Whistling Past The Graveyard

Tom Waits

(Guitar) Verse B|----------3--| G|----------4--| D|----------4--| (Repeat this pattern 7 times one for each lyric line) A|--------2-2--| E|2-4-2-4------| (and on the 8th time it goes up to the Chorus like so) e|----------------------------| B|----------------------------| G|----------------------------| D|----------------------2-2---| A|--------2-2-4-4-4-5-5-------| E|2-4-2-4---------------------| e|------------------------------------------------------------------| B|------------------------------------------------------------------| G|------------------------------------------------------------------| D|-------------2-----------------1-----------------2----------------| A|-----2-2-5--5-5-2------1-1-4--4-4-1------2-2-5--5-5-2------1-1-4--| E|-3-3---------------2-2---------------3-3---------------2-2--------| (And back to the verse pattern shown above) (All this fits beautifully with this bass pattern) Verse G|-----4--4-----------| D|----------4--4------| A|-2-------------5--5-| E|--------------------| Chorus G|---------------------|---------------------| D|-5--5----------------|---------------------| A|------5--5-2--2------|-----------1--1------| E|----------------3--3-|-2--2-4--4------2--2-| (back to pattern) G|------------------?---|----------------------------| D|----------------5-23--|-4--4-----------------------| A|------2--2-5--5-------|------4--4--------0---0---2-| E|-3--3-----------------|-----------2----2---2-------| verse 1 Well I come in on a night train With an arm full of box cars On the wings of a magpie Cross a hooligan night And I busted up a chifforobe Way out by the cocomo Cooked up a mess a mulligan And got into a fight Whistlin' past the graveyard Steppin on a crack I'm a mean motherhubbard Papa one-eyed jack verse 2 You've probably seen me sleepin Out by the railroad tracks Go on and ask the prince of darkness What about all that smoke come from the stack Sometimes I kill myself a jacket suck out all the blood Steal myself a station wagon Drive it through the mud Whistlin' past the graveyard Steppin on a crack I'm a mean motherhubbard Papa one-eyed jack verse 3 I know you seen my headlights And the honkin' of my horn I'm callin' out my bloodhounds Chase the devil through the corn Last night I chugged the Mississippi Now that sucker's dry as a bone Born in a taxi cab I'm never comin' home Whistlin' past the graveyard Steppin on a crack I'm a mean motherhubbard Papa one-eyed jack verse 4 My eyes have seen the glory Of the draining of the ditch I only come to baton rouge To find myself a witch I'm-ona snatch me up a couple of 'em every time it rains You see a locomotive prob'ly thinkin' it's a train Whistlin' past the graveyard Steppin on a crack I'm a mean motherhubbard Papa one-eyed jack Verse 5 What you think is the sunshine Is just a twinkle in my eye That ring around my fingers it's just the 4th of July When I get a little bit lonesome And a tear falls from my cheek There's gonna be an ocean in the mid - dle of the week Whistlin' past the graveyard Steppin on a crack I'm a mean motherhubbard Papa one-eyed jack Verse 6 I rode into town on a night train with an arm full of box cars On the wings of a magpie cross a hooligan night I'ma tear me off a rainbow and wear it for a tie I never told the truth so I can never tell a lie Whistlin' past the graveyard Steppin on a crack I'm a mean motherhubbard Papa one-eyed jack

Watch the song video
Top songs from Tom Waits
Playground Sessions Course Banner
Did you ever dreamed on playing piano?

Playground Sessions is a revolutionary new way to learn music and play the piano. No more boring courses. The adaptive videos automatically adjust to your skill level. Plus, you’ll receive regular feedback on your progress each week, plus a personal training plan from a professional piano teacher.

Start to play the piano instantly - and have fun doing it!