Meaning of 'Tom's Diner'

by Suzanne Vega

Interpretation

"Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega is about a woman sitting alone in a diner and sharing her observations and thoughts. She describes how she waits for the waiter and observes how he only pours her coffee half full. However, she leaves it uncommented. While she reads the newspaper, she notices someone watching her, but when she looks up, she only sees her own reflection in the window.

The woman also observes a couple greeting and kissing in the diner. She tries not to look and distracts herself by pouring her milk and reading the newspaper. She reads about the death of an actor she has never heard of, and then looks at her horoscope and the funny comics.

The woman notices again that someone is watching her and looks up. It is a woman from outside looking into the diner. The woman in the diner wonders if the other woman sees her, but she realizes that the woman only sees her own reflection. She notices how the woman outside lifts her skirt and adjusts her stockings. Meanwhile, her hair gets wet because it is raining.

The song lyrics also mention the rainy atmosphere and the cathedral bells that the woman hears. As she leaves the diner, she thinks about a past time and the voice of a particular person. She remembers a midnight picnic they had together before the rain started.

The text ends with the woman finishing her coffee and having to catch the train. The meaning of the song lies in showing the everyday thoughts and observations of a person sitting alone in a diner and reflecting on her surroundings and memories. It conveys a sense of loneliness, melancholy, and the fleeting nature of everyday life."