Orange Claw Hammer

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Revision as of 10:56, 3 June 2008 by Tonefish (talk | contribs) (inserted lyrics & bg edit)
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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?

Ahhhhhh!

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

Records On Which This Song Has Appeared

Notes About This Song

In 1975 Zappa and Captain Beefheart recorded a KWST radio show for syndication. During the recording they played this Orange Claw Hammer with Zappa on acoustic guitar, accompanying Beefheart's vocals .
Orange Claw Hammer first appeared as a song written by Captain Beefheart, backed by his Magic Band, on the album Trout Mask Replica; Side 4, Track 1 (in which the lyrics and vocal intonations differ from this version).

CC Clues In This Song