450 Quotes by Tom Waits

Singing is just doing interesting things to the air. Elongating it and twisting it into shapes.

The trick is to have a career and have a family. It’s like having two dogs that hate each other and you have to take them for a walk every night.

If you’re a writer, you know that the stories don’t come to you – you have to go looking for them. The old men in the lobby: that’s where the stories were.

There is no such thing as nonfiction.

I always liked the idea that America is a big facade. We are all insects crawling across on the shiny hood of a Cadillac. We’re all looking at the wrapping. But we won’t tear the wrapping to see what lies beneath.

I’m trying to get music ideas that come and keep them alive. It’s like carrying water in your hands. I want to keep it all, and sometimes by the time you get to the studio you have nothing.

Sometimes words are just music themselves. Like ‘Chicago’ is a very musical sounding name.

If you are recording, you are recording. I don’t believe there is such a thing as a demo or a temporary vocal.

There’s nothing that makes me laugh more than being in the situation where you’re not supposed to laugh. Funerals. People crying. Breaking down. Telling you their life. I’m the worst. I’m the worst at that.