Here Comes Your Man by Pixies

Album: Doolittle (1989)

Charted: 54

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This has been rumored to be about a drug deal, but in an interview with New Musical Express, Frank Black said the song was about hobos traveling by train and dying in a big earthquake in California. He started writing it when he was about 15 and was inspired by small earthquakes experienced growing up in California.
With much more pop appeal than most Pixes efforts, this became their most popular song, getting lots of airplay on college radio stations. The Pixies never seemed too concerned about popularity, however, and didn't bother promoting the song as a hit single.
The Pixies included this song on their first demo when they set out to get a record deal. Once they were signed, Frank Black had no intention of recording the song, and didn't until their third album, Doolittle. "People have been telling us to record it ever since so we finally did," he said.
In our 2015 interview with Frank Black, he called this song "Hobo film noir."
This became a concert favorite for the Pixies after they reunited in 2004 (they broke up in 1993), but when it first came out, Frank Black had no intention of playing it. "The poppiest song on Doolittle, which we couldn't even play live if we tried, is 'Here Comes Your Man,'" he told The Catalogue in 1989. "We would never play that song live; we're too far removed from it. It's too wimpy-poppy."
Joey Santiago played a 12-string Rickenbacker to get the jangly guitar sound on this track.

Comments: 16

Moka from MxTo Anastasia: Maybe no palm trees in Poland but there’s definitely Palm Trees in Nagasaki where the b-29 code-named Bockscar dropped the bomb code-named “fat man”.

Francis Black can be a troll and deny it and change versions about what his songs means all he wants but this song is clearly about nuclear bombings.
Ryan from AustraliaDoes no one else think this sounds like the song 'polyester girl' by the band regurgitator, especially the guitar and bass.?
Brenden from Greenwood, Inseems kinda like an homage to "i'm waiting for the man" by velvet underground
Monica from Denver, CoNot so sure about the bombing, but I think it is about a deal "waiting for your man" and the "nervous walking" and "take me away"
John from Brisbane, AustraliaFrancis wrote this when he was 15 - researching for a paper on Steinbeck. He got a C- for his American lit paper, but a great song out of it.
A drug deal? Nah, but if your on drugs you might think its about the fall of Poland. Or was it an episode of Hogan's Heroes? "Here comes yor man [Sgt Shultz] . . ."
Chuck from Joppa, Md, MdFrom Wiki: "Many insist however, that the "boxcar" reference is actually a psuedonym for "Bocks car", the name of the plane that dropped the atomic bomb (Nick-named FAT MAN) on Nagasaki and that the "hobo and earthquake" explaination in the interview was strickly tongue and cheek, and a dog whistle to those who had been previously made aware of the real meaning behind the song, namely a metophoric account of the bombing of Nagasaki."
Bertrand from Paris, FranceThough far less dissonant and, perhaps, challenging than the alternative rock legends' typical output, this track from the Pixies' 1989 masterpiece, [b]Doolittle[b], brims with quirky delight from start to finish. On display are the many talents of Black Francis for all to see: his cryptic lyrical musings, a truly impressive pop songwriting sense, and a signature wail. Of course, none of that really matters without the minimal but absolutely essential vocal contributions of Kim Deal and the wonderfully jagged lead guitar of Joey Santiago. Pixies fans may cringe to hear this, but this should have been a Top 10 single.
Echo from Normalville, MaI know for a fact that this is about hobos in the california earthquakes. "the dirty beard hanging,", the boxcars, the "family stew", "out by the fire burning", "big shake in the boxcar leaving," "Big shake to the land that's falling down.." I could go on forever. But I know for a fact that's what it's about. And anyways, why does that matter? It's a great song. And if you spend 3 and a half minutes trying to figure out what it's about, the song'll be over.
Alwari from Porvoo, FinlandCovered by Scottish band Teenage Fanclub and Spanish band Sexy Sadie.
Nicky from Boston, MaI don't see anyway that this could be about WW2 or hitler, except for one little part in the second verse, but I can definentley see the hobo thing
Anastasia from Anaheim, CaYeah. i could totally see how it would be construed about WW2, but, there's no palm trees in Poland...just in Cali, where there's trains, hobos, and earthquakes. i think the hobos die and the "man" is god or something. frank references that he wore a crown, which broke when he died, since he died. just like McLean's American Pie.
Kerry from Glasgow, ScotlandThis song reminds me of being at T in the park,right up the front,being crushed but loving it!Great song.
Tony from New York, NyListen to the song again. It's about Hitler invading Europe...particularly Poland in the spring of 38.
Iryna from San Fransisco, Cait's sounds likea drug deal yeah
Jayfoo from Radio City, CanadaAlso used in several movie soundtracks including "Stuck on you".
Wayne from Hudson, Fli think it's about the apocalypse. might be wrong, but meh.

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