Category: Music

On The Nickel


“On The Nickel” contains probably the most devastating and beautiful lyrics I have ever heard. “The Nickel” refers to a section of Fifth Street in Downtown Los Angeles that was gathering place for the homeless and down-&-out folks during the depression era. The song is the title score for the 1980 film by Ralph Waite. The music rings like a childrens’ lullaby, with the words harking to the days when these now hapless “Nickel” characters were just little boys running amok and making mischief. This is one of those songs that is both heartbreaking and beautiful, and I have have a hard time picturing it having the full effect if covered by somebody other than Waits. Cant help but love his music. A glass of whiskey, candles and a lit cigarette. ( Smoking is bad for you kids ). Enjoy!

sticks and stones will break my bones,
but i always will be true, and when
your mama is dead and gone,
i’ll sing this lullabye just for you,
and what becomes of all the little boys,
who never comb their hair,
well they’re lined up all around the block,
on the nickel over there.

so you better bring a bucket,
there is a hole in the pail,
and if you don’t get my letter,
then you’ll know that i’m in jail,
and what becomes of all the little boys,
who never say their prayers,
well they’re sleepin’ like a baby,
on the nickel over there.

and if you chew tobacco, and wish upon a star,
well you’ll find out where the scarecrows sit,
just like punchlines between the cars,
and i know a place where a royal flush,
can never beat a pair, and even thomas jefferson,
is on the nickel over there.

so ring around the rosie, you’re sleepin’ in the rain,
and you’re always late for supper,
and man you let me down again,
i thought i heard a mockingbird, roosevelt knows where,
you can skip the light, with grady tuck,
on the nickel over there.

so what becomes of all the little boys,
who run away from home,
well the world just keeps gettin’ bigger,
once you get out on your own,
so here’s to all the little boys,
the sandman takes you where,
you’ll be sleepin’ with a pillowman,
on the nickel over there.

so let’s climb up through that button hole,
and we’ll fall right up the stairs,
and i’ll show you where the short dogs grow,
on the nickel over there.

STD


Javelin are from Brooklyn. I have always dug their beats, but this time they hit the nail in the head with this one. STD!
Who doenst want to know about STD! Im sure some of you who are reading this probably have some. And for those that dont know what it is, Listen to this informative song and LET THE BURNING BEGIN!Javelin-STD Fury

Billie Holiday

if you read this blog, it should come as no surprise to you that im a big fan of miike snow. but i feel that its completely justified. so imagine my surprise when i found out that there was actually a miike snow song i hadnt heard before. how could this have happened?
the track is called “billie holiday”, and i guess its a bonus track on the uk version of their album. why do the non-US countries always get the bonus tracks? i feel like japan especially always gets bonus tracks, and it just aint right. luckily, the internet now exists, so we can all hear these once exclusive bonus tracks. to all of you lawyers out there, do you think theres a valid legal argument that releasing a bonus track in one country only is discriminatory? yeah, i didnt think so. well anyway, hopefully if you havent heard this song yet, it will brighten your day, much in the same way that my day is brightened right now.

miike snow-billie holiday