ode to “Tom's Diner”

mintyy 🍵 · Ode to Tom’s Diner - Papoter et Bavarder

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min

Dear Suzanne Vega, 

Thank you for “Tom's Diner”. The piece really follows what seems like a normal morning in such a poetically picturesque way. 

We follow the narrator (Suzanne? A femme? Unknown?) who has entered a coffee shop to begin their morning. The pace is set where each catchy break is preceded by a line that leaves the listener curious as to what will happen next. The song follows a steady melody up until the end where the rhythm is disrupted by church bells and the line, “I am thinking of your voice.” It makes the whole story appear like a daydream or an apparition. (Shout out to VEGA for adding a beat!) The consistent pattern of lines and breaks is akin to a hum, and the bells bring this person back to the diner where they are thinking about the voice of someone whom I'd imagine is special to the narrator. By the end, we listeners are left wondering if everything before was just a dream or truly reality. 

Here, I am thinking, how many times have I asked myself this very question throughout the day...?

In each of these reveries, the narrator is following the happenings of the world around them, and everyone is perfectly imperfect such that it is quite plausible a server would pour half a cup of coffee, especially if he is preoccupied by seeing someone he knows (apparently pretty well judging by the kiss) coming towards him. And just as anyone, else the narrator grows a bit annoyed at being robbed of their warm beverage. Oh, well, the day draws on anyhow.

In another scene, there is a woman who is adjusting herself on the other side of the window next to the narrator and as they watch, thinking that the woman is looking at them, they realize that the woman is in fact focused on her reflection as she gathers herself. This scene particularly captures the natural embarrassment that we all have felt at least once, almost like the feeling of waving back at someone who was actually waving at someone else emerging from behind.

While the only sound effects used in this song are the church bells chiming, our musing narrator reminds us it's raining outside, which is generally seen as something somber. However, rather than slowing the mood, or silencing the day, the tempo is upbeat and peppy against this rainy imagery. I can't quite put my finger on the mood it sets, but it certainly feels like a contradictory one. Speaking of the beat, I am so glad that this song was put to music. When I first heard the a cappella version, I figured there just had to be a version fit to music, so I sought it out. And I am so glad I did.

The best part about this song is that anyone can insert themselves into this moment, as there are no clues given about the narrator's identity. Anyone can step outside of their lives and into this place where their coffee is half full as they peruse through the "funnies" in the newspaper, or even on their phone in this day and age, while watching folks as they pass by. 

Still, at the end of the song, looking back, I cannot shake the line, “I am thinking of your voice.” What a final statement, because you know what Suzanne? So am I.

All in all, it's a whole mood!

Battle Proud Family GIF from Battle GIFs

stay fresh,
minty xx