Foreign Affair will be the first of many Songs of the Day by Tom Waits. He is one of my favourite songwriters and singers. 
Most song lyrics do not add up to much when read separately, gaps in logic, poor English (masquerading as poetic license) and plenty of just plain gibberish. I am not saying that that is problem. It's not - when tied to music correctly all can be forgiven. However there are a small collection of writers where you get the feeling that, when they are on song so to speak, every word is carefully chosen and they use a full range of poetic tricks, alliteration, metaphors, simile and consistent imagery to make their point. Tom Waits is one of those writers and Foreign Affair is one of the best examples of that. The mood is set, some nice imagery mid song around police and crime and the story in complete.
It is worth reading and listening to how simple he can make superb songwriting seem.
"Foreign Affair"
when travelling abroad in the continental style
it's my belief one must attempt to be discreet
and subsequently bear in mind your transient position
allows you a perspective that's unique
though you'll find your itinerary's a blessing and a curse
your wanderlust won't let you settle down
and you'll wonder how you ever fathomed that you'd be content
to stay within the city limits of a small midwestern town
most vagabonds i know don't ever want to find the culprit
that remains the object of their long relentless quest
the obsession's in the chasing and not the apprehending
the pursuit you see and never the arrest
without fear of contradiction bon voyage is always hollered
in conjunction with a handkerchief from shore
by a girl that drives a rambler and furthermore
is overly concerned that she won't see him anymore
planes and trains and boats and buses
characteristically evoke a common attitude of blue
unless you have a suitcase and a ticket and a passport
and the cargo that they're carrying is you
a foreign affair juxtaposed with a stateside
and domestically approved romantic fancy
is mysteriously attractive due to circumstances knowing
it will only be parlayed into a memory
it's my belief one must attempt to be discreet
and subsequently bear in mind your transient position
allows you a perspective that's unique
though you'll find your itinerary's a blessing and a curse
your wanderlust won't let you settle down
and you'll wonder how you ever fathomed that you'd be content
to stay within the city limits of a small midwestern town
most vagabonds i know don't ever want to find the culprit
that remains the object of their long relentless quest
the obsession's in the chasing and not the apprehending
the pursuit you see and never the arrest
without fear of contradiction bon voyage is always hollered
in conjunction with a handkerchief from shore
by a girl that drives a rambler and furthermore
is overly concerned that she won't see him anymore
planes and trains and boats and buses
characteristically evoke a common attitude of blue
unless you have a suitcase and a ticket and a passport
and the cargo that they're carrying is you
a foreign affair juxtaposed with a stateside
and domestically approved romantic fancy
is mysteriously attractive due to circumstances knowing
it will only be parlayed into a memory
As I said there will be a few more Songs of the Day by Poor Old Tom.
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