Back

Cemetery Polka Tab

by Tom Waits


...CEMETERY POLKA... by Tom Waits
--------------------.............

*from 'Rain Dogs' (1985)*


Verse 1:

           
Uncle Vernon,
           
Uncle Vernon,
                     
Inde-pendent as a hog on ice.
                                            
He's a big-shot, down there at the slaughterhouse,
                        
Plays ac-cordion for Mis-ter Weiss.

Verse 2:

             
Uncle Biltmore,
                
And Uncle William,
                            
Made a million during World War II.
                    
But they're tightwads,
                      
And they're cheapskates,
                            
And they'll never give a dime to you.

Interlude:



Verse 3:

                            
Auntie Mame has gone in-sane; she lives,
                        
In the doorway of an old ho-tel.
            
And the radio,
               
Is playing opera,
                        
All she ever says is; "go to Hell".

Verse 4:

           
Uncle Violet,
            
Flew as pilot,
                               
And there ain't no pretty girls in France.
                                 
Now he runs a tiny little bookie joint;
                             
They say he never keeps it in his pants.

Verse 5:

                           
Uncle Bill will never leave a will,
                          
And the tumour is as big as an egg.
                           
Has a mistress; she's Puerto Rican,
                        
And I heard she has a woo-den leg.

Interlude:



Verse 6:

                              
Uncle Phil can't live without his pills;
                             
 He has emphy-sema and he's almost blind.
                                  
And we must find out where the money is,
                           
Get it now, before he loses his mind.

Verse 7:

           
Uncle Vernon,
           
Uncle Vernon,
                     
Inde-pendent as a hog on ice.
                                            
He's a big-shot, down there at the slaughterhouse,
                        
Plays ac-cordion for Mis-ter Weiss.


CHORD DIAGRAMS:
---------------

                            

 EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE
 x35543  466544  355433  133111  x46664

                     

 EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE
 x35553  x13331  244322  133211