Tom Waits Quotes

I collaborate with my wife on the songs, and every aspect of it, really— composing, and arranging, and recording, all that business. We have a rhythm and a way of working it. It's kind of like borrowing the same ten bucks from somebody over and over again. But when you live together, it makes it a lot easier, the pay back.

I know a place where a royal flush can never beat a pair, and even Thomas Jefferson is On The Nickel over there.

What's he building in there? We have a right to know.

Some men are searching for the Holy Grail, but there ain't nothing sweeter than riding the rail.

And someone will head south 'til this whole thing cools off.

Disneyland is Vegas for children. When I went with the kids, I just about had a stroke. It's the opposite of what they say it is. It's not a place to nurture the imagination. It's just a big clearance sale for useless items. I'm not going back, and the kids won't be allowed to return until they're eighteen, out of the house. And even then, I would block their decision.

Your veal cutlet gets up off the plate, It walks down to end of the counter and beat the shit out of my cup of coffee. I guess the coffee just wasn't strong enough to defend itself.

(When asked for advice for younger musicians) "Break windows, smoke cigars, and stay up late. Tell 'em to do that, they'll find a little pot of gold."

How do the angels get to sleep / When the Devil leaves his porch light on?

And sometime around 2 AM you end up taking advantage of yourself. Ain't no way around that. Making a scene with a magazine.

The large print giveth and the small print taketh away.

I'm so goddamn horny, the crack of dawn better be careful around me!

The world is a hellish place, and bad writing is destroying the quality of our suffering. It cheapens and degrades the human experience, when it should inspire and elevate.

The face forgives the mirror, the worm forgives the plough, the question begs the answer, can you forgive me somehow?

The piano has been drinking, not me.