Tom Waits once said in an interview that Bob Dylan is the greatest living songwriter. Later, when told of the comment in a subsequent interview, Bob Dylan said, "That's funny, because Tom Waits is the world's greatest living songwriter."
A couple of songs you may know (that he's written, as covered by others - including the Waits album they appear on:)
Downtown Train (Rod Stewart) - Rain Dogs Jersey Girl (Bruce Springsteen) - Heart Attack and Vine Ol' 55 (The Eagles, Sarah McLachlan) - Closing Time 16 Shells from a Thirty Ought Six (Bob Seger) - Swordfishtrombones
And there are so many more. He's been covered so much, it's ridiculous.
Here's the thing: Tom Waits is arguably the most influential songwriter of the last thirty years. You really should know his work. Everyone should. He's been reinventing songwriting structure and tone and style since 1972 (Closing Time) and most recently released two albums on the same day (Alice and Blood Money, 2002). Alice is his version of the Wonderland story, while Blood Money is a straight album. He's also done other "musicals" (Franks Wild Years and The Black Rider). His early music is very dark alley nightclub jazz and blues. The middle years found him experimenting a lot with clanky percussion and pump organs and found sounds and pirate songs. His newest stuff is more dirt in your bones acoustic mixed with eerie forlorn love songs.
To start: pick up Rain Dogs, Franks Wild Years, and Blue Valentine. These will give you a solid start and showcase his stellar songwriting. If you must pick just one, I would recommend Franks Wild Years. It's an inspired album in every way and simply an essential for anyone who likes music at all.
There's so much more to say, but I don't want to bore you. Really, check him out. He's so very worth it.
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zvi and
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Date: 2004-01-23 10:09 am (UTC)Tom Waits once said in an interview that Bob Dylan is the greatest living songwriter. Later, when told of the comment in a subsequent interview, Bob Dylan said, "That's funny, because Tom Waits is the world's greatest living songwriter."
A couple of songs you may know (that he's written, as covered by others - including the Waits album they appear on:)
Downtown Train (Rod Stewart) - Rain Dogs
Jersey Girl (Bruce Springsteen) - Heart Attack and Vine
Ol' 55 (The Eagles, Sarah McLachlan) - Closing Time
16 Shells from a Thirty Ought Six (Bob Seger) - Swordfishtrombones
And there are so many more. He's been covered so much, it's ridiculous.
Here's the thing: Tom Waits is arguably the most influential songwriter of the last thirty years. You really should know his work. Everyone should. He's been reinventing songwriting structure and tone and style since 1972 (Closing Time) and most recently released two albums on the same day (Alice and Blood Money, 2002). Alice is his version of the Wonderland story, while Blood Money is a straight album. He's also done other "musicals" (Franks Wild Years and The Black Rider). His early music is very dark alley nightclub jazz and blues. The middle years found him experimenting a lot with clanky percussion and pump organs and found sounds and pirate songs. His newest stuff is more dirt in your bones acoustic mixed with eerie forlorn love songs.
To start: pick up Rain Dogs, Franks Wild Years, and Blue Valentine. These will give you a solid start and showcase his stellar songwriting. If you must pick just one, I would recommend Franks Wild Years. It's an inspired album in every way and simply an essential for anyone who likes music at all.
There's so much more to say, but I don't want to bore you. Really, check him out. He's so very worth it.