Wailin’ in Style- Lyrics from Outcasts, Rebels, Hobos and Bards

Inspired by Wondering where the lions are by Bruce Cockburn. Re-imagined in what I think Tom Waits might have done, had he wrote this song.

In the gritty maze of city shadows, 

I’m pondering the whereabouts of them big cats, y’know? 

The concrete jungle whispers, 

but them lions, they keep slippin’ through the neon cracks.

Are they lurkin’ in the back alleys, 

where the streetlight flickers like a lonesome jukebox? 

Or maybe they’re loungin’ in the silence of abandoned warehouses, 

their eyes glowin’ like candlelit bourbon in a dim dive bar.

I’m strollin’ these mean streets, wailin’ in style, 

with the moon croonin’ a whiskey-soaked ballad overhead. 

Ain’t no savannah out here, 

just the asphalt safari of the nocturnal kind. 

The sirens wail like blues harmonicas, 

and the rhythm of footsteps echoes in the empty streets, 

like a beat-up piano in a smoky juke joint.

I’m askin’ the night, 

“Where them lions at, in this carnival of urban decay?” 

Are they prowlin’ through the mist of forgotten dreams or 

maybe sharin’ secrets with the alley cats that know the backstreets 

like the lyrics of a worn-out vinyl record?

Yeah, I’m just wanderin’, wailin’ in style, 

through this concrete wilderness, 

chasin’ the ghost notes of a distant roar, 

searchin’ for them lions in the shadows where the city’s heart beats slow and low.

Artist Statement:

“Wailin’ in Style” is a reimagined song, inspired by Bruce Cockburn’s “Wondering Where the Lions Are,” with a distinctively Tom Waits-esque style. The lyrics evoke the perilous underbelly of the modern urban landscape where the speaker searches for symbolic “lions” amidst the complexities of city life.

Thematic Elements:

The song explores themes of big city alienation, longing, and the search for meaning in a concrete jungle. It juxtaposes the imagery of wild lions with the harsh reality of city life, creating a metaphorical landscape where the familiar becomes mysterious and elusive. The speaker’s quest for the lions symbolizes a deeper search for connection and authenticity in an impersonal and chaotic environment.

Poetic Devices:

Imagery: The lyrics are rich in visual and sensory imagery, painting vivid pictures of the more adventuresome elements of urban nightlife. Examples include “gritty maze of city shadows,” “streetlight flickers like a lonesome jukebox,” and “eyes glowin’ like candlelit bourbon in a dim dive bar.” These images create a palpable atmosphere, immersing the listener in the speaker’s journey through the city.

Metaphor: The song employs metaphor extensively, using the figure of the lion to symbolize various aspects of the urban experience. The lions represent both danger and allure, mystery and majesty, as well as a primal connection to nature amidst the artificiality of the cityscape.

Personification: The city itself is personified as a living entity, with its “heart” beating “slow and low” in sonic shadows. This personification adds depth to the urban landscape, imbuing it with a sense of agency and personality.

Allusion: The song references Tom Waits’s distinctive style and musical persona, his impossible body arches as he wails, invoking his gritty, blues-infused, soul wrenching aesthetic to enhance the mood and tone of the lyrics. This allusion serves to situate the song within a specific cultural and musical context, adding layers of meaning for listeners familiar with Waits’s work.

Musical Imagery:

The lyrics are infused with cacophonous colours, drawing parallels between the sounds of the city and various musical instruments and genres. The sirens wail like “blues harmonicas,” while the rhythm of footsteps echoes “like a beat-up piano in a smoky juke joint.” These comparisons create a sense of musicality within the text, reinforcing the song’s thematic emphasis on the intersection of music and urban life. Imagine a steel string guitar softly strummed, a harmonica blown to its limits, slightly off-tune pianos clinking, and the whiskey-worn voice wailing!