# Tom Waits: Ironic social commentary?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-waits-ironic-social-commentary/780194>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 19, 2017, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-waits-ironic-social-commentary/780194 "2017-02-19T00:39:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-waits-ironic-social-commentary/780194/21 "2017-02-21T04:47:55Z")

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For I am a rain dog too!

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**Author:** ![Egnu\_Cledge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@Egnu\_Cledge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Egnu_Cledge)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-waits-ironic-social-commentary/780194/22 "2017-02-21T06:54:56Z")

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Bone Machine is probably my favorite overall, but it does have a very dry, feral feel to it. Still has some excellent ballads, with Who Are You, A Little Rain, and Whistle Down the Wind.

I’ll also put in a good word for Orphans, even if you do get into some odd, not-really-a-song stuff by disc three.

I don’t think anyone who could write Time or Fish & Bird–two songs that can almost instantly make me tear up–could be insincere or laughing at us.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-waits-ironic-social-commentary/780194/23 "2017-02-21T13:14:12Z")

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> [@White SIFL](#):
>
> If you have half an hour to kill, here he is on Fishing With John:  
> [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s33S89J-\_ng](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s33S89J-_ng)

You’ll need more than a half hour, because you’ll want to see all of the episodes. Especially Willem Defoe ice fishing.

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**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-waits-ironic-social-commentary/780194/24 "2017-02-21T15:32:23Z")

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Rain Dogs and Swordfishtrombones would both be in my top 100 albums.

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