Album: Doolittle (1989)

Charted: 54

License This Song 

• Outside there's a box car waiting
  Outside the family stew
  Out by the fire breathing
  Outside we wait 'til face turns blue
  
  I know the nervous walking
  I know the dirty beard hangs
  Out by the box car waiting
  Take me away to nowhere plains
  
  There is a wait so long (so long, so long)
  You'll never wait so long
  
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  
  Big shake on the box car moving
  Big shake to the land that's falling down
  Is a wind makes a palm stop blowing
  A big, big stone fall and break my crown
  
  There is a wait so long (so long, so long)
  You'll never wait so long
  
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  
  There is a wait so long (so long, so long)
  You'll never wait so long
  
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  Here comes your man
  
  Here comes your man Writer/s: Charles Thompson
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 16

• Moka from MxTo Anastasia: Maybe no palm trees in Poland but there’s definitely Palm Trees in Nagasaki where the b-29 code-named Bockscar dropped the bomb code-named “fat man”.
  
  Francis Black can be a troll and deny it and change versions about what his songs means all he wants but this song is clearly about nuclear bombings.
• Ryan from AustraliaDoes no one else think this sounds like the song 'polyester girl' by the band regurgitator, especially the guitar and bass.?
• Brenden from Greenwood, Inseems kinda like an homage to "i'm waiting for the man" by velvet underground
• Monica from Denver, CoNot so sure about the bombing, but I think it is about a deal "waiting for your man" and the "nervous walking" and "take me away"
• John from Brisbane, AustraliaFrancis wrote this when he was 15 - researching for a paper on Steinbeck. He got a C- for his American lit paper, but a great song out of it.
  A drug deal? Nah, but if your on drugs you might think its about the fall of Poland. Or was it an episode of Hogan's Heroes? "Here comes yor man [Sgt Shultz] . . ."
• Chuck from Joppa, Md, MdFrom Wiki: "Many insist however, that the "boxcar" reference is actually a psuedonym for "Bocks car", the name of the plane that dropped the atomic bomb (Nick-named FAT MAN) on Nagasaki and that the "hobo and earthquake" explaination in the interview was strickly tongue and cheek, and a dog whistle to those who had been previously made aware of the real meaning behind the song, namely a metophoric account of the bombing of Nagasaki."
• Bertrand from Paris, FranceThough far less dissonant and, perhaps, challenging than the alternative rock legends' typical output, this track from the Pixies' 1989 masterpiece, [b]Doolittle[b], brims with quirky delight from start to finish. On display are the many talents of Black Francis for all to see: his cryptic lyrical musings, a truly impressive pop songwriting sense, and a signature wail. Of course, none of that really matters without the minimal but absolutely essential vocal contributions of Kim Deal and the wonderfully jagged lead guitar of Joey Santiago. Pixies fans may cringe to hear this, but this should have been a Top 10 single.
• Echo from Normalville, MaI know for a fact that this is about hobos in the california earthquakes. "the dirty beard hanging,", the boxcars, the "family stew", "out by the fire burning", "big shake in the boxcar leaving," "Big shake to the land that's falling down.." I could go on forever. But I know for a fact that's what it's about. And anyways, why does that matter? It's a great song. And if you spend 3 and a half minutes trying to figure out what it's about, the song'll be over.
• Alwari from Porvoo, FinlandCovered by Scottish band Teenage Fanclub and Spanish band Sexy Sadie.
• Nicky from Boston, MaI don't see anyway that this could be about WW2 or hitler, except for one little part in the second verse, but I can definentley see the hobo thing
• Anastasia from Anaheim, CaYeah. i could totally see how it would be construed about WW2, but, there's no palm trees in Poland...just in Cali, where there's trains, hobos, and earthquakes. i think the hobos die and the "man" is god or something. frank references that he wore a crown, which broke when he died, since he died. just like McLean's American Pie.
• Kerry from Glasgow, ScotlandThis song reminds me of being at T in the park,right up the front,being crushed but loving it!Great song.
• Tony from New York, NyListen to the song again. It's about Hitler invading Europe...particularly Poland in the spring of 38.
• Iryna from San Fransisco, Cait's sounds likea drug deal yeah
• Jayfoo from Radio City, CanadaAlso used in several movie soundtracks including "Stuck on you".
• Wayne from Hudson, Fli think it's about the apocalypse. might be wrong, but meh.

More Songfacts:

Room At The TopTom Petty & the Heartbreakers

One of Tom Petty's most personal songs is "Room At The Top," which he stopped performing because it brought back painful memories.

WonderwallOasis

Oasis didn't coin the term "Wonderwall." It's the title of a 1968 movie with a soundtrack by George Harrison. It was Harrison's soundtrack that got the band's attention.

BrickBen Folds Five

The Ben Folds Five song "Brick" is about a difficult time when Folds' girlfriend got an abortion.

One WeekBarenaked Ladies

The closing lyrics in "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies are "Birchmount Stadium, home of the Robbie," which refers to a soccer tournament in Ontario.

Only YouJosh Kelley

Katherine Heigl played Josh Kelley's love interest in the video for his 2005 song "Only You." They met on the shoot, became a real-life couple, and got married two years later. That's good casting!

Here Comes Your ManPixies

"Here Comes Your Man" is the closest the Pixies came to a hit in America. It was rumored to be about a drug dealer, but Black Francis says it's just a story about some hobos who travel by train and die in an earthquake.

Editor's Picks

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.

Howard JonesSongwriter Interviews

Howard explains his positive songwriting method and how uplifting songs can carry a deeper message.

Mark Arm of MudhoneySongwriter Interviews

When he was asked to write a song for the Singles soundtrack, Mark thought the Seattle grunge scene was already overblown, so that's what he wrote about.

Crystal WatersSongwriter Interviews

Waters tells the "Gypsy Woman" story, shares some of her songwriting insights, and explains how Dennis Rodman ended up on one of her songs.

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Colin HaySongwriter Interviews

Established as a redoubtable singer-songwriter, the Men At Work frontman explains how religion, sobriety and Jack Nicholson play into his songwriting.