Starving in the Belly of a Whale

Life is whittled
Life’s a riddle;
Man’s a fiddle
That life plays on
When the day breaks
And the earth quakes;
Life’s a mistake
All day long

You tell me:
Who gives a good goddamn
You’ll never get out alive
Don’t go dreaming; don’t go scheming
A man must test his mettle
In a crooked old world

Starving in the Belly
Starving in the Belly
Starving in the Belly of a Whale
Oh, you’re starving in the Belly
Starving in the Belly
Starving in the Belly of a Whale

Don’t take my word
Just look skyward
They that dance must pay the fiddler
Sky is darkening
Dogs are barking
But the caravan moves on

You tell me:
Who gives a good goddamn
You’ll never get out alive
Don’t go dreaming; don’t go scheming
A man must test his mettle
In a crooked old world

Starving in the Belly
Starving in the Belly
Starving in the Belly of a Whale
Oh, we’re starving in the Belly
Starving in the Belly
Starving in the Belly of a Whale

As the crow flies
It’s there the truth lies
At the bottom of the well
E-o-leven goes to heaven
Bless the dead here as the rain falls
Don’t trust a bull’s horn
A Doberman’s tooth
A runaway horse or me
Don’t be greedy, don’t be needy
If you live in hope you’re
Dancing to a terrible tune
Starving in the Belly
Starving in the Belly
Starving in the Belly of a Whale
You’re starving in the Belly
Starving in the Belly
Starving in the Belly of a Whale

Music & Lyrics by: Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan
Official release: “Blood Money”, Epitaph/Anti Inc., © 2002