Hang On St. Christopher

"Hang On St. Christopher"
Single by Tom Waits
from the album Franks Wild Years
B-side	"Hang On St. Christopher (Instrumental)"
Released	1987 (1987)
Recorded	Sunset Sound Factory, Los Angeles Los Angeles, Universal Recording Corp., Chicago
Genre	Experimental rock
Length	2:46
Label	Island
Songwriter(s)	Tom Waits
Producer(s)	Tom Waits
Tom Waits singles chronology
"Downtown Train" (1985) "Hang On St. Christopher" (1987) "16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought-Six" (1988)

"Hang On St. Christopher" is a song by Tom Waits appearing on his 1987 album Franks Wild Years. It was released as a single in 1987 by Island Records. The song centers around Frank O'Brien, a character who Waits concocted during the making of Swordfishtrombones in 1983. A series of road oriented imagery is evoked in the lyrics, which are sung from the perspective of O'Brien, a downtrodden individual who leaves behind his family and hometown in hopes of attaining a more prosperous future. During his journey, the protagonist carries a medallion dedicated to Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travel.^[1]

Greg Cohen developed the North-African influenced horn arrangement in the recording studio and also played an alto horn on the song. A set of Leslie bass pedals were placed on a kitchen table and operated by William Schimmel using his fists. These musicians were augmented by Ralph Carney on tenor saxophone, Marc Ribot on guitar, and Michael Blair on drums.^[1][2]