Orange Claw Hammer

Lyrics

Preamble:

FZ: "What ya got there Don...?"
CB: "'Um... just a... uh the lyrics of ...uh... those albums..."
FZ: "What's that...? From the Trout Mask album?"
CB: "Yeah... 'n Lick My Decals..."
FZ: "Why don't you ah... Do you wanna do a version of Orange Claw Hammer, live, in the studio...?"
CB: "Uh, yeah..."

The song:

Thick cloud caught
a Piper Cub's tail
A match struck blue
on a railroad rail

The old puff horse
was just pullin' thru
'N uh' man wore
a peg-leg, forever

I'm on the bum
where the hobos run
The air breaks
with filthy chatter

Oh, I don't care
there's no place there
I don't think
it even matters

My skin's blazin' thru
an' my clothes, in tatters
An' the railroad looked like a 'Y'
up the hill, of ladders

One shoe fell on the gravel
one stick poked down
An' grey of age fell down
on a pair of ears

An eagle shined thru my hole
...watch-pocket

Gingham girl, baby girl
passed me by, in tears
An' a jack rabbit raised
his folded ears

A beautiful, sage-brush
...Jack rabbit

An' an oriole sang like an orange
his breast full o' worms
An' his tail clawed the evenin'
like a hammer-rrrrr...

An' his wings took t' air
like a bomber-rrrrr!...
My rain-can caught me
a cup o' water-rrrrr...

When I got into town
odd jobs Mam?
Aaahhhhhh!
your horse, I'll fodder

I'm the round-house man
I once... was ya' father

Little up t' road
a candy-striped barber pole
An' above it read a sign,
'Painless Parker-rrrrr'...

Licorice twisted around,
under a fly
An' a youngster
cocked her eye

God! Before me,
if I'm not crazy?...
Is my
daughter-rrrrr...

Come, little one,
with yer little
Dimpled fingers,
gimme one

An' I'll buy you...uhhh...
a cherry phosphate
Take you down t' the foamin'
brine 'n water-rrrrr...

An' show you the wooden tits!
on the Goddess!
With the pole out...
...full sail!...

That tempted away
ya' peg-legged father

I was shanghied
by a high-hat,
Beaver-moustache man...
an' his pirate friend

I woke up in vomit 'n beer
in a banana bin
An' a soft lass
with brown skin...

Bore me seven babies
with snappin black eyes
An' beautiful
ebony skin

An' here it is, I'm with you,
my daughter-rrrrr...

Thirty years away
can make a seaman's eyes...
A round-house man's eyes...
...flow out!...

Salt water-rrrrr!...

Salt water-rrrrr...

Players On This Song

• Frank Zappa - Guitar
• Captain Beefheart - Vocals

Records On Which This Song Has Appeared

• Grow Fins: Rarities 1965-1982 (A Beefheart compilation)
• An Evening With Frank Zappa & Captain Beefheart

Notes About This Song

In 1975 Zappa and Captain Beefheart recorded a KWST radio show for syndication, which can be heard in its entirety on An Evening With Frank Zappa & Captain Beefheart. During the recording they played "Orange Claw Hammer", a song that originally appeared on Trout Mask Replica, but without instrumental accompaniment. During the radio recording Beefheart sang the song, while Zappa accompanied him on guitar.