WOODEN KIMONO

For years she was conniving to do him in 
She put strychnine in his bourbon

And cyanide in his gin.
He’d always wind up on the floor to sleep it off
Then he’d wake up in the morning
And he’d mumble with a cough…he’d say

Don’t you ever put me in a wooden kimono
I wanna die with my boots on
Be thrown into the sea.
Never put me under in no wooden kimono
Or you’ll never hear the end of me.
I’ll rattle your windows
You won’t get any sleep
You’ll have to tell all your friends
You can’t get rid of the creep.
Never put me under in a wooden kimono
Lace up my boots and toss me into the sea.

 

Don’t you ever put me in a wooden kimono 

I wanna die with my boots on 

Be thrown into the foamin’ the sea. 

Never put me under in no wooden kimono 

Or you’ll never hear the end of me. 

I’ll rattle your windows 

You won’t get any rest

You’ll have to tell all your friends

You can’t get rid of this mess 

Never put me under in a wooden kimono 

Lace up my boots and toss me into the sea. 

 

Words & Music by Brad Riesau (c) 1978 Brad Riesau / v32unes
original 4-track version released on BRAD RIESAU – v32unes 
rtRECORDS v32-001 (cassette only) / released 12/25/84

From the original liner notes: For Tom Waits, approximately 1976 or 1977, 
San Diego, CA.