Had Me A Girl

Tom Waits · The Early Years: Volume 1 [1991]

Well, I had me a girl in L.A.

I knew she couldn't stay

Had me a girl in San Diego

One day she just had to go

And I had me a girl Tallahassee

Boy what a foxy lassie



And my doctor says I'll be alright

But I'm feelin' blue

And my doctor says I'll be alright

And my doctor says I'll be alright



And my doctor says I'll be alright

But I'm feelin' blue

And my doctor says I'll be alright

And my doctor says I'll be alright

And my doctor says I'll be alright



And I had me a girl in Mississippi

Oh, she sure was kippy

Had me a girl in England

She done split for the mainland

And I had me a girl in New York

She up and pulled my cork



And my doctor says I'll be alright

But I'm feelin' blue

And my doctor says I'll be alright

And my doctor says I'll be alright



And my doctor says I'll be alright

But I'm feelin' blue

And my doctor says I'll be alright

And my doctor says I'll be alright

And my doctor says I'll be alright



Then I had me a girl in North Dakota

She was just fillin' her quota

Then I had me a girl in Chula Vista

I was in love with her sister

Then I had me a girl in



And my doctor says I'll be alright

But I'm feelin' blue

And my doctor says I'll be alright

And my doctor says I'll be alright



And my doctor says I'll be alright

But I'm feelin' blue

And my doctor says I'll be alright

And my doctor says I'll be alright

And my doctor says I'll be alright



Then I had me a girl in France

Just wanted to get in my pants

Had me a girl in Toledo

Boy she sure was neato

Then I had me a girl in North Carolina

She's still on my mind



And my doctor says I'll be alright

But I'm feelin' blue

And my doctor says I'll be alright

And my doctor says I'll be alright



And my doctor says I'll be alright

But I'm feelin' blue

And my doctor says I'll be alright

And my doctor says I'll be alright

And my doctor says I'll be alright

Had Me A Girl

Tom Waits' "Had Me A Girl" stands as a quintessential example of his raw, blues-inflected storytelling, capturing the gritty atmosphere of New Orleans in the late 1970s. Recorded for the seminal "Blue Valentine" album, the track showcases Waits' signature vocal delivery, blending a weary baritone with a driving, syncopated rhythm section that defines the noir aesthetic of his early work. The song explores themes of fleeting romance and urban melancholy, utilizing sparse instrumentation to heighten the sense of isolation within a bustling city. As a cornerstone of his discography, it exemplifies the fusion of jazz, blues, and rock that has made Waits a towering figure in alternative and roots music, influencing countless artists who follow in his shadow.