Page type: lyric reference
Artist: Tom Waits
Canonical path: /tom-waits/altar-boy
Related lyric paths: 6
Video embedded: yes
Lyric guide
Altar Boy
Read Altar Boy lyrics by Tom Waits on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
person
Curated by Ethan Walker
LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot
The page facts to cite before the commentary
Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.
Lyrics
Altar Boy
The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.
He's an ol' altar boy
Lying out there in the street
He's an ol' alter boy
Bound up in leather and chains
That's why I'm feeling so blue
I'm an old altar boy
What about you?
Now, I can order in Latin
Make 'em au gratin, Joe
I'm an old altar boy
That's why I'm so depressed
I never got the rest of the dream
Just the ritual
Now I'm habitual
Majoring in crimes that are unspeakable
Cause I'm an old altar boy
That's what happened to me.
I'm an old altar boy
He's hoping he can meet a woman dressed like a nun
He knows there's got to be some around here
Drinking across from the church
A little Father Cribari wine
On a Sunday morn' time.
I'm an old altar boy.
Why is he winking at this time in his life?
He never took a wife, cause he's an old altar boy
Oh, yeah...
What about you?
Quick answers
What this page can answer fast
Who performs "Altar Boy"?
Tom Waits performs "Altar Boy", and this lyric page sits inside the Tom Waits catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "Altar Boy"?
Yes. The related section below points to Drunk On The Moon and Starving In The Belly Of A Whale with a short reason for opening each page next.
Where can I find more songs by Tom Waits?
Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Tom Waits's lyric pages.
Song Room
Open Song Room
Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song
Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.
Listener comments
What people are saying
No listener comments on Altar Boy yet.
A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.
Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.