Tom Waits - Long Way Home Lyrics






Well I stumbled in the darkness
I'm lost and alone
Though I said I'd go before us
And show the way back home
There a light up ahead
I can't hold onto her arm
Forgive me pretty baby but I always take the long way home

Money's just something you throw
Off the back of a train
Got a head full of lightning
A hat full of rain
And I know that I said
I'd never do it again
And I love you pretty baby but I always take the long way home

I put food on the table
And roof overhead
But I'd trade it all tomorrow
For the highway instead
Watch your back if I should tell you
Love's the only thing I've ever known
One thing for sure pretty baby I always take the long way home

You know I love you baby
More than the whole wide world
You are my woman
I know you are my pearl
Let's go out past the party lights
Where we can finally be alone
Come with me and we can take the long way home
Come with me, together we can take the long way home
Come with me, together we can take the long way home





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Tom Waits Long Way Home Comments
  1. N.... P....

    IT'S SO GENTILE AND SWEET

  2. p.... ....

    I can sing this perfectly
    Like Tom.
    Wanna hear?
    I really can.

  3. S.... T....

    Who thumbed this down? No musical taste

  4. �.... �....

    - This + the software

  5. S.... M....

    Still fantastic song

  6. B.... D....

    wow an instant favorite I love this

  7. T.... F....

    so fine

  8. �.... �....

    Ξέρεις πόσο κλέφτες μπορούν να φανούν οι Γερμανοί σε δύο χρόνια;Μια μέρα ίσος κοιμηθούμε και σε σπίτι, χα χα χα!

  9. R.... 2....

    hell thats great

  10. M.... N....

    "Watch your back if I should tell 'ya, 'Love's the only thing I've ever known'".

  11. d.... ....

    Absolutely horrible song.

  12. S.... J....

    Beautiful song!

  13. c.... ....

    This is one of the coolest, classiest bluesy songs I have ever heard. I love this song and I hope no one ever sings it except Tom Waits. I love the raspy voice. I can't get enough of this song.

  14. J.... M....

    Like this one very much!

  15. r.... ....

    norah jones brought me here!

  16. J.... W....

    The HEAVIEST cat of 'em all. Baby-butt lyrics in a pack of unfiltered Camels.

  17. K.... ....

    Well at least one good thing about Lance Armstrong's doping happened, because I've never heard Tom Waits if it wasn't for The Armstrong Lie :D (He's not really well know outside the states is he?)

    K.... ....

    What? he's adored world wide... So many different artists have recorded his songs and played with him.

  18. T.... G....

    I always take the "wrong" way home.

  19. s.... d....

    Haunting little song!

  20. d.... s....

    magique  music

  21. M.... V....

    I love it's!!!

  22. b.... t....

    just brilliant, that is all.

  23. W.... ....

    and Heath Ledger, the modern Joker, actually copied this crazy man.. Check out Tom Waits' interviews and compare them to the Joker.

  24. D.... W....

    Genius - one of my favorite artists

  25. J.... P....

    watch your back if i should tell you loves the only thing I ever known......beautiful genius

  26. B.... ....

    Love it!

  27. M.... B....

    It seems impossible to dislike this song. IMO. Thank you Tom.

    M.... B....

    +Michael Burke fucking...literally...this;Serious, no artist can touch Tom when it comes to old school Jazz.

    M.... B....

    +Michael Burke on the contrary, the magnificence of this song is that it shouldn't be magnificent at all....but somehow, its not just good, its spectacular! A rare dog to say the least!

    M.... B....

    Word to the mother land

  28. T.... G....

    I bloody love this song

  29. O.... o....

    My wedding song, I listen to it now divorced and cry

    O.... o....

    Alana Conner you should date him

    O.... o....

    I agree, Flavio Jr. He takes a long way home with her in the last stanza. There could be many interpretations of lyrics like these.

    O.... o....

    This song is about INFIDELITY. Why would you play it at your wedding?

    O.... o....

    @Samuel Hiser the same reason people at churches sing leonard cohen's hallelujah lol single dimensional comprehension

    O.... o....

    You deserve to be for having comprehension

  30. J.... R....

    Met dank aan Vive le Velo!

    J.... R....

    @Jesse Reith Had het ook gehoord tijdens Vive le Vélo, wow, magistraal nummer!

  31. A.... Z....

    All I have on are my Grado PS500s plugged directly into my chromebook...and that recording sounds AMAZING.

    A.... Z....

    AJ Zepp
    Grado PS500s ?
    Rich 1%er !

    A.... Z....

    lol, I wish...Im an RN...I'll never get rich this way, but can pick up a few toys here and there.

    A.... Z....

    @AJ Zepp
    Damn !
    And I was going to ask you what the noise cancellation was like of those Grado's on your Gulfstream G650 ...

  32. C.... S....

    Tom Waits has the coolest singing voice. This is one of the best songs I have ever heard. I like songs like this, and this is one of the best. My compliments, Tom.

    C.... S....

    Yeah it is. Problem is too many wannabes out there trying to imitate it.

    C.... S....

    Listen to the early years album. His voice didn't used to sound anything like this. Listen to had me a girl.

  33. F.... ....

    Bruce Springsteen wants to be Tom Waits when he grows up

    F.... ....

    We all do.

    F.... ....

    He was great in Iron Weed. Bruce is a horrible sell out

    F.... ....

    Kudent have sed it wurst! Er uh, .... I meen bettur!

    F.... ....

    Too bad Tom, was TOM....first!

    F.... ....

    Well he cant. Springsteen is a TWAT

  34. C.... B....

    Does anybody know if Tom Waits did another album that sounds like the tracks from BAWLERS, I really like this style.

    C.... B....

    He has no other albums that are composed entirely of ballads, but there are a few that are more ballad heavy; if you like "Bawlers", I bet you'd like "Alice".  Also you might like his earliest work - like his debut "Closing time" and the follow up "The Heart of Saturday Night". Maybe "Foreign Affairs" and "Blue Valentine" too.

    Though in atmosphere and feel, I think "Alice" is the closest one to "Bawlers". 

    C.... B....

    @J. Lahtinen Thanks for your advice, i'll order Alice soon!

    C.... B....

    @MAGMAPLEX I second that, perfect selection ! You can add to everything he said some spare songs from Mule Variations (the whole album is incredible -my second fav after Alice- but some of the ballads are similar to those of Bawlers), like Come on up to the House, Pony, Picture in a Frame, Take it with me, Georgia Lee... Enjoy ;)

  35. T.... K....

    Its not the destination, its the journey that really matters

  36. s.... ....

    Mitchell Rose took that pic of Waits on the left. He has a new book on his pics of Waits taken in 1977, in and out of the Tropicana. Check it out.

  37. M.... O....

    This tune just chuggs along. No effort at all. Love it!

  38. F.... T....

    Waits is a punk.

  39. l.... ....

    Yep The Armstrong Lie brought me here too.  Excellent song, definitely added to my song selection.

  40. D.... C....

    Long Way Home
    Well I stumbled in the darkness
    I'm lost and alone
    though I said I'd go before us
    and show the way back home
    is there a light up ahead
    I can't hold on very long
    forgive me pretty baby but
    I always take the long way home

    money's just something you throw
    off the back of a train
    I got a head full of lightning
    a hat full of rain
    I know that I said
    I'd never do it again
    I love you pretty baby but
    I always take the long way home

    I put food on the table
    and a roof over our head
    but I'd trade it all tomorrow
    for the highway instead
    watch your back
    keep your eyes shut tight
    your love's the only thing I've ever known
    one thing's for sure pretty baby
    I always take the long way home

    you know I love you baby
    more than the whole wide world
    you are my woman
    you know you are my pearl
    let's go out past the party lights
    where we can finally be alone
    come with me and we can
    take the long way home

  41. j.... ....

    We can take the Long Way Home

  42. M.... G....

    got a hat full of lightning...

    M.... G....

    A head full of lightning, a hat full of rain. Unless you mean that you have a hat full of lightning...

  43. j.... l....

    armstrong lie also brought me here shona ladoo

    j.... l....

    Me too!  Great documentary.

    j.... l....

    absolute fuckin genius !

  44. D.... G....

    It is the small things in Life the bring the best rewards...

  45. M.... O....

    Waits is the best

  46. N.... ....

    Great song.

  47. R.... B....

    Where can I find that image? I'd like to frame that.

  48. C.... M....

    is it "Watch your back, keep your eyes shut tight"?

    C.... M....

    Yes sir :) That was one line I couldnt figure out for the longest time. No matter how many times I listened to it, I couldnt "Decipher" it. Until I gave up, stopped being lazy, and just looked up the lyrics lmfao

  49. C.... O....

    8 ppl are sadly suffering from parkinson ... miss-clicked the thumbs up button. no other way:)

  50. J.... H....

    Is that Neko Case in the photo displayed during the video?

  51. R.... ....

    this is the reason why I'm a fan of Tom Waits.

  52. M.... B....

    She has nice form as long as she has one foot on the floor.

  53. t.... ....

    uh, no Aaron, think it's you who needs to look it up. he quit after meeting Kathleen in the 80s. i mean, you do know he's talking about quitting smoking, rather than music, i assume?

  54. b.... ....

    Diamonds on My Windshield ... late night, freeway flying, always makes me sing ... search for it on yt ... btw Tom sent me :)

  55. g.... j....

    Dear Tom, I love you dearly my friend. You must know that by now. Please, sing me a happy tune today, please? Somehow, I have fallen backward into a very deep hole. Tom, it is dark. I am cold. I am alone. Must make very clear sense to you or so my mind believes. Please, sing one happy-go-lucky song to me and I promise....I will go back and listen to all my favorites, all of the lullabies. thank you Tom, oh, if it is not to much to ask, toss me a rope so I can get out of this place.

    g.... j....

    george forest Since he can't answer himself, let me do it for him: https://youtu.be/hUE-ic_Q0g4

  56. t.... ....

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

  57. A.... B....

    no Josh Alsip , he did not quit .... look him up online

  58. S.... ....

    Seriously?

  59. K.... B....

    What does this have to do with Tom Waits?

  60. d.... ....

    6 haters????
    get the fuck out of here man

  61. O.... V....

    Why take this photo for this song?????

  62. J.... A....

    He quit in 1980, believe it or not.

  63. R.... ....

    When you're that cool, it doesn't even matter.

  64. S.... C....

    more than the whole wide world

  65. n.... ....

    I couldnt agree with you more man. I support the soldier, not the war. I share the same views as you on the war. I have a question for ya tho, just out of sheer curiosity. If you share those kinds of views on the war and current situation, what made you want to join and fight? Just curious. I dont want to sound rude or anything.

  66. A.... ....

    Hell, Willie Nelson started smoking cigs in kindergarten!

  67. j.... ....

    i thought this bloke was black......

  68. m.... ....

    The incredible Tom Waits. Again !

  69. m.... c....

    I think everyone from our era smoked and drank neat whiskey,from the time we could hold a bottle and cig up and find the right way to the mouth.........................

  70. n.... ....

    Im gettin tire dof always taking the long road

  71. D.... ....

    I'm in love with the sound of his voice!! <3

  72. S.... ....

    "A good spanking and a timely pullout" is my philosophy for alot of things!

  73. t.... ....

    thanks for ignoring that...."The cave men" is threat, maybe not to us. But for the peapol who live near them. they are terrorising and killing innocent people. I do know that becous i was there with the Swedish army (Nordic Battlegroup)

  74. t.... ....

    they do pose a threat, to the whole world. The reason you are there is becous they where to big of a threath they even did the first move 9/11. If you wasnt there it might happend again in the future.

  75. J.... M....

    Agreed.

  76. R.... R....

    The King! No less! Just perfect. Tom will always have the biggest star in my history of music. Thanks for a great version. :-)

  77. D.... J....

    Actually if I remember correctly I received Orphans as a birthday present, from there i within like a few weeks went on to spend everything i had more or less on real gone, blood money, closing time, heart of saturday night, blue valentine, and small change.

  78. D.... J....

    Remember the first time I heard this, was like 15 and it changed my outlook on music.Brilliant album and what's wild is it's not even remotely his best. Absolutely fuckin brilliant.

  79. A.... ....

    Afghans? But u said Iraq. No afghans in Iraq. They're in Afghanistan.

  80. M.... A....

    That's a really sex photo. The chick playing pool's not bad either.

  81. N.... J....

    And whiskey from the bottle instead of milk ;)

  82. f.... ....

    3 people only know about taking shortcuts!!!

  83. R.... S....

    Just love this song! Thanks for sharing it!

  84. s.... ....

    HEY FREAKS ! IDIOTS !!! PROFANE F*CKING VOYEURS !
    REMOVEEEEEEE THIS HARLOTRY FROM HERE IMMEDIATELY !
    DISGUSTING LOWEST SCUMBAGS !
    WHAT THE F*CK YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING WITH THIS SHIT HERE, M ?

    HEY MONSTERS, WE ARE TRYING TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN, NEXT GENERATION IN DECENCY and MORALITY ! WHAT THE H*LL INTERNET STARTED TO LOOK LIKE ?
    A F*CKING BROTHEL ?
    EEEEVERYWHERE ONE AND THE SAME !

    BITCHES, STRIDED WHORES, SHAMELESSNEEESS !
    KILLERS OF INNOCENCE ! DIE IN H*LL MOTHER F*CKERS ! PFU !

    s.... ....

    sahaja75
    Alzheimer's disease is so bad.
    Still, I've heard that a cold shower helps to revive the old and incontintent ....

  85. T.... ....

    Lot of Cash in this tune

  86. P.... R....

    Genius. id crack his skull and eat his brains.

  87. k.... ....

    @GodotheInfantry How are you? Please tell me you're ok. Thanks for your service.

  88. S.... ....

    This is the titties.

  89. W.... ....

    @GodotheInfantry I hope these songs serve(d) you well overseas. My girlfriend sometimes complains about Tom's voice, but I try to counter that by reminding her that his songs very often bring me to tears, that they have something beyond technical expertise, and that, well, damn it, I happen to like his voice. "Never Let Go" is another of my touchstones. Both of these songs bring back to earth more often than I can remember.

  90. P.... R....

    @zone53046 E' una voce che ti entra dentro...

  91. c.... g....

    @GodotheInfantry however you get home, i hope you get here safely!

  92. M.... ....

    This was my uncles favorite song and when he passed away a few years ago they played this at his memorial. I will never forget this song and what it means to me.

  93. m.... ....

    To understand just how remarkable Waits' vocal performances are, you only need compare this to Norah Jones' version. Musically there is nothing really difference -- the difference is solely Waits' voice and how he uses it to inject real pathos. Jones' version is nice enough, Waits' is positively heartbreaking.

  94. g.... ....


    Adoro la voce di Waits minacciata dal Whisky..

  95. g.... ....

    @GodotheInfantry shooting people is wrong

  96. r.... ....

    1 person had to take the long road home alone

  97. U.... ....

    @Beauleerdamwest waits and his wife wrote it tho

  98. d.... ....

    @Beauleerdamwest
    No way sorry ;0)

  99. d.... ....

    @GodotheInfantry
    Hi dude, how are you? Much respect for the job done in Iraq eventhough war is hell i presume. I am only a swiss guy (geneva, french speaking part) we are a neutral country so war seems so unreal to me. Though we have one thing in common: tom waits, he is my favorite singer, the lyrics are so poweful!

  100. D.... P....

    Lovely - really like Norah's Jones cover, too.