Tom Waits - Better Off Without A Wife Lyrics






All my friends are married
Every Tom and Dick and Harry
You must be strong if you're to go it alone
Here's to the bachelors and the Bowery bums
Those who feel that they're the ones
That are better off without a wife

Cause I like to sleep until the crack of noon
Midnight howling at the moon
Going out when I want to,
And I'm coming home when I please
Don't have to ask permission
If I wanna go out fishing
Never have to ask for the keys

I've never been no Valentino
But I had a girl who lived in Reno
Left me for a trumpet player
Well, it didn't get me down
He was wanted for assault
And though he said it weren't his fault
You know the coppers rode him right out of town

I'll be sleeping until the crack of noon
Midnight howling at the moon
And I'll be going out when I want to
Coming home when I please
Don't have to ask permission
If I wanna go out fishing
Never have to ask for the keys

Yeah, you see I'm kinda selfish about my privacy
Now as long as I can be with me
We get along so well I can't even believe it
I love to chew the fat with folks
I'll be listening to all your dirty jokes
I'm so thankful for these friends I do receive

I'll be sleeping until the crack of noon
Midnight howling at the moon
And I'll be going out when I want to
Coming home when I please
Don't have to ask permission
If I wanna go out fishing
Never have to ask for the keys, no

Hey, I got this girl I know, man, and I just
She's been married several times and
I don't wanna end up like her
I mean, she's been married so many times
She's got rice-marks all over her face
Yeah, you know the kind





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Tom Waits Better Off Without A Wife Comments
  1. K.... S....

    “ I’m not weird about it or anything.” “I don’t tie myself up first.” I love this man.

  2. K.... T....

    we all have our personal legends, personal myths, and bittersweet loves

  3. p.... a....

    Sa voix de vieux garçon? Son timbre raillé? Son âme même nourrie dans le tabac et l’alcool. Noctambule impénitent. Humain, trop humain…

  4. s.... ....

    Today is my wedding day. I'll marry the love of my life in a few hours. But this song reminds me of all those lonely, cold years I had before this. I'll never ever forget this song. Never forget where you came from.

    s.... ....

    Beautiful words, man

  5. J.... B....

    "She got rice marks all over her face..."

  6. P.... W....

    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)
    Source: LyricFind
    Songwriters: Tom Waits

  7. T.... ....

    Awesome song, and 22 deaf people so far.

  8. J.... B....

    Makin the scene with the burrito king, Mr. Tom Waits.

  9. J.... B....

    Ask yourself out!

  10. K.... H....

    LOVE Tom. So many great songs, yet this remains, while not my pure favorite, but closest to my heart. Used to play this while making Monster Burgers with a great friend at Flight School in Pensacola, Fla. The song is great, but the memory is SACRED.

    K.... H....

    Shopping music. :)

  11. R.... J....

    been listening to this song all week on the way to work , damn great

  12. W.... A....

    I wonder if I'm available tonight...

    W.... A....

    Why not call yourself up?

    W.... A....

    @Jeff Baker I just might. We'll see.

    W.... A....

    @Will Allen Did you...?

    W.... A....

    @Bob Green It's been a couple of months since I wrote that. I honestly don't remember. Pretty sure I did at some point since, though.

  13. T.... H....

    A national treasure on the same level as Bukowski. Genius

  14. P.... O....

    Querida comunidade, espero que estejas bem. Vi o teu apelo em relação ao cumprimento de determinadas regras denominadas como "da comunidade" e gostaria de por este meio declarar:

    Que se fodam as ŕegras!

    Cumprimentos,
    A tua mãe 😘

  15. c.... ....

    "This song is written for piano and fire extinguisher" T.W.

  16. H.... y....

    You can tell this is an old song, using a magazine to get your rocks off lol

  17. J.... M....

    He's married now. He doesn't do this one anymore :-)

  18. C.... I....

    I love this intro. I laughed the first time I heard it, and smile every time I hear it.

  19. c.... ....

    Well I never been no Valentino
    Had a girl who lived in Reno
    Left me for a trumpet player but it didn't get me down
    He was wanted for assault
    You know he said it weren't his fault
    You know the coppers rolled him right out of town

  20. J.... B....

    The Burrito King.....

  21. R.... W....

    Happy Valentine's Day. 🤷❤

  22. M.... S....

    This always sounds like Christmas with light snow to me

    M.... S....

    Yes. Yes it does...

  23. R.... C....

    From Putnam county

  24. H.... ....

    Happy birthday a couple days ago to one of the best: Nighthawks, Swordfishtrombones, Renfield and Dr. Heller (say it with me: "Heller.")

  25. J.... F....

    Could never afford a wife.

    J.... F....

    No problem for the muslim with 4 wives and 23 children who gets 30 000 euro from ze german government per month.

  26. M.... d....

    my wedding waltz.in 93.

  27. p.... ....

    Tom has been married to the same woman for 38 years.

    p.... ....

    pretorious700 But he still calls himself up. 😀

  28. J.... B....

    12 people never call themselves up.

    J.... B....

    They are busy making a scene with a magazine.

  29. D.... C....

    Tom Waits in the 70s was half character actor, half musician, and half stand-up comic. He had it all, and then some. The 150% man!

    D.... C....

    Dude is unreal. Can't get enough of this.

    "I'm not WEIRD about it or anything..."

    D.... C....

    every nut case needs a hero, my audio late night drinking buddy

  30. W.... B....

    I first heard this tune in a friend's dorm room in college in 1978...still love it.

    W.... B....

    Just discovered it yesterday 8/23/2018! A Thursday.

  31. J.... O....

    I think 4 people might of hit the wrong button.

  32. J.... O....

    happy Valentine's Day 2017

  33. C.... P....

    my dad played this song for my mom on their first date and I played this song for my wife on our first date, and again at our wedding.

    C.... P....

    Romantic. Like shopping music.

    C.... P....

    & you lived happily ever after with a sense of humor.

  34. E.... H....

    If you liked this song, listen to "Joy to the World" by Harry Nilsson

    E.... H....

    Yeah, listen to more Tom instead.

  35. E.... W....

    Very cool stuff. Our band's lead singer is very influenced by this music. Check it out if you get a chance. Cheers!

  36. g.... ....

    Tom is hilarious in this, funny how a dude known for being weird and mysterious can be so down to earth and relatable 

    g.... ....

    the weird/mysterious is his 'act' or costume .  

    g.... ....

    It's not an act.

    g.... ....

    He is not weird. Just logical.

    g.... ....

    " normal " ppl r weirder

  37. m.... d....

    also, listen to'the piano has been drinking not me'

    m.... d....

    That's Mike Melvoin , Wendy's Dad. Wendy of Prince fame.

  38. m.... d....

    great cuts from a great l.p. belive it or not. i gave up all control of my wedding, just so i could have this as our first dance.
    all the older folks thought it was a nice waltzt, till they heard the words. we did last 20 years.

    m.... d....

    what happened? Why didn't it last 10

    m.... d....

    Legend.

  39. F.... M....

    Or maybe you whistled the song but you lost the sheet music

    F.... M....

    ie. divorced

  40. J.... R....

    Hysterical. What a brilliant artist.

  41. L.... P....

    Learned.

  42. S.... M....

    it makes me happy that no wife disliked this . 

    S.... M....

    Apparently, Tom stopped performing this song after he got married. Don't know if the wife didn't like it or he just did it out of fear (I mean respect...).

    S.... M....

    Just because no wife commented in the woods doesn't mean he's not still wrong

  43. A.... P....

    makes the old hurts and pain slip away with a slick mix of humor and brilliance. love ya Tom!

    A.... P....

    Adam Popkes Tom is cathartic lol

  44. D.... ....

    This Song got me Through my First Divorce.

    Thanks Tom.... two years before I was born you were already Saving my life.

  45. k.... ....

    He could have been a brilliant comedian.

    k.... ....

    He is a brilliant comedian, kaizmorgan.

    k.... ....

    What do you mean "could"?

    k.... ....

    he's funny in some movies he's in, that's comedian ta me

  46. m.... d....

    i know this girl she probs the only girl who i would ever marry fucked it up though. stupid door