Tom Waits Returns with Spoken Word Piece ‘The Fly’

Legendary musician Tom Waits has returned with a haunting new spoken word piece titled “The Fly.” The track serves as the B-side to his recent collaboration with Massive Attack, marking a rare and welcome addition to his storied discography.

Reflecting on the nature of the song, Waits offered a characteristically cryptic and evocative statement: “Today, as in all of mankind’s yesterdays, guarantees this type of song will never go out of style. Man’s folly of fiascos is a feast for the flies.”

“The Fly” stands as only the second new original recording from the artist since his acclaimed 2011 album Bad as Me. The release is accompanied by an animated lyric video, which was illustrated by his son, Casey Waits.

In the four-and-a-half-minute piece, Waits adopts his signature gravelly delivery to address the insect directly. “You’ve got those 360 degree see around eyes / You’ve got wings so fast they buzz when you fly,” he growls. “A maggot is what you are in your early cocoon / They probably find flies all the way on the moon / Even weeds don’t ever want to die, is it any different for a fly?”

The narrative takes a characteristically dark and humorous turn as Waits threatens the buzzing subject: “Stand still, don’t move, I’ll go get my swatter… You fucker, you sit on the cake, cleaning your hands and your face.”

Co-written with his wife and longtime collaborator Kathleen Brennan, the track follows their previous work on “Boots on the Ground,” the protest song recorded with Massive Attack. Both tracks are set to appear on an “EcoSonic” 180g 12-inch vinyl single. The release is currently available for preorder through the artist’s official webstore, with proceeds designated to support civil rights and community advocacy organizations.

Regarding the long-gestating collaboration, Waits previously noted, “One day many years ago, I accepted an invitation from Massive Attack to collaborate. Their long release delay never worried me. The B-side of Massive Attack‘s upcoming 12 inch ‘The Fly’ features my appreciation for the winged nuisance.”