# Need some Tom Waits...Suggestions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 13, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535 "2006-04-13T16:00:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/21 "2006-04-13T20:31:45Z")
Tom Waits is my favorite artist as well, but I’m a bigger fan of his early-to-mid career: the boozy, bluesy, beatnik barfly; the mad, maudlin hipster; the romantic, ranting poet; the haunter of Edward Hopper’s late-night greasy spoons, Charles Bukowski’s dingy, smoky lounges, and Raymond Chandler’s noir street scenes and dimly-lit cityscapes. I could take or leave his first album, the “singer-songwritery” _Closing Time_ (which to me has an unmistakable '70s feel I just can’t get into), but I absolutely love and adore _Nighthawks, Small Change, Blue Valentine, Foreign Affairs_, the \*One From the Heart \* soundtrack, and then the drift into darker, edgier territory for the Frank trilogy: _Rain Dogs, Swordfishtrombones_, and _Frank’s Wild Years_. I actually created a Tom Waits mix CD to introduce friends to my favorite artist. What do you fans think of this collection? It’s in no specific order and isn’t meant to be – just some of my favorite songs that I think capture him in several different modes, doing what he does best. 1. Step Right Up 2. Please Call Me Baby 3. Jockey Full of Bourbon 4. Alice 5. Goin’ Out West 6. Never Talk To Strangers (with Bette Midler) 7. Singapore 8. Everything Goes To Hell 9. Table Top Joe 10. Intro to Eggs and Sausage 11. Eggs and Sausage 12. Shiver Me Timbers 13. Romeo Is Bleeding 14. Frank’s Wild Years 15. I Can’t Wait To Get Off Work 16. Coney Island Baby 17. Spare Parts I (A Nocturnal Emission) 18. Drunk On the Moon ---
**Author:** ![bat312](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c77e96/32.png) [@bat312](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bat312)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/22 "2006-04-13T23:04:08Z")
Ok, so I guess it won’t be The black Rider ‘cause just about every other recording he’s made has gotten a mention or two. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/23 "2006-04-13T23:07:35Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > I actually created a Tom Waits mix CD to introduce friends to my favorite artist. What do you fans think of this collection? It’s in no specific order and isn’t meant to be – just some of my favorite songs that I think capture him in several different modes, doing what he does best. > > 1. Step Right Up > 2. Please Call Me Baby > 3. Jockey Full of Bourbon > 4. Alice > 5. Goin’ Out West > 6. Never Talk To Strangers (with Bette Midler) > 7. Singapore > 8. Everything Goes To Hell > 9. Table Top Joe > 10. Intro to Eggs and Sausage > 11. Eggs and Sausage > 12. Shiver Me Timbers > 13. Romeo Is Bleeding > 14. Frank’s Wild Years > 15. I Can’t Wait To Get Off Work > 16. Coney Island Baby > 17. Spare Parts I (A Nocturnal Emission) > 18. Drunk On the Moon “Hang On St Christopher” should go between 7 & 8. ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/24 "2006-04-13T23:52:18Z")
> [@bat312](#): > > Ok, so I guess it won’t be The black Rider ‘cause just about every other recording he’s made has gotten a mention or two. I do enjoy _The Black Rider_ as well…November, Just the Right Bullets, Lucky Day, Russian Dance, all are great songs. It does get a little dark and screamy though, and might not be the best next progression from _Closing Time_ and _Nighthawks_. ---
**Author:** ![bat312](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c77e96/32.png) [@bat312](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bat312)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/25 "2006-04-14T00:08:34Z")
I stopped by the Virgin Mega Store and they had just about every recording. If they only had a few the decision might be easier. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/26 "2006-04-14T00:08:33Z")
My favorite is _Nighthawks at the Diner_. I think this is supposed to make me a Tom Waits philistine or something. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/27 "2006-04-14T00:38:02Z")
Another vote for Heart of Saturday Night. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/28 "2006-04-14T00:50:51Z")
Big fan here… My favs (in no particular order as I love them all) 1. Rain Dogs 2. Nighthawks at the Diner. (better off w/o a wife is indeed an anthem) 3. Heart of Satrurday Night 4. Closing Time ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/29 "2006-04-14T00:51:48Z")
> [@the raindog](#): > > Big fan here… > > My favs (in no particular order as I love them all) > > 1. Rain Dogs Big surprise there. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/30 "2006-04-14T00:53:25Z")
> [@bat312](#): > > I stopped by the Virgin Mega Store and they had just about every recording. If they only had a few the decision might be easier. Is there an independent store you can go to? They usually fill the niche of providing less popular artists. Also, the last time I went to the Virgin Mega Store, there was not a single virgin in the place. ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/31 "2006-04-14T01:39:52Z")
> [@NailBunny](#): > > I do enjoy _The Black Rider_ as well…November, Just the Right Bullets, Lucky Day, Russian Dance, all are great songs. It does get a little dark and screamy though, and might not be the best next progression from _Closing Time_ and _Nighthawks_. Tell me more about _The Black Rider_; they’re putting it on in LA next month and I have tickets. Is it an album _and_ a play? I must say, the ads for it are … striking. ---
**Author:** ![bat312](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c77e96/32.png) [@bat312](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bat312)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/32 "2006-04-14T01:45:03Z")
I cheated a bit and ended up with Beautiful Maladies. But, as Nail said I might have to by them all. Thank you all for the advice. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/33 "2006-04-14T05:18:11Z")
_Blood Money_ has some of the most chilling and beautiful moments I know of in music. I’d also cast another vote for _Real Gone_. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/34 "2006-04-14T06:51:48Z")
> [@Campion](#): > > Tell me more about _The Black Rider_; they’re putting it on in LA next month and I have tickets. Is it an album _and_ a play? > > I must say, the ads for it are … striking. It is a musical play written by William Buroughs, with music and lyrics by Tom Waits directed by Avaunt Gaurd (sp?) theater icon Robert Wilson. I can almost guarantee that you won’t like it so I will offer to take the tickets off your hands for no charge 😃 . What, tickets to the Ahmanson are expensive! ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/35 "2006-04-14T07:27:55Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > …I actually created a Tom Waits mix CD to introduce friends to my favorite artist. > > 1. Step Right Up > 2. Please Call Me Baby > 3. Jockey Full of Bourbon > 4. Alice > 5. Goin’ Out West > 6. Never Talk To Strangers (with Bette Midler) > 7. Singapore > 8. Everything Goes To Hell > 9. Table Top Joe > 10. Intro to Eggs and Sausage > 11. Eggs and Sausage > 12. Shiver Me Timbers > 13. Romeo Is Bleeding > 14. Frank’s Wild Years > 15. I Can’t Wait To Get Off Work > 16. Coney Island Baby > 17. Spare Parts I (A Nocturnal Emission) > 18. Drunk On the Moon Amazing how different (~20% match) our selections were for an identical project[ol][li]Ol’ 55[/li][li](Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night[/li][li]Emotional Weather Report (With Intro)[/li][li]Eggs And Sausage (With Intro)[/li][li]Warm Beer And Cold Women (With Intro)[/li][li]The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)[/li][li]Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets To The Wind In Copenhagen)[/li][li]Heartattack And Vine[/li][li]Underground[/li][li]Frank’s Wild Years[/li][li]Sixteen Shells From A Thirty-Ought Six[/li][li]Singapore[/li][li]Downtown Train[/li][li]Goin’ Out West[/li][li]Earth Died Screaming[/li][li]Filipino Box Spring Hog[/li][li]Big In Japan[/li][li]Misery Is the River Of The World[/li]Shake It[/ol] ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/36 "2006-04-14T12:10:22Z")
With Closing Time and Nighthawks at the Diner you have a nice sampling of the early Waits. There is a sort of a middle period of experimental stuff best characterized by Raindogs, Swordfishtrombones and Frank’s Wild Years. I tend to think of Black Rider as the start of the “Devil’s jug band” period which continues to this day even as it gets mellower, as in Mule Variations. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/37 "2006-04-14T12:22:10Z")
**Small Change** , if only for the haunting ballad _Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)_. Or any compilation featuring this song. I recommend the hard to find **Bounced Checks** , which has a bizarre live version of “The Piano Has Been Drinking”. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/38 "2006-04-14T12:24:59Z")
I think my personal favorite is Heart Attack and Vine. I saw Tom do his test show for his tour. His band had quit, and so he came up to Davis with his bride (who was from sacramento) to play on campus to about 1000 people with just a stand up base player. he had asked the college radio station KDVS for some “wierd music” and during a break he sat smoking and playing records. “I’m gonna wash that man right out of my hair” from the musical Oklahoma (?) was his favorite. It was a great show, and he did a big tour after that with just his stand up base player. ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/39 "2006-04-14T14:30:00Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > It is a musical play written by William Buroughs, with music and lyrics by Tom Waits directed by Avaunt Gaurd (sp?) theater icon Robert Wilson. I can almost guarantee that you won’t like it so I will offer to take the tickets off your hands for no charge 😃 . > > What, tickets to the Ahmanson are expensive! Well, aren’t you just the sweetest thing! We have season tickets, and buy them before the Ahmanson announces its season. The season so far has been quite good, and I suppose that _The Black Rider_ is a nice contrast to _The Drowsy Chaperone_ and _The Importance of Being Earnest_. So I think I’ll take my chances on it. 😉 But thanks again for your kind offer. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535/40 "2006-04-18T18:58:41Z")
Does anyone know if there is a live version of Blue Valentines on one of his albums? I prefer it to the studio version, but I think it might be bootlegged. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-tom-waits-suggestions/352535.md?page=3)