Waits, Tom - Foreign Affair Lyrics






when travelling abroad in the continental style
it's my belief one must attempt to be discreet
and subsequently bear in mind your transient position
allows you a perspective that's unique
though you'll find your itinerary's a blessing and a curse
your wanderlust won't let you settle down
and you'll wonder how you ever fathomed that you'd be content
to stay within the city limits of a small midwestern town
most vagabonds i knowed don't ever want to find the culprit
that remains the object of their long relentless quest
the obsession's in the chasing and not the apprehending
the pursuit you see and never the arrest

without fear of contradiction bon voyage is always hollered
in conjunction with a handkerchief from shore
by a girl that drives a rambler and furthermore
is overly concerned that she won't see him anymore
planes and trains and boats and buses
characteristically evoke a common attitude of blue
unless you have a suitcase and a ticket and a passport
and the cargo that they're carrying is you
a foreign affair juxtaposed with a stateside
and domestically approved romantic fancy
is mysteriously attractive due to circumstances knowing
it will only be parlayed into a memory





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Waits, Tom Foreign Affair Comments
  1. K.... ....

    The best sounding album of the 70s. They skipped the 24-track tape and went straight to the 2-track stereo master tape which eliminates a lot of tape hiss. So everything is clear and up close. But everything has to be recorded and performed perfectly. No mistakes because you can't fix it. You'd have to record it all over again. Also no overdubbing. Everything must be recorded in real time. The orchestra was right there playing. Everything was perfect. Top notch productoon values thanks to Bones Howe.

  2. K.... ....

    Utter poetry.

  3. b.... a....

    one of the first waits lp I ever bought.AND IVE.been a fan ever since.just like Morrison and Hendrix.there will NEVER BE ANOTHER TOM WAITS.CATCH HIM WHILE YOU CAN.

  4. M.... Z....

    Such a wonderful melancholy

  5. D.... W....

    A girl that drives a rambler. Genius.

  6. c.... K....

    the obsession is in the chasing and not the apprehending

  7. c.... K....

    the pursuit you see,and never the arrest

    c.... K....

    story of my life

  8. c.... K....

    he is a poet

  9. c.... K....

    masterpiece

  10. M.... A....

    He's such a great story teller!

    M.... A....

    That's what I was thinking while listening to Potter's Field.

  11. D.... W....

    And you wondered why you'd be content to stay within the city limits of a small West Scotland town. Went to London. Back. Genius.

  12. T.... H....

    One of his most accessible albums, "Blue Valentine" also a good album to win converts (probably in vain).  "Beautiful Maladies" if u just want to annoy people who like straight pop only.  However, the much maligned Scarlett Johansson "Anywhere I Lay My Head" offers some smooth, easily digested versions concentrated in 1 CD.   I credit her with trying to bring his work to a wider audience.  I have 11 of his CDs so I guess I'm a fan.   I've said enuff, it's time to go.

  13. d.... ....

    "..planes and trains and boats and buses, characteristically...evoke a common attitude of blue..." ...I ADORE this song...it's pure poetry...

    d.... ....

    "and the cargo they are carrying is you"
    yeah, it's great

    d.... ....

    @davlak He takes amazing chances with all that unwieldy verbiage and he makes it sing. It's funny and sad and beautiful. Only Tom could do it, I think.

    d.... ....

    No, buddy. It's pure eloquence, and his command of the language--its syntax and phrase structure--is exacting, yet whimsical; full of romance and such depth. Waits is a methodical genius. There is nothing unwieldy about this piece. He didn't take any chances. It was a masterpiece before anyone heard it.

    d.... ....

    +Martin O'Neill that's true, absolutely!

    d.... ....

    +Peter Gerstenzang you bet!

  14. R.... F....

    One of the finest songs written . . . ever . . .

  15. s.... ....

    True greatness.

    s.... ....

    I cant think of any other song by ANY other artist that can tell a story like this using words..big words ..that most if not all other artists wouldn't even conceive of doing let alone pull it off...amazing..truely!!

    s.... ....

    The arranger for the album, Bob Alcivar, is a true genius.

  16. S.... ....

    Fucking best album of alltime!!!

    S.... ....

    I will argue on behalf of the Blue Valentine album but this one is very close to me as well.