What's He Building?
Tom Waits · Mule Variations [1999]
What the hell is he building
In there?
He has subscriptions to those
Magazines... He never
Waves when he goes by
He's hiding something from
The rest of us... He's all
To himself... I think I know
Why... He took down the
Tire swing from the Peppertree
He has no children of his
Own you see... He has no dog
And he has no friends and
His lawn is dying... and
What about all those packages
He sends. What's he building in there?
With that hook light
On the stairs. What's he building
In there... I'll tell you one thing
He's not building a playhouse for
The children what's he building
In there?
Now what's that sound from under the door?
He's pounding nails into a
Hardwood floor... and I
Swear to god I heard someone
Moaning low... and I keep
Seeing the blue light of a
T.V. show...
He has a router
And a table saw... and you
Won't believe what Mr. Sticha saw
There's poison underneath the sink
Of course... But there's also
Enough formaldehyde to choke
A horse... What's he building
In there. What the hell is he
Building in there? I heard he
Has an ex-wife in some place
Called Mayors Income, Tennessee
And he used to have a
consulting business in Indonesia...
but what is he building in there?
What the hell is building in there?
He has no friends
But he gets a lot of mail
I'll bet he spent a little
Time in jail...
I heard he was up on the
Roof last night
Signaling with a flashlight
And what's that tune he's
Always whistling...
What's he building in there?
What's he building in there?
We have a right to know...
What's He Building?
Tom Waits' "What's He Building?" stands as a quintessential example of his gritty, noir-infused storytelling, delivered with the rhythmic precision of his signature drumming. Recorded on the 1999 album *Mule Variations*, the track exemplifies his ability to weave urban decay and human desperation into a cohesive musical narrative. The song's driving beat and Waits' gravelly vocal delivery create an atmosphere of weary anticipation, characteristic of his work during the late 1990s. It reflects a broader tradition of American folk and jazz fusion, where the music serves as a character study of the working class and the city's underbelly. The recording captures the raw, unpolished energy that has defined Waits' career, offering a glimpse into the lives of those navigating the harsh realities of modern life.