The piano has been drinking, not me.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker jokes that they are not the one intoxicated, implying the piano is.
- In plain terms
- I am sober; the piano is the one acting drunk.
- What can you take from it?
- Use humor to deflect accusations of personal fault.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is humor appropriate for deflection?
- What does personifying objects reveal?
Another view
It relies on the audience understanding the metaphor.
More from Tom Waits
And the things you can't remember tell the things you can't forget that history puts a saint in every dream.
Permalink to quote #7 If there's one thing you can say about mankind, there's nothing kind about man.
Permalink to quote #9 I don't have a drinking problem 'cept when I can't get a drink.
Permalink to quote #6
Related quotes
And you realize you're an alcoholic when you repeat yourself. You realize you're an alcoholic when you repeat yourself. You realize you're an alcoholic...oh, d…
Robin WilliamsRobin Williams quote #1 I occasionally play works by contemporary composers and for two reasons. First to discourage the composer from writing any more and secondly to remind myself h…
Jascha HeifetzJascha Heifetz quote #1 Never look at the Trombones, you'll only encourage them.
Richard StraussRichard Strauss quote #1