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Tom Waits — What's He Building In There
Album: Mule Variations
Avg rating:
5.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 520









Released: 1999
Length: 3:14
Plays (last 30 days): 0
What's he building in there?
What the hell is he building in there?
He has subscriptions to those magazines
He never waves when he goes by
He's hiding something from the rest of us
He's all to himself; I think I know why...
He took down the tire swing from the Peppertree
He has no children of his own, you see
He has no dog
And he has no friends and his lawn is dying
And what about all those packages he sends?
What's he building in there?
With that hook light on the stairs
What's he building in there?
I'll tell you one thing: he's not building a playhouse for the children
What's he building in there?

Now what's that sound from underneath the door?
He's pounding nails into a hardwood floor
And I swear to God I heard someone moaning low
And I keep seeing the blue light of a T.V. show
He has a router and a table saw
And you won't believe what Mr. Sticha saw
There's poison underneath the sink, of course
But there's also enough formaldehyde to choke a horse
What's he building in there?
What the hell is he building in there?
I heard he has an ex-wife
In some place called Mayors Income, Tennessee
And he used to have a consulting business in Indonesia
But what's he building in there?

He has no friends, but he gets a lot of mail
I'll bet he spent a little time in jail
I heard he was up on the roof last night signaling with a flashlight
And what's that tune he's always whistling?
What's he building in there?
What's he building in there?
We have a right to know
Comments (66)add comment
"Mayors Income, Tennessee".  Thank you, Tom.
What’s this cobblers he’s singing in there.....
 DJJJJ wrote:
Instantly killed the mood in the office. Everyone was saying "WTF is this??"
This isn't even music. Please don't play weird crap like this again. It kills the vibe.
 Try the mellow mix or the rock mix. I doubt this fits either of those categories!

Wake up and smell the neighborhood watch!
 sajitjacob wrote:
This is a recording of Trump's inner monologue. Also this is brilliant.
 
Just like Trump!
Brilliant.
This is a recording of Trump's inner monologue. Also this is brilliant.
 DJJJJ wrote:
Instantly killed the mood in the office. Everyone was saying "WTF is this??"
This isn't even music. Please don't play weird crap like this again. It kills the vibe.
 
Conversely, I LOVE this stuff! Tom paints a picture with his noises. I love taking the path down there.... what's he building in there?
No, thanks
Instantly killed the mood in the office. Everyone was saying "WTF is this??"
This isn't even music. Please don't play weird crap like this again. It kills the vibe.
a better "story song" is "No Anchovies Please" by  J Geils band
But what WAS he building in there?
Wow, I never heard this before today.  Outstanding in such a twisted way.
Good ole Tom Waits!
Man I love Tom Waits!!!
Wow, first time I heard this Tom Waits song...I love it!!
My all time favorite Halloween song!  I love it!

In-do-neeeeeesia lol
What did I just listen to? 
 lizardking wrote:
 MrStatenIsle wrote:
Whoa, that was a creepy good time!
 
For sure it is.... though it's hard to rate,  I called it an 8, knowing that Good Vibrations was coming next...freaking brilliant...Long Live RP and these only-BillG-can-create playlists!!
 
Love it, brilliant all around. I get why some may not enjoy hearing this track; my equivalent is hearing Bjork's caterwauling. {#Smile}
That was just plain weird.  7
ummm, ok?
This is like an evil version of Ken Nordine’s Word Jazz.
 Namgev wrote:
Reminds me of a lot of Ken Nordine's word jazz stuff that KMCR used to play in the mid-80s. Wild.
 
"Footless... and Fancy Free"

My first, and still my favorite, Tom Waits album.
wow....
What’s he snorting in there?

{#Roflol}{#Drunk} 
 MrStatenIsle wrote:
Whoa, that was a creepy good time!
 
For sure it is.... though it's hard to rate,  I called it an 8, knowing that Good Vibrations was coming next...freaking brilliant...Long Live RP and these only-BillG-can-create playlists!!
1
 HectorPascal wrote:
Genius is Tom W. Even more genius is following it with Good Vibrations.

Bill, you are unique.
 

The new player system allows for segue spoilers! Cool, tho.
Whoa, that was a creepy good time!
TWILIGHT ZONE worthy!
Of course, it's Halloween!! (at least, the day after)!
All the best consulting businesses are in Indonesia. ;-)
Not much of a Waits fan, but this is worthy of placing on a Halloween Mix! Creepy.
This is more of a “dark room at the Tate Modern with weird videos” kind of thing that an RP thing. It rolled into Good Vibrations though and that was genius.

Edit: Scooped by Hector. 
Genius is Tom W. Even more genius is following it with Good Vibrations.

Bill, you are unique.
Reminds me of the late great Joe Frank
First time hearing this.   Weird but compelling.
Only on Radio Paradise. sweet.
Tom at this Tom-est.
 MassivRuss wrote:
The RP rating scale simply is no match for this one. It's a separate dimension.
 
In my 'not-as-vast-as-BillG's-music-collection' I have a folder for "non-music" tracks; if I had this one, it would be there.  This is an 8 for the creepy factor.  TW is freaking cool....and then to segue to Good Vibrations....BRILLIANCE!!  Long Live RP!!
The RP rating scale simply is no match for this one. It's a separate dimension.
Reminds me of Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast. Evil Genius! Is that somewhere in RP?
Ever seen 'The 'Burbs'?  Yup, I thought so, too!
He has a router and a table saw and you won't believe what Mr. Sticha saw There's poison underneath the sink of course But there's also enough formaldehyde to choke a horse What's he building in there. What the hell is he building in there? Inquiring minds want to know!
Reminds me of a lot of Ken Nordine's word jazz stuff that KMCR used to play in the mid-80s. Wild.
timandjuliet wrote:
Freakin' demented genius
Thats why this deserves no less than a vote of 9.
bleah.
Avatard wrote:
Me too. A possessed-by-the-devil Shatner. Disturbing.
But a nice change, eh?
JCJ wrote:
HAHA!! Exactly! I think he should stick to talking, because i cant stand his singing voice.
Same here
Freakin' demented genius
I love it LOL
I can see a crowd of pitchfork wielding local storming the ramparts..
Love this.... reminds me of my new neighborhood by the river! :)~ I give this a 9. "We have a right to know."
I first heard this on NPR about a year ago, great stuff. "...and he used to have a consulting business in IndoNEEEEsia." Great stuff. Weird, but cool.
JrzyTmata wrote:
this is like some demented Dr Suess or something 8O
HAHA!! Exactly! I think he should stick to talking, because i cant stand his singing voice.
For a moment, I thought this was William Shatner.
this is like some demented Dr Suess or something 8O
I'm thinking of William Burroughs' "Spare Assed Annie"
I have no idea what he is building in there, but I can tell you one thing, I am not going to pay him a visit to find out what it is.
one of my kids favourite Tom Waits songs, if you can believe it.
Awesome, freakily ambiguous track. Great album. What the hell is he building in there?!?!
I'm scared... hold me!
RichardPrins wrote:
Should be a Halloween track... Great track!
your wish has come true
Should be a Halloween track... Great track!
Permit or not, I can't help but be reminded of Jeffrey Dahmer. "He was such a nice boy"