"Ol' '55" Una canción de amor

La primera gran canción de Tom Waits, "Ol' '55", surgió más bien de su primer arrebato amoroso que de su desengaño. Era una alabanza a su viejo y destartalado Buick, cantada entre dientes en tono country. La canción describe de manera evocadora cómo un joven se levanta de mala gana de la cama de su novia al amanecer para volver a su casa por la autopista. El chico suspira por su novia, los coches le hacen señales con las luces para que se aparte del carril rápìdo, pero él se siente "tan sagrado" y "tan vivo", mientras las estrellas van desapareciendo y el solo apunta en el horizonte. El historiador Simon Schama la describió como "la canción de amor más hermosa  desde que Gershwin y Cole Porter bajaron la tapa de sus pianos".

Well my time went so quickly, I went lickety-splickly out to my old '55

As I drove away slowly, feeling so holy, God knows, I was feeling alive.

Now the sun's coming up, I'm riding with Lady Luck, freeway cars and trucks,

Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade

Just a-wishing I'd stayed a little longer,

Oh, Lord, let me tell you that the feeling's getting stronger.

And it's six in the morning, gave me no warning; I had to be on my way.

Well there's trucks all a-passing me, and the lights are all flashing,

I'm on my way home from your place.

And now the sun's coming up, I'm riding with Lady Luck, freeway cars and trucks,

Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade

Just a-wishing I'd stayed a little longer,

Oh, Lord, let me tell you that the feeling's getting stronger.

And my time went so quickly, I went lickety-splickly out to my old '55

As I pulled away slowly, feeling so holy, God knows, I was feeling alive.

Now the sun's coming up, I'm riding with Lady Luck,

Freeway cars and trucks, freeway cars and trucks, freeway cars and trucks...