The Piano Has Been Drinking
Tom Waits · Small Change [1976]
My necktie is asleep,
And the combo went back to New York,
The jukebox has to take a leak,
And the carpet needs a haircut,
And the spotlight looks like a prison break,
'Cause the telephone's out of cigarettes,
And the balcony is on the make,
And the piano has been drinking.
The piano has been drinking,
And the menus are all freezing,
And the light man's blind in one eye,
And he can't see out of the other,
And the piano tuner's got a hearing aid,
And he showed up with his mother,
And the piano has been drinking.
The piano has been drinking,
As the bouncer is a Sumo wrestler,
Cream-puff casper milktoast,
And the owner is a mental midget,
With the I.Q. of a fence post,
'Cause the piano has been drinking.
The piano has been drinking,
And you can't find your waitress,
With a Geiger counter,
And she hates you and your friends,
And you just can't get served without her,
And the box-office is drooling,
And the bar stools are on fire,
And the newspapers were fooling,
And the ashtrays have retired,
'Cause the piano has been drinking.
The piano has been drinking,
The piano has been drinking,
Not me,
Not me,
Not me,
Not me,
Not me.
The Piano Has Been Drinking
Tom Waits delivers a hauntingly atmospheric track on the 1976 album Small Change, where the title song serves as a quintessential example of his unique fusion of blues, jazz, and noir influences. The recording captures Waits' signature gravelly vocal delivery and percussive piano style, creating a soundscape that feels both intimate and expansive. Released during a pivotal period in his career, the track exemplifies the gritty, storytelling approach that defined his early work and established him as a major force in alternative rock and Americana. The song's moody tone and rhythmic complexity reflect the broader aesthetic of the late 1970s, influencing countless artists who sought to blend traditional instrumentation with a raw, unpolished emotional depth.
