Sunday Samples 290

A couple weeks ago, Tom Waits released a truly stunning music video for his song “Hell Broke Luce”. It probably helps that he doesn’t really do music videos as a matter of habit. And if the arresting visuals and harsh musical style — Waits’ skill brings out what most industrial music only wishes it could sound like — aren’t enough, the song was inspired by the actual story of Jeff Lucey.

I’ll give the warning that there’s some intemperate language in the lyrics, but if you find certain words the most offensive thing here your priorities are seriously out of whack.

I had a good home but I left
I had a good home but I left
Right, left
That big fucking bomb made me deaf, deaf

A Humvee mechanic put his Kevlar on wrong
I guarantee you’ll meet up with a suicide bomb
And Hell broke Luce
Hell broke Luce

Big fucking ditches in the middle of the road
You pay a hundred dollars just for fillin’ in the hole
Listen to the general every goddamn word
How many ways can you polish up a turd

And left, right
Left, left, right
Left, right
Hell broke Luce
Hell broke Luce
Hell broke Luce

How is it that the only ones responsible for making this mess
Got their sorry asses stapled to a goddamn desk
And Hell broke Luce
Hell broke Luce
Left, right, left

What did you do before the war?
I was a chef, I was a chef
What was your name? It was Jeff, Jeff
I lost my buddy and I wept, wept
I come down from the meth so I slept, slept
I had a good home but I left, left

Pantsed at the wind for a joke
I pranced right in with the dope
Glanced at her shin she said, “Nope.”

Left, right, left

Nimrod, Bodfish, have you any wool
Get me ‘nother body bag the body bag’s full and
My face was scorched, scorched
I miss my home I miss my porch, porch
Left, right, left

Can I go home in March? (March)
My stance was a chin full of soap
That rancid dinner with the Pope
And left, right, left

Kelly Presutto got his thumbs blown off
Sergio’s developing a real bad cough
Sergio’s developing a real bad cough
And Hell broke Luce
Hell broke Luce
Hell broke Luce

Boom went his head away
And boom went Bowery
What the hell was it that the President said?
Give ’em all a beautiful parade instead
And left, right, left

When I was over here I never got to vote
I left my arm in my coat
My mom, she died and never wrote
We sat by the fire and ate a goat
Just before he died he had a toke

Now I’m home
And I’m blind
And I’m broke
What is next?