VIDEO'S OF THE WEEK - TOM WAITS Special

[Niels (Mod)]

VOTW - TOM WAITS Special

Even though the "first" VOTW was a special about Dylan, Waits and Zappa, all of those artists are far too important, not having their own special VOTW, especially when I'm in charge. And since Waits was the first of these 3, I became a fan of, let's start with him:

TOM WAITS - THE PIANO HAS BEEN DRINKING

Throughout the song, Waits imitates a drunkard, spouting nonsense phrases with the piano tune occasionally stumbling over itself, recalling a "somewhat abused, slightly-out-of-tune piano that one would expect to find in the corner of a bar or left out in the rain." Waits repeatedly comments and complains about numerous inanimate objects with such lyrics as "The carpet needs a haircut." The song has been described as "[inhabiting] that late-night hades, the club where you can't find a waitress, "even with a Geiger counter"; where "the spotlight looks like a prison break" and the owner has "the IQ of a fence post." The song's full title includes a reference to Pete King, co-founder and club director of Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, at which Waits performed from May 31 to June 12, 1976.

TOM WAITS - 16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought Six

From the album "Swordfishtrombone", the first of the "weird" Waits-albums from the 80's. I saw this performance in 1987 on the TV, and thought it was awesome. I thought about buying some music with Waits for many years, but it wasn't until 1999, that I bought an album, and the next couple of years, a LOT of Waits-albums (books and video's).

TOM WAITS - GOING OUT WEST

Bone Machine from 1992 is one of my favorite Waits-albums. It's kind of the "heaviest" album he ever made, but as usual when it's Waits, there are a lot of different styles on the album. Keith Richards plays guitar on a couple of tracks. Waits said, that he went out partying with Richards, but couldn't keep up.

TOM WAITS - POOR EDWARD

I know, this is not a video at all, but if you listen to the lyrics, and look at the picture, you make up your own video in your head. The song is about a "real" story: Edward Mordake (sometimes spelled Edward Mordrake) was reportedly an heir to an English peerage who had an extra face on the back of his head. The duplicate face could neither eat nor speak out loud but was seen to "smile and sneer while Mordake was weeping." Mordake reportedly begged doctors to have his "Demon face" removed, claiming that it whispered to him at night, but no doctor would attempt it. He committed suicide when he was 23 years old.

TOM WAITS - BAD AS ME

From the latest Waits-album, of the same name, released in 2011. Imo, he still got it, but it's been a while, since he released a really great album (that was probably "Alice" in 2002). I hope he will release a new album later this year or next year, and I definitely hope to see him live, but he rarely plays live anymore, and if he did do a live-concert in Denmark, I know it would be almost impossible to get a ticket for the show, but damn, I would try my very best.

[Scott]

THE PIANO HAS BEEN DRINKING ...  I will chalk this up to satire for the sake of a TV performance.  Or maybe I should ask, is this an actual recorded tune?  Hindsight being 20/20 the jokes in the lyrics really aren't that funny, and the tune (which comprises less than 3 minute of the entire video), isn't very good either. 

16 SHELLS...  Sorry Niels, I don't get this.  What am I missing?

GOING OUT WEST ... Maybe I'm too simple in my thinking and maybe I just don't get the artistry or intent of what's represented in this song and video.  But this totally goes over my head I have no idea what this is about or what story the video was trying to tell and I admit I may have missed something in the lyrics that would have helped but his singing doesn't really lend itself to understanding all the lyrics.

POOR EDWARD ... Weird.  I get the story and its weird, even weirder sine its supposed to be true.  But musically its very monotone, and depressing. 

BAD AS ME ..  whoa!

Waits clearly isn't for me, but as I've stated before, there is some genius in his songwriting as those who cover his tunes do so very nicely.  But this is as far outside of what I enjoy musically, vocally, and artistically. 

[Niels (Mod)]

TPHBD is an actual recorded tune, from 1976's "Small Change".

One of the things, I like about Waits (and Zappa), is the humor. You never really know, when they are being serious.

16 Shells - Well, you just don't like his style, as I do. I like the percussion, and I like his voice (I DO!!), that he's very original (or was Captain Beefheart first at this?) and very entertaining....at least for some. He's also a great songwriter (together with his wife), and I don't get that, regarding other people being better, recording his songs. A lot of people also says that about Dylan, but I always prefer "The originals".

And what's wrong with "depressing" music at times? Does it have to be happy AOR all the time?

I got a friend, who didn't "get" Waits for many years, and had the same "attitude" as you, but he's a fan now. It's called progress

[RJhog (Admin)]

The problem is Waits' voice.  That's why both Scott and I prefer covered versions of his songs.  We are agreeing that his songwriting can be quite good.  But his singing is terrible.  We just prefer good singers. The same can be said about Dylan.  He's not a very good singer, although he is much better than Waits.  

As far as depressing songs go, I love them.  I'd much rather hear a depressing, sad song than a happy one. I know that you would not like it Niels, mostly because it's American and you would consider it American Country Music, but you should dial up the album Southeastern by Jason Isbell on Spotify.  He writes all of his material, music and lyrics, and he tells great stories.  Even if you won't listen to the full album, which is a masterpiece, you should at the very least listen to the songs Elephant and Live Oak. Like I said, you won't like it because it's too American country, but I love it, at least as much as you love Waits, if not more.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Oh, and as far as Isbell being country, his album from this year debuted at number one on the American country charts, but American country radio stations won't play his music.  It's too radical lyrically.  

[Niels (Mod)]

I also appreciate the musical education on this site, so I will check out the songs from the Jason Isbell-album, you mention.

I don't dislike all american country music. I'm sure, there are great songs to be found.

As a kid, I loved "Rhinestone Cowboy".

[RJhog (Admin)]

The Piano - "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"...now that's funny.  The song was entertaining for sure, but his voice is more annoying than Kate Bush's.  But the talking bit afterwards was worth the price of admission.

Sixteen Shells - I'll admit, this guy is a good songwriter.  This is a very cool song.  The music accompaniment, especially the guitar, is very good.  But my goodness, how can anyone stand to listen to two songs in a row from Waits?  He has possible the worst voice ever.

Going Out West - I just said he was a good songwriter.  This is not one of those songs.  This is trash to my ears.

Poor Edward - Now, if anybody loves a good story song, it would be me.  And this is a very decent story.  If Waits was even a half-way decent vocalist, I might like this.  But he's not, and I don't.  I would like to hear it through the voice of someone like Jason Isbell.  Now he's a storyteller that can sing.  Sorry Niels.  Oh, I do like it musically again.  Whatever that instrument is at the end of the song, it's terrific.

Bad As Me - I find this very difficult to listen to, strictly based on Waits' voice.

Overall - Just doesn't work for me.  Believe it or not, I do own one Waits album, Blue Valentine.  I've listened to it once, and although I bought it for one song I heard (Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis), I don't think I cared for it as a whole.  Either way, his voice is just too annoying for me to get any enjoyment from the music and lyrics.  As usual, I appreciate the continued musical education that I get here at CRB.

[Niels (Mod)]

I love "Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis".

You probably won't, but you should check out the "best of"-album, Waits released 14 years ago, only concentrating on his "before going totally weird"-periode. It's very, very good: