View Full Version : Tom Waits?
Iceblink
30 Nov 2006, 12:45 AM
He was on the Daily Show last night (Tuesday)...
I've heard him before... Jon Stewart raved about him.
What in the world is the appeal?
He's always sounded pretty horrifying to me... I listened to see if there were any redeeming qualities... but there either aren't any, or I didn't listen hard enough.
What's the deal?
chad
30 Nov 2006, 09:44 AM
Probably a third option: he just doesn't appeal to you.
I love his stuff.
he's not for everyone, people who like his music have to have a brain and be used to using it.
:)
Sorry just kidding. Give it time, it's his songwriting and arrangements that are genius. This is no pop music that you instantly like or dislike and then forget in a week. it's as much art as music.
NORML
30 Nov 2006, 10:19 AM
I couldn't stand to listen to the entire song he did on TDS but I'm not much of a fan of his recent stuff. To me it seems he's relying way too much on his lyrics and less on arranging a nice tune.
Matt in the Hat
30 Nov 2006, 10:34 AM
"The Piano Has Been Drinking" is one of the greatest songs of all time
Waits is a genius. He's a white Louie Armstrong drowning in a bottle of bourbon.
taosjohn
30 Nov 2006, 10:49 AM
You are not nuts; I absolutely cannot stand Tom Waits-- its almost embarassing how much I don't like his work.
Except that "Rain Dogs" is a great great album, one of the 100 best ever made... so I guess we may both be nuts. Or I am. Or you are. Or Tom is...
Is there any way out over here? I seem to be a bit lost...
MeridianFC
30 Nov 2006, 12:02 PM
Tom ain't everyone's cup of tea.
Keep in mind that there are sort of three eras of Waits which are all progressing to where he is now. Some people only break it up into two eras (Asylum v. Island and after) but not this boy.
The first era, "Closing Time" (1973) - "Heart Attack & Vine" (1980) is the sort of trubadour/folk/jazz/beat thing. There's lots of humor and it's a lot more tunefull. He obviously was pulling in a lot of classic (jazz/big band/popular song) influences under his banner.
The second era begins the more experimental/theatrical sound, possibly influenced by his marriage to Kathleen Brennan. This period is basically "Swordfishtrombone" (1983) - "Franks Wild Years" (1987). The three proper studio albums are related in a sort of concept album thing. There's bit of the more "musical" past but it hints at the more experiemental (difficult?) direction he was moving.
The third era begins with "Bone Machine" (1992) and continues to the present. He certainly seems to focus more on lyrics and sounds and less on tune and song structure.
I'm a huge fan of everything up until "Bone Machine". From that point on less so for me. The early stuff is stunning and "Closing Time", "the Heart of Saturday Night", "Foreign Affairs", "Raindogs" and "Swordfishtrombones" are classics. The rest of that period are either very good to great. The song I from the Daily Show actually has me intriqued to go back and give some of the recent albums a better ear.
NER_MCFC
30 Nov 2006, 12:03 PM
To me it seems he's relying way too much on his lyrics and less on arranging a nice tune.
He's always tended to boomerang between between a gorgeous melody and hardly any at all. "Diamonds on My Windshield" and "Step Right Up" are two of my favorites on the 'talky' end of his range.
I've been a huge fan for a couple decades now (I been begging for his new collection "Orphans" for Christmas), but I happily acknowledge that he's not for everyone. You really have to like ragged off-center music about ragged off-center people.
Here, he's doing "Mr. Siegel" from Heart Attack & Vine. Not any kind of argument in his favor, just one I really like.
lWADPJN_-X8
MeridianFC
30 Nov 2006, 12:14 PM
I forgot to mention another issue that effect the Waits "eras". He noted in an interview in the 80s that he blew his voice out at a show in Germany and it's basically never recovered. You can hear the move from croon and growl to just growl.
655321
30 Nov 2006, 12:41 PM
Much like Dylan's music is based around lyrics, Waits is all about the arrangment. Beautiful stuff, until he starts singing it. I love him.
Most of my friends who "hate" Dylan love Tom Waits, which I find endlessly amusing.
hangthadj
30 Nov 2006, 12:44 PM
I thought he was great in Mystery Train or whatever the hell that Jim Jarmusch movie was called.
billreeves
30 Nov 2006, 12:52 PM
I saw him on TDS as well. That guy has gotten old. Back in the 80s when he had that big hit with "Missing You," he was much better looking.
I thought he was great in Mystery Train or whatever the hell that Jim Jarmusch movie was called.
Down by Law?
bojendyk
30 Nov 2006, 12:58 PM
I thought he was great in Mystery Train or whatever the hell that Jim Jarmusch movie was called.
As already mentioned, you mean Down by Law, although the unseen DJ in Mystery Train is Mr. Waits. He also did the soundtrack for Night on Earth.
hangthadj
30 Nov 2006, 12:58 PM
Down by Law?
yep. that was it. sheesh.
Pints
30 Nov 2006, 01:03 PM
I want to like this guy. But I honestly haven't given him the time he obviously deserves. Which in todays ocean of "the song is great, but the album sucks"
is very intriguing and makes me feel more foolish for not giving him the time his music seemingly deserves.
I admit the ONLY album I bought is "Bone Machine."
sch2383
30 Nov 2006, 01:07 PM
He is one of the greatest songwriters out there, but half the time he is following his muse down the rabbit hole (literally in the case of Alice) so he can be difficult to follow.
sch2383
30 Nov 2006, 01:08 PM
I want to like this guy. But I honestly haven't given him the time he obviously deserves. Which in todays ocean of "the song is great, but the album sucks"
is very intriguing and makes me feel more foolish for not giving him the time his music seemingly deserves.
I admit the ONLY album I bought is "Bone Machine."
Go buy Rain Dogs, that should do it for you.
superdave
30 Nov 2006, 01:09 PM
I acknowledge his talents, but his singing is so awful that I, personally, find him unlistenable.
But I know alot of people who have the exact same view of Bob Dylan, whom I love, I've got about 20 hours of his recorded music.
I acknowledge his talents, but his singing is so awful that I, personally, find him unlistenable.
That's part of it though, his voice is part of the rough hewn charm, and with Waits it's as often as much about the performance. Go to YouTube and look up his performance of Chocolate Jesus on the Letterman show, you will begin to understand his true genius.
edit: here -- http://youtube.com/watch?v=1wfamPW3Eaw