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Tom Waits — Come On Up To The House
Album: Mule Variations
Avg rating:
6.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 531









Released: 1999
Length: 4:33
Plays (last 30 days): 2
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Comments (47)add comment
 jasawada wrote:

"Come down from the cross, we can use the wood"  is the kind of lyrical craftsmanship you won't get just anywhere.



I first encountered the phrase on a bumper sticked, and I love it so much.
Posted 1 month ago by surfool    [ Reply ]
Love, love, love. Perfect. 
Posted 1 month ago by ch83575    [ Reply ]
Tom sings like an angel who’s seen  it all.  And I feckin’ love it. 
Posted 1 month ago by SteveInVa    [ Reply ]
 BenHM3 wrote:

I have mentioned my discomfort at Mr. Waites’ voice, but this song is profoundly beautiful. Sad and welcoming, admitting of the end but comforting that the journey is worth it. 



Agreed! Usually Tom's voice grates on me no matter how much I appreciate the lyricism, but this track and style really works for me. I actually didn't know it was Tom and had to see who it was, and was pleasantly surprised!
Posted 1 month ago by danimal3114u    [ Reply ]
 philonair wrote:



To all your haters. You seem not to know much about music at all! This song is great, as the whole album is! Starting with an 8 on this!  






wouldn't it be wonderful if we all had exactly the same opinions and taste...


...NOT
Posted 1 month ago by salice    [ Reply ]
I have mentioned my discomfort at Mr. Waites’ voice, but this song is profoundly beautiful. Sad and welcoming, admitting of the end but comforting that the journey is worth it. 
Posted 2 months ago by BenHM3    [ Reply ]
It's not such a bad song, but his voice on THIS one? Q-able..
Posted 2 months ago by hascobie    [ Reply ]
I profoundly dislike Mr  Waits’ voice, except in this one song. The world is not my own, I’m just passing through… 
Posted 3 months ago by BenHM3    [ Reply ]
 Sofa_King wrote:

Lyrics:

Well, the moon is broken and the sky is cracked
Come on up to the house
The only things that you can see is all that you lack
Come on up to the house

All your crying don't do no good
Come on up to the house
Come down off the cross, we can use the wood
You gotta come on up to the house

Come on up to the house
Come on up to the house
The world is not my home
I'm just a-passing through
You got to come on up to the house

There's no light in the tunnel, no irons in the fire
Come on up to the house
And you're singing lead soprano in a junkman's choir
You got to come on up to the house

Does life seem nasty, brutish and short
Come on up to the house
The seas are stormy and you can't find no port
Got to come on up to the house, yeah

You gotta come on up to the house
Come on up to the house
The world is not my home I'm just a-passing through
You got to come on up to the house, yeah

You gotta come on up to the house
Come on up to the house
The world is not my home
I'm just a-passing through
You got to come on up to the house

There's nothing in the world that you can do
You gotta come on up to the house
And you been whipped by the forces that are inside you
Gotta come on up to the house

Well, you're high on top of your mountain of woe
Gotta come on up to the house
Well, you know you should surrender, but you can't let it go
You gotta come on up to the house, yeah

Gotta come on up to the house
Gotta come on up to the house
The world is not my home I'm just a-passing through
You gotta come on up to the house

Gotta come on up to the house
You gotta come on up to the house
Yeah yeah yeah


Thanks Sofa_King, the verses bumped
this to a 9. Could be a gospel song. Or don't mate, just let it go, and get on up to the house. Tom Waits just has that knack of putting words in the right order. 
As another commentator said, the whole album is outstanding. 
Posted 3 months ago by eyke    [ Reply ]
started with 9 but an easy 10 for me after repeat listening. 

More importantly, this song introduced me to Mule Variations. What an album that is. 
Posted 4 months ago by Oski    [ Reply ]
Lyrics:

Well, the moon is broken and the sky is cracked
Come on up to the house
The only things that you can see is all that you lack
Come on up to the house

All your crying don't do no good
Come on up to the house
Come down off the cross, we can use the wood
You gotta come on up to the house

Come on up to the house
Come on up to the house
The world is not my home
I'm just a-passing through
You got to come on up to the house

There's no light in the tunnel, no irons in the fire
Come on up to the house
And you're singing lead soprano in a junkman's choir
You got to come on up to the house

Does life seem nasty, brutish and short
Come on up to the house
The seas are stormy and you can't find no port
Got to come on up to the house, yeah

You gotta come on up to the house
Come on up to the house
The world is not my home I'm just a-passing through
You got to come on up to the house, yeah

You gotta come on up to the house
Come on up to the house
The world is not my home
I'm just a-passing through
You got to come on up to the house

There's nothing in the world that you can do
You gotta come on up to the house
And you been whipped by the forces that are inside you
Gotta come on up to the house

Well, you're high on top of your mountain of woe
Gotta come on up to the house
Well, you know you should surrender, but you can't let it go
You gotta come on up to the house, yeah

Gotta come on up to the house
Gotta come on up to the house
The world is not my home I'm just a-passing through
You gotta come on up to the house

Gotta come on up to the house
You gotta come on up to the house
Yeah yeah yeah
Posted 4 months ago by Sofa_King    [ Reply ]
"Come down from the cross, we can use the wood"  is the kind of lyrical craftsmanship you won't get just anywhere.
Posted 10 months ago by jasawada    [ Reply ]
Nope. Just can't get into this guy.
Posted 10 months ago by BCarn    [ Reply ]
Anything Tom Waits has ever done starts at an easy 8, to my ears...
Posted 11 months ago by RazzCat    [ Reply ]
 philonair wrote:



To all your haters. You seem not to know much about music at all! This song is great, as the whole album is! Starting with an 8 on this!  





I just gave it a 10 to screw all the ignorant haters.
Posted 1 year ago by SmackDaddy    [ Reply ]
Lots of low ratings, a huge pile of 1s, and still averaging 6.1. That says something!
Posted 1 year ago by MJdub    [ Reply ]
 dw wrote:

Just gave it a 1 because there is no Zero!




To all your haters. You seem not to know much about music at all! This song is great, as the whole album is! Starting with an 8 on this!  



Posted 1 year ago by philonair    [ Reply ]
i think he may want you to come on up to the house. 
Posted 1 year ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
 ajlept wrote:

And doing John Belushi doing Joe Cocker.
 
ziakut wrote:
Wonder if he's wearing clown makeup while singing this.

Haha, the best comments of the night ... 
Posted 12 years ago by lkovathana    [ Reply ]
Someone bring him some cough syrup please ! ^^
Posted 12 years ago by cedrozor    [ Reply ]
This was one of the 'Gong Show's' finest prodigies. Where's my mallet, baby! S M A S H ! I seriously don't think that this could have been any worse if he tried.
Posted 12 years ago by ziakut    [ Reply ]
 ziakut wrote:
Wonder if he's wearing clown makeup while singing this.
 
And doing John Belushi doing Joe Cocker.
Posted 12 years ago by ajlept    [ Reply ]
Dang, Tom Waits is always so disturbing.  I wouldn't exactly have him sing at my wedding.  Or my funeral for that matter.
Posted 12 years ago by lkovathana    [ Reply ]
Oh dear,Oh dear,Oh dear,Oh dear,Oh dear,Oh dear,Oh dear,Oh dear,Oh dear,
Posted 12 years ago by markpeachey    [ Reply ]
Who in gods name ever signed this guy? Beethoven?
Posted 12 years ago by hbs47    [ Reply ]
Wow, this is really good!
Posted 12 years ago by pianocomposer    [ Reply ]
 Stratocaster wrote:

Thank GOODNESS for the new "Play Something Different" !!
 

I didn't know about the PSD button until you mentioned it!  Its BRILLIANT! Thanks Stratocaster...
Posted 12 years ago by scott_bruce    [ Reply ]
 stratzippy wrote:
Come down off the cross We can use the wood

 
My favorite line too, and love the delivery.
Posted 12 years ago by d-don    [ Reply ]
Just gave it a 1 because there is no Zero!
Posted 12 years ago by dw    [ Reply ]
 Stratocaster wrote:
Love early Tom Waits (Closing Time is a masterpiece).  But to me, this is almost unlistenable.  Almost made me hit the mute button.  How many times does he say "you gotta come on up to the house"?  200?
 
Thank GOODNESS for the new "Play Something Different" !!
Posted 12 years ago by Stratocaster    [ Reply ]
One of the few discs from the 90's I still listen to, but for the Covenant unbelievers in the crowd............try "Bad as Me".

PS Thanks Fred, I hadn't thought of Wallace and Grommit until you mentioned Stinking Bishop cheese.
Posted 12 years ago by TerryS    [ Reply ]
Wonder if he's wearing clown makeup while singing this.
Posted 12 years ago by ziakut    [ Reply ]
What an amazing Voice! Don't you wish you could answer the phone like that? =) I would love to go out and buy a Tom Waits & Bob Dylan album some time in the near future, non?

Posted 12 years ago by GrooVy    [ Reply ]

Tom Waits is one of the greatest, come on (up to the house)!


Posted 12 years ago by MyAuthor    [ Reply ]
'Kinell - that hurt! Ol' gravel voice's tones are an acquired taste, right enough, but his singing on this is rougher than a scabby dog's arse, and that's rough. I could 'enjoy' this song in the same way as I could 'enjoy' Stinking Bishop. Tom Waits is a brilliant street poet and I've enormous respect for him and his work, but he's hardly SingalongaTom, that's for sure. Could you imagine doing Tom Waits on karaoke?

Posted 12 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
He needs to go to the doctor and see about that raspy voice. I keep wanting to make him cough...
Posted 12 years ago by mbolch30307    [ Reply ]
Come down off the cross We can use the wood

Posted 13 years ago by stratzippy    [ Reply ]
Love early Tom Waits (Closing Time is a masterpiece).  But to me, this is almost unlistenable.  Almost made me hit the mute button.  How many times does he say "you gotta come on up to the house"?  200?
Posted 13 years ago by Stratocaster    [ Reply ]
Yeaaaah, Tom Waits!!!
Posted 13 years ago by Orodrigues    [ Reply ]
 Byronape wrote:
I think Tom must be smoking the "Chain Saw" brand smokes...  sounds like he swallowed an angry midget.

That being said, I like Tom Waits.

I'd love to see a coleberation between Tom Waits and Nick Cave.  It would have to be called Mutilations. 

 
Angry midget or angry troll... I'm undecided.

Posted 13 years ago by cellomangler    [ Reply ]
 aaronm wrote:
Tom has made his position quite clear on whether one should, in fact, come on up to the house.
 
He does seem to have a preference for one to come up to that house... as opposed to.. not.. come up to the house.


Posted 13 years ago by cellomangler    [ Reply ]
I think Tom must be smoking the "Chain Saw" brand smokes...  sounds like he swallowed an angry midget.

That being said, I like Tom Waits.

I'd love to see a coleberation between Tom Waits and Nick Cave.  It would have to be called Mutilations. 

Posted 13 years ago by Byronape    [ Reply ]
Tom has made his position quite clear on whether one should, in fact, come on up to the house.
Posted 13 years ago by aaronm    [ Reply ]
Will someone please put that dying mule out of its misery?

Posted 13 years ago by rdo    [ Reply ]
Very very good song !!! : :) I love Tom Waits !!!!!!!!!!
Posted 21 years ago by Garfield    [ Reply ]
Just tears my heart out. More Tom!
Posted 22 years ago by Omega    [ Reply ]