Tom Waits - Soldier's Things Lyrics






Davenports and kettle drums
and swallow tail coats
table cloths and patent leather shoes
bathing suits and bowling balls
and clarinets and rings
and all this radio really
needs is a fuse
a tinker, a tailor
a soldier's things
his rifle, his boots full of rocks
and this one is for bravery
and this one is for me
and everything's a dollar
in this box

Cuff links and hub caps
trophies and paperbacks
it's good transportation
but the brakes aren't so hot
neck tie and boxing gloves
this jackknife is rusted
you can pound that dent out
on the hood
a tinker, a tailor
a soldier's things
his rifle, his boots full of rocks
oh and this one is for bravery
and this one is for me
and everything's a dollar
in this box





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Tom Waits Soldier's Things Comments
  1. F.... ....

    Emotinal, thanks for what you do/ done.

  2. L.... ....

    ❤️...

  3. A.... B....

    I never understand why some people think going to war is such a noble thing. It's just killing because someone tells you it's OK.

  4. 4.... y....

    "Only the dead have seen the end of war"

  5. C.... O....

    Peaky blinders brought me here. RIP Grace 😭

    C.... O....

    Yep... Just saw that episode...

  6. T.... E....

    This is what war does to man. Lets go for peace world.

  7. J.... N....

    Letra en español por favor

  8. B.... H....

    Paul Youngs version hits home for me without as much gin.

  9. O.... ....

    If you like this one you mybe also like Abdullah Ibrahim - Desert Air

  10. K.... M....

    Never seen Jarhead. Nor Leaky Blinders. Swordfish Trombone brought me. Tom Waits uber alles.

  11. I.... G....

    Tom waits is a genius.

    Beautiful discretion of choice!!

  12. R.... C....

    The rhythm is copy of “Almost Blue” by Chet Baker

    R.... C....

    Almost blue is the copy dude

  13. K.... A....

    babacim

  14. D.... D....

    This is why i never joined the services. i would never want my family to feel like this.

  15. g.... ....

    Davenports and kettle drums
    And swallowtail coats
    Tablecloths and patent-leather shoes
    Bathing suits and bowling balls
    And clarinets and rings
    And all this radio really needs is a fuse
    A tinker, a tailor
    A soldier's things
    His rifle, his boots full of rocks
    Oh, and this one is for bravery
    And this one is for me
    And everything's a dollar
    In this box
    Cufflinks and hubcaps
    Trophies and paperbacks
    It's good transportation
    But the brakes aren't so hot
    Neckties and boxing gloves
    This jackknife…

  16. J.... S....

    "Well were bad men maam but were not them."

  17. o.... d....

    Precioso. The voicings he uses on piano are so touching and evocative of Jazz, the romantics composers, especially in France and Germany and the US, ragtime tinged tunes, chords or color to express the sad, beautiful, ironic and comedic of life. Tom will always rank high in my shortlist of original contemporary composers and performers. 🌞

  18. N.... P....

    Tom Waits brought me here; Peaky Blinders brought me back.

  19. s.... ....

    This amazin Man Will always Be rememberd

    s.... ....

    shock he is still alive.

    s.... ....

    @itspetey1 but still

  20. C.... R....

    Paul Young covered this soulfully and brilliantly. There's also a haunting trombone solo in the Young version.

  21. h.... r....

    Grace death brought me here

  22. g.... b....

    Thank you tommy shelby

  23. P.... d....

    esta es la historia : un hombre dispara un rifle durante años , y se va a la guerra y¿ luego?, regresa el rife a la armeria , pero sin importar que haga con sus manos, amar a una mujer , construir una casa cambiar los pañales de su hijo ,sus manos recuerdan ese rifle aun estamos en el decierto . jarhead

  24. M.... 3....

    By the order of the peaky fooking blinders!

  25. B.... R....

    I'm already watching Peaky blinders and came here looking for this song. I am listening it right now and can't stop crying... it's so sad and beautiful...

  26. E.... V....

    I listen to this after I finished Jclc. You found out there nothing else to do in the summer but just sitting in your room and watching life go by. I’m thinking to change that way.

  27. 7.... x....

    This is that song that gets played when you come back from over sees and you find out your girl been with Jody 😂😂😂😂😂🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️.

  28. R.... W....

    We are still in the desert

  29. S.... W....

    The more (preferably conflicting) emotions in a song, the better. - Elliott Smith

  30. t.... ....

    Who can give me the guitar chords of this song ? Simplified if possible
    Or transposed to easy chords.. thx

  31. N.... P....

    In the Bleak Midwinter...

    N.... P....

    Good memories

    N.... P....

    Love the blinders mate

  32. K.... ....

    I dont like having this song in my saved playlists, it never fails to bring an immense sadness in me. The lyrics of a someone bargaining everyday objects that were once something but rendered matterless now from the passage of time. Things that were once valuable, sold for scraps. When I first absorbed this perspective of the song I was sorta in the middle of an existential crisis. It hit me hard about how hollow and meaningless everything is. We are here because we are. There is no underlying reason for any of us to exist. And no matter what we do, eventually we will become nothing at all. Inevitably we will all die, and everything we owned or done will become dust.

  33. H.... A....

    Jarhead anyone ?

  34. K.... A....

    When I was 15 I was in the car watching rain streak down the window as my mom and I drove through her old neughbourhood, kinda run down old apartment district in the northwest end of Toronto, and she put this song on the stereo. Has to be one of the most haunting musical experiences of my life, and this song has remained one of the most beautiful and tragic I’ve ever heard

  35. O.... S....

    Davenports and kettle drums
    and swallow tail coats
    table cloths and patent leather shoes
    bathing suits and bowling balls
    and clarinets and rings
    and all this radio really
    needs is a fuse
    a tinker, a tailor
    a soldier's things
    his rifle, his boots full of rocks
    and this one is for bravery
    and this one is for me
    and everything's a dollar
    in this box

    Cuff links and hub caps
    trophies and paperbacks
    it's good transportation
    but the brakes aren't so hot
    neck tie and boxing gloves
    this jackknife is rusted
    you can pound that dent out
    on the hood
    a tinker, a tailor
    a soldier's things
    his rifle, his boots full of rocks
    oh and this one is for bravery
    and this one is for me
    and everything's a dollar
    in this box

  36. S.... Z....

    Davenports and kettle drums
    and swallow tail coats
    table cloths and patent leather shoes
    bathing suits and bowling balls
    and clarinets and rings
    and all this radio really
    needs is a fuse
    a tinker, a tailor
    a soldier's things
    his rifle, his boots full of rocks
    and this one is for bravery
    and this one is for me
    and everything's a dollar
    in this box

    Cuff links and hub caps
    trophies and paperbacks
    it's good transportation
    but the brakes aren't so hot
    neck tie and boxing gloves
    this jackknife is rusted
    you can pound that dent out
    on the hood
    a tinker, a tailor
    a soldier's things
    his rifle, his boots full of rocks
    oh and this one is for bravery
    and this one is for me
    and everything's a dollar
    in this box

  37. p.... g....

    Davenports and kettle drums
    And swallowtail coats
    Tablecloths and patent-leather shoes
    Bathing suits and bowling balls
    And clarinets and rings
    And all this radio really needs is a fuse
    A tinker, a tailor
    A soldier's things
    His rifle, his boots full of rocks
    Oh, and this one is for bravery
    And this one is for me
    And everything's a dollar
    In this box

    Cufflinks and hubcaps
    Trophies and paperbacks
    It's good transportation
    But the brakes aren't so hot
    Neckties and boxing gloves
    This jackknife is rusted
    You can pound that dent out on the hood
    A tinker, a tailor
    A soldier's things
    His rifle, his boots full of rocks
    Oh, and this one is for bravery
    Oh, and this one is for me
    And everything's a dollar
    In this box

  38. H.... �....

    Siktiğimin Peaky lanet blienderstan geldik amina koyim.

    Asla unutulmayacaksın John...

  39. S.... W....

    "A story. A man fires a rifle for many years. and he goes to war. And afterwards he comes home, and he sees that whatever else he may do with his life - build a house, love a woman, change his son's diaper - he will always remain a jarhead. And all the jarheads killing and dying, they will always be me. We are still in the desert"

    S.... W....

    When you leave rotc and this starts playing

  40. A.... J....

    At the end of Jarhead, seeing the guy stacking shelves in Walmart really got me, the fact that a soldier who served his country goes to doing something like that

    A.... J....

    Phil head kind of just shows how after the war he’s just another regular guy

    A.... J....

    Also just shows the US holds the military with high regard. Showing patriotism and supporting service members, but when they get out and rotate to the real world, no one gives a fuck about them. Used and abused. Dropped like yesterdays bad habits. That was one of the biggest contributors with Vietnam veterans mental issues. All the shit they saw and did, for the sake patriotism and national pride, only to be treated like garbage when they came back. Most of those guys didn't volunteer for that either, they were drafted. Shit pisses me off and angers me so bad it bring tears to my eyes.

    A.... J....

    @Mark D I couldn't agree more. My dad was a Vietnam vet (Airforce) and when he came back, he was a HEAVY drinker who would never want to talk about his time there. This is a cruel world in which we live indeed. My dad was one of the nicest and most highly intellectual people I've ever known I miss him dearly.

    A.... J....

    @Nick Parsons Well, the reason people didn't treat Vietnam vets with high regard is purely that the Vietnam war, despite the acts of valor and bravery, was an incredibly violent war. It broke and completely ignored war crimes, Americans raped Vietcong civilians, used chemicals which caused birth deformities, and a shit load more of stupid crap. Even though Vietnam war veterans did all they could and, at the time, though it was for a good cause, the reality of it was because America was afraid of communism spreading. So, no matter how you put it, the Vietnam war was a shitty war with a shitty cause, just as the war in the middle east is. So, I understand that not all soldiers drafted weren't entirely at fault, though they were definitely apart of a shit hole that the United States still tries to lie about just to protect their already crappy reputation.

  41. F.... A....

    A reality lived by a soldier on the battlefield, Soldier's Things its big word.

  42. j.... t....

    je préfère le morceau "swordfish trombone"... cette basse!!!!

    j.... t....

    t'es pas obligé de choisir entre les deux!

  43. H.... L....

    beautiful

  44. u.... ....

    Jarheads

  45. I.... ....

    Lyrics :
    “Davenports and kettle drums
    And swallowtail coats
    Tablecloths and patent-leather shoes
    Bathing suits and bowling balls
    And clarinets and rings
    And all this radio really needs is a fuse
    A tinker, a tailor
    A soldier's things
    His rifle, his boots full of rocks
    Oh, and this one is for bravery
    And this one is for me
    And everything's a dollar
    In this box
    Cufflinks and hubcaps
    Trophies and paperbacks
    It's good transportation
    But the brakes aren't so hot
    Neckties and boxing gloves
    This jackknife is rusted
    You can pound that dent out on the hood
    A tinker, a tailor
    A soldier's things
    His rifle, his boots full of rocks
    Oh, and this one is for bravery
    Oh, and this one is for me
    And everything's a dollar
    In this box...”

  46. J.... S....

    A man fires a rifle for many years. and he goes to war. And afterwards he comes home, and he sees that whatever else he may do with his life - build a house, love a woman, change his son's diaper - he will always remain a jarhead. And all the jarheads killing and dying, they will always be me.

    J.... S....

    H E A R T B R O K E N we are still in the desert

    J.... S....

    Oh yeah yeah

  47. E.... A....

    Peaky foooookiin blinders

    E.... A....

    Ege Aydın Napiyon la burda

  48. K.... F....

    Cheers to Peaky Blinders ...

  49. S.... J....

    Love Paul youngs version x❤

  50. S.... M....

    Cheers horahhhh! For our loved ones will always be a memory and always be in our hearts UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

  51. i.... g....

    Can someone make piano Instrumen only.

  52. A.... M....

    Jarhead baby

  53. G.... ....

    It took me quite a few years to figure out, what Ol' Tom meant with the line "Tinker or taylor, soldier's things." Sterling stuff.

  54. T.... G....

    I loved this song before peaky blinders

  55. K.... K....

    Everytime I hear this song it gives me chills down to my spine bc I think of the movie Jarhead. Over all though awesome song!!

  56. N.... ....

    Thanks Peaky Blinders

  57. h.... g....

    Joey Diaz

  58. S.... 2....

    I'm 14 and i like this song// peaky blinders brought me here

  59. T.... ....

    Yeah, keep invading weak countries and dying for the sionist jewish interests...

    T.... ....

    EL JØrge fuckin sionists! Sionizm is the worst. Zionism on the other hand..

  60. S.... T....

    A story. A man fires his rifle for many years...

    S.... T....

    ... and then he loses his mind

  61. J.... Z....

    JARHEAD

  62. S.... S....

    "We're not those kind of men." Arthur Shelby

    S.... S....

    tonight

  63. G.... ....

    We are still in the desert......

    G.... ....

    Goldeneagle360 I am still in the desert, I am still there, patrolling grinding tired

  64. d.... k....

    les gens n'écoutez pas ce morceau...... il est mon océan à moi rien qu'a moi......

  65. J.... H....

    War...war never changes

  66. u.... ....

    I feel sorry for those of you that don't enjoy beautiful poetic music like this. How ALL music should be.

  67. F.... ....

    be the order of the peaky fuckin blinders.. sorry, i had to.

  68. J.... ....

    Seeing Troy in that box was rough.

  69. A.... S....

    Lyrics
    Davenports and kettle drums
    And swallowtail coats
    Tablecloths and patent-leather shoes
    Bathing suits and bowling balls
    And clarinets and rings
    And all this radio really needs is a fuse
    A tinker, a tailor
    A soldier's things
    His rifle, his boots full of rocks
    Oh, and this one is for bravery
    And this one is for me
    And everything's a dollar
    In this box

    Cufflinks and hubcaps
    Trophies and paperbacks
    It's good transportation
    But the brakes aren't so hot
    Neckties and boxing gloves
    This jackknife is rusted
    You can pound that dent out on the hood
    A tinker, a tailor
    A soldier's things
    His rifle, his boots full of rocks
    Oh, and this one is for bravery
    Oh, and this one is for me
    And everything's a dollar
    In this box

  70. A.... A....

    Fucking Jody.

  71. G.... L....

    la classe absolue

  72. T.... R....

    Tommy :'(

  73. N.... N....

    I forget who i am?

    N.... N....

    NOBLE NOBLE so did I

  74. m.... ....

    paul young has a version of this song on an album from 1985...

    m.... ....

    ...and it is superior.

    m.... ....

    To each their own...I prefer Mr Waits’

    m.... ....

    Talking to myself probably. But Mr. Waits know how to let a song breathe...

  75. J.... ....

    Peaky Blinders

  76. j.... b....

    This song gives me the chills everytime i listen to it such a good tune

  77. V.... ....

    God save the Shelbys

  78. a.... c....

    Davenports and kettle drums
    and swallow tail coats
    table cloths and patent leather shoes
    bathing suits and bowling balls
    and clarinets and rings
    and all this radio really
    needs is a fuse
    a tinker, a tailor
    a soldier's things
    his rifle, his boots full of rocks
    and this one is for bravery
    and this one is for me
    and everything's a dollar
    in this box

    Cuff links and hub caps
    trophies and paperbacks
    it's good transportation
    but the brakes aren't so hot
    neck tie and boxing gloves
    this jackknife is rusted
    you can pound that dent out
    on the hood
    a tinker, a tailor
    a soldier's things
    his rifle, his boots full of rocks
    oh and this one is for bravery
    and this one is for me
    and everything's a dollar
    in this box

    a.... c....

    I have always heard it as: this one is for bravery, and this one's for need...

  79. P.... G....

    Bring it back, we need this song in our lives

  80. r.... g....

    For me this song is heartbreakingly beautiful.Looking at a spent life from the detritus left behind.Brilliantly touches the heart.

  81. f.... b....

    "I heard the black birds sing" Arthur Shelby.
    Cheers to you all peaky blinders fans

    f.... b....

    That scene just blew my mind (too). So brilliant.

  82. A.... s....

    Peaky Blinders!! Cheers!!

  83. J.... ....

    Peaky Blinders season 3 episode 3 brought me here

    J.... ....

    That episode was all about songs

    J.... ....

    Same here as well

  84. L.... L....

    Every war is different, every war is the same.

    L.... L....

    +Valentin LAPEYRE They are indeed.

    L.... L....

    War. War never changes.

    L.... L....

    CESSPRO LaFratri3 war never changes, but a person changes.

    L.... L....

    That's from jarhead but never the less it's true and me being in the Usmc thought me that war is a game that changes only when the opponent makes a new rule

  85. S.... H....

    some say this is depressing, I see emotive deep beautiful art music there's different perspective for everyone!

    S.... H....

    +Faded Ember honestly so deep.

    S.... H....

    It's melancoly and beautiful, just like so many of Tom's short ballads. I feel this so much.

    S.... H....

    A short story in a love letter. Still haven't figured the meaning of, "this one is for me". Love, Tom. I'm not Tom. TomTomTom.

    S.... H....

    It's a blues song.

    S.... H....

    @Begob The guy is dead. His family is selling off his things, probably in a yard sale. "This one is for me". They want to keep one of the shinier medals. Everything else is a dollar. He was a soldier, now he's gone and all that's left of him are his things. And he obviously had a hard life, shitty car and a shitty radio. No one to really mourn him. It's an incredibly sad song.

  86. S.... Q....

    Ah..........

  87. S.... S....

    Wristcutters and Jarhead brought me here.

    S.... S....

    +Sinister Shred Well latetly those have been the same.

  88. C.... M....

    A story: a man fires a rifle for many years.and he goes to war and afterwards he comes home and he sees that whatever else he may do with his life build a house love a woman change his son's diaper he will always remain a jarhead. And all the jarheads killing and dying, they will always be me we are still in the desert.

    C.... M....

    Oh yeah yeah

    C.... M....

    @Jj A how is that cringe? it's from the movie jarhead, this song plays at that part in the movie. cant stand little kids like you who say "cringe" to everything.

    C.... M....

    @xXSgtWolfXx "little kids" and i just thought how he said it was a little bad in a way. Don't get all mad about it.

    C.... M....

    Jj A Oh he’ll yeah we’ll get mad at you for bullshit stuff like that

    C.... M....

    ''we are still in the desert.
    ''

    describes the life of any soldier, describe his life, that not only a small part remained there but all

  89. p.... ....

    I just discovered this on my iTunes...and like...what the fuck even is Tom Waits, this is so terrible to have to listen to. Like what.

    p.... ....

    @poopycarpet don't you listen to anyone else who tells you perhaps there is something wrong with you for not appreciate Mr Waits. Not everyone is born with a soul.

    p.... ....

    Well his voice is terrible, he should not be singing, and ew that person is gross.

    p.... ....

    +poopycarpet If you don't mind my asking, what kind of music do you enjoy?

    p.... ....

    +poopycarpet Thanks for letting us know how much it affected you.
    It's called 'Art'.

    p.... ....

    +poopycarpet Your username is Poopycarpet, so you'll excuse me if I don't consider you to be a high authority on artistic excellence.

  90. K.... W....

    no its not its about the war 1ist world war n how things and memories are sold down the river 

  91. n.... ....

    The Japanese have a common phrase, ''Mono No Aware'', it translates as ''The pathos of all (living) things''.

  92. B.... ....

    That was so sad to watch end of Jarhead - I cried like a baby

  93. P.... M....

    WHAT A FREAKING DEPRESSING SONG!!!

    P.... M....

    +Saswat Rath why? he's got a point.

    P.... M....

    +Phillip Meador Its supposed to be depressing - anybody that was a career soldier can tell you why.

    P.... M....

    I know. isn't it great!
    I love depressing songs.

    "I wear black on the outside, cause black is how I feel on the inside."

    P.... M....

    Patrick Jordan Damn...thats a good one....gonna remember of it.

    P.... M....

    It's art, bro. It's okay to feel shit

  94. W.... ....

    For my Father, a dark-green island marine.

  95. C.... N....

    It's a song about a junk shop.
    The 'soldier's things' are the apex of poignancy. It's about how the things we treasure like bravery medals are ultimately...well, junk.

    C.... N....

    Your completely wrong

    C.... N....

    LYRICS from Tom Waits song. Soldiers Things.
    'Oh and this one is for bravery
    Oh and this one is for me
    And everything's a dollar
    In this box'
    The bravery medals are in the dollar box...that's what it says in the song...don't blame me...blame Tom Waits cause that's what he wrote...see?

    C.... N....

    Two people who can't spell 'you're' going at it. Priceless.

    C.... N....

    Punctuation; the difference between knowing your shit...and knowing you're shit.

  96. D.... T....

    Tom Waits' voice is very signature. I was just listening to 'Dead and lovely' by chance and I immediately remembered this song from Jarhead.

  97. T.... H....

    Jarhead brought me here

    T.... H....

    Me too! A songwriter does what he wants and the result is confusion to everyone else, plus goosebumps of course too. Tom's got a few slick songs but most of the time he's just too annoying just being himself. Momma look, I'm drunk and peforming. :)

    T.... H....

    Hes performing alright..hes a great actor. He hasn't drunk alcohol since the early 80s. Hes not just a singer, its part of his "act"..old wino routine.

    T.... H....

    Jarhead brought a lotta people here over the years. Proud to say buying this album at FYE in 2007 brought me here.

  98. T.... N....

    Maybe not so much just selling of his stuff.... but just saying good bye

    T.... N....

    "Everything's a dollar in this box" suggests they are selling his things.

  99. S.... ....

    this song is so sad..its about a soldier who has died, and his family is now selling off all his stuff ): damn.

  100. L.... T....

    It gives so much sweetness and comfort after the horror. Tom can heal the souls !