There's a house on my block that's abandoned and cold
The folks moved out of it a long time ago
And they took all their things and they never came back
It looks like it's haunted with the windows all cracked
Everyone calls it the house
The house where nobody lives

Once it held laughter
Once it held dreams, did they throw it away, did they know what it means?
Did someone's heart break
Or did someone do somebody wrong?

Well, the paint is all cracked, it was peeled off of the wood
The papers were stacked on the porch where I stood
And the weeds had grown up just as high as the door
There were birds in the chimney and an old chest of drawers
Looks like no one will ever come back
To the house where nobody lives

Oh, and once it held laughter
Once it held dreams, did they throw it away, did they know what it means?
Did someone's heart break
Or did someone do somebody wrong?

So if you find someone
Someone to have, someone to hold, don't trade it for silver
Oh, don't trade it for gold
'Cause I have all of life's treasures and they're fine and they're good
They remind me that houses are just made of wood
What makes a house grand, oh, it ain't the roof or the doors
If there's love in a house, it's a palace for sure
But without love it ain't nothin' but a house
A house where nobody lives
But without love
It ain't nothin' but a house, a house where nobody lives


Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira

House Where Nobody Lives Lyrics as written by Thomas Alan Waits

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, JALMA MUSIC

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House Where Nobody Lives song meanings
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3 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    This could possibly be Waits' greatest song ever, which is quite possibly calling it THE greatest song ever..

    DeliciousSooner95on April 22, 2007   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    Tom Waits is amazing.

    I love this song with all my heart. There's so much beauty in his music. This song is particularly profound.

    Coming from someone that came from a broken home. This song is very deep for me. A happy home and family that you love very deeply, and of course love you back is the key to happiness. It is something that should be kept up and looked after and never taken for granted. That's what I think the song is about.

    Tom Waits is a fucking poet. Everyone who reads this need to take a long, long listen to this groveling genius. He makes you question everything. For the love of god, please see him live if you ever have the chance...

    Admiral82on May 30, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is a great song. A sad song with a happy ending.

    JumpyJackon December 17, 2004   Link

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