Tom Waits ....getting started

mydogmookieblaylock

So i found this Tom Waits disc - Mule Variations - at the used CD store a while back and it is a great disc. i am sure he has an icredible library of music, and i have seen people ask for ideas on the board before, so what is a Tom Waits fan's must have album or albums -

thanks.

dcfaithful

Genius musician IMO. Totally original.

Honestly, I like Tom's early, early stuff

Closing Time
Nighthawks at The Diner
The Heart Of Saturday Night (my personal favorite)
Small Change
Rain Dogs
Swordfishtrombones

All classic Tom Waits. You did with getting Mule Variations, that is a very good album. I think the most difficult barrier for me with Tom Waits was his voice...mainly because it was something so new and something I hadn't heard that I was a little thrown off by it.

PJGARDEN

Another vote for The Heart of Saturday night. That was the first Tom Waits album I bought and I adore it.

dcfaithful

PJGARDEN wrote:

Another vote for The Heart of Saturday night. That was the first Tom Waits album I bought and I adore it.

It's a lovely collection of jazzy, classy tunes.

Semi-Suite, San Diego Serenade, Drunk On The Moon -- all good songs from THoSN.

I really like Nighthawks at The Diner; Warm Beer and Cold Women is a staple in my drunken playlists.

PJGARDEN

dcfaithful wrote:

PJGARDEN wrote:

Another vote for The Heart of Saturday night. That was the first Tom Waits album I bought and I adore it.

It's a lovely collection of jazzy, classy tunes.

Semi-Suite, San Diego Serenade, Drunk On The Moon -- all good songs from THoSN.

I really like Nighthawks at The Diner; Warm Beer and Cold Women is a staple in my drunken playlists.

San Diego Sernade is one of my favorite songs of all time! I love it. The lyrist are beautiful and I love the vocals. They seem so genuine and heartfelt.

EquallyWorthless

I think Real Gone, Rain Dogs and Swordfish Trombones are the best starters.

mookeywrench

I asked this same question like 4 years ago and a huge Tom Waits fanatic (don't think he posts here) shouted out these 3 albums and I thought he was spot on and since then I now own all of Waits' albums:

Heart Attack and Vine
Rain Dogs
Bone Machine

theboxerorthebag

Rain Dogs

merkinball

Rain Dogs
Franks Wild Years

H.Chinaski

i agree i think rain dogs is the best album to start with.

skippybrew

Sweet Jesus - that's a loaded question... I have a healthy obsession with him, so my opinions may not be the most objective. I any case, there are two basic camps: those who prefer his older stuff, and those who swear by his newer stuff. Don't be fooled. It's all good.

He started out as just a talented drunken piano balladeer. Closing Time was his first album and a classic, must-have. Nighthawks at the Diner was my first exposure. He turned the studio into a jazz bar, complete with an audience and recorded a brand new album - pretty cool. Small Change is one of my all-time favorite albums. He really hit his stride. I find myself listening to Heartattack & Vine probably most often. That one's a nice mix of straight blues and mellower piano songs. You should also check out the soundtrack to Francis Ford Coppola's One From the Heart. Tom Waits wrote the whole thing and Crystal Gayle sang about half of it.

And then he released Swordfishtrombones and everything changed. There's much debate between that one, Frank's Wild Years and Rain Dogs as to which is the best (Rain Dogs might be my personal favorite album of his, so it gets my vote), but they're all fucking brilliant. You have Mule Variations, which is important, and I think Bone Machine is about on the same level.

He's got something like 18 studio albums, and I think they're all amazing (but, like I said, I'm biased). If you're anything like me, you're embarking on a hell of a thing. Stick to the albums the people mention and then you can start filling in the holes.

spnoone

i tried to make someone a best of tom waits mix and it took me 7 cd's.

start in the 70's and work your way to the present. nighthawks at the diner, closing time, small change, heart of saturday night... then onto the kathleen years. swordfishtrombones, rain dogs, bone machine and so on.

just don't start with frank's wild years, the black rider, orphans, real gone, foreign affairs, soundtracks or those undercooked early years/used songs compilations. they're either weak, too long or just not accessible to beginners. work your way up to those. anything else should do the trick. my personal favorites are small change and bone machine.

dcfaithful

skippybrew wrote:

Sweet Jesus - that's a loaded question... I have a healthy obsession with him, so my opinions may not be the most objective. I any case, there are two basic camps: those who prefer his older stuff, and those who swear by his newer stuff. Don't be fooled. It's all good.

He started out as just a talented drunken piano balladeer. Closing Time was his first album and a classic, must-have. Nighthawks at the Diner was my first exposure. He turned the studio into a jazz bar, complete with an audience and recorded a brand new album - pretty cool. Small Change is one of my all-time favorite albums. He really hit his stride. I find myself listening to Heartattack & Vine probably most often. That one's a nice mix of straight blues and mellower piano songs. You should also check out the soundtrack to Francis Ford Coppola's One From the Heart. Tom Waits wrote the whole thing and Crystal Gayle sang about half of it.

And then he released Swordfishtrombones and everything changed. There's much debate between that one, Frank's Wild Years and Rain Dogs as to which is the best (Rain Dogs might be my personal favorite album of his, so it gets my vote), but they're all fucking brilliant. You have Mule Variations, which is important, and I think Bone Machine is about on the same level.

He's got something like 18 studio albums, and I think they're all amazing (but, like I said, I'm biased). If you're anything like me, you're embarking on a hell of a thing. Stick to the albums the people mention and then you can start filling in the holes.

Great advice! Although, I still am going to give a good reference to The Heart Of Saturday Night.

JDB

Bone Machine definately. Great album.

benjs

To be honest, I started with an audio version of Tom's VH1 Storytellers... which is nothing short of spectacular. Not only is the man a musical genius, but he could be a stand up comedian if he wanted.
As far as albums go, Nighthawks at the Diner is a great, fun album, but my all-time favourite Tom Waits album is the first real album of his I heard, and that's Small Change. Blue Valentine is also a phenomenal album... specifically, Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis is spectacular - leave it to Tom Waits to start a song with "Hey Charlie, I'm pregnant".
On that note, I'm going to start a Tom Waits lyrics thread. I'm outta here!

Byrnzie

mydogmookieblaylock wrote:

So i found this Tom Waits disc - Mule Variations - at the used CD store a while back and it is a great disc. i am sure he has an icredible library of music, and i have seen people ask for ideas on the board before, so what is a Tom Waits fan's must have album or albums -

thanks.

A good place to start is with 'Rain Dogs'.

mydogmookieblaylock

thanks for all the advice - it looks like Rain Dogs is clearly out in front so i will start there, Heart of Saturday Night also getting a lot of love.....those 2 and i will see where that takes me. Pretty excited to think the only disc i have wasnt mentioned as anyone's favorite.

thanks again.

dcfaithful

mydogmookieblaylock wrote:

thanks for all the advice - it looks like Rain Dogs is clearly out in front so i will start there, Heart of Saturday Night also getting a lot of love.....those 2 and i will see where that takes me. Pretty excited to think the only disc i have wasnt mentioned as anyone's favorite.

thanks again.

Mule Variations is definitely a great album, you had a good catch on finding that one.

mookeywrench

mydogmookieblaylock wrote:

Pretty excited to think the only disc i have wasnt mentioned as anyone's favorite.

thanks again.

I think starting points and favorite are two different things.

mydogmookieblaylock

So i got the discs - listened to Heat of Saturday night before Rain Dogs - i was amazed at how much his voice and style had changed in about 10 years. Love them both though - thanks again - i am ready for the next for more

dcfaithful

mydogmookieblaylock wrote:

So i got the discs - listened to Heat of Saturday night before Rain Dogs - i was amazed at how much his voice and style had changed in about 10 years. Love them both though - thanks again - i am ready for the next for more

His voice and style has definitely evolved. It might be attributed to all the smoking that man does. :shock:

skippybrew

dcfaithful wrote:

His voice and style has definitely evolved. It might be attributed to all the smoking that man does. :shock:

Or did do... He quit some years ago and as far as I know is still on the wagon. But yeah, he's probably had enough for several lifetimes.

dcfaithful

skippybrew wrote:

dcfaithful wrote:

His voice and style has definitely evolved. It might be attributed to all the smoking that man does. :shock:

Or did do... He quit some years ago and as far as I know is still on the wagon. But yeah, he's probably had enough for several lifetimes.

Yeah even if he has been cigarette free for a while...that man used to smoke like wild fire

Digital Twilight

I downloaded Heart of Saturday Night and i love it. Only listened to bits here and there from Tom Waits, should have checked him out sooner.

benjs

Am I the only one whose favourites are Blue Valentine and Small Change?

mydogmookieblaylock

Digital Twilight wrote:

I downloaded Heart of Saturday Night and i love it. Only listened to bits here and there from Tom Waits, should have checked him out sooner.

I also am on repeat with Heart of Saturday night - what my logical next step in the progression to close the gap between it and Rain Dogs - which seems to be half way to Mule Variations.

Also has anyone heard the new live album?
I read that its a double disc and the whole second disc is him telling stories and jokes?
I READ that in Playboy.

dcfaithful

mydogmookieblaylock wrote:

I READ that in Playboy.

You only used that article as an intermission...just be honest.

dcfaithful

Digital Twilight wrote:

I downloaded Heart of Saturday Night and i love it. Only listened to bits here and there from Tom Waits, should have checked him out sooner.

Hell yeah brotha, that album is some classy shit.

Semi-Suite is ace.

mydogmookieblaylock

dcfaithful wrote:

mydogmookieblaylock wrote:

I READ that in Playboy.

You only used that article as an intermission...just be honest.

:oops:

dcfaithful

mydogmookieblaylock wrote:

dcfaithful wrote:

mydogmookieblaylock wrote:

I READ that in Playboy.

You only used that article as an intermission...just be honest.

:oops:

HAHAHA!!! Don't worry, I only speak from experience..... ...... :oops: .........

Digital Twilight

dcfaithful wrote:

Digital Twilight wrote:

I downloaded Heart of Saturday Night and i love it. Only listened to bits here and there from Tom Waits, should have checked him out sooner.

Hell yeah brotha, that album is some classy shit.

Semi-Suite is ace.

I've been resisting buying multiple albums from 1 artist so i can discover more new music but i might have to purchase another Tom Waits i think.