Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Way Back Wednesday - Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis

Tom Waits - Blue Valentine
Today's Way Back Wednesday song was released back in 1978 by Tom Waits on his brilliant "Blue Valentine" album.

This particular version of "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis" is a live one. The song is punctuated by weird and somewhat inappropriate laughter from the audience. This has long been a favourite song of mine. 

Waits is singing about a woman who writes a letter to a man she knew, explaining that she's pregnant, sober and  married to a fine man who is going to raise her baby as his own. Life is good for her, or rather would be, she confesses, if she still had the cash she used to spend on drugs. Sadly, we learn that she's been fibbing to poor old Charley. The hooker is actually in jail but will be released on Valentine's Day. It's a sad story but I love the way Tom Waits tells it.

I hope you give it a listen. Happy hump day kiddos, stay safe xo

And hey Charley I think about you
Everytime I pass a fillin' station
On account of all the grease
You used to wear in your hair
And I still have that record
Of little anthony & the imperials


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