Tom Waits

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Discussion

macp

Original Poster:

4,297 posts

195 months

Saturday 25th January
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He seems very highly regarded by muso's. When I have gone to see a band often he is played before the band comes on. Anyway I just started listening to him. I tend to be a melody guy. But some of his lyrics are astoundingly beautiful. For instance on Shiver Me Timbers there is the lyric "Where the clouds are like headlines upon a new front-page sky". I just bought the album The Heart of Saturday Night. And so far im enjoying it.

Any other suggestions ?

Skyedriver

20,137 posts

294 months

Saturday 25th January
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Love most of Tom Waits song writing, I'll dig out my favourites.
His writing is like very descriptive poetry, his voice is unique and not to everyone's taste BUT it fits the song perfectly.

howardmarks

60 posts

216 months

Saturday 25th January
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My favourite album " The crack of the pool balls, the neon buzzing, the telephone rings, it's your second cousin " brilliant

howardmarks

60 posts

216 months

Saturday 25th January
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My favourite album " The crack of the pool balls, the neon buzzing, the telephone rings, it's your second cousin " brilliant

howardmarks

60 posts

216 months

Saturday 25th January
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Bugger confused

CallThatMusic

2,819 posts

100 months

Saturday 25th January
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Well he came home from the war with a party in his head
And an idea for a fireworks display…

Swordfishtrombones..my fav

Philplop

365 posts

186 months

Sunday 26th January
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The Heart of Saturday Night and Closing Time are my two go-to albums for trying to get to sleep on a plane. Said as much to a friend recently who asked for relaxing music. I said it was important to choose those two albums though as some of his other stuff is like a nightmare sequence from a Disney/Tim Burton film. Still great, but very different. Haha.

macp

Original Poster:

4,297 posts

195 months

Sunday 26th January
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Got Heart Of Saturday Night on CD just as a cheap intro. But now I want to get it on vinyl.

Mighty Flex

917 posts

183 months

Sunday 26th January
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I do enjoy Tom Waits, but my knowledge beyond the "hits" is superficial at best.

There are two days left on catch up of him co hosting Iggy Pop's Radio 6 show, and it's just fantastic!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001st7l

Nyloc20

709 posts

75 months

Sunday 26th January
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macp said:
Got Heart Of Saturday Night on CD just as a cheap intro. But now I want to get it on vinyl.
He seems to have passed me by, apart from his most popular songs. I’ll have to give this a go.

Skyedriver

20,137 posts

294 months

Sunday 26th January
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Nyloc20 said:
macp said:
Got Heart Of Saturday Night on CD just as a cheap intro. But now I want to get it on vinyl.
He seems to have passed me by, apart from his most popular songs. I’ll have to give this a go.
Heart of Saturday is brilliant and that line is a killer

br d

8,703 posts

238 months

Saturday 1st February
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"He got twenty years for lovin' her from some Oklahoma Governor"

"I've got my own double cross to bear"

"Frank hung his wild years on a nail he drove through his wife's forehead"

"I'm getting harder than Chinese Algebra"

"And caught the cruel and unusual punishment of her smile"



It's endless with Tom, I could post up a thousand great lines, he's a poet and storyteller. I've been listening to him for 40 years and it never gets old.

paulmakin

702 posts

153 months

Saturday 1st February
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More from Frank's Wild Years -

"Watching it burn, all Halloween Orange and chimney red"


TownIdiot

3,059 posts

11 months

Saturday 1st February
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Love a lot of his stuff.

(I hope I don't fall in love with you - just simply superb)

It's a totally different genre but I often have a similar thought about Mark E Smith - the voice fits most of the time but every so often I think "if only he'd sang that in a slightly more usual manner it would be an absolute classic"

sean ie3

2,668 posts

148 months

Saturday 1st February
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I have Grapefruit Moon, a great record, I may listen to it tomorrow know I've remembered. His voice in his early career was a lot softer with a more delicate tone which reminds me of early Willie Nelson who also got a little hoarse later on.

Wheel Turned Out

1,252 posts

50 months

Saturday 1st February
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New Coat of Paint is one of my favourites.

(Was also a chuckle to see him turn up in Mystery Men)