Listen to Tom Waits’ darkly comic spoken word ‘The Fly’

In a collaboration that marries the sonic texture of Massive Attack with the darkly comic poetry of Tom Waits, a new spoken-word track has landed: The Fly. This track serves as the B-side to the duo’s politically charged release, Boots On The Ground.

The song offers Waits’ signature blend of sardonic observation and surreal dialogue, taking flight from the mundane world to deliver a begrudging tribute to the brief and unloved existence of the common housefly. With his characteristic gravelly wit, Waits recites lines that paint a picture of cynical resignation:

“You have no house, well you have mine / You have no real friends, stay away from the wine.”

“House fly go to sleep, say goodbye / No one will weep when you die.”

“You’re handsome and thin, you try to blend in / You bastard, sitting around all over the place / You’ll be here even after the bomb / Why don’t you go out and eat cat shit with your mom?”

This track fits perfectly within Waits’ established tradition of darkly comic spoken-word pieces, alongside works like What’s He Building In There? and The Ocean Doesn’t Want Me, demonstrating his unique ability to infuse the absurd with profound commentary.

The collaboration itself is steeped in potent themes. Boots On The Ground arrived with striking imagery of protests against ICE raids, the militarization of domestic forces, and state authoritarianism. Massive Attack described the project as capturing an atmosphere of chaos where these political forces are fusing again across the western hemisphere.

The resulting music reflects this tension, providing pulses of “callous impulse and abandoned mind.” It is a sonic landscape that acknowledges the pervasive anxiety felt within the American emergency and overseas conflicts.

In the broader context of Waits’ creative output, his recent work continues to explore complex ideas. While the collaboration with Massive Attack provided a stark visual and thematic backdrop, Waits has also been actively engaged in new projects, including curating collections like Where The Willow And The Dogwood Grow, which featured diverse artists like Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Ramones, Willie Nelson, and Marianne Faithfull.

The combined project is set to be released on 12-inch vinyl on September 4th, featuring an 180g ‘EcoSonic’ pressing manufactured using recycled materials to minimize environmental impact. The record will be available in red, white, or blue vinyl.