--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a fireman. I lived in the fire…" description: "\"I was a fireman. I lived in the fire sta­tion for about a year. The pay wasn't so good. It was kind of like being in the army, or what I imagine that w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/tom-waits-916_army_i-was-a-fireman-i-lived-in-the-fire-sta_2792882.jpg" --- # I was a fireman. I lived in the fire sta­tion for about a… ![“I was a fireman. I lived in the fire sta­tion for about a year. The pay wasn't so good. It was kind of like being in the army, or what I imagine that would be like.” quote by Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/tom-waits-916_army_i-was-a-fireman-i-lived-in-the-fire-sta_2792882.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/tom-waits-916_army_i-was-a-fireman-i-lived-in-the-fire-sta_2792882.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/tom-waits-916_army_i-was-a-fireman-i-lived-in-the-fire-sta_2792882.jpg) > “I was a fireman. I lived in the fire sta­tion for about a year. The pay wasn't so good. It was kind of like being in the army, or what I imagine that would be like.” [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Firefighting resembles military life, with low pay and harsh conditions. **In simple terms:** Firefighting is tough, like the army. Key Takeaway Respect the sacrifices of first responders. Themes service hardship military analogy Mood somber respectful Type narrative advocacy When to use this quote - emergency response - public policy - career counseling Key Concepts sociology occupational health Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you despite hardships? - How can society better support firefighters? A Different Perspective Low pay can deter needed personnel. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Fireman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fireman/) [Fireman Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fireman-lived-3393624/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Imagine that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-that/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Like Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-army-943210/) [Tion Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tion-year-3393626/) [Year Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year-pay-3393625/) ## Related quotes > [It wasn't good for my nerves, that kind of work - a fireman. I've got high blood pressure. I get upset easily. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/it-wasn-t-good-for-my-nerves-that-kind-of-work-a-fireman-i-ve-got/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I didn't like Army life. I didn't like taking orders. I didn't like discipline. I didn't like being yelled at. You'd get 10 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-didn-t-like-army-life-i-didn-t-like-taking-orders-i-didn-t-like/) [Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/) > [Being in prison for seven years was like being in an army that never drilled, never deployed, and only fought itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raegan-butcher/being-in-prison-for-seven-years-was-like-being-in-an-army-that-never/) [Raegan Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raegan-butcher/) > [At the end of the day, though, the band members have to be strong. It's down to the individuals in the unit. Listen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-manson/at-the-end-of-the-day-though-the-band-members-have-to-be-strong-it-s/) [Shirley Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-manson/) > [Business, especially big business, is now organized like an army. It is, as some would say, a sort of mild militarism without bloodshed; as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/business-especially-big-business-is-now-organized-like-an-army-it-is/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [My heart was beating like an army on the march.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/my-heart-was-beating-like-an-army-on-the-march/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [It was almost like I was in the army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-olsen/it-was-almost-like-i-was-in-the-army/) [Ashley Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-olsen/) > [Working for the screen is almost like being in the Army: you set your mind to it, and you do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-matthau/working-for-the-screen-is-almost-like-being-in-the-army-you-set-your/) [Walter Matthau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-matthau/) > [Baseball is a lot like the Army, there aren't many individuals. About the only difference is that baseball players get to stay in nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/baseball-is-a-lot-like-the-army-there-aren-t-many-individuals-about/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [He'll sit there are he'll say "Do this! Do that!" and nothing will happen. Poor Ike - it won't be a bit like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/he-ll-sit-there-are-he-ll-say-do-this-do-that-and-nothing-will-happen/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Marriage is a lot like the army, everyone complains, but you'd be surprise at the large number that re-enlist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/marriage-is-a-lot-like-the-army-everyone-complains-but-you-d-be/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [It does if you put yourself out there being a pirate. It's like if you have an army and your army sit around and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stevenson/it-does-if-you-put-yourself-out-there-being-a-pirate-it-s-like-if-you/) [Ray Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stevenson/) > [It was almost like I was in the army: school, work, homework, fly to New York, get in at 2 in the morning, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-olsen/it-was-almost-like-i-was-in-the-army-school-work-homework-fly-to-new/) [Ashley Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-olsen/) > [Marriage is like the army. Everybody complains, but you'd be surprised at how many re-enlist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-trachman/marriage-is-like-the-army-everybody-complains-but-you-d-be-surprised/) [Jay Trachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-trachman/) > [When we drink coffee, ideas march in like the army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/when-we-drink-coffee-ideas-march-in-like-the-army/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) ## More by Tom Waits > [Most of us have the residue of thousands of songs in our ears, that if you end up songwriting, I think you're mostly smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/most-of-us-have-the-residue-of-thousands-of-songs-in-our-ears-that-if/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Bill Hicks - blowtorch, excavator, truthsayer, and brain specialist. He will correct your vision. Others will drive on the road he built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/bill-hicks-blowtorch-excavator-truthsayer-and-brain-specialist-he/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Don't plant your days they turn into weeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/don-t-plant-your-days-they-turn-into-weeds/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“T’ain’t no sin to take off your skin, and dance around in your bones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/t-ain-t-no-sin-to-take-off-your-skin-and-dance-around-in-your-bones/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“an all time favorite: "The large print giveth, the small print taketh away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/an-all-time-favorite-the-large-print-giveth-the-small-print-taketh/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'll tell you all my secrets but I lie about my past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-ll-tell-you-all-my-secrets-but-i-lie-about-my-past/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [For a songwriter, you don't really go to songwriting school; you learn by listening to tunes. And you try to understand them and take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/for-a-songwriter-you-don-t-really-go-to-songwriting-school-you-learn/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'm trying to learn how to write faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-m-trying-to-learn-how-to-write-faster/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [The world is a hellish place, and bad writing is destroying the quality of our suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-world-is-a-hellish-place-and-bad-writing-is-destroying-the/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'm always looking for sounds that are pleasing at the time. The sound of a helicopter is really annoying until you're drowning, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-m-always-looking-for-sounds-that-are-pleasing-at-the-time-the-sound/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I was born in the back seat of a Yellow Cab in a hospital loading zone and with the meter still running. I emerged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-was-born-in-the-back-seat-of-a-yellow-cab-in-a-hospital-loading/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [There's not much difference between what I appear to be on stage and what I am. I think people like that, that I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/there-s-not-much-difference-between-what-i-appear-to-be-on-stage-and/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Most of the things you absorb you will ultimately secrete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/most-of-the-things-you-absorb-you-will-ultimately-secrete/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [The devil knows the Bible like the back of his hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back-of-his-hand/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I bark my voice out through a closed throat, pretty much. It's more, perhaps, like a dog in some ways. It does have its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-bark-my-voice-out-through-a-closed-throat-pretty-much-it-s-more/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) [Explore all 328 Tom Waits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [I just read an article about how young American males feel uncomfortable appearing naked in front of each other in locker rooms. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-just-read-an-article-about-how-young-american-males-feel/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The most important lesson that came out of Vietnam for me was that Marines take care of Marines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-most-important-lesson-that-came-out-of-vietnam-for-me-was-that/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I have real strong feelings about our troops and support them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fichtner/i-have-real-strong-feelings-about-our-troops-and-support-them/) [William Fichtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fichtner/) > [Personally, I don't really have a set style or look. It's pretty much what I feel like wearing that day, from a floral-print dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/personally-i-don-t-really-have-a-set-style-or-look-it-s-pretty-much/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) [Browse all 3,919 Army quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was a fireman. I lived in the fire sta­tion for about a year. The pay wasn't so good. 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