| Hang On St. Christopher | |
| Cover: | Tom Waits - Hang on St Christopher.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Tom Waits |
| Album: | Franks Wild Years |
| B-Side: | "Hang On St. Christopher (Instrumental)" |
| Recorded: | Sunset Sound Factory, Los Angeles Los Angeles, Universal Recording Corp., Chicago |
| Genre: | Experimental rock |
| Length: | 2:46 |
| Label: | Island |
| Producer: | Tom Waits |
| Prev Title: | Downtown Train |
| Prev Year: | 1985 |
| Next Title: | 16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought-Six |
| Next Year: | 1988 |
"Hang On St. Christopher" is a song by Tom Waits appearing on his 1987 album Franks Wild Years. It was released as a single in 1987 by Island Records. The song centers around Frank O'Brien, a character who Waits concocted during the making of Swordfishtrombones in 1983. A series of road oriented imagery is evoked in the lyrics, which are sung from the perspective of O'Brien, a downtrodden individual who leaves behind his family and hometown in hopes of attaining a more prosperous future. During his journey, the protagonist carries a medallion dedicated to Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travel.[1]
Greg Cohen developed the North-African influenced horn arrangement in the recording studio and also played an alto horn on the song. A set of Leslie bass pedals were placed on a kitchen table and operated by William Schimmel using his fists. These musicians were augmented by Ralph Carney on tenor saxophone, Marc Ribot on guitar, and Michael Blair on drums.[1] [2]
| Year | Publication | Country | Accolade | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Elvis Costello | United Kingdom | The Best Songs from the 500 Best Albums Ever[3] | ||
| 2004 | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | United States | The Songs That Shaped Rock[4] | ||
| 2005 | Bruce Pollock | United States | The 7,500 Most Important Songs of 1944-2000[5] |
(*) designates unordered lists.
All songs written by Tom Waits.
Adapted from the liner notes.[6]
The song was covered by BulletBoys on their second album, 1991's Freakshow, and a video was made to promote the release. The song was also covered by Rod Stewart on his 1995 album A Spanner in the Works.