
Alec Alexander The very first time I heard this song I, too, froze in my tracks. And like you, I cried my eyes out. This song kicks you in the gut and anyone who doesn't feel it is a mighty hard-hearted person.
First heard this in 1977 while driving to Carson City in Nevada. Absolutely bowled over. Been an ardent fan ever since.
I got this wonderful gift. I read an article that mentioned Tom Waits so I looked him up and fell in love with his emotional and lovely music. I am only sorry it took me until I was 70.
Better late than never! Can you imagine living without him now that you have found hymn?
@@TomWaits-qx6kistop with your shite you pathetic charlatan.
Hey, you're still 3 years younger than Tom!
I bought the Eagles 'On The Border' album when it came out(1975). Of course I liked 'Already Gone' & 'Best of My Love' but I also liked 'Ol '55', and I saw that the song was written by a guy name Tom Waits. He's brilliant.
Me 72 before I really paid attention. O’55 heard decades ago by the Eagles never bother with the writer
My mother loves this song (70) i love this song (33) my daughter loves this song ( 7) can't say more about the power of music than that
this is what its all about. so beautiful that you all can enjoy something together :)
For the chance you can waltz
The most beautiful comment I’ve ever read on UA-cam #musicislife💙
Will any of them realize this is a song about heroin?
Wow! What a song! Tom's voice conveys raw pain yet underneath there's hope to be found somewhere.
exactly ❤
brings tears to my eyes.
"It's a battered old suitcase, to a hotel someplace, and a wound that will never heal" still stands as possibly the greatest lyric ever written.
Absolutely!
Yes.
And the way its sung, the music. Heart breaking
Everytime I listen to this song, and I try to hold back my tears, these words instantly make me cry... Sooooo beautiful !
Burma Shave might be better
this song will forever remind me of saying goodbye to someone who i loved very very much at a crowded airport. There were so many people surrounding us in that moment, but it felt in that moment that he and i were the only ones there. I'd heard this song a few days prior and as i walked away from him, looking back occasionally, waving and crying and smiling, this tune played in my ears
We're so fortunate that were in this world at the same time as Tom Waits.💕
Es gibt nicht viele Songs die einen so ergreifen. Das Original ist immer noch das Beste. Danke Tom.
Love from Ireland
Tom Waites us my bedtime mate. Love the voice, the feeling
What a magnificent song and what an incredible delivery!
I’ve been a fan of Tom for a few years now. I’m only 34. I’ve seen a lot of the world in my short time here. I’ve been a commercial sailor and a soldier. Nowadays I find myself drinking away the bad memories and reliving good times. I feel it’s too soon for me to be wasting away. Tom’s songs help me stay grounded and makes me think about my future and how I want it to be. I don’t want to be sitting alone in a bar with nothing but a drink and wasted opportunities.
I believe I drank away several years of my life . Drank a gallon of Vodka a day. I’m 5ft 6in blonde hair to my waist and couldn’t even get drunk anymore! Ended up in the Hospital with DT’s the real ones where you think they’re trying to poison you and I ripped out my IV (thought it was a snake crawling in my arm)! Tom says everything just as it is and that kind of honesty and his one of a kind voice is what makes him great❤ I unfortunately went from booze to Opiates, weighing in at 98lbs I knew sobriety was not far off! Thank you AA and to the people who pinpointed the Gene that addiction is a hereditary disease. I went back to College and became one of the best ICCU RN’s in the Heart Transplant Unit. Thank You Tom for giving meaningful insights to different problems life throws you! Like “Hell Broke Luce” and many others! Love you, you’re never going to stop--Please!!!!!
Hang in there buddy. Songs have healing magic, especially when you sing along.
Ah Tom, you can't love a total stranger any more than I love you.
I not sure I've ever read a more touching comment. thank you for posting it.
What a great comment kate
That man is not a total stranger. It's just that we haven't met.
I completely get it. Though I've listened to music all my life (I'm nearly 40), I've never felt the emotional connection with it that many others seem to enjoy, and I always thought that the idea of music as meaningful poetry was pretentious nonsense. But over the last few years I've discovered Tom Waits, and never before have I felt that a piece of music could so articulate what I felt was exclusively being felt by me.
His work is beautiful and touching, and it is very reassuring to see that others feel the same way.
That's a beautiful line you wrote Kate. And, nothing more need be said.
Met him in 1974 when he was playing the Border House in San Francisco- his gift words and music left me spinning and I continue to love him in my 70’s.
最高のバラードですね♪泣けます🎵一年間かかりで探した名曲です😌💓最初は題名もわからない歌でした
The man makes pain sound so beautiful.
Perhaps it's that he crafts exquisite beauty out of unbearable pain....
I love the way it hurts.
He will rip out your heart and you will thank him for it.
Creepy*
What a beautiful thing to say. There's not enough kleenex in the world for listening to this.
Saw him do this in Santa Barbara about 1978. He introduced it with: "This is a song about throwing up in a foreign country."
Bless you, Tom. I'm waltzing today.
I'm just a music fan of of all genres but I'm always drawn to Tom Waits. He's classic.
これほど美しい曲はありません
涙が溢れてきます
でもA BEAT Cのせいで汚い曲に
Probably the most talented multi dimensional person in my generation.
😂
I'd say one of the most talented musicians from the 20th century
Wasted and wounded, it ain't what the moon did
Got what I paid for now
See ya tomorrow, hey Frank can I borrow
A couple of bucks from you?
To go waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda
You'll go a-waltzing Mathilda with me
I'm an innocent victim of a blinded alley
And tired of all these soldiers here
No one speaks English and everything's broken
And my Stacys are soaking wet
To go waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda
You'll go a-waltzing Mathilda with me
Now the dogs are barking and the taxi cab's parking
A lot they can do for me
I begged you to stab me, you tore my shirt open
And I'm down on my knees tonight
Old Bushmill's I staggered, you buried the dagger
Your silhouette window light
To go waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda
You'll go a-waltzing Mathilda with me
Now I lost my Saint Christopher now that I've kissed her
And the one-armed bandit knows
And the maverick Chinaman and the cold-blooded signs
And the girls down by the strip-tease shows
Go, waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda
You'll go a-waltzing Mathilda with me
No, I don't want your sympathy
The fugitives say that the streets aren't for dreaming now
Manslaughter dragnets and the ghosts that sell memories
They want a piece of the action anyhow
Go, waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda
You'll go a-waltzing Mathilda with me
And you can ask any sailor and the keys from the jailor
And the old men in wheelchairs know
That Mathilda's the defendant, she killed about a hundred
And she follows wherever you may go
Waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda
You'll go a-waltzing Mathilda with me
And it's a battered old suitcase to a hotel someplace
And a wound that will never heal
No prima donna, the perfume is on
An old shirt that is stained with blood and whiskey
And goodnight to the street sweepers
The night watchman flame keepers and goodnight, Mathilda too
Thank you for posting the lyrics, so perfect.
I haven't thought about Tom forever and I randomly heard somebody mention his name.
I loved his music but life happens and I haven't heard him in over 23years.
I remember that time perfectly we were hitchhiking from Vancouver to Toronto
and 2days after we made it to Toronto 9/11 happened.
That 23years has me in a dramatically different place than I was back then.
The second I heard his voice I got all choked up. Music is the best for the way it triggers memories. Actually I don't remember much from back them but I feel the vibe.
I got caught off guard buy a hardcore vibe🇨🇦🇺🇲
I'm drinking wine in a dark room during a blizzard. I miss you
I am 66 and I have not heard a better song, magnificent voice, it has feeling.
Thank for your feeling. Just like us, you talk for us
One of the five greatest songs for me. I cried the first time I heard it. And now, twenty years afters, my eyes are wet. Art in superb expression. Long live Tom. The best.
For me "Matilda" represents loneliness... I went through a severe period of loneliness in the late 90s and I would listen to this and cry. This song got me through it. Gotta love Tom Waits 👍
A few too many drinks and this song will break your heart.
Too good best of tw .. epic tune
So etwas 🤩😇😪beste Version 🎁🍀🎊
The best Song of Tom Waits
One of my favorite songs of all time of any music, and I like many types. My wife passed away on the 18th of Dec. and her father followed Jan 2, on what would be her 49th birthday. I listened to his tonight, the live version and this the original is my favorite. What a comfort for me tonight. Some might think this is crazy. But for me it is wonderful.
Sorry to hear that man about your wife and father in law. Its amazing how music can help one heal, mentaly and physically. Be strong and keep that head high! My thoughts are with ya
+Duane Gibson It isn't crazy. And it is wonderful.
+Duane Gibson
"1 year" later, I hope it hurts less...
Take Care Mate
Sorry for your loss sure hope things are better for you now......
Nobody thinks this is crazy. We have all lost people and can all relate to what you say. We all find comfort by coming here, and places like it. The reason why we post here is to share our pain and share comfort. That is why great people like Tom write these songs for us in the first place. You have friends here. You re not alone. You will never be alone. None of us will.
If Tom doesnt touch your heart..you don't have one...❤❤💘
🤣😂🤣😂😭
U did touch mine!!😀😃😄😁😆😅🤣😂🙂🙃😉😊😇🥰🥰🥰
Beautiful..... just beautiful
This was the moment between the early Asylum years Waits and the later experimental stuff where Tom reached perfection. Play this at my funeral.
Been listening to Tom since the 70's... I love seeing how positively he is received today by people who have yet to hit 20 years of age. Tom is timeless... truthsome in lyrics will do that.
Had the pleasure of introducing my nephew to this genius, my niece is coming along slower.
I am 23 years old. I heard Tom the first time when I was 5, while my mum sung me "Ol' 55" or "Long Way Home" . 10 years later I bought her the Closing Time album. At this date I have more than 10 albums. Blue Valentine, Mule Variations, Bawlers Remastered, Heart of saturday night, Bone Machine, Nighthawks at the dinner, Closing Time, Bounced Checks... And i am used to be called "freak", "old soul" and sfuff like that by people my age who listens modern music. I just don't care. Tom saved my life. His music saved my life. And you know what? Fuck modern music. Its empty. No message. No feeling.
No magic.
Nothing.
Saw him in '74 at a little bar called Ebbets Field in Denver. Bar held around 200 people....damn that was an awesome. Had the pleasure to see him in on his last tour....it is one of the best concerts I have ever seen. Fantastic artist.
@@ferrancabo2971 I don't mean to critique your comment, because that is a beautiful way to get into Tom Waits as any, but I'm guessing by your age that you were in either 1995 or 1996. If that's the case, then where did your mom hear the song "Long Way Home"? Cause when you were five it must have been 2000 or 2001, and Orphans wasn't released until 2006.
@@indiemovie4life427 My memories from those years are very foggy, they come like flashback images and I can remember her singing Long way home. As i mentioned those 2, I could also say 10 more. But those got stuck in my head. Maybe it was in 2006, when i was 10, it's been a long time since that happenned, so sorry if its not accurate. She got me into Tom through all my childhood, not only 1 year! Cheers
トムウェイツ、最高のソングライター。これほど酒のBGMに合うアーチストは他にいない
そしてこの歌ほど、あのフジテレビ版「不毛地帯」のエンディングテーマソングに相応しい歌はありません。
the mother who raised me, who was more than a stepmother, this was her favorite waits song. To those who are no longer, you are missed and thought of. cheers
"I begged you to stab me you tore my shirt open and I'm down on my knees tonight"....Gives me chills every single time. Tom has such a great voice and brings out emotions that melt the soul.
Whenever I think of Waltzing Matilda, I think of this song's melody, to the point that I can't remember the original song's melody at all. This is one of the greatest songs ever written.
got to hear it every day
Mon frere avait trouve mort il y a deux semaines, le 08 decembre 2023. Avant son mort il avait preparait ses obseques. Dans l'eglise a le fin de ceremonie ce chanson etait déclenche. Tom Waites avait presente un miroir de la vie de mon frere avec Waltzing Matilda. Bravo et tellement triste.
Your brother chose such a beautiful song.
AN AMAZING ARTIST. THANK YOU TOM WAITS. I LOVE YOUR BALLAD "HOPE I DON'T FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU". YOU ARE RIGHT UP THERE WITH DYLAN AND PAUL SIMON AND SOME OTHERS WITH YOUR GORGEOUS LYRICS THAT EVOKE EMOTION FROM EVERY SIDE OF EACH RECORDING .... LYRICS THAT REACH THE VERY DEPTHS OF OUR HEARTS AND SOULS..... AND YOUR MUSIC RUNS PARALLEL TO SAID LYRICS. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. BLESSINGS.............. FOR KEEPIN' IT REAL.
Press CAPS LOCK till the little green light goes off
Alec, I'm 71 now and right with you on Tom Waits and this song.
This song really moves me. Tears in the eyes and goosebumps.
I stopped taking my medications because they prevented me from crying and now I can cry and I feel better.
Yep screw Prozac. It did that to me.
I can totally relate to that. I haven't taken an antidepressant in 11 years. Hiking and listening to music is much more effective.
me too. so much better.
I'm Schizoid. I have difficulty with emotions and rarely feel anything at all, be it positive or negative. I am locked in my own world, in my head, safe from the world, BUT this song always moves me to tears and that's saying something. I don't feel joy, anticipation, sadness, in fact pretty much anything except when I listen to this.
Feeling for the best is certainly better than having to feel for all sorts of shit these days. We all have our dysfunctions to some extent. I'm autistic and schizo, and we are nothing special until we know beauty few can see. Anyone can get there, however hard in this world.
Feel, bro. Whatever it is, feel.
Take a listen to “Jesus blood never failed me “ by Tom and a \london tramp an English sound recordist was taping London tramps sayings and voice for posterity when one misfortunate lad on his last legs sung this hymn .tom heard the tape and the rest is a hauntingly beautiful lament .......get the tissues ready ....hope this reaches you ,inside xx
Wow! What a powerful statement about the way music can affect us. This is a deeply emotional song
The vacuous don't agree x
First heard him in 1978. I was hooked on the spot. Saw him live twice, both times he did this one. Some of the best, most memorable shows I ever saw.
"I like beautiful melodies telling me terrible things." -Tom Waits
you can really hear the pain in his voice, it brings tears to my eyes. This is truly an amazing man, thank you Tom for the beautiful piece.
he has got the text from something other. he collected the expressions of wellbeing of a done junky.
One of the best.
Love your voice Tom I have only just discovered how lovely your songs and voice are!
His voice is like hearing a ghost from 100 years ago
No matter how many times I listen to this I just sit and marvel at its majesty and when it's done I gasp and say "Wow", totally emotionally drained,drowning in a beautiful and wondrous sea of melancholy xxxx
Thank you is My favorite song during My life ! Follow me wherever i go ! Now i am sponsorer 65 years old and all of THE Good guys are dying + but i hope Neil Young and van Morrison can make it !0
What a brilliant song!
Unbelievable talent. Dylan, Waits and Prine are national treasures.
and LEON.?.
I have every album of all 3.
Oh...
You should add Townes Van Zandt, Tim Buckley and Randy Newman among the greatest american songwriters.
Amen!
Beautiful. The gravel voice paired with beautiful piano and string lines is what makes this guys work stand out. Melancholy, Nostalgic and his lyrics always tell a great story. Great song.
Hi Paul. Just have to admit to loving this song of Tom Waits and to say that I think he is a very real person to be reckoned with. Not only are his songs so moving/touching, his sense of humour and story telling are also hilarious. In particular "Send In The Glutens". If that doesn't make you curl up with laughter uncontrollably, well what can I say. His story telling I'm sure, is in fact many true facts of his life which he very cleverly and artistically is able to keep us entertained with. Tom Waits, a writer, a singer (like no other) and true entertainer. We thank you for your talents. Anne🙏🌵👍
He isn't hard to understand,well most of the time,the lyrics are straightforward,but so much emotional depth and meaning from the simplest line is special.I lost my way for a time,but still remember the first time I heard him sing.Later on I was in a carpark and playing some of his music, probably too loud,when I saw someone next to me crying,and listening so intently.So few people can do this.
Just sitting here crying listening to this song. I was 8 when it was released but I was lucky enough to be turned on to Waits' music via NPR in the 1980s.
Tom you are one of a kind and the world needs more like you right now....
A genius with his masterpiece.
Perfect. I love how when he was on tour in Australia in the late 1970s he would tell the audience "I've borrowed your (unofficial) national anthem - I'll give it back some day....." or something like that. As an Australian myself, I grew up loving this song but Waits, like all great songwriters, has turned it into something even more special.
He was just being polite to you aussies, the song has nothing to do with australia or your waltzing Matilda. He sings Mathilde and people must be deff or aussies if they can't hear it. Four sheets to the wind in Copenhagen and NOT outback aus! Mathilde received the first copy of the album in Europe from Toms record company with a note from the the boss that it was from Tom to her and that there was no letter with it because This song was the letter From Tom to her.
"Nothing to do with Australia"?????? Are you serious? Then why does Tom in an interview delve into the possible meanings of Waltzing Matilda (Tom's theory is that it was Aussie slang for a backpack) and why does he talk specifically about the fact that it was an Australian song? And you do know that songs can be more than one particular thing, right? Waits is an artist who has LAYERS and layers to his songs, as does Dylan. Even if the lyrics are about Copenhagen or 'throwing up in a foreign country' (which is what Tom said once in a concert) the fact remains that the chorus of the song IS Waltzing Matilda (in a modern context). Nuff said.
@@matthewmclaughlin4787 why, hmm Maybe because he was a drunk for most of his life and you can find 223 different interviews where he tells a hundred different stories about the song in some of them he ask what story they want to hear. But that doesn't change the fact that he met a woman named Mathilde Bondo fell madly in love asked her to come back to the states with him, she said no he got drunk with a broken heart and six months later she got the first copy of the song outside the states and a call from the big record company boss saying that the song was his letter for her about their time together in Copenhagen.
Thank you Mr. Waits
Love this song ❤️
This would find its way into my Top 20 songs by any artist of any era. It is simply perfect.
I started listening to Tom in 1974 on a PBS special on which he recorded "NightHawks at the Diner"
The day he moves on will be a day which I will not move but listen to my collected works of his,,, all 34 CDs
This song always finds me on a gray January day...there is no escape...
january is slow murder
@@heatherlobozzo6587 cheer up February has come to your rescue
It doesn't rain every day when music like this is in your life..
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The strings!! The strings!! Heartbreaking.
whenever I play this the dog across the street starts howling, seriously.
ua-cam.com/video/HkOMiA_uGso/v-deo.htmlm51s So the dogs are barking and the taxi cab's parking?
+Ridge Patterson - haha, exactly.
Ryan Blais awesome
Ryan Bla
Ryan Blais I like that dog
This is such a strong ballad. Makes me cry and wish to see my boy again
+steve julian
Hope that does happen Mate,
ah my God xx..you will some day,
I remember my brother Make, who died 42 years old. He was a poor soul like this.
Tom Waits is the miracle of the modern age, a master of emotional travesty, a hero in the desert of life in the 2000's....
A great American poet that can transform your soul
There is no one like Tom, he in my humble opinion is a cast iron original. Thank You for being you Tom and for all you give.
Danke Tom !
A wound that will never heal
A beautiful expression of alienation and rejection. When I was a young man, I felt it spoke for me.
This guy helped me see its ok to be a little sad
"A wound that will never heal" 3rd July 1985, and 2008, still here XXXX
I remember seeing Tom in Sydney he was fantastic & this song brings tears to my eyes 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇦🇺
Ce mec me file le blues ! j'adore .
"What should I listen as a first song of the year?" I asked to myself. İt was a silly question. Happy New year, everyone! Happy New year, Tom! ❤
TWs songs break my heart everytime and then i come back for more listen to "Christmas Card"
This one is an all time great song!
Monday morning rattle,in tears,God,thanks Tom,there is beauty.
That violin is brilliant.
Another masterpiece by the master story teller a tale ,starkly beautiful , who's words almost seem like a movie !projector projecting his movie!!
It don't come no better.
This and 'ole 55' are my ultimate favorites.
This man's got something that pierces my soul and permeates my mind.
Playing it over and over again. Can't get enough of it. Thanks Tom Waits!
I watched him sing this in Knoxville, TN in 1977. It is a timeless song. I guess it is time to go back to the bar for another shot before closing time.
I am in good company guys..... Cheers
Tom knows how to tell a story, reaching deep into the gut of humanity.
Thanks Tom for the words and the Music- Didn't think I had a drink problem until it tried to kill me 2010/12
This is my favourite song and I sang it at a wedding anniversary party where some guests were from Australia. I still love it.