![](https://img.radioparadise.com/covers/m/B00000IGGA.jpg)
Avg rating:
Your rating:
Total ratings: 4439
Length: 5:29
Plays (last 30 days): 4
"If you live it up, you won't live it down"
So she left Monte Rio, son
Just like a bullet leaves a gun
With her charcoal eyes and Monroe hips
She went and took that California trip
Oh, the moon was gold, her hair like wind
Said, 'Don't look back, just come on, Jim'
Oh, you got to hold on, hold on
You gotta hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right here
You gotta hold on
Well, he gave her a dimestore watch
And a ring made from a spoon
Everyone's looking for someone to blame
When you share my bed, you share my name
Well, go ahead and call the cops
You don't meet nice girls in coffee shops
She said, 'Baby, I still love you'
Sometimes there's nothin' left to do
Oh, but you got to hold on, hold on
Babe, you gotta hold on
And take my hand, I'm standing right here
You gotta hold on
Well, God bless your crooked little heart
St. Louis got the best of me
I miss your broken China voice
How I wish you were still here with me
Oh, you build it up, you wreck it down
Then you burn your mansion to the ground
Oh, there's nothing left to keep you here
But when you're falling behind in this big blue world
Oh, you've got to hold on, hold on
Babe, you gotta hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right here
You gotta hold on
Down by the Riverside motel
It's 10 below and falling
By a 99 cent store
She closed her eyes and started swaying
But it's so hard to dance that way
When it's cold and there's no music
Oh, your old hometown's so far away
But inside your head there's a record that's playing
A song called 'Hold On', hold on
Babe, you gotta hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right there
You gotta hold on
You gotta hold on, hold on
Babe, you gotta hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right there
You gotta hold on
You gotta hold on, hold on
Babe, you gotta hold on
And take my hand, I'm standing right here
You gotta hold on
You gotta hold on, hold on
Babe, you gotta hold on
And take my hand, I'm standing right here
You gotta hold on
You gotta hold on
You gotta hold on
You gotta hold on
You gotta hold on
You gotta hold on, baby
You gotta hold on, girl
You gotta hold on
You gotta hold on
His singing voice is phony and so is his Bowery bum shtick if he's still using it.
then go listen to iheartradio then
His singing voice is phony and so is his Bowery bum shtick if he's still using it.
Yes, you're right. No other musical artist in the history of time has used vocal affectations or creative personas. Good catch. :/
His singing voice is phony and so is his Bowery bum shtick if he's still using it.
Nobody's singing voice is "phony", unless they're not actually singing.
The Tom Waits haters are inexplicable. I think Leonard Cohen sucks horribly, but his music is thoughtful and original and not very commercial, so I get it, and I'm not trolling the comments under his songs. Just for example.
How does this not apply to Tom? What's up your ass?
Aw c'mon Tom, sure you can! ; )
Tom Waits is awful. This is the worst stuff RP plays.
Condolences, you poor lost soul. Repent, there is light ahead if you seek it ...
Well, go ahead and call the cops
I ate up the last of your Corn Pops."
Bumping this from an 8 to a 9. Not sure why I was being such a Grinch.
But you finally saw the light our friend.
Close your eyes, wipe your mind and listen to those lyrics...
It's a 12....
Or a 15 tom is such a talent
True dat. It took me a long time to accept Tom Waits as my personal savior but once I did, boy howdy.
Chocolate Jesus?
My son thinks this is the most popular song about an incestuous relationship between a brother and sister. If you listen to the lyrics from this perspective, the lyrics can be construed that way. Who knew?
Well, there's nothing to indicate that this is the case, and most songs about love could be construed that way when the characters aren't described specifically.
I'm sure ace-marc was NOT joking....singing doesn't always have to be 'beautiful' to be great....there's a lot of passion and feeling in his vocals that is enjoyable to many including me. I'm at an 8 on this gem, nearly a 9.....Long Live RP!!
His voice is perfect for his music. This song will always be a 10 for me.
I have it at 8 so I don’t care what you think
Close your eyes, wipe your mind and listen to those lyrics...
It's a 12....
I see what you did there...
Don't forget his portrayal of the Mr Nick, the devil, in The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus....I bet he loved playing that role!
Fisher King as well.
These lyrics here
are wigglin' my kneez!
Songsmithing at its finest...
he's also great in Licorice Pizza...Hell he's great in everything he does...Ironweed...Down By Law...
Don't forget his portrayal of the Mr Nick, the devil, in The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus....I bet he loved playing that role!
![](https://i.imgur.com/OMeJGsa.jpg)
Tom did a great job as the miner in Buster Scruggs.
he's also great in Licorice Pizza...Hell he's great in everything he does...Ironweed...Down By Law...
Perfectly said, and so funny. Thanks for the morning laugh.
Time Waits for no human!
hahahaha...thank you
The official song of 2020
And 2021. . . and looks like it will be the anthem for 2022 as well.
Maybe, just maybe, it's a song for the ages!
His role in Bram Stoker's Dracula as Renfield was amazing too!
he was in Wristcutters, A Love Story, and did a fine job, highly recommended if you like quirky movies, and hey, it has Tom Waits.
I got this song as a CD single at a music sale for a community radio station in Boulder, CO in about 1997. It was a random purchase at the time, but it made an indelible impression on me and always reminds me of that bright time in my life, free in the mountains in my early 20s.
2 years before it was released uh?
![](https://i.imgur.com/OMeJGsa.jpg)
Tom did a great job as the miner in Buster Scruggs.
His role in Bram Stoker's Dracula as Renfield was amazing too!
Might also be the fine over-ear headphones cranked up.
Singing along, reading the lyrics, with feeling.
Never realised just how good this is.
Definite 10+ ...
:)
![](https://i.imgur.com/OMeJGsa.jpg)
Tom did a great job as the miner in Buster Scruggs.
Good night, Mr. Pocket! Tom was incredible. I felt sorry for the fields he dug up though. A must see!
Thanks B & R.
![](https://i.imgur.com/OMeJGsa.jpg)
Tom did a great job as the miner in Buster Scruggs.
An excellent role for him in a remarkable version of Jack London's short story.
I'm sure ace-marc was NOT joking....singing doesn't always have to be 'beautiful' to be great....there's a lot of passion and feeling in his vocals that is enjoyable to many including me. I'm at an 8 on this gem, nearly a 9.....Long Live RP!!
+1 to 9 today. LLRP!!
![roflol](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_roflol.gif)
![](https://i.imgur.com/OMeJGsa.jpg)
Tom did a great job as the miner in Buster Scruggs.
Yup! dang tootin'!
![](https://i.imgur.com/OMeJGsa.jpg)
Tom did a great job as the miner in Buster Scruggs.
Lookin' like Nick Nolte's long lost brother. ; )
![](https://i.imgur.com/OMeJGsa.jpg)
Tom did a great job as the miner in Buster Scruggs.
I love that! It's my favorite story of the movie and it turns out its played by one of my favorite artists.
oh man...........
If you want Luther Vandross, you might be in the wrong place.
![{#Confused} {#Confused}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_confused.gif)
If you want Luther Vandross, you might be in the wrong place.
![{#Confused} {#Confused}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_confused.gif)
mach-hog wrote:
Heck, the art of writing, period.
Heck, art, period.
and the fat of the land
she's got skin like a baby
but she drives like a man
She lives in Natchez
and she operates a crane
she's like a wrecking ball...
that's no longer connected to the chain!
Always Keep A Diamond In Your Mind
This is a joke, right? He sounds like he just finished smoking his 100th pack of cigarettes for the day...
I'm sure ace-marc was NOT joking....singing doesn't always have to be 'beautiful' to be great....there's a lot of passion and feeling in his vocals that is enjoyable to many including me. I'm at an 8 on this gem, nearly a 9.....Long Live RP!!
This is absolutely beautiful!
This is a joke, right? He sounds like he just finished smoking his 100th pack of cigarettes for the day...
![](https://i.imgur.com/OMeJGsa.jpg)
Tom did a great job as the miner in Buster Scruggs.
and Renfield!
This is absolutely beautiful!
This is awful!
I'm sure the legendary Tom Waits would appreciate your vote of confidence.
![](https://i.imgur.com/OMeJGsa.jpg)
Tom did a great job as the miner in Buster Scruggs.
![angel](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/eusa_angel.gif)
Genius!
![{#Notworthy} {#Notworthy}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_notworthy.gif)
bump
True dat. It took me a long time to accept Tom Waits as my personal savior but once I did, boy howdy.
"boy howdy", indeed. Bill, pray add "Waitslike" above 10 on the rating scale.
bump
If you want Luther Vandross, you might be in the wrong place.
![{#Confused} {#Confused}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_confused.gif)
???
![](https://usercontent2.hubstatic.com/11931475.jpg)
![crown](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/crown.gif)
If you want Luther Vandross, you might be in the wrong place.
![{#Confused} {#Confused}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_confused.gif)
Luther who?
If you want Luther Vandross, you might be in the wrong place.
![{#Confused} {#Confused}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_confused.gif)
WWTWD
True dat. It took me a long time to accept Tom Waits as my personal savior but once I did, boy howdy.
I'll admit, he takes some getting used to. But once you do, there's brilliance there, imho.
yup yup yup
Possibly the best comment I've ever read (and true).
Nice! (I laughed.)
Heck, the art of writing, period.
So true,
Down by the Riverside motel
It's 10 below and falling
By a 99 cent store
She closed her eyes and started swaying
But it's so hard to dance that way
When it's cold and there's no music
Oh, your old hometown's so far away
But inside your head there's a record that's playing
A song called 'Hold On', hold on
Babe, you gotta hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right there
You gotta hold on
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DqTWfiWCv4Q/TysNgTv8_mI/AAAAAAAAAIE/IXKoBo4ZmME/s1600/hand,snow,winter,inspiration,photography,,,,-24b7c5eaf8f3f59af60af5a627f2d5ee_h.jpg)
Possibly the best comment I've ever read (and true).
.......... and mine - it's a big FAT 10
(That happens a LOT with Tom!)